[HELP]PSU high-pitched noise and how to get rid of it

[Pokot]

Greetings.

I've recently purchased and assembled a new PC of the following configuration:

Gigabyte PH67-DS3-B3 mobo
i3-2100 cpu
2x4 gb Kingston 1333 ram
XFX HD 6870 1024mb gpu
Corsair CX600 PSU

I'm also using a F3 spinpoint HDD, a Cooler Master elite case and a ESI Juli@ soundcard from my previous PC.

Corsair PSU was making that strange high-pitched noise that wouldn't stop even after I shut down the PC and turned off the power. I've given it up for a check and using my old FSP Blue Storm II 500w PSU. And strangely enough my old PSU is also making that sound as well (wasn't the case before).

I'm absolutely positive the sound comes from PSU itself, not GPU or any other component. I've only tried disconnecting the burner yet - it didn't help. The noise itself isn't much of a trouble when PC is turned on and when I'm working/playing but when it's turned off (I sleep in the same room where my PC is) the sound is driving me absolutely nuts. I'm just lying there trying to sleep and the god damn sound is melting my brain.

Please help me solve this issue. Any advice or suggestion is welcome.

[glo]

It's called "coil whine" and there's no way to get rid of it outside of buying a new PSU. It's not dangerous, and there's nothing wrong with your new PSU. Corsair is notorious for having this issue.

EDIT: -Sometimes- flashing your motherboard's BIOS can help, or investing in a new one. However, unless you want to play musical chairs with your components, your best course of action is just to put up with it or buy a noise dampening kit.

[Jadesaturn]

If it only bothers you when you're trying to sleep, just unplug it. It'll stop.

[Deleted]

5V rail i guess, considering it's still doing it once the comp is shutdown (still giving power to usb devices)
But yeah, there's no way to get rid of it other than buying a new PSU, any brand can have it basicly, it's not limited to just Corsair PSU's.
(my corsair ax750 sounds fine)

[Pokot]

Thank you for your opinions.

Unfortunately the main problem isn't the Corsair PSU itself. The main problem is that my old PSU installed in my new system does almost the same noise now and it just didn't do that a couple of days ago when my old system was still intact. It might be a weird coincidence but I'm afraid that getting a new PSU won't solve the problem.

[Biernot]

Yes, Corsair CX series is notorious for it's coil whine, even when the computer is turned off. And there is no way to get rid of it except buy another psu.

Some PSUs have a tendency for coil whine, but how loud it get's is very dependent on the rest of your components (mostly the mb).
Some time ago i had an AMD system (Athlon X2 4800+, Asus M2xxxx mb) with a Tagan psu. Never had any problems with coil whine. Then my board died and i upgraded to an Intel system (i5-750, asus p7p55d). Since the very moment, i had a low coil whine during idle, which became very noticeable during load. It was like an acoustic load meter, i could hear the amount of work my cpu had to do. And the noise not only came from the psu, but from the motherboard too (voltage transformers maybe).
So i tried first an corsair cx500, and the noise was gone, except for the low coil whine when turned off. Returned the unit and got a Seasonic s12-520 instead, and now my pc is as quiet as i need it.

[Pokot]

So it might be the mobo that amplifies the sound, am I getting this right? In my case that means getting another PSU won't solve a thing.

[Deleted]

If it's the PSU actually making the noise, replacing it *will* solve it.
The motherboard, CPU, etc might put pressure onto it, but coil whine is caused by parts inside specific hardware (in your case, your psu), parts that are slightly vibrating & thus making the noise.
The problem is that this can happen to any psu, some are more known to cause it than others (usually more expensive ones have better components inside & are less prone to it, but don't completely elliminate the option to actually have the whine), so yup, it's pretty random.

It never used to be such an issue before as up until recent years the hardware didn't have such big power requirements & psu's were just less prone to whining.

[Deleted]

I had this happen too and returned it to the shop.

The funny thing was none of the staff members could hear the high-pitched tone and thus were reluctant to exchange it. It was kind of weird because I kept telling them about the high-pitched whine. It wasn't until a 3rd tech-guy came along who could also hear it that they exchanged it for different PSU.

[Pokot]

If it's the PSU actually making the noise, replacing it *will* solve it.

But replacing it with my old PSU that never had the issue did not solve it!

I had this happen too and returned it to the shop.

The funny thing was none of the staff members could hear the high-pitched tone and thus were reluctant to exchange it. It was kind of weird because I kept telling them about the high-pitched whine. It wasn't until a 3rd tech-guy came along who could also hear it that they exchanged it for different PSU.

That's what I'm afraid of as well. Gonna hope for better.

[chaud]

Likely is the PSU, could be the mobo or GPU though, so don't think all hope is lost if you replace the PSU and still have it!

[Deleted]

But replacing it with my old PSU that never had the issue did not solve it!



That's what I'm afraid of as well. Gonna hope for better.

are you sure the sound is coming from the psu & not another part you recently replaced though? it would seem very odd to me that a psu would suddenly be responsible for making a different component squeal.
from personal experience its often either the GPU or the PSU thats prone to whine, i've never had a motherboard squeal on me, but i guess it could be possible, although unlikely, as the power that runs trough the motherboard doesn't come close to the power that surges trough a psu or gpu.

my guess is if you recently put in a new graphics card (that 6870) which draws more power from your psu(s) than what you had before & is thus making the capacitors inside whine, just a guess though.
is the whine always low, and is it only audible when you turn off your computer? it just seems very odd that your old psu would suddenly whine when powered off as well, the only thing that draws power than is the 5v rail for usb devices, its weird that any sort of component would suddenly make your old psu start doing that

[Berteh]

I have the exact same problem with my Seasonic 650W. I've kind of learnt to live with it though. Like others have said, unplugging the PSU will stop the coil whine

[Pokot]

Likely is the PSU, could be the mobo or GPU though, so don't think all hope is lost if you replace the PSU and still have it!

Well I sure hope I don't have to replace the motherboard!

is the whine always low, and is it only audible when you turn off your computer? it just seems very odd that your old psu would suddenly whine when powered off as well, the only thing that draws power than is the 5v rail for usb devices, its weird that any sort of component would suddenly make your old psu start doing that

I've made a tube out of paper, put one side of it to my ear and another to different components. It's most definately not GPU. The whine is audible when the PC is turned on and I'm sitting without headphones. It's much more of an issue when turned off. And I have to say yesterday the whine wasn't that noticeable at all. Maybe it's because I was very tired, I don't know. Gonna give a call to the service where they have my corsair today, ask if they've registered any kind of whine.

I have the exact same problem with my Seasonic 650W. I've kind of learnt to live with it though. Like others have said, unplugging the PSU will stop the coil whine

Unfortunately, it doesn't.

[Jalatiphra]

if you hear the noise without your computer plugged in....you might be crazy?

[Deleted]

I had the same problem with my Thermaltake 775XT, hearing high pitch sound even after turning off the power. When it did that the pg signal light was flashing. After replacing the motherboard no more problems.

if you hear the noise without your computer plugged in....you might be crazy?

A PSU can keep a lethal charge for months.

[Deleted]

if you hear the noise without your computer plugged in....you might be crazy?

True dat :P lol