Got a consistent high pitch noise occurring on/off, don't know which part is causing the coil whine.

[acoolrocket]

So this has been occurring for a few days by now, and it would happen on/off for about 20 minutes interval. The noise is consistent and doesn't pitch up/down corresponding to what's on display which is something I've read in regards to coil whine from the GPU.

So which part is it then? Got a video here with the noise, for comparison I've put it to sleep mode and back on.

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Specs:

• AMD Ryzen 7 1800x (3.6GHz)
• MSI B350 PC Mate
• Cooler Master Hyper 212 Led Turbo
• Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB 32GB DDR4 (2x16GB) 3200MHz

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• XFX RX 480 8GB Black Edition

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• 500GB - Western Digital WDC WDS500G2B0B-00YS70 (M.2 SSD)
• 120GB - KingDian S280 (SSD)
• 2TB - Seagate ST2000DM001-1ER164 (7200RPM HDD)
• 1TB - Western Digital WDC WD10EZRX-00A8LB0 (7200RPM HDD)
• 500GB - TOSHIBA MQ01ABF050 (5400RPM HDD)
• 1TB - WD_BLACK SN750

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• Corsair 850W TX850M (Old yellow sticker version)
• NZXT H440

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Overall most parts were bought when released such as the RX 480, B350 Mobo from 2016, the TX850M was used so I don't know how old it exactly is, but for the most part a 4-5 year old PC with the only changes being storage. This high pitched noise never occurred before so I'm guessing its just the capacitors wearing out by age.

 

[Mussels]

You're only gunna find out by removing components - and i couldnt spot the noise in the video (you'll need a proper mic recording, not a hand held camera video where your moving hand adds noise)

Disconnect the case fans from their power, disconnect all storage devices except the OS SSD, etc.
With four mech drives, that system is going to have hums and whines no matter what.


Most likely guess is that a mech drive is waking from sleep state, or a fan controlled by temperature is spinning up

 

[acoolrocket]

You're only gunna find out by removing components - and i couldnt spot the noise in the video (you'll need a proper mic recording, not a hand held camera video where your moving hand adds noise)

Disconnect the case fans from their power, disconnect all storage devices except the OS SSD, etc.
With four mech drives, that system is going to have hums and whines no matter what.


Most likely guess is that a mech drive is waking from sleep state, or a fan controlled by temperature is spinning up

Even in person its really hard to pin point where the noise is coming from because the whine is overwhelming wherever I inspect closer.

I was wondering if the noise shown here is depictable from a part say the PSU or GPU (although the GPU would pitch up/down when under load or whatever is being displayed).

 

[Mussels]

We wont know until you remove or disconnect parts to find out

I'd start with case fans and storage, and go from there - you could find out somethings simply loose, or a fan bearing has worn out

 

[Caring1]

Could also be the Motherboard's VRM

 

[acoolrocket]

We wont know until you remove or disconnect parts to find out

I'd start with case fans and storage, and go from there - you could find out somethings simply loose, or a fan bearing has worn out

Could it actually be something as simple as a fan? If so I will try experimenting tomorrow then with the whole trial and error disconnecting parts.

 

[looniam]

Could it actually be something as simple as a fan? If so I will try experimenting tomorrow then with the whole trial and error disconnecting parts.

well now that you mention it, all i heard in the video was airflow - quiet - start up w/ a fan horrendously rattling for a few seconds.

but really its gonna take getting your ear (or microphone) very close to the offending component to find.

 

[acoolrocket]

well now that you mention it, all i heard in the video was airflow - quiet - start up w/ a fan horrendously rattling for a few seconds.

but really its gonna take getting your ear (or microphone) very close to the offending component to find.

Nah nothing to note in terms of rattling, its just this noise that's of concern really.

 

[Mussels]

Could it actually be something as simple as a fan? If so I will try experimenting tomorrow then with the whole trial and error disconnecting parts.

absolutely could be that simple.
Windows also has a setting for hard drive power up and down, and changing that to something like 60 minutes might fix the problem too

If it's set from a fan curve on the motherboard it could be spinning up and down like mad, and simply making noises.
I always set mine to a static flat % since so many motherboards have really bad default settings

 

[claes]

Try using a paper towel tube to identify the source

 

[acoolrocket]

absolutely could be that simple.
Windows also has a setting for hard drive power up and down, and changing that to something like 60 minutes might fix the problem too

If it's set from a fan curve on the motherboard it could be spinning up and down like mad, and simply making noises.
I always set mine to a static flat % since so many motherboards have really bad default settings

Alright so I've unplugged all case fans and its still persisting, in fact with the back case cover off I was noticing the PSU sounding like the source of it as it was noticeably louder than elsewhere.

With this how long does the PSU have until it becomes hazardous, I'll obviously have to wait for it in a couple days time with shipping and stuff?

 

[Bill_Bright]

Try using a paper towel tube to identify the source

^^^This^^^

If still not sure it is the PSU, use the paper towel tube as a stethoscope. Or you can unmount the PSU from the computer case and carefully flip it outside the computer case. In that way, the location of the sound source should be more clear - especially if it moves outside the case with the PSU.

how long does the PSU have until it becomes hazardous

I can't see any reason it will become "hazardous" beyond the possibility it will become so annoying, you yank it out and throw it across the room. And the problem with such noises is they cannot even be used to predict how long before the offending device fails completely. It could be years from now, or tomorrow.

