PSU Crackling sound, even after replacing

Afran

Afran

Afran

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Hi guys,

Posted this before as "something clicking in computer tower" but since then have learnt a little more about it and a replacement didn't help so would appreciate some insight.

Quite an odd one here, atleast to my knowledge. Haven't experienced this before and haven't found any problem that's exactly the same browsing the internet.

The sound sort of sounds like static electricity, a similar sound to as when you pull out the plug on something, definatley more a cracking sound than anything else. It's not constant, it may do a few cracks and then stop for a few seconds before continuing.

This only happens when my computer is under more demand than idling on the desktop or simply viewing webpages. I have issues when I'm encoding videos or playing games with much going on the screen, it also lowers my FPS, it's as if the GPU isn't getting enough power hinting to me that it could be the GPU that's the problem, but it's definatley the PSU that is crackling, not the GPU.

At first I thought this would be solved by a simple replacement, I'd only owned the PSU for 5 weeks and today got a brand new replacement under the presumption it was faulty, this one however is doing the exact same thing and obviously it's extremely unlikely that both were faulty, they even came in a different batch.

Before we go any further, here are my PC specs

Windows 7
Gigabyte H55M-UD2H
Intel Core i3 530 @ 2.93GHz
Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 896MB
XFX EasyRail Pro 450W
4GB DDR 3 RAM

Now, that PSU is more than strong enough to power my system (note it's a bronze certified one and has very good reviews for running cards much stronger than mine) and I'll give you an example of when this problem occurs.

You may or may not know the game "Dungeon Defenders", but in this game when there are a lot of things going on my PSU crackles like crazy. If I alt-tab or otherwise stop the process, the crackling stops. I alt-tab back into the game, it starts again straight away.

Thing is, the game it's self is in no way demanding and the probem occurs regardless of the settings. This is not the only game it happens in either.

So, what are the likely causes? I really don't know, I'd of thought either: GPU problem, software problem, bios settings problem, or possible malware but it sounds more technical than software side and I do not know of any malware that could work in that way, my PC security is also very good so that's an unlikely cause but worth mentioning in any case.

I should note that temperatures are absolutely fine, nothing is above ~55c (GPU temp) at any given time, nothing is overclocked and all running at stock.

I appreciate any help in advance.
 
Have you tried a different GPU?

Even a cheap PCI would let you do tests... You say that you are encoding video and so that would certainly rule GPU in or out.

Have you made sure that everything is connected correctly?
If its a fairly new build, then are you sure that everything is all as it should be... There is no screw or lose wire etc touching the back of it?

One thing that I have seen is that a fan often crackles and can in some cases sound a little like a crackle.. If you have a fan near the PSU then its not that is it?
 
I have indeed. All hooked up properly, nothing touching that shouldn't be, and it's definatley not a fan.

In actual fact thus far only occurs playing Dungeon Defenders*, just so happens last time I would've had DD windowed and made it look like encoding caused it, no issue with encoding since. To verify; alt-tab from the game, problem stops. Back in game, problem continues. Windowed, continues regardless (I suppose it's effectively still running when windowed even if behind)

*Other than DD I don't really play any other games; Terraria does not cause the problem, and actually neither does Tera which should be the more demanding game

I'd like to put the blame on the game and be done with it but I'm not sure it's so simple, I'd be the only one with the problem to be heard of despite playing it so long and the only hardware change in my system recently is the psu (old one died as I'd had it for a good amount of years)

Using FurMark 1.10.0 and have GPU load on 98-100%, the cracking does not happen.

If I run HyperPi 0.99 and have CPU load close to 100%, the cracking does not happen.

If I run both and have both GPU & CPU both under extreme load, the cracking does not happen. I assume this rules out GPU / CPU being the issue.

I also monitored GPU, CPU and RAM usage while running Dungeon Defenders and the crackling occuring, nothing wrong there.

