High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

I just built myself a new system today. I thought I connected everything correctly but the second I powered up, there was a high pitched squealing sound coming from something. I couldn't tell exactly where the sound was coming from. I immediately powered down because stuff like that scares me. Other than the sound, everything seemed to be functioning normally as far as I could tell. All the fans were running and there was seemingly normal stuff on the screen. Anyone know what the problem could be? Should I try to pinpoint the source of the sound?

Hopefully I didn't screw up. Last computer I built was 5 years ago.

Here is my system in case it matters:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
GIGABYTE GA-MA69GM-S2H Motherboard
COOLER MASTER Hyper TX2 CPU Cooler
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 320MB
G.Skill (2 x 1GB) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
FSP Group (Fortron Source) 500W Power Supply
Seagate Barracuda 160GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive
Sony NEC Optiarc 18X DVD±R DVD Burner

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

Spec. looks good.

How loud was the "squealing"? Damn right I'd not be happy about it... but u need to figure out where it is coming from.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

I would start by checking your fans. If you can't determine which is it, you can use a pen or similar plastic instrument to gently tap or rake the blades while running. If the noise changes pitch, bingo...

So how loud is this noise? Does it ever change in pitch/volume? When I built my most recent computer I discovered I have a capacitor (or something) that 'squeals' -- this noise changes in pitch depending on load, lol. Anyways, I have had it almost a year and it still runs fine, though I do have a backup board in case it dies. The noise has grown somewhat quieter as of late.

edit: be sure to check all fans:
case
power supply
cpu
video card
motherboard

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

The only moving parts in a computer are the fans and hard drives (well and cd drives but I assume you didn't get around to using one). So you really shouldn't have a problem determining where its coming from. Most likely a wire is rubbing against a fan. Anyway you need to get it taken care of since a dead fan could lead to overheating and system damage.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

Don't bother with a pen or whatever. Just touch the hub of each fan in turn. It'll slow slightly, and you'll be able to tell if the sound changes.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

Ok, I'll try to pinpoint the noise tomorrow and report back if I find anything. I'm too lazy to go try it now. Thanks guys.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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Don't bother with a pen or whatever. Just touch the hub of each fan in turn. It'll slow slightly, and you'll be able to tell if the sound changes.

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Good luck with the vcard fan whilst avoiding ESD! Damn it Sam, this is my technique and I don't appreciate helpful refinements [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

On a serious note, yes it is probably easier just to touch most of the fans though the vcard may be tricky.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

Other than a moving part, could it possibly be my mobo giving me some kind of warning sound? The noise is significantly loud btw. Not something I can just ignore. I'll see if it's a fan tomorrow.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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Damn it Sam,

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My bad.

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Other than a moving part, could it possibly be my mobo giving me some kind of warning sound? The noise is significantly loud btw. Not something I can just ignore. I'll see if it's a fan tomorrow.

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I mean, is it a BEEP? That's pretty different than a SQUEAL.

edit: By the way, you can also try unplugging a harddrive, to see if the sound goes away. Probably harder than lightly touching a fan, but if it's a squeal, it's a moving part. And, as stated above, that means either a harddrive or a fan.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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...but if it's a squeal, it's a moving part. And, as stated above, that means either a harddrive or a fan.

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Well it can be a capacitor (at least they can make noise), but in my case it isn't too loud, slightly louder then the cpu fan when it is not running in extreme mode.

Based on how loud this seems to be going off of what you are saying, it seems unlikely though.

Anyway the process of elimination should get this narrowed down quickly.

edit: this is usually referred to as a 'singing capacitor'

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

start by unplugging the PC speaker. If that's it, then make sure all your fans are plugged in and that your HSF is properly installed on the CPU.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

it might be the power supply. my computer had a high pitched noise coming from it, and i changed the power supply for a different reason, and it went away

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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Damn it Sam,

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My bad.

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Other than a moving part, could it possibly be my mobo giving me some kind of warning sound? The noise is significantly loud btw. Not something I can just ignore. I'll see if it's a fan tomorrow.

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I mean, is it a BEEP? That's pretty different than a SQUEAL.

edit: By the way, you can also try unplugging a harddrive, to see if the sound goes away. Probably harder than lightly touching a fan, but if it's a squeal, it's a moving part. And, as stated above, that means either a harddrive or a fan.

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It's not a BEEP, it's a pretty loud high pitched squeal. But the pitch is constant. I don't know how else to describe it other than it's a sound I imagine a mobo could make. It's not the case fan or the heatsink fan. I didn't have time to test any others before I left for work. It'll be a bit tougher to test the power supply and vid card fans, but I'll try after work.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

you can unplug the case and CPU fans for short periods of time. Also, when does it happen, right at power up? Before bootup?

Does it go away during a reset?

I would try unplugging the fans for a short time and see if it is ok.

Does your CD/DVD drive work? I have a hard time believing that a drive could be squealing loudly and still funcioning.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

It's not the fans. I've tested all of them. I think it's the mobo. After hearing it a few more times, it does sound electronic. It happens right at power up.

