Gigabyte DQ6 - weird noises when stability testing?

[Richard Dower]

I've been running Orthos dual prime for a few hours trying to get a stable PC, every time i run a blend test, stress CPU and RAM, i get some weird high pitch squelching/whistling noises....during this part of the test:

Test 1, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M172031 using 8K FFT length.
Test 2, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M163839 using 8K FFT length.
Test 3, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M159745 using 8K FFT length.
Test 4, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M157695 using 8K FFT length.
Test 5, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M155649 using 8K FFT length.
Test 6, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M153599 using 8K FFT length.
Test 7, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M147455 using 8K FFT length.
Test 8, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M143361 using 8K FFT length.
Self-test 8K passed!

Seems test 2,4.6,8 makes noises coming from either the memory or the mobo...has anyone experinced this?

I don't know what in the hell it is, but it's freaking me out! :(

[menlatin]

my ds3 does that too. I think its capacitor hiss.

[Ryzalis]

Well whaddya know, my Gigabyte Silent-Pipe II 7600 GT does this as well during load. I see a trend here...

[Rectal Prolapse]

Yes, I was going to post about this but I only just got my account activated.

The noise is like a dying CRT monitor running at 60 hz. High frequency buzz.

It occurs in the same batch of tests you listed in Prime95 (I'm not using Orthos). I narrowed it down to the inductor coil (the donut-shaped component lying flat on the PCB right next to the DIMM slots). On my rig, almost all of the tests make the noise except test 2 (and maybe others, but I didn't check).

I already exchanged my DQ6 for another one and it does exactly the same thing. I believe this is a design flaw in the DQ6, or very poor component selection.

You can quiet it down somewhat by using hot-glue or epoxy resin on it, but that can be risky if you need to RMA. Hot-glue can be taken off with some effort. Epoxy cannot.

As a test I used playdoh on it - cuts the volume by a tiny bit, but still audible. I don't recommend playdoh though as it is water-based and will dry out and crumble. :)

It's possible that the buzz occurs in other components, but from what I can tell, it is mostly from the inductor coil.

[Rectal Prolapse]

Here is a stickied thread on SilentPCREview.com you guys may find interesting:

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=16658

[Rectal Prolapse]

Hmmm, I could be wrong about the inductor coil - damn it is going to be difficult to figure out which one is making that noise.

[heydo6]

maybe it's just a poor fan i had one that went bad that would cut in and out and make some weird noises.

[menlatin]

well i dont think its a gigabyte thing, becuase my HIS x1900xt does that too. I mean, hardware is only ment for stock settings, and when you overclock, you're beyond stock power requirements, so since most hardware isn't specifically designed for that, components are going to be stressed. Its just that.

[Rectal Prolapse]

Actually, I get a slight buzz if I run my E6400 at stock settings (ie. Load Optimize Defaults in the BIOS) at idle! It is barely audible with the case closed, but does exist.

My Abit NF7-S Rev 2 motherboard is dead silent in comparison.

[One_Hertz]

Every single motherboard I've ever owned does this when heavily overclocked. I've gotten quite used to it. Some louder then others...

[igor0203]

Mine DS3 does that also. Especially when I'm in BIOS. :confused: But I figured it out that when also memory stresses then board makes this buzzy noise. At least in my case.

[MuskBassist]

Every single motherboard I've ever owned does this when heavily overclocked. I've gotten quite used to it. Some louder then others...
I was about to make a post almost identical to this. The noise comes from the vicinity of the CPU and is definitely not a fan.

[oohms]

Yeah the inductors on my DS3 do exactly the same thing, and they get noisier when i prime it

[Ceylon]

The noise come from the inductor L16. Plastic Spray should help.

[Rectal Prolapse]

L16 on the DQ6? The one next to the DIMMs? I'll check that out if I can find the label. :)

[mach82]

I've been running Orthos dual prime for a few hours trying to get a stable PC, every time i run a blend test, stress CPU and RAM, i get some weird high pitch squelching/whistling noises....during this part of the test:

My DQ6 does the same when I run one of the tests of PC Mark 2005. No OC at all.

[Richard Dower]

I'm testing dual prime Orthos right now, it does appear to be the round coil located next the the DIMM slots (it's laying flat on the motherboard with copper wire around it and five MOSFET's surround it). When i place my finger on it the sound changes, the whistling noise changes to a different frequency.

It appears to happen when doing small FFT tests such as this:

Test 1, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M172031 using 8K FFT length.
Test 2, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M163839 using 8K FFT length.
Test 3, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M159745 using 8K FFT length.
Test 4, 800000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M157695 using 8K FFT length.

The noise is more noticable with 8K FFT, but i have also heard the same noise with different (small) FFT calculations.

The coil is rather hot, can't keep your finger on it too long, i am also wondering if i should sink the clock generator for the memory?

I have some of the MOSFET's surrounding the DIMM slots sinked, i'm wondering if i could do anything to that coil to dampen the sound?

[Richard Dower]

http://www.all-about-pc.de/english/Hardware/Motherboards/ABIT_vp6/images/L16inductor2.jpg

Is this an L16 inductor?...mine has more copper wrapped around the round thingy.

[Richard Dower]

I'm on the 10K FFT test...the pitch/frequency of the noise has changed, it's definately the inductor...thing is, my Gigabyte nForce4 Ultra mobo never made that sound.

[Rectal Prolapse]

I think L16 refers to the component ID label of the actual inductor - should be silkscreened on the motherboard somewhere.

It does look that that - a donut with wire wrapped around it. I believe the inductor right next to the DIMM slots is the culprit, but I need to open up the case and try to find the label with a flashlight.

[xTTTx]

my new DQ6 rev3.3 has thsi buzz noise too.

it make me crazy....

anyone has solution here?

[nugzo]

Gigabyte makes more th an 1 board with DQ6 part number. Are you talking about he 680i board? The N680SLI-DQ6?