Fuzzy Cracking Noise from Speakers everytime computer is busy!

[drieschnoronha]

I have a custom built computer with a Core2Duo 2.4GHz, an Intel Desktop Board DG965RY, a 160GBHDD and 2GB of RAM. It is running Windows XP Professional 32-bit.

 

Recently I have noticed a fuzzy and cracking noise coming from my headphones and speakers everytime the red light at the front of my pc is blinking (I assume this light is of the HDD usage). The sound appears when ever I install a software, run a game and just browsing on youtube. This is annoying since it disrupts the songs I am listening to thus breaking them in the middle i.e. skipping lyrics and music.

 

I have googled this issue and all the advice seems to be with the speakers having a problem. The speakers are fine since they work perfectly on the laptop. I have checked for any mobile or magnetic interference and there is none. I highly doubt that there is a problem with my motherboard since it is less than a year old. The HDD on the other hand has been repaired by the Seagate company themselves. So it could be it but I am not sure whether I should buy a new HDD or not.

 

This noise as I said is a fuzzy like cracking noise and only comes when the red light blinks. By th way you can here this sound sometimes even when nothing is playing. I do not have a problem with this just that it disrupts the music and films I am trying to listen to and watch.

 

Advice would be very much appreciated.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Driesch De Noronha:)

Edited February 19, 2009 by drieschnoronha

[Tootech]

Its a common problem on older laptops......but that doesn't help you!

 

It's noise, interference from the hard drive. It's most often picked up when using a microphone, and yes, its pretty annoying.

 

I don't know that swapping the drive would solve the problem.

 

From what you say the noise wasn't there when the PC was built can you confrim that please.

 

Has any of the internal wiring been moved, maybe now closer to the sound chip?

 

I've had this problem before and the fix was to add a PCI soundcard of better quality.

[drieschnoronha]

There was no such problem when the PC was built. ANd yes the internal wiring was moved when I opeened up the PC to get details of the ower supply and it was cleaned. Could you please tell me how that could cause this problem and how to sort it out.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi,

it could be nothing more than the connections to the hard drive, remove the plugs check there is no dirt or bent pins, then replace and make sure they are properly seated, also try to move any wiring back to its original positions, if a cable carrying the current to make the drive move, is too close to the audio chips, they may pick up the clicks and other disturbances from that cable.

[drieschnoronha]

OK Guys I seem to have the problem sorted so far. I had a spare 1TB HDD with me and decided to reinstall my OS on it and use it as my Master Drive and set the other Drive as my slave. I installed XP with no problem and installed the drivers for my motherboard and it all seems fine. I turned my speakers volume up to max and could not hear the fuzzing noise I could hear before. I tested the speakers with some music and its all clear. I cannot guarantee that the problem is gone since I need to transfer my work back onto the new HDD from my external drive. I am fairly sure that the situation could have disappeared.

 

I followed all you guys advice and cleaned out my CPU first and checked the connection to the HDD and blew them out and reinserted, Changed the bay of my old HDD (with the slim hope that this could somehow solve the problem) and tried to (and hope sucessfully) move the wiring back to its original position.

I also had a look at the circuit diagram of my motherboard and located where the sound chip was and made sure all wiring was kept at a distance from it.

I shall keep you up-to-date on any new problems (or sucesses) that might (I hope not) arise.

You guys have been a great help!!!!!!!! Thanks a lot!! :-)