Whining noise when CPU is at full throttle

[Scotoma]

Hi all

Another whining noise
System is (until I get my Apogee back from Chaintech RMA dept, they're
enabling the 166FSB function for free, heehee, might even get a new board):
AthlonXP 3000+, 512DDR 333MHz RAM, Gigabyte GA7VA Mobo, 80Gig Maxtor ATA133
HD, nVidia GeForce 5200FX 128MB generic 8x AGP. 300W PSU. Windows XP Pro
SP1a, fully updated as are all the drivers.
The whining noise occurs while the CPU is at full throttle. The sound comes
from within the case.
The AthlonXP 3000+ is new as is the RAM.

Before I go taking it apart again, any ideas?

Scotoma

 

[Dave C.]

Hi all

Another whining noise
System is (until I get my Apogee back from Chaintech RMA dept, they're
enabling the 166FSB function for free, heehee, might even get a new board):
AthlonXP 3000+, 512DDR 333MHz RAM, Gigabyte GA7VA Mobo, 80Gig Maxtor ATA133
HD, nVidia GeForce 5200FX 128MB generic 8x AGP. 300W PSU. Windows XP Pro
SP1a, fully updated as are all the drivers.
The whining noise occurs while the CPU is at full throttle. The sound comes
from within the case.
The AthlonXP 3000+ is new as is the RAM.

Before I go taking it apart again, any ideas?

Scotoma

Two ideas . . . some newer BIOSes have a fan control function that will ramp
up fan speed according to CPU usage. Check in your BIOS settings for fan
control, and turn all of the fan control functions off. This won't shut off
the fans, it will just stop changing the power level to the fans so that
they might run more quietly, or you will get the whining noise constantly.
In either case, you'll know where the problem was. OR . . .

Something is starved for power, which makes sense. That processor can use
over half of the -continuous- power rating of your PSU all by itself. If
you can't find a fan control function in the BIOS, try a Seasonic brand
power supply of about 400-450W. -Dave

 

[David Besack]

Hi all

Another whining noise
System is (until I get my Apogee back from Chaintech RMA dept, they're
enabling the 166FSB function for free, heehee, might even get a new board):
AthlonXP 3000+, 512DDR 333MHz RAM, Gigabyte GA7VA Mobo, 80Gig Maxtor ATA133
HD, nVidia GeForce 5200FX 128MB generic 8x AGP. 300W PSU. Windows XP Pro
SP1a, fully updated as are all the drivers.
The whining noise occurs while the CPU is at full throttle. The sound comes
from within the case.
The AthlonXP 3000+ is new as is the RAM.

Before I go taking it apart again, any ideas?

Scotoma

It could either be the CPU heatsink fan, or the northbridge fan. Can
you run with the case open and listen more closely?

In either case, it's probably just a cheap fan (not necessarily an
ineffective one), and if it bothers you, you can replace it.

 

[Ken]

It could either be the CPU heatsink fan, or the northbridge fan. Can
you run with the case open and listen more closely?

In either case, it's probably just a cheap fan (not necessarily an
ineffective one), and if it bothers you, you can replace it.

Or lube it.
http://w1.857.telia.com/~u85710476/docs/image/example/fan01.jpg
http://w1.857.telia.com/~u85710476/docs/image/example/fan02.jpg

 

[Spencer]

Hi,

I have the same thing happen to my MSI 865PE/neo 2 Mobo.
Its the chipset fan. if you are overclocking the Mobo this will speed up the
fan when it gets hot.

Apart from being a little anoying at times it shows that its working the way
it should.

Spencer

 

[Aldo Larrabiata]

Probably a cheap sleeve bearing fan whici is gonna die.
Open the case. With a plastic pencil, slighly touch the __middle__ of the
fan in order to decrease the speed and/or to modify the clearances. Should
the whining noise disappear, replace the fan.

 

[Charles]

Might be the power supply has fan control inside it. We have had Dell
fans go into overdrive on some of our servers. We have found if we
let the entire unit cool down for 20 minutes sometimes the overdrive
function quits. This can have something to do with malfunctioning
fans. Some companies look for a specific fan and the bios looks for a
specific fan that is proprietary. There may be no cure for this.

 

[Scotoma]

Hi all

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions. I have noted them for future
reference.
I swapped the 300W PSU with a 400W PSU. The whine is now seems to be a lot
quieter. A late night test when the ambient sounds are at their quietest
will be better.

Thanks again

Scotoma