Does a motherboard make noise even with nothing connected?

[Token]

I have unplugged all the fans, video card, HDD's, and opticals. The
only thing plugged to the motherboard is the CoolMax Taurs 420w
powersupply. There is still a hellacious amount of noise coming from
the computer when I power on the board. I honestly cannot tell if it is
the psu, but is it safe to assume that it is the psu making the
computer loud if nothing else is connected. I did not think it was the
psu fan because when I set the fan for high, I can definitely hear the
fan. I don't know the brands, but I also tried a very old 250w and a
very old 350w psu from older computers. The noise still occurs.



If you are one of these people listed below, please ignore this post
and this thread and please do not change your name to bypass my
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Kony, Mxsmanic, Chuck F., Jad, Matt Silberstein, Roy Fuchs, and Noozer.

 

[Erick]

What kind of sound is it? Is it a whining sound, a screech, grinding? Since
you've tried 3 different supplies I would say it's a good bet that it's the
CPU fan (assuming you did not leave it off or change it as well).


I have unplugged all the fans, video card, HDD's, and opticals. The
only thing plugged to the motherboard is the CoolMax Taurs 420w
powersupply. There is still a hellacious amount of noise coming from
the computer when I power on the board. I honestly cannot tell if it is
the psu, but is it safe to assume that it is the psu making the
computer loud if nothing else is connected. I did not think it was the
psu fan because when I set the fan for high, I can definitely hear the
fan. I don't know the brands, but I also tried a very old 250w and a
very old 350w psu from older computers. The noise still occurs.



If you are one of these people listed below, please ignore this post
and this thread and please do not change your name to bypass my
filters:

Kony, Mxsmanic, Chuck F., Jad, Matt Silberstein, Roy Fuchs, and Noozer.

 

[Pelysma]

I have unplugged all the fans, video card, HDD's, and opticals. The
only thing plugged to the motherboard is the CoolMax Taurs 420w
powersupply. There is still a hellacious amount of noise coming from
the computer when I power on the board. I honestly cannot tell if it is
the psu, but is it safe to assume that it is the psu making the
computer loud if nothing else is connected. I did not think it was the
psu fan because when I set the fan for high, I can definitely hear the
fan. I don't know the brands, but I also tried a very old 250w and a
very old 350w psu from older computers. The noise still occurs.



If you are one of these people listed below, please ignore this post
and this thread and please do not change your name to bypass my
filters:

Kony, Mxsmanic, Chuck F., Jad, Matt Silberstein, Roy Fuchs, and Noozer.

For the motherboard to make noise, it would have to come from a fan or from
the speaker. Is a speaker connected? Otherwise it has to be the PSU.

I am not one of the people listed above. However, a couple of them have
given me and others consistently sound advice, and I don't recognize the
rest. Is there some reason you don't want answers from them?

 

[kony]

I have unplugged all the fans, video card, HDD's, and opticals.

Why? There's no purpose this unless you're timing how long
it'll take to overheat equipment without any fans running...
but then unless you have a thermometer or two or four hooked
up, you'll still be in the dark unless you're using the ole
place_an_M&M_on_the_northbridge_to_see_if_it_melts, gauge.

The
only thing plugged to the motherboard is the CoolMax Taurs 420w
powersupply.

Not a very good power supply in the 420W range, what do you
have plugged into it, specifically? Point being that given
a light load it'll work but if you expect same performance
as many 420W PSU you may be let down.

There is still a hellacious amount of noise coming from
the computer when I power on the board.

hellacious?
What does it sound like in hell? A screech? Buzz? A
moaning? Sizzling? Burping? Screaming M&Ms?

I honestly cannot tell if it is
the psu, but is it safe to assume that it is the psu making the
computer loud if nothing else is connected.

Safe opposed to dangerous?

Generally speaking, most PSU have an exhaust out the back.
If you put your ear to that region and it sounds louder,
it's pretty good odds the noise origin is inside.

I did not think it was the
psu fan because when I set the fan for high, I can definitely hear the
fan.

Well a fan on low may not be inaudible, depending on the fan
but why would you not tell us what this sound, sounds like?

I don't know the brands, but I also tried a very old 250w and a
very old 350w psu from older computers. The noise still occurs.

WHAT NOISE?

Since there is presumably nothing but a power supply, a
motherboard, and a melting CPU connected at this time, get a
spatula and scrape the CPU out of the socket then listen
again.

Sometimes a motherboard's inductors make a minor high
pitched whining sound, but that's not hellacious.

If you are one of these people listed below, please ignore this post
and this thread and please do not change your name to bypass my
filters:

Kony, Mxsmanic, Chuck F., Jad, Matt Silberstein, Roy Fuchs, and Noozer.

Oh well... ever consider putting that at the top of your
post?

 

[Obie San San]

I don't know why or how, but in many articles I have read about internal
noise, I have always seen that the heatsink can cause noise. Not just the
cpu fan, but the heatsink itself can cause noise.

Is your noise coming from the cpu area? If so, it could be the heatsink, but
it could also be the coils like someone else mentioned. The problem I have
with thinking it is the coils is that you said you disconnected everything.
Noise from the coils almost always results from the interaction of
components. If you had everything disconnected, I am not sure what is left
to interract?

The coolmaster psu is not the cheapest--although it is no where near the
most expensive either--and you certainly could have done worse. Alot of
stores carry that Taurus psu (though they probably do so because it is only
about $45) and if you can still hear the noise when you turn the psu fan
back down to low, I would not think it is the psu.

 

[John]

I have unplugged all the fans, video card, HDD's, and opticals. The
only thing plugged to the motherboard is the CoolMax Taurs 420w
powersupply. There is still a hellacious amount of noise coming from
the computer when I power on the board. I honestly cannot tell if it is
the psu, but is it safe to assume that it is the psu making the
computer loud if nothing else is connected. I did not think it was the
psu fan because when I set the fan for high, I can definitely hear the
fan. I don't know the brands, but I also tried a very old 250w and a
very old 350w psu from older computers. The noise still occurs.

I guess the only source of noise has to be the fan on the CPU or the
fan on the PS so the source should be fairly easy to pin point.

 

[Michael C]

I have unplugged all the fans, video card, HDD's, and opticals. The
only thing plugged to the motherboard is the CoolMax Taurs 420w
powersupply. There is still a hellacious amount of noise coming from
the computer when I power on the board. I honestly cannot tell if it is
the psu, but is it safe to assume that it is the psu making the
computer loud if nothing else is connected. I did not think it was the
psu fan because when I set the fan for high, I can definitely hear the
fan. I don't know the brands, but I also tried a very old 250w and a
very old 350w psu from older computers. The noise still occurs.

If it's not the fan on the motherboard then it's most likely a noisy
capacitor. Put a screwdriver to your ear and touch the other end on various
parts of the board to check where the sounds coming from. Make sure you
don't short anything do it though!

Michael

 

[Darklight]

To find out the noise disconnect every thing and just connect
the psu to mother board and switch on. Then put cpu in with fan
then switch on then just keep adding until you find source of the
noise. Job done

 

[Obie San San]

Uh, isn't that what he said he did? In fact, didn't he say he disconnected
everything except the psu and the noise was still there?

Job still undone......