Question What is this odd cicking noise?

[morpheuskibbe]

computer is making a faint clicking noise. Its doesn't seem to be a hard-drive, speakers, or fan thing, and seems to be coming from CPU/Ram area. It doesn't seem to impact the PC's performance at all.

The sound:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u_JhYomxc8

 

[Phaaze88]

Sounds like the VRM phase switching.

 

[morpheuskibbe]

So normal? It was a lot louder one day which is why I asked this. Though it quieted down .

 

[Phaaze88]

PC specs?

Bios is running on default settings?

 

[morpheuskibbe]

i7-5820k (oc to 3.7ghz and 3.2mem)
gtx-980 (oc to +100mhz and +200mem)
32gb ddr4 2133mhz

Actual bios is default, I did the OC with MSI afterburner and intel extreme tuning utility.

The overclocking doesn't seem to have an effect though. The clicking seems to come and go regardless of it.

 

[Phaaze88]

Cpu overclock is manual override, or adaptive/offset?

I believe the switching occurs more frequently on adaptive/offset due to constantly changing frequency depending on load.

 

[morpheuskibbe]

That's odd. I thought i had it set to adaptive, the saved profile is adaptive, but the button says static. despite the settings in the right window saying adaptive. thats odd. Maybe it reset itself to static? the clicking is less severe today, though the clocks are the same as what i set them too.

 

[Phaaze88]

XTU is a little funny. The buttons are highlighted in black, not blue.

 

[morpheuskibbe]

XTU is a little funny. The buttons are highlighted in black, not blue.

na its definitely blue. clicking the blue does nothing, but clicking the black switches it.

 

[Phaaze88]

Ok, that's weird, because I'm using the same version as you, but it's the opposite for me.

 

[Karadjgne]

Unplug the rear exhaust. See if the clicking goes away. Same with the pump, temporarily! And the front led fan

Noise only comes from moving parts, and that can include stuff like switches, but honestly to me it sounds like a bad fan bearing.

Eliminate any possible moving parts 1 at a time. What's left will be switches on the mobo. Some of that can be eliminated in bios by disable phase control.

 

[morpheuskibbe]

Ok, that's weird, because I'm using the same version as you, but it's the opposite for me.

IDK, maybe dark mode, but whatever

Unplug the rear exhaust. See if the clicking goes away. Same with the pump, temporarily! And the front led fan

Noise only comes from moving parts, and that can include stuff like switches, but honestly to me it sounds like a bad fan bearing.

Eliminate any possible moving parts 1 at a time. What's left will be switches on the mobo. Some of that can be eliminated in bios by disable phase control.

Its definitely not the fans. I stopped them one by one and the noise continued regardless. I didn't try with the pump but the noise has quieted down a lot after un-overclocking the CPU. Not immediately. It took a little while after reverting CPU to default for it to stop, but it has, or at least has gotten far quieter.