high pitched noise....

[kennyrushby]

I got a high pitched noise coming from my tower, and it's driving me insane!! I can't pinpoint it even with the casing off, though I think it's coming from the PSU.

It starts whenever a program is started - be it a Word doc or a game, never when just on desktop with no progs running. It's not constant - it can be intermittent, very strangely (and maybe separately) I've noticed on FM2006 it makes a clicky noise as I scroll over lists of names.

Does anyone have any ideas please?

P4 3.2
450 watt PSU
ASRock Dual 440 PCIe Pro mobo
2 x 512 Kingston

[GX1_Man]

Probably a PSU or fan sound. Can you get close enought to hear? You can put a screwdriver on each component, one at a time and put the larger end in your ear to hear better. (An old trick!)

[Fed]

I piece of plastic tube in your ear works well.
Don't try and touch the screwdriver or the plastic tube on a moving fan.

[kennyrushby]

thanks guys - I put my ear to he psu and think its coming from in there, but it could be coming from my processor which is pretty much next to it. (dunno if processors make noise like!)

The PSU is one that came with my tower, so I'm gonna replace it with a Colors iT 550w Gold one. If it doesn't solve it, I'll be back!

nice tip about the screwdriver too!

[GX1_Man]

Let us know how it works out!  

[kennyrushby]

I've replaced the PSU with the Colors iT 550w one - and had a gloriously silent first couple of minutes before it started  

I noticed when playing Pirates and FM2006, it corresponds with lag on the screen - how can I word this - when the 2D game engine of FM2006 is on screen, sometimes it starts to lag in an evenly jerky sort of way, at the exact same time as the noise starts, which is intermittent (in time with the 'jerks'). You get me?

On some other programs it can just be almost constant.  I'm thinking motherboard or processor because it seems to be doing it only when the PC is 'working'. When it's just on the desktop with no programs running it doesn't do it.

Bit more system info -

P4 3.2 HT
Arctic Cooling freezer unit (it's not freezer unit fan I'm sure)
2x512mb Kingston memory
Colors iT 550w PSU
ASRock P4 Dual 880 PCIe mobo
NVidia GeForce 6600
200G HD
Sony DVDRW

I've had a listen to the HD, DVD and graphics card and am 99% sure it's not them. Funnily enough it still sounds like the PSU, but if it is it's not the fault of the PSU cos obviously I just replaced that - could it be a BIOS setting? I have a temperature readout on my case - with the side fan on it runs about 18 - 24, without it can run up to about 28, so I think thats ok.

If I can give you guys anymore info just ask, I'm tearing my hair out with this so any help or ideas will be gratefully received!

[Frankie]

Your lagg and them sound issues you are having could be your onboard sound or sound card. Using onboard sound can create what looks like lagg in a game and distort the sound, when infact its because the soundcard or onboard sounds not upto much. I would swap out the soundcard. Or if you have onboard i would get a soundcard. A good way to test before you buy, is to disable the sound under device manager and see if what you see as lagg disappears in the games. Let us know how you get on.

[kennyrushby]

Thanks I'll try that - I have a pretty decent Soundblaster Live 24-bit SC, but maybe I haven't disabled the on-board properly or something? Anyway, I'll let you know the results.

I'd sure rather it be the soundcard then the processor!  

[kennyrushby]

I disabled the on board sound and disabled my soundcard from device manager - unfortunately it never affected the high pitched torture coming from my tower...

I took the other side of my case off and pressed my ear to the backplate - I have to say it sounded a bit louder from behind the area of my processor.

The issue where it lags in tandem with the display is just one part of it - it also eminates an almost  constant high pitched whine.

Any other ideas anyone?

Just so you know I'm running XP with SP2.