Faulty graphics card/PSU

[ziadoz]

I previously had a PSU which was repeatedly making a loud clicking noise as soon as it was turned on. Scan quickly replaced this under RMA, and by time I got back from my 2 week holiday (Friday) my replacement PSU was ready and waiting.

I fitted the new PSU and everything sounded OK. No more crazy clicking noises. That was until I went to play some Chess in Windows Vista. As the game starts the board rotates and when this happened I heard a loud squealing noise coming from the PSU. The noise also happens when the animation of a piece moving is happening. When no graphical animations are going on there is no squealing noise.

I thought this was pretty odd, so I tried a few games to confirm what the problem is. Sure enough in Half Life 2, Ghost Recon and any other game, during any graphical load the PSU was exhibiting loud squealing noises. During games like this it was much worse, as the graphics card is always working, thus the noise is constant!

I've ran a CPU stress test, and there was no noise. However as soon as there is some graphical load the noise begins again. I can confirm the noise is coming from the PSU and not the graphics card. However it only ever happens under a graphical load.


My question is, what do I need to RMA? Is the PSU at fault again, or is the graphics card the source of my woes? Should I RMA both? I really want to get this sorted ASAP.

The system specs:

Intel E6850 Dual Core
Asus P5K-E
2GB Corsair 800Mhz DDR2
XFX 8800 GTX Extreme
Silverstone OP750
500GB Western Digital HD

Thanks for any help.

[slickric21]

I had the same problem with my 750w silverstine PSU (modular version).

It was the PSU not the GFX card as when scan sent me a replacement PSU it solved the problem.

Go with the PSU RMA - maybe consider a differnent brand

[acrobat]

As the game starts the board rotates and when this happened I heard a loud squealing noise

Its your graphics card mate. I'm 99.9999% positive.

The bad news is that the card is working properly, and even if you got a replacement, it would sound the same. There was another thread posted recently by the way, where people are talking about the same thing. Heres a link to that thread:
http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=119968

I put my reply on page two, which talks about me having the same issue for over 9 months. (I bought my 8800GTX last Christmas). I also put a link to a thread on another forum, where I was reading about this issue several months ago. At the time, nobody knew what it was, and everyone was suspicious of the suggestion that it was the graphics card. But the thread eventually got onto the right track, and people accepted the fact that 8800GTX's are just noisy little buggers.

There are probably much more recently discussions about it on the internet though, but I just happened to still have that link bookmarked. Its one of the few issues I have with my PC, that I don't bother reading about anymore, because I've just accepted it. I'm not happy about it though, because its a very annoying noise, and its not actually that quiet. I can hear it clearly as long as there is no music playing loudly. There is a possibility that eventually, someone might come up with a ghetto solution for it.

[ziadoz]

Its your graphics card mate. I'm 99.9999% positive.

The bad news is that the card is working properly, and even if you got a replacement, it would sound the same. There was another thread posted recently by the way, where people are talking about the same thing. Heres a link to that thread:
http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=119968

I put my reply on page two, which talks about me having the same issue for over 9 months. (I bought my 8800GTX last Christmas). I also put a link to a thread on another forum, where I was reading about this issue several months ago. At the time, nobody knew what it was, and everyone was suspicious of the suggestion that it was the graphics card. But the thread eventually got onto the right track, and people accepted the fact that 8800GTX's are just noisy little buggers.

There are probably much more recently discussions about it on the internet though, but I just happened to still have that link bookmarked. Its one of the few issues I have with my PC, that I don't bother reading about anymore, because I've just accepted it. I'm not happy about it though, because its a very annoying noise, and its not actually that quiet. I can hear it clearly as long as there is no music playing loudly. There is a possibility that eventually, someone might come up with a ghetto solution for it.

I stumbled across the thread you mentioned earlier. Thing is my graphics card isn't making the noise, its the PSU making the noise when the graphics card is under load. The graphics card is silent all the time.

[IAmATeaf]

Bit dangerous but you can confirm it's not the vid card by stopping the fan on the card for a spilt second when the squealing starts, this would confirm that it's 100% the PSU.

[acrobat]

I'm positive you are wrong. Like I said, I've spent about 10 months with this problem. It may sound like its coming from the PSU if you put your ear at the back of the PC, but thats because noise from inside the PC can get out through the PSU and fan, whereas the rest of the back of the PC is solid metal. So it sounds like its coming from the PSU, but its not.

I could give you a dozen more scientific reasons why I am sure its the graphics card though. And you can try them yourself. Heres just a few:

1) Put the PC under load, except the graphics card. Burn a DVD while running Prime 95 or Intel TAT with the CPU stress test on it etc. You won't hear the noise, because its the graphics card that makes the noise.

2) Run various Graphics Card stress testing software, and you will hear the noise.

3) Run a high end game like Oblivion or something, and run around outside with all the trees, or in a town with all those people. The graphics card will be under load, and the PSU will be under load, but you won't hear the noise - because its specific to specific types of graphics/situations.

3) I can have nothing running on the PC at all, or in the background, and then load up a very simple flash game. The graphics card will buzz and whine and screetch like crazy. The PSU is not under heavy load under these conditions.

