Huuummmmmmmmmm on Boot

[jimbo]

When I boot my desktop with WinXP Home, there is a sort of hum or
vibration sound that starts at power on and stops after everything is
finished booting. I have booted with case open and it doesn't seem to
be a hard drive. I wonder if it could be the CPU vibrating in it's
socket? Anyway, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks, jimbo

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

When I boot my desktop with WinXP Home, there is a sort of hum or
vibration sound that starts at power on and stops after everything is
finished booting. I have booted with case open and it doesn't seem to be
a hard drive. I wonder if it could be the CPU vibrating in it's socket?
Anyway, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks, jimbo

Have you checked the CD drive?

 

[Ted Zieglar]

There are no moving parts in a CPU. The moving parts inside a computer
are the ventilation fans and the drives. But a hum can also come from
your speakers due to electrical interference or even a loose connection.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

When I boot my desktop with WinXP Home, there is a sort of hum or
vibration sound that starts at power on and stops after everything is
finished booting. I have booted with case open and it doesn't seem to
be a hard drive. I wonder if it could be the CPU vibrating in it's
socket? Anyway, does anyone have any ideas?

At this distance, not being able to hear it, I can't tell you what it is.
But I can tell you that it's not the CPU vibrating in its socket. There's
nothing in a CPU that can vibrate.

 

[needlove]

When I boot my desktop with WinXP Home, there is a sort of hum or
vibration sound that starts at power on and stops after everything is
finished booting. I have booted with case open and it doesn't seem to be a
hard drive. I wonder if it could be the CPU vibrating in it's socket?
Anyway, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks, jimbo

I had a similiar problem -- noise/vibration on bootup -- and used a cheap
mechanics stethiscope to isolate the noise. It was normal vibration being
amplified and transmitted to a loose case panel. I tightened the panel up
with some clear duct tape and no more noise. A small rubber hose might be a
better thing to use to listen to each mechanical item inside the tower when
its booting due to its inability to conduct electricty but it wont be as
sensitive to noise/vibration.

 

[jimbo]

When I boot my desktop with WinXP Home, there is a sort of hum or
vibration sound that starts at power on and stops after everything is
finished booting. I have booted with case open and it doesn't seem to be
a hard drive. I wonder if it could be the CPU vibrating in it's socket?
Anyway, does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks, jimbo

Thanks for the replies. It is not a speaker hum, it more of a
mechanical vibration. As I said, I have booted with the case open and
touched the two hard drives and the two DVD drives and the fan
housing. The sound didn't change. I realize there are no moving parts
in a CPU. But it does plug into a socket and if I remember this one
even has a clip to keep it tight.

Well, I guess I will have to boot again with the case open and use a
stethoscope rather than my finger.

Thanks, jimbo

 

[Alec S.]

Thanks for the replies. It is not a speaker hum, it more of a
mechanical vibration. As I said, I have booted with the case open and
touched the two hard drives and the two DVD drives and the fan
housing. The sound didn't change. I realize there are no moving parts
in a CPU. But it does plug into a socket and if I remember this one
even has a clip to keep it tight.

Actually, the clip is to keep it pressed hard against the heat-sink so that as much heat as possible is transferred from the chip to
the sink to prevent overheating.

Well, I guess I will have to boot again with the case open and use a
stethoscope rather than my finger.

Feel the surface that the system rests on (the desk, floor, whatever) to see if there is any vibration in that. Try placing some
pressure on the top of the case to hold it down. Does your computer have rubber or hard plastic feet?