It's not the DVD drive or the harddrive because I did a powerup with both of them unplugged and still get the sound.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

Have you tried unplugging the PC speaker yet?

EDIT: re-read OP - the computer works ok (normal stuff on screen) - My guess this is "case open alarm", check in BIOS and switch it off.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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Have you tried unplugging the PC speaker yet?

EDIT: re-read OP - the computer works ok (normal stuff on screen) - My guess this is "case open alarm", check in BIOS and switch it off.

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What PC speaker? Do you mean my actual speakers? The only thing I have plugged in is a screen, keyboard and power cord.

What does the "case open alarm" signify? I found it in the mobo manual but I don't really know what it does. I haven't Do you recommend I just tolerate the sound while I try changing the bios?

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

When you connected the case wires to the bottom edge of the mainboard (Power switch, reset, HDD LED etc.) - one of those was for a PC Speaker. It will be 4 pins wide, with one red one black wire.

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I don't really know what it does.

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It screeches as load as it can when the "case is open" - it is usally off in default BIOS settings, or the connecters jumpered. but it is one thing I can think of that would casue such a noise (if it is actually quite loud).

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Do you recommend I just tolerate the sound while I try changing the bios?


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If the machine can display it's POST screen and get in to the BIOS, yeah, cross fingers for good luck and do it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

EDIT: It could also be a low fan speed alarm or something - are you sure you connected the CPU fan to the correct header?

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

Ok. Disconnecting the PC speaker wire didn't work. I briefly explored the bios last night but then my friends came over and I put it off. From what I saw though, it seems to be normal. Fan seems to be running at good speed, cpu and system temp seems normal (~31C), it's detecting my RAM. So if I can get this far into the bios, it's not the CPU? Could it still be the mobo? I'm going to try changing the bios options more tonight.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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What PC speaker?

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There is a crappy little speaker mounted inside the case of PC's, which is pretty much a relic of the days before PC's had real audio capability. It was just intended for beeps, but some old DOS games used to actually play tunes through it, and Microsoft even had an unsupported driver for Windows 3.1 that would play real sound through it, which you could use if you didn't have a sound card. The audio quality was very poor and it would pretty much hang the system while the sound was playing, but other than that it worked, sort of. There is a connector on the MB for this speaker, and I think the BIOS uses the PC speaker for the diagnostic beeps in the POST.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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...but some old DOS games used to actually play tunes through it, and Microsoft even had an unsupported driver for Windows 3.1 that would play real sound through it, which you could use if you didn't have a sound card. The audio quality was very poor...


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No way man, 'Greensleeves' never sounded finer then when played through the pc speaker. Go King's Quest.

Splashpot,

Well if it is not your fans/drives/powersupply/pc speaker it pretty much has to be something on your motherboard.

Can you narrow down where the sound is coming from? Dunno if anything like this would work but perhaps if you took a cardboard tube like from a roll of paper towels and put it up to your ear and searched the various quadrants of the mb with it? *shrug*

Like I said upthread I have a problem with a singing capacitor (or some component as I could never pinpoint the source) -- because this was build two after getting a dead board I just said to hell with it and kept the mb. Sounds like your noise is very loud though and you can't ignore it (also it could very well be a sign of a sick component, obv) -- I would just RMA the board. I know that sucks after getting the build finished, but what can you do. Just make sure to double check everything again to make sure it really is a problem with the MB as rebuilding again only to find out it is the PS would suck.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

there is typically a little speaker on the MOBOs too for little beeps and stuff when windows alarms at start up.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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there is typically a little speaker on the MOBOs too for little beeps and stuff when windows alarms at start up.


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I've been looking at reviews of the MB listed, I can't see a speaker in the pics. Given this:

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Ok. Disconnecting the PC speaker wire didn't work.


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I am now running out of ideas... I second LeapFrog's suggestion of using a toilet roll tube or similar to find where the hell the noise is emitting from.

I am surprised any component (other than the PC Speaker) (in a seemingly working computer) could make a noise described as a "significantly loud"

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

I just removed my video card completely and tried booting up. NO NOISE!!!!! Does that definitely mean it's the vid card or could it still be the mobo pci-e slot?

I'm just pumped that I figured this out.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

YES!!!! I didn't realize the vid card had to be plugged into the power supply. It's been a long time since I've built one of these things and vid cards didn't need extra power back then. Man, I'm pumped. Thanks to everyone who helped me think this through.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

edit:

never mind -- glad you figured it out

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

lol, you wasted your 1000th post on me.

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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lol, you wasted your 1000th post on me.

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at least your avatar soothes my pain a bit, heh

Re: High pitched squeal coming from a newly built computer
 

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YES!!!! I didn't realize the vid card had to be plugged into the power supply. It's been a long time since I've built one of these things and vid cards didn't need extra power back then. Man, I'm pumped. Thanks to everyone who helped me think this through.

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Yes, I own two computers, one about six years old, the other three, and neither of their video cards has either a fan or an external power connection on them.