 

[acoolrocket]

^^^This^^^

If still not sure it is the PSU, use the paper towel tube as a stethoscope. Or you can unmount the PSU from the computer case and carefully flip it outside the computer case. In that way, the location of the sound source should be more clear - especially if it moves outside the case with the PSU.


I can't see any reason it will become "hazardous" beyond the possibility it will become so annoying, you yank it out and throw it across the room. And the problem with such noises is they cannot even be used to predict how long before the offending device fails completely. It could be years from now, or tomorrow.

Would you recommend I use the PC less often until I get the new PSU and maybe shut it down versus putting it to sleep mode?

 

[Wirko]

Try covering the suspect components, one by one, with a piece of foam large enough and thick enough to mute the sound.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Would you recommend I use the PC less often until I get the new PSU and maybe shut it down versus putting it to sleep mode?

No and no.

I see no reason you cannot keep using it - unless it is driving you crazy.

Does it still make the noise in sleep mode?

 

[acoolrocket]

No and no.

I see no reason you cannot keep using - unless it is driving you crazy.

Does it still make the noise in sleep mode?

For one, no it doesn't make the noise while in sleep/shut down (which I've seen being a problem for others). Given that could it mean that its actually a worse case or slightly better case say if it doesn't do while shut down?

Also admittedly I can only handle about 5 days more as I've got some important work to finish up until I go on vacation, so there's that burden given this has been going on for 2 weeks and wondering if I can stretch it for that much longer then I can keep it shut down until I've got the new PSU.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I am just saying if it did this when shut down or in sleep mode, I might be more inclined to think it was not the PSU. That said, ATX PSUs do output +5Vsb standby voltage even when in sleep mode.

Again, I know of noisy PSUs that have lasted for years. They often get moved to servers or other devices that go in closets or computer rooms where people don't normally sit for hours each day.

 

[Mussels]

With the PC off, unscrew and remove the PSU While keeping the PC plugged in

You should have enough wiggle room to move it out of the PC case, allowing you to listen into it (and possibly record the sound) easier


For safety tho, once you have it moved away from the rest of the system avoid moving it while the system is on

 

[acoolrocket]

I am just saying if it did this when shut down or in sleep mode, I might be more inclined to think it was not the PSU. That said, ATX PSUs do output +5Vsb standby voltage even when in sleep mode.

Again, I know of noisy PSUs that have lasted for years. They often get moved to servers or other devices that go in closets or computer rooms where people don't normally sit for hours each day.

Hopefully that sticks with how much longer my PSU will last. Obviously after its replaced within 2 weeks time I'll be selling it off as "parts only" and of concern that it might be dead within a year.

 

[Mussels]

If its the PSU, things can be done. Whining is not a sign of death, most of the time.

When i had a gigabyte 3080, i had whining all the time.
Moved to a Galax 3090, and the whine almost entirely went away

The final whine? one opened up PSU and some hotglue on the PSU coils, havent heard any in months.

 

[acoolrocket]

If its the PSU, things can be done. Whining is not a sign of death, most of the time.

When i had a gigabyte 3080, i had whining all the time.
Moved to a Galax 3090, and the whine almost entirely went away

The final whine? one opened up PSU and some hotglue on the PSU coils, havent heard any in months.

Yeah I've seen about that hotglue trick. But given the age of the PSU, I'm already fixed on replacing it regardless.

 

[Wirko]

If its the PSU, things can be done. Whining is not a sign of death, most of the time.

When i had a gigabyte 3080, i had whining all the time.
Moved to a Galax 3090, and the whine almost entirely went away

The final whine? one opened up PSU and some hotglue on the PSU coils, havent heard any in months.

How much glue?

I haven't tried that yet. My idea is to do it with cyanoacrylate glue because it's less viscous and seeps into the pores better, so it has a better chance of reaching the coil windings (which may be a good thing but also a bad thing).

 

[Mussels]

How much glue?

I haven't tried that yet. My idea is to do it with cyanoacrylate glue because it's less viscous and seeps into the pores better, so it has a better chance of reaching the coil windings (which may be a good thing but also a bad thing).

You dont want superglue/Cyanoacrylate because it dries out and cracks

The hotglue is better because you need something solid and thick to absorb noise, not super thin coatings
Nail polish/enamel would be a better choice there, but i'd still go the hotglue

 

[Vya Domus]

A ton of PSUs have coil whine if not all of them to some extent. You don't have to replace it.

The final whine? one opened up PSU and some hotglue on the PSU coils, havent heard any in months.

Really bad advice to tell someone to open up a PSU to put some glue in it. It's dangerous and it will probably not even work not to mention he might glue something else he shouldn't.

 

[Mussels]

A ton of PSUs have coil whine if not all of them to some extent. You don't have to replace it.


Really bad advice to tell someone to open up a PSU to put some glue in it. It's dangerous and it will probably not even work not to mention he might glue something else he shouldn't.

If he wants advice he's welcome to google for it, or directly ask for it

I mean I've accidentally stuck screwdrivers in live PSU's and lived to tell the tale, some hotglue with a disconnected PSU as a final step before binning it? Yeah, worth trying.
Removing four screws, taking off the cover and gluing the noisy bit is no more dangerous than replacing thermal paste