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Question What’s this noise?

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breakbec

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Apr 14, 2017
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I don’t know when it started but maybe a few weeks/months ago I started to hear this noise at the back of my motherboard. I have 30-40 idle temp and everything seems to be fine when using the pc except for maybe few FPS drops here and there but it’s always been like that.
Is this something I should be worried about, maybe I have to replace something or can I ignore it? Also what is it?

View: https://vimeo.com/319174656


I have no idea if this is something that’s connected to the noise, but at the same spot the noise comes from there’s this “greasy” or “wet” spot.

https://imgur.com/a/92jLxi8
View: https://imgur.com/a/92jLxi8


Thanks in advance.
 
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The 'greasy wet spot' is your fingerprint after eating a cheeseburger. 😉
Seriously, some PCBs are horrible with fingerprints. Even if you just washed your hands the normal oils from your skin can cause the spot you see.
As far as the sound goes, I barely hear anything. You sure it's not fan noise? It's possible that your VRs or some caps are whining but not likely (and not a good sign if they are). Isolate the noise by grabbing the inner tube from a paper towel roll. Put one side to your ear and move the other side around to system components (without touching any components, of course).
 
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alceryes said:
The 'greasy wet spot' is your fingerprint after eating a cheeseburger. 😉
Seriously, some PCBs are horrible with fingerprints. Even if you just washed your hands the normal oils from your skin can cause the spot you see.
As far as the sound goes, I barely hear anything. You sure it's not fan noise? It's possible that your VRs or some caps are whining but not likely (and not a good sign if they are). Isolate the noise by grabbing the inner tube from a paper towel roll. Put one side to your ear and move the other side around to system components (without touching any components, of course).
Click to expand...

I’ve never touched that spot though so idk how it could have gotten there 🤔
Oh what happens if they are?
Yeah I’ve listened and it’s around the cpu area in the front and that area at the back that’s in the picture.
 
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alceryes said:
Caps/VRs/SMDs can start to whine when they start failing but I can't say that's the case here. It could also be normal operation and you just haven't noticed up until now.

Other than that barely audible whine, is the system stable? Any issues?
Click to expand...

Well idk if this has anything to do with it but I have lower FPS and more FPS spikes than what I normally have had before but I’m not sure if it started when the noise started. Also I can hear the noise pretty loudly in the video 🤔
 
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it sounds like one of your fans ball bearings may be wearing out. Annoying but not dangerous. There are no "moving" parts on a motherboard so the noise has to be coming from something that is moving i.e. a fan, maybe even a dirty fan being thrown off balance.
 
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shknawe said:
it sounds like one of your fans ball bearings may be wearing out. Annoying but not dangerous. There are no "moving" parts on a motherboard so the noise has to be coming from something that is moving i.e. a fan, maybe even a dirty fan being thrown off balance.
Click to expand...
I’ve stopped each fan at a time though and the sound didn’t stop
 
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