[pondermotive]

My 4890 makes annoying noises when i'm web browsing, particularly when scrolling or there are smooth moving flash adverts. I don't notice it when gaming or watching videos. I know it is the card rather than something else as this was the best card out of three 4890s in terms of overclockability and the other 2 didn't have the problem. My computer is fairly quiet and sits on the desk so it's quite annoying, I probably should have kept a different card.

Anyway I have read that capacitors themselves cannot make noise but if the leak to much current or don't smooth voltage well enough they make other components like inductors squeal. This is an image of the card (i've modded the original heatsink base to cool the ram and fitted a thermalright vrm2 and T-rad2, didn't change the noise):

There are no coils to be seen so I'm not entirely sure where the noise itself emanates from. The capacitors are rated at 330uf and 16v, I'm thinking of replacing them with these rubycon 330uf 25v 105c capacitors to see if the noise goes away. I haven't done surface mount soldering before but i do have a precision soldering iron. I know the rubycon capacitors aren't surface mounting but I was thinking I could stick them down with hot glue then solder them.

Has anyone had experience doing this, did it fix the problem? Any reason not to besides I might fluff it up with bad soldering?

 

[BlueTac]

just smash it with a hammer.

 

[ACHILEE5]

I would try putting a blob of hot glue at the bottom of the caps, to try and stop the vibration

 

[Fueled By Sapphire]

Hi, I thought they only squeal if the caps blow and they dont look like they have

 

[pondermotive]

I tried pressing on them with my finger but it didn't seem to stop the noise. I'm not sure the noise comes from the caps but i think they are the cause of it.

 

[FlighterPilot]

My old 4890 (Asus dualfan) would squeal on strenuous 2D applications. I never did find out how to fix it. It didn't have traditional caps though, so it might of been a slightly different situation. Good luck.

Edit: I can confirm it's coming from the caps; at least mine was.

 

[Fueled By Sapphire]

here check this it might be of some use
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1410274

 

[pondermotive]

How did you confirm it was coming from the caps?

 

[Fueled By Sapphire]

try cleaning the board completly and change power cable

 

[pondermotive]

I cleaned it pretty thoroughly when I fitted the coolers, the psu only has 2 pcix connectors. I might try a different mains cable but I moved house recently and think i'm using a different one anyway. Also 2 other 4890s didn't make the noise.

V-sync is mentioned in that other thread, is there a way to enable it during 2d clocks? Can only find it for 3d in CCC.