[thinice]

System Specs:
Enermax Noisetaker 470 watt PSU with active PFC
Asus P4P800E-Deluxe
Prescott 2.4a 1mb cache 133x4 (533) fsb with stock intel HSF
Generic Dell ram 512mb pc 2700 cl 2.5
BFG 6800 GT OC

Benchmarking is being done with prime95 blended torture test.
** Latest chipset drivers and BIOS as of 12/20/04 **

History:
Got the cpu and have it overclocked perfectly stable @ 3.11 ghz using ASUS AI. Read and realized that much more is possible with this cpu and have tried overclocking it further. I keep the AGP/PCI locked @ 66/33, the RAM ratio 1:1, and experimenting with voltage around 1.45-1.55v

Problem!
I keep the case open near me when testing new overclock. It appears that when I run prime95, there is a strange noise, almost like a tick, crackle, or a buzz. It is very thin, light, and high frequency. I have to silence my case fans and put my ear inside the chassis to hear it clearly, but I can still hear the noise if the case fans are silent and I am within three feet of the CPU.

This tick/crackle/buzz is coming from either the CPU or the motherboard area immediately next to the CPU (within 5 to 10 centimeters).

The tick/crackle/buzz only occurs for about the first 10-15 seconds while prime95 is running, and it does not appear to have a clear noise pattern, but I suppose it could be the sound of data. During this time, monitoring the temperature shows that the chip is not really running full blast yet, as temperatures are not climbing significantly, only one or two degrees celcius.

After the 10-15 seconds, the noise stops completely and prime95 appears to kick into gear, as the temperature immediately begins rising to the expected temperatures of about 47-53 celcius.

SO:
I don't know if it is that my voltage was too low (1.55v) or if something is malfunctioning. Could it be due to voltage droop? Is my PSU too little for this big graphics card and overclocked prescott? Could it be that this is normal? Would anyone with this same CPU be willing to try to listen for this as well?

Help!!

PLEASE NOTE:
I am certain that this is NOT sound card noise. I have put my head inside my case, and also unplugged the CPU fan; the noise still occurs, and emanates either directly from the CPU itself or within a few centimeters of it.

 

[shermstix]

Your PSU is fine and so is the noise. I am not sure exactly what it is, but I also suspect Data. When stuff is being transmitted at high rates of speed, noise is expected.

 

[adas]

i think its the power supply...it usaly makes the buzzing sound and im betting thats what your hearing

 

[thinice]

adas123, I think it's not the PSU, as I put my ear right into the case and it sounded like it was coming directly from the CPU. However, I'm going to take that advice into account and listen carefully again once I've installed my CNPS7700-CU

shermstix, thanks for helping prove me not insane. Your answer sounds to me like what I'm experiencing, and I'm glad to hear a second opinion on the matter. I can't give anyone ultimate props at this point, as my case is in pieces and the new hsf is going in. I'm planning to oc this little guy to 3.6 if he'll take it without passing 60 C during torture tests, so I'll post back as soon as my head asplode

 

[YiffyGriffy]

If anything, it's the MOSFETs squeaking. I don't know what causes it other than just a bad batch, but I've heard this on other forums. They say it won't cause problems, but I'd RMA the board anyway.

 

[thinice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YiffyGriffy If anything, it's the MOSFETs squeaking. I don't know what causes it other than just a bad batch, but I've heard this on other forums. They say it won't cause problems, but I'd RMA the board anyway.

I think you've hit the nail closest to the head, sir. It does sound as if the sound was coming from right exactly there, and I wondered the same thing. Glad to hear that you have read about the issue before. I'll get the board RMA'd in a few weeks, as its brand new and I'm hoping for a new revision

Thanks!

 

[YiffyGriffy]

Cool, glad I could help. Hope you'll stick around

 

[Sloth_Boy]

I have a noise issue aswell funny enough, i think it's my heatsink as it broke and it's only just habnging in there, it's rattling like hell and it is really really anoying. Also, is this heatsink anygood, the Thermaltake Pipe 101 Heatsink. It's fairly cheap thats why i asked