Pre-Overclocking, Check My Temperatures

[chadders]

I'm using the onboard audio at the moment (somehow I couldn't find it in my extortionate budget to buy one!).

The old "finger-prod" definately ruled it as being in the HSF area and not the GFX card.

I agree it is strange, as I said it seems the act of scrolling iTunes causes your processor to "do work" - try it (in case I've gone mad!). Open iTunes, nothing else, grab the slidy for your music library and whizz it up/down - I seem to be able to generate 40% to 50% CPU usage in Windows Task Manager!!

I've had the temps monitoring all day, never really gone above 35c and I'm running 350mhz FSB (3.15ghz).

Ho-hum... if it ain't broke (or doesn't look broke) don't fix it I say.

[[GSV]Trig]

Possibly start of an OC issue?
Try disabling the sound and see what your CPU usage does..

[chadders]

OK, have wound the o/clock back to default and disabled onboard audio, still get the noise associated with (itunes) activity (scrolling).

It's definetely related to CPU activity, and I think it could just be the fact that the CPU activity causes the HSF to adjust speed. And because the damn thing is so bloody big I bet I'm getting the noise because of it.

As a test, listened carefully - on initial boot (when you get CPU activity) and on windows loading (again CPU activity) and Orthos (cpu activity - although only when it start computations, as it does them it's a steady workflow) I can hear the noise.

Think I'll either a) get used to it or b) figure out some way of putting some sort of retention fixing between board/case and top of HSF (i.e. replicate my finger permanently prodding it!).

I'm no expert but this snap-fix method for the HSF on the m/board sure seems crappy! It just seems such a lot of weight to dangle perpendicular to the board and not expect a problem. God help if your case takes a knock!

edit: sent an email to Arctic Cooling see if they can help (provided forum link, maybe they'll join!).

[chadders]

Update:

Well tried re-seating the HSF, no news back from Arctic Cooling. It's definitely the HSF, literally just a light-weight push upwards and it disappears.

In the end I have just this minute strategically tied an elastic band to the top bit of the case and looped around a pokey-out bit on the HSF - hey presto no annoying high-pitched whine from the HSF!!

If all else fails, bodge it!

[Winkle]

So basically your HSF was/is loose, as you said the Arctic 7's push fittings aren't that great so if it's a tad loose then it will resonate due to the fan spinning....thus you get a noise.

Obviously putting your finger against it, or using a rubberband stops it resonating = no noise.

Perhaps a slightly neater solution would be to use washers or something similar with the push fittings to create a tighter fit.

[chadders]

That sounds like a possibility - although I've been looking at "bolt-thru" kits which seem a much neater solution all round.