4) Run around in a game like Two Worlds or Oblivion or Vanguard, etc.. in the most demanding environments. The frame rate will drop down to below 20, because the game is stressing out your system. Then go into a tiny room in a house or a dungeon, where there is not much to display. The frame rate will shoot up to 60+ and the graphics card will begin to howl.

5) Play a demanding game, and go somewhere to make the graphics card make the noise. Then save the game... It may only take a second or so for your PC to save a game, but the noise will stop during that time. The PSU load should be the same as usual, or higher, because saving the game is accessing and then writing to your hard disk. But the graphics card stops working while the game is being saved, and thats why the noise stops.

6) Replace your PSU, if the noise remains, then its the graphics card - unless you got two faulty PSU's in a row. Replace the graphics card with anything other than an 8800 based card. If the noise goes, you know its the graphics card.

7) Research it on the net and see what other people are saying about it. (And read the thread at [H] that I linked for you).

9) We have different PSU's by different manufacturers, and yet we both have the same noise, and it happens in the same situations... But we do both have the same graphics card. Is that not enough evidence for you?

10) etc.

Edit: By the way, I've had two 8800GTX's in this same PC. Both of them made the noise, but the noise was slightly different after I replaced the first card with the second card. So that supports the fact that its the graphics card too.

Bit dangerous but you can confirm it's not the vid card by stopping the fan on the card for a spilt second when the squealing starts, this would confirm that it's 100% the PSU.

Its not the graphics card fan by the way. I tried that trick to prove it to myself too, and the noise remained. Its the resistors or whatever on the card. Some physical metal things with a lot of current running through them.

[ziadoz]

Well to be doubly sure I opened the case and listened again. The noise is coming from the PSU and not the graphics card. Its a high pitched squealing/buzzing electronic noise. No where around the graphics card can I hear any noise at all, with the case open or closed.

I might add my PSU is in a separate bottom chamber (Antec P182 case). And this is where the noise seems to be coming from.

In fact, I also notice if I run my mouse up and down the start menu icons in Vista the PSU exhibits more sounds as each mouse over is drawn.

[acrobat]

Wierd. That mouse over the icons still suggests the graphics card to me. But if you are sure its coming from the PSU, then I suppose its possible that PSU could make the same buzzing noise that the graphics cards can make. I don't suppose you have access to a spare PSU? (or graphics card?).

There are other things you could maybe try. Maybe hold something like a bundled up T-Shirt over the fans on the PSU (only for a second or it can overheat). And if the sound gets muffled, then bingo.

Also, if its a known issue, the PSU manufacturer might have a FAQ or a forum that mentions it.

I also wonder if it could be the graphics card issue I mentioned, somehow doing something to the PSU to make it give out noise... I just can't get over the graphics card aspect because the evidence does point at that. For example, loading up chess and then rotating the chess board, shouldn't really affect the PSU, but it would affect the graphics card. But I may wrong. I suppose, any electrical device in a PC with a current running through it, can make that same kind of buzzing noise. So maybe the PSU happens to be one.

p.s. I'm gunna try something. Back in a few mins.

[acrobat]

I tried some things and it could be your PSU after all. Heres what I did anyway:

I double (quadruple) checked my own PC. The buzzing/squeeling noise is absolutely 100000% definitely coming from the graphics card and not the PSU. And interestingly, I put my ear so close, that I can tell exactly where on the card its coming from - and that is the double power input on the top of the card.

But I then googled your PSU and typed in "buzzing" with it too, and there are lots of people talking about it. Unfortunately, most of them had 8800GTX in their sig which doesn't help. And some people said they did an RMA, and the replacement makes the exact same noise. But other people seem to have got their money back, and then bought different PSU's (different manufacturers too), and they said that the replacement is silent. So that means the PSU can definitely make that noise too.

It doesn't leave you with many nice options unfortunately. You could try to RMA just the PSU and hope the replacement is different. But you might end up having to get a different brand PSU. I still blame these graphics cards for making PSU's act bad But if people have tried different PSU's and the noise went away, then it must mean the PSU can be the source of the noise too.

---edit---oops I said I googled your graphics card - i meant PSU.

[ziadoz]

I think I'm gonna ask for a different brand PSU as a replacement. Does anyone have any recommendations for an alternative? A modular one might be nice too.

[acrobat]

Corsair HX 620W is really highly recommended by everyone. I have one, and I am really impressed. Very quiet and really good. Very high quality every step of the way. (And modular).

Although, I saw someone mention buzzing coming from one, when I was looking at yours.. It must be uncommon though.

[ziadoz]

Corsair HX 620W is really highly recommended by everyone. I have one, and I am really impressed. Very quiet and really good. Very high quality every step of the way. (And modular).

Although, I saw someone mention buzzing coming from one, when I was looking at yours.. It must be uncommon though.

The Corsair HX620W seems like the best alternative. I'll phone Scan tomorrow and arrange an RMA swap for it. Cheers for all your help guys.

[rabbid]

The hi end VGA cards draw a lot of power => load on ur psu is increased, if u try with a low power VGA card, does the psu still make the noise?
FYI the 7900GTX was rated at 120w, I am sure the 8800GTX will draw more.

[acrobat]

I was reading another forum and someone else mentioned their PSU making this same noise. Its the "capacitors", evidently.