I checked the voltages using CPUID HW Monitor but unsure what the results indicate, if anything;

CPU VCORE 1.20 V 0.99 V 1.26 V
VIN1 1.57 V 1.57 V 1.57 V
+3.3V 3.38 V 3.38 V 3.38 V
+5V 5.03 V 5.03 V 5.03 V
-12V -12.54 V -12.54 V -12.54 V
+5V VCCH 3.63 V 3.63 V 3.63 V
VBAT 3.28 V 3.28 V 3.28 V
CPU 1.04 V 1.02 V 1.26 V

With that said, still no closer to finding out the cause or more importantly the fix :)
 
Unlikely to be the mobo (read: I don't see how it could be, are you just throwing that idea or is there some merit to it? Hope to not sound like a d*ck, but no one else has mentioned that; if so, I don't know how to test other than trying another mobo which isn't an option for me tbh)

As for the 260, I'm not sure. What can I use to have a look? I don't have the box anymore :)
 
Afran said:
Unlikely to be the mobo (read: I don't see how it could be, are you just throwing that idea or is there some merit to it? Hope to not sound like a d*ck, but no one else has mentioned that; if so, I don't know how to test other than trying another mobo which isn't an option for me tbh)

As for the 260, I'm not sure. What can I use to have a look? I don't have the box anymore :)
Click to expand...

Partially I am just throwing it in there, but, in the same breath, its a semi-educated guess.

I will give you a perfect example on something that I am going through right now....

- I get given an I7 with a naff Mobo. Its rock solid stable however.
- I then buy an I3 in an Asus Mobo that is also rock solid.
- I decide to put the I7 into the Asus since its a vastly superior board.
- The I7 now hangs randomly... Stays fine for a day or two then just fails.
- I then go on the lookout for a new board and decide since I love Gigabyte to go for that side of things.

Now, the PC is rock solid but it cannot see more than 4GB... Rather it sees it just fine it just wont bother using it. BIOS sees 4 slots used but only works on 2... CPUz sees all 4 slots and all the ram and gives me the specs and everythign but the Mobo and Windows wont play ball.

As a pure "Throwing it in there for no reason other than stabbing in the dark" I put the I3 into the Gigabyte and its flawless?

Now, what would you say is the cause of that one?

Do I have a CPU that does not like to use more than 8GB

On testing the CPU with the naff first board, I find that sees the 8GB but only uses 4GB like the Gigabyte but that ones says 8GB... When you fill it up, you still only get 4GB.

The Asus says 8GB but once you go over 4GB it hangs.

The Gigabyte seems to know about the other 4GB but simply wont let you use it to be stable as it can.

Im lost on that one so why not throw out ideas... They might just be hitting the nail on the head.
 
May sound like a funny suggestion, but are you sure its not just the sound of the metal heating up inside the case? I sometimes hear it with mine with the mesh material in my case.
 
This might be a bit of a long shot, but have you changed your mains power lead ?

You said that you changed the PSU, but did you fit a new "kettle lead" ?

It might be a bad contact inside the plug. Having said that, I expect it would cuse the PC to crash or reset, but it might be worth checking.
 
If the same thing happens on two different PSU's it most likely that there is either a short somewhere else, or it's a different component. What happens if you use VSync on Dungeon Defenders?

(The suggestion of the kettle lead is very good).

The biggest question is... are you CERTAIN that it's the PSU making the noise? You sure it isn't something else or EVEN sound crackling from your speakers?
 
GrimsbyLAD/Dervious; with the first psu I used my old cable, the crackling occured, when replacing it with the psu I now have I am using the cable that came with it, so exact same issue

Scougar, I use vsync on practically everything (including dd), as for the noise I wouldn't bet my life on it being the psu but I've got the side of the case off and have listened to where it's coming from many times and by absolute best guess would be psu, definatley not through speakers though, when it occurs I turn all sound off and it's 100% from in the tower :)
 
As a real and absolute long shot you don't have Firefox opened when this is happening do you? I had a strange hiss like static particularly on viewing images in FF and its disappeared once I have turned hardware acceleration off in the browser (FF12, it wasn't happening in FF10 but did in 11 and 12).
 
Was actually hoping that could be the case Collider, as I always have FF running really. But nope, tried without it open and still occurs

Wazza, no idea what c1e is so no have not tried that, where abouts would I find it to disable it and is there any risk to doing so? I have very minimal knowledge of the bios
 
Sorry I should have explained more,in m.i.t section under advanced CPU features,disable c1e then see if noise lessens or stops

No risk just set to balanced in windows power saving options,its probably set to it by default
 
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