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PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 09:39

Hey guys, I've had this problem pop up at boot every 2 out of 10 boots. I'm not sure if its just caused by the components in the fans being cold or what, because its making loud pulsating humming tones. I'm not sure if its even is a fan because once it's finished humming it stops all together. It can go on for about 3 minutes then randomly stops and I don't have the problem while my rigs turned on. Could it just be cold?

Here's a video of the noise from this morning.





(The banging/knocking is me with my phone, don't worry about that.)

Anyone have any answers to as what it is? I've watched my CPU & GPU fan speeds as its happening and they do not change at all during this noise.

Many thanks!
-Bez

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Pipa - 2013-10-10 11:25

Next time you boot up try to put your ear next to the psu, that also has a fan inside it which could be broken or clogged up from dust.

Other idea since you already crossed out cpu/gpu, would be to put your ear next to the harddrive, although i never remember a faulty harddrive that was humming. Worth a shot though.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 11:33

(2013-10-10 11:25)Pipa Wrote:  Next time you boot up try to put your ear next to the psu, that also has a fan inside it which could be broken or clogged up from dust.

Other idea since you already crossed out cpu/gpu, would be to put your ear next to the harddrive, although i never remember a faulty harddrive that was humming. Worth a shot though.

Its not the PSU fan, as it only comes on due to heavy load & a quick dust blast at start up. And the blast only lasts 5 seconds if that. But I'll give the girl a clean out today and see if I hear it any time soon.

Also I'm not to sure if its my top fan (220mm) on my case. Next time it happens ill also try pull the case fans out and see if it continues. It sounds to me if its vibrations from something as before that test video i had put my hand on my case and it had made it quiet. So I'll go around tighten everything today as I give her a clean. Smile

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Pipa - 2013-10-10 11:59

Vibration from a piece of moving hardware could definitly be it, im sure you already took the disc out of your cd/dvd/bluray drive?

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 12:55

(2013-10-10 11:59)Pipa Wrote:  Vibration from a piece of moving hardware could definitly be it, im sure you already took the disc out of your cd/dvd/bluray drive?

Yeah nothings in there, never leave discs in. Off to get her cleaned out. Ill repost in about an hour or so.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Audiojack - 2013-10-10 13:32

Quote:Anyone have any answers to as what it is? I've watched my CPU & GPU fan speeds as its happening and they do not change at all during this noise.

My GPU fan sometimes does this thing where it chops the fan speed when it's temperature is steady at the limit of the preprogrammed "overheat" value (which is around 70deg on mine I think).

In AMD Catalyst it doesn't recognize the change in fan speed though since it happens so quickly.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 14:17

(2013-10-10 13:32)Audiojack Wrote:  
Quote:Anyone have any answers to as what it is? I've watched my CPU & GPU fan speeds as its happening and they do not change at all during this noise.

My GPU fan sometimes does this thing where it chops the fan speed when it's temperature is steady at the limit of the preprogrammed "overheat" value (which is around 70deg on mine I think).

In AMD Catalyst it doesn't recognize the change in fan speed though since it happens so quickly.

Yeah I highly doubt my temps are high at boot after a very cold morning today in the UK. Also I've never had any problems with heat on my CPU or GPU ever. (inb4 something happens now)

But she's all cleaned out now and tightened up. The fans sound a lot quieter, most likely to all the fans being cleaned they were full of dust. (Must remember to buy dust filters)


Before Pictures (Click to View)

After Pictures (Click to View)

I'll update this thread if I hear the noise again. Also if anyone's had similar problems like this and think they know what it is feel free to post.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Luke - 2013-10-10 16:06

I would presume that the pulsating noise you hear is just the sound of the fans reaching the same pitch in note as they speed up/slow down, mine does it. Helicopters are a good example of it.

I think that it is nothing to worry about but i could be wrong.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Jimmy - 2013-10-10 16:10

it happend to my graphic card fan its did get loud but then some thing plastic did fail so one off those did get broke but its running just fine

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 16:12

(2013-10-10 16:06)LuckyLukeT Wrote:  I would presume that the pulsating noise you hear is just the sound of the fans reaching the same pitch in note as they speed up/slow down, mine does it. Helicopters are a good example of it.

I think that it is nothing to worry about but i could be wrong.

Mhmm I thought that but its literally that loud you can hear it from the other side of the room. Last time it did it, it had a higher pitch to it and a louder groaning noise.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Luke - 2013-10-10 16:14

Could also be a bearing in one of the fans itself. It doesn't sound serious just could be annoying, is your computer on a hard surface and if it is, what sort of surface is it?

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Zipppy - 2013-10-10 17:20

You could use a mechanic's stethoscope to pinpoint the noise.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Audiojack - 2013-10-10 17:31

(2013-10-10 17:20)Zipppy Wrote:  You could use a mechanic's stethoscope to pinpoint the noise.

Or just a stick. Point the stick into things and keep the other end at your ear. It should conduct the sound sufficiently enough, but of course it's not as professional as a stethoscope. Laugh

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 17:37

(2013-10-10 16:14)LuckyLukeT Wrote:  Could also be a bearing in one of the fans itself. It doesn't sound serious just could be annoying, is your computer on a hard surface and if it is, what sort of surface is it?

As I said it only does it like 2 times out of 10 on startup for about 2-3 mins.

And my pc's on carpet so xD

(2013-10-10 17:31)Audiojack Wrote:  
(2013-10-10 17:20)Zipppy Wrote:  You could use a mechanic's stethoscope to pinpoint the noise.

Or just a stick. Point the stick into things and keep the other end at your ear. It should conduct the sound sufficiently enough, but of course it's not as professional as a stethoscope. Laugh

Ill give it a try when it happens again. Tongue

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Zipppy - 2013-10-10 20:14

Now that I heard it, it's similar to the sound when case fans are at the same pitch. When I'm gaming, sometimes my GPU fan and CPU fans (I have two on the CPU, with a push-pull setup on a radiator) get on the same frequency momentarily, and it sometimes annoys me.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-10-10 21:47

(2013-10-10 20:14)Zipppy Wrote:  Now that I heard it, it's similar to the sound when case fans are at the same pitch. When I'm gaming, sometimes my GPU fan and CPU fans (I have two on the CPU, with a push-pull setup on a radiator) get on the same frequency momentarily, and it sometimes annoys me.

I don't think its that. At the end of the video it stops and goes quiet all together. I didn't move my phone away if that's what you're thinking. the sound of it going quiet at the end is because it just stops doing whatever it is... Very puzzling I know. I know it'll do it again one day but its a lottery on when it happens so standby! Ill do another video when it does.

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - SLiiDE - 2013-10-10 23:13

My friend had something similar, turned out it was the HDD that was loose in its bay which caused vibrations sometimes. Its probably not something you should worry about until something stops working Biggrin

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Bez - 2013-12-08 10:52

Happened today. So I stuck my finger in the top 220mm fan and it stopped. So more than likely the ball-bearings are wearing down in that fan or something! Which in my eyes isn't too bad because 220mm fans are cheap! Tongue

RE: PC pulsating humming noise. - Paul - 2013-12-08 20:58

Mine arent that old, sounds like they have to warm up as well. The sounds is just like yours, sounds unstable first, then gets nice and sounds all synchronized.

I am actually used to the fact I have to press a button, hear a boeing 747 for 5 min and then it gets nice and quiet.