[Xs1nX]

Hi all,

Have finally gotten my new build up and running. Unfortunately I have hit an issue I was hoping to avoid with the choice of components I made. More exactly this video card was chosen - MSI 5770 HAWK http://eu.msi.com/index.php?func=pro...0&prod_no=1982 due to the claims of no coil whine.

Unfortunately the whine/buzz when games are displaying 2D under certain conditions is still there. Prime example and worst offender recant game wise is Stalker Call of Priprat in the main menu and options menu(the latter is particularly bad) and this gets worse the lower the resolution set in game options.

Now due to the close proximity of components I am in some doubt as to weather the coil whine is actually coming from the video card, i am going to do further testing on this as it would also seem the whine may be coming from a point on the Motherboard (MSI Trinergy in this case, and the suspected point is around/near the Nvidia NF200 on the board)

Does anyone here have any feedback/comment on this, particularly if you have first hand experience of the issue via the mentioned game STALKER.. which judgeing from comments on STEAM forums seems to be a particularly bad culprit.

 

[superbabosheki]

I have the same card running crossfire, and played Stalker for about 30 minutes yesterday. Had no problems at all. If you haven't already, download the latest drivers. I guess all I can recommend is that you open up your case and really stick your ear in there.

 

[Xs1nX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbabosheki I have the same card running crossfire, and played Stalker for about 30 minutes yesterday. Had no problems at all. If you haven't already, download the latest drivers. I guess all I can recommend is that you open up your case and really stick your ear in there.

Have had a listen, and what ive found is as in my original post. Note that I also have this issue on my old Intel C2D 6600 build, on both a sapphire 5770 and the MSI HAWK to. I will try the HAWK in the old build, though I question how useful that will be troubleshooting wise.. as the old build exhibits same symptoms, and i have no idea as to where the noise is coming from in that system, video card is suspected based on what ive read on forums pretty much, and educated guesswork heh.

 

[Evtron]

Are you sure it's your GFX card? I've had a couple PSU's do this as well as MOBO you should try to make sure it's neither of those first.

 

[Xs1nX]

I have no suitable spare "known good" PSUs or Motherboards to try a process of elimination style test. I would have to buy another PSU and Motherboard pretty much and I just can not afford to do that. I also can not RMA stuff on a wim, as RMAs that are No Fault Found incur a surcharge at the retailer I buy from.

 

[Xs1nX]

Further testing seems to show it is not the PSU for sure. Also It would seem that the status/settings of the DrMOS Dynamic Phase control and the OC Genie on the Motherboard(MSI Trinergy) determines the nature of the coil whine, however the behaviour of this is very strange a summary of which is below -

Phase Control ON,OC Genie ON - No whine at idle at windows desktop, Loud whine in STALKER when Displaying 2D Menus
Phase Control ON,OC Genie OFF - Whine present at desktop, though quieter then above, Loud Whine in STALKER when Displaying 2D Menus
Phase Control OFF,OC Genie ON - No Whine at desktop, Loud Whine in STALKER when Displaying 2D Menus

Keeping in mind the above, I guess its pointing to the motherboard being the culprit, however I am finding it hard to isolate further the location of the noise beyond it seemingly being present in the area of the case where the top half of the motherboard resides(i.e at or above the video card) so I would not be able to say for certain it is the motherboard itself alone even, it may well be an interaction between video card and motherboard.

 

[dmreeves]

How random of a problem. I bet it's annoying.

 

[deathstorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xs1nX Further testing seems to show it is not the PSU for sure. Also It would seem that the status/settings of the DrMOS Dynamic Phase control and the OC Genie on the Motherboard(MSI Trinergy) determines the nature of the coil whine, however the behaviour of this is very strange a summary of which is below - Phase Control ON,OC Genie ON - No whine at idle at windows desktop, Loud whine in STALKER when Displaying 2D Menus Phase Control ON,OC Genie OFF - Whine present at desktop, though quieter then above, Loud Whine in STALKER when Displaying 2D Menus Phase Control OFF,OC Genie ON - No Whine at desktop, Loud Whine in STALKER when Displaying 2D Menus Keeping in mind the above, I guess its pointing to the motherboard being the culprit, however I am finding it hard to isolate further the location of the noise beyond it seemingly being present in the area of the case where the top half of the motherboard resides(i.e at or above the video card) so I would not be able to say for certain it is the motherboard itself alone even, it may well be an interaction between video card and motherboard.

I believe the problems lies within one of the chokes on your motherboard. There is a way to test this. If you take an insulated screwdriver and hold it against a choke and the noise stops, you have found the culprit. If the windings are loose, they will vibrate and that is where the noise will come from. Just make sure you don't cross any connections if you do this.

 

[Xs1nX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deathstorm I believe the problems lies within one of the chokes on your motherboard. There is a way to test this. If you take an insulated screwdriver and hold it against a choke and the noise stops, you have found the culprit. If the windings are loose, they will vibrate and that is where the noise will come from. Just make sure you don't cross any connections if you do this.

Would this method apply to the plastic encased chokes ?.. i was under the impression that this only worked on the open style ones.

 

[deathstorm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xs1nX Would this method apply to the plastic encased chokes ?.. i was under the impression that this only worked on the open style ones.

I am not sure if this will work with the ferrite chokes or not. It is worth a shot though. Anything to stop the vibration will help pinpoint the problem I would think. If it is a capacitor, you can actually solve the problem with a little hot glue.