Random Clicking Noise of Unknown Origin

[ThisIsAName12345]

I recently installed a new PSU and a graphics card in my computer, the first time I have done something like that. Lately, I have noticed a clicking sound coming from inside my computer. It is very random, and each individual click is fairly quiet, but when I am loading or doing lots of things, lots of clicks occur and it gets fairly loud. It seems to be coming from the direction of the motherboard, or perhaps the graphics card. The thing is, I think this noise may have been there before I upgraded any components in my computer. I think I'm just a bit paranoid because I put about $200 into the upgrades and I'm on high alert to make sure I'm not damaging anything.

I have listened to the noise of death hard drives sometimes make, and I'm fairly confident it isn't that.

The clicks occur mainly when I am loading something large. They are quiet usually and occur randomly, but when they happen, they usually happen very rapidly and sort of pile up on each other. I think it might be a normal noise, but I want to be sure.

(I apologize for being under the wrong category, if that's the case)

 

[jujar14]

It could be coming from one of your HDDs check them all. look for click of death and if it is the click of death you might as well bin the HDD ass its gone unless your loaded enough to recover it.

 

[ThisIsAName12345]

It could be coming from one of your HDDs check them all. look for click of death and if it is the click of death you might as well bin the HDD ass its gone unless your loaded enough to recover it.

I'm pretty sure it's not that. I've listened to several recordings of that sound, and that isn't what I'm hearing.

 

[jujar14]

it could be your fans could just be stuck or touching the fans. if its when your loading something then it could be when the fans speed up. im sure its nothing to worry about.

one thing you could check is a strain test on your gpu and see when the clicking starts if its when there is a high load.

another thing you could do s to make sure you haven't broken one of your fans and that nothing is stuck in them.

i dont think its anything to worry about.

 

[InvalidError]

Without a decent-quality recording that clearly highlights the sound you want to discuss (some editing/filtering may be required to isolate any other sounds that might be mistaken for whatever you want an opinion on), it is very difficult to tell.

It could be coil whine in the PSU, on the motherboard or GPU due to load current spikes, it could be EMI getting out the analog sound outputs and your speakers, it could be the HDD(s), a fan, etc. Without a very clear recording, almost every component is a potential suspect.

The easiest way to track it down is to use the cardboard core of a paper towel roll, put it against one suspect, put your ear to it and trigger something that usually causes the noise. Whatever turns out loudest this way should be your cause.

 

[derekullo]

There are only so many moving parts "things that can click" in the computer.
Most of these are a fun of some type.

Check your case fans and make sure a wire isn't in the way of them

Check for long sata cables being clipped by the cpu heatsink fan etc.

That kind of stuff.

 

[ThisIsAName12345]

Without a decent-quality recording that clearly highlights the sound you want to discuss (some editing/filtering may be required to isolate any other sounds that might be mistaken for whatever you want an opinion on), it is very difficult to tell.

It could be coil whine in the PSU, on the motherboard or GPU due to load current spikes, it could be EMI getting out the analog sound outputs and your speakers, it could be the HDD(s), a fan, etc. Without a very clear recording, almost every component is a potential suspect.

The easiest way to track it down is to use the cardboard core of a paper towel roll, put it against one suspect, put your ear to it and trigger something that usually causes the noise. Whatever turns out loudest this way should be your cause.

Using a cardboard tube, it does sound like it is actually coming from the area around the hard drive. Is it normal for that to make any sort of clicking? I have listened to the noise that means it is failing, and it doesn't sound like that, but I could be wrong. Worst case, I don't have anything particularly important on there, so if it fails all of the sudden, it's not the end of the world.

EDIT: On even closer inspection, there is a small light just below the power switch on the front of my computer that faintly flickers whenever the click happens. There appears to be a picture of a cylinder on it that lights up when the flicker comes. It is very faint; I only noticed it because I opened up my case and could see the flashing much more brightly from the inside.

EDIT AGAIN: That light is the "hard drive activity light," so it makes sense that it would light up when the hard drive makes a noise. Is a faint click each time it lights up normal?

 

[InvalidError]

EDIT AGAIN: That light is the "hard drive activity light," so it makes sense that it would light up when the hard drive makes a noise. Is a faint click each time it lights up normal?

Hard drives making faint "click" (seek) noises while being accessed is normal - the heads are mechanical devices that move in steps, each step causes vibrations and each vibration will cause some amount of noise even on the best HDDs.

Some HDDs have quieter seeks than others. Some HDDs have (or had) user-selectable performance profiles to make the drives quieter and lower-power at the expense of performance.

 

[ThisIsAName12345]

EDIT AGAIN: That light is the "hard drive activity light," so it makes sense that it would light up when the hard drive makes a noise. Is a faint click each time it lights up normal?

Hard drives making faint "click" (seek) noises while being accessed is normal - the heads are mechanical devices that move in steps, each step causes vibrations and each vibration will cause some amount of noise even on the best HDDs.

Some HDDs have quieter seeks than others. Some HDDs have (or had) user-selectable performance profiles to make the drives quieter and lower-power at the expense of performance.

Alright. I figured it wasn't a problem, as I was pretty confident I had been hearing it before I installed my new parts. I never paid it any mind before, though. I guess I was just a bit paranoid that I was doing damage to the parts I installed. Thanks for the help!

 

[jujar14]

i thought it might have been. take the hard drive out of the bay one by one (or however many you have) or if you just have one and place your hands over the top and bottom and you should feel if it is the hard drive or not!!! if it isnt come back and we will continue to help if it is let us know how it goes.