Desktop/hard drive making whistling noise from power supply

[Binker]

So I have an iBOYPOWER desktop. Recently it was making noise at startup that would go away after a couple minutes. The noise can be described as a whistle. Last night, it was making the noise all night and it was decided to take it out and clean the interior. Did so, alot of dust, but it was fine like normal.

Now to do this, we had to unplug everything as you should, and switch off the computer from the back.

When we put it back together, we switched the power on from the back and all of a sudden it makes a high pitch whine/whistle. Of course, not the case when off, but when I turned on my computer, everything was fine.
I did research and we got many extremes: its fine and it'll go away or be normal over time, its not fine because the CPU might be hurt or the power supply might be dying, etc. So far, even with last night on the mind, nothing bad has happened (yet). And I really don't know what to do. I'm afraid of this thing making that noise once I shut it down for the night.

Any ideas or advice?

Additional details: got this back in 2014, high quality, custom, no problems whatsoever until now.

 

[Teelie]

It is very possibly a fan going out. Sometimes they make noises like that.

 

[InCali]

So I have an iBOYPOWER desktop. Recently it was making noise at startup that would go away after a couple minutes. The noise can be described as a whistle. Last night, it was making the noise all night and it was decided to take it out and clean the interior. Did so, alot of dust, but it was fine like normal.

Now to do this, we had to unplug everything as you should, and switch off the computer from the back.

When we put it back together, we switched the power on from the back and all of a sudden it makes a high pitch whine/whistle. Of course, not the case when off, but when I turned on my computer, everything was fine.
I did research and we got many extremes: its fine and it'll go away or be normal over time, its not fine because the CPU might be hurt or the power supply might be dying, etc. So far, even with last night on the mind, nothing bad has happened (yet). And I really don't know what to do. I'm afraid of this thing making that noise once I shut it down for the night.

Any ideas or advice?

Additional details: got this back in 2014, high quality, custom, no problems whatsoever until now.

I used to do computer repairs and suggest trying to localize where the sound in coming from.

TBH, I don't quite understand this statement

"When we put it back together, we switched the power on from the back and all of a sudden it makes a high pitch whine/whistle. Of course, not the case when off, but when I turned on my computer, everything was fine."

Is everything okay now? If not, take off the case, turn it on and see if you can hear where the noise is coming from. Generally this is a bearing and the only thing that has one would be, as @Teelie suggested, a fan/power supply or maybe a hard disk. Given the age of your computer, I suspect you don't have a solid state drive. I highly recommend the latter as they are very fast and pretty inexpensive these days. Probably not the hard disk because they will generally spin down when not in use.

You might consider a new workstation. You're on the edge of replacement and this stuff is pretty inexpensive these days. Make sure you count possible software costs if you decide on a new purchase as well as possible legacy applications you might use.

If you have a fan issue, tri flow liquid lubricant can possibly help. Don't let it go because noise=heat=damage to the bearing.

Hope that helps.

 

[GeekSlop]

So I have an iBOYPOWER desktop. Recently it was making noise at startup that would go away after a couple minutes. The noise can be described as a whistle. Last night, it was making the noise all night and it was decided to take it out and clean the interior. Did so, alot of dust, but it was fine like normal.

Now to do this, we had to unplug everything as you should, and switch off the computer from the back.

When we put it back together, we switched the power on from the back and all of a sudden it makes a high pitch whine/whistle. Of course, not the case when off, but when I turned on my computer, everything was fine.
I did research and we got many extremes: its fine and it'll go away or be normal over time, its not fine because the CPU might be hurt or the power supply might be dying, etc. So far, even with last night on the mind, nothing bad has happened (yet). And I really don't know what to do. I'm afraid of this thing making that noise once I shut it down for the night.

Any ideas or advice?

Additional details: got this back in 2014, high quality, custom, no problems whatsoever until now.

It's almost certainly a moving part which would cover both fans and the drive - if it's not a SSD. It it's an SSD then it's likely a fan. Sounds like you need to isolate the source of the noise a bit more. You might have blown more dust into a fan although I'm not quite sure how that would increase the noise unless it got jammed in the motor somehow.

 

[Binker]

Hi guys. So I suck, and I forgot to check this. Sorry. So let me answer some questions:

So it could be the power supply, the HDD, a fan, or its just aging. I keep saying ringing, and it makes sense; I've also heard hissing, and one video online had that sound and it was the power supply. So IDK.

TBH, I don't quite understand this statement

"When we put it back together, we switched the power on from the back and all of a sudden it makes a high pitch whine/whistle. Of course, not the case when off, but when I turned on my computer, everything was fine."

Is everything okay now? If not, take off the case, turn it on and see if you can hear where the noise is coming from. Generally this is a bearing and the only thing that has one would be, as @Teelie suggested, a fan/power supply or maybe a hard disk. Given the age of your computer, I suspect you don't have a solid state drive. I highly recommend the latter as they are very fast and pretty inexpensive these days. Probably not the hard disk because they will generally spin down when not in use.

You might consider a new workstation. You're on the edge of replacement and this stuff is pretty inexpensive these days. Make sure you count possible software costs if you decide on a new purchase as well as possible legacy applications you might use.

Basically what I meant was, when we cleaned it, theres that power switch on the back that I turned off. After everything was set, I turned the power back on and it made that sound. It lasted all day, then not when I turned it off. For a while, it would make that sound booting up, then after several hours, come back and of course end once it was shut down. As an update for today, 1/20, the sound lasted a minute after shut down, and now its been going on for most of the day.

I think I want to open the side and turn it on to see where its coming from, but I think its the power supply as turning on the switch started it. I doubt there is a way to turn the thing on, the machinery inside, without booting the computer, right?

It's almost certainly a moving part which would cover both fans and the drive - if it's not a SSD. It it's an SSD then it's likely a fan. Sounds like you need to isolate the source of the noise a bit more. You might have blown more dust into a fan although I'm not quite sure how that would increase the noise unless it got jammed in the motor somehow.

I dont have a SSD, just a HDD.

Anyway guys, to help you guys out, I did a video of the video. I hope you guys can listen and tell me what it could be:


Ty

 

[InCali]

Sounds like fan bearings. Open it up and you should be able to hear whether it's coming from the PS or the HDD. There has got to be an exhaust for the fan and you might be able to hear it if you put your ear to it.

From your video I can't really see the workstation.

 

[Binker]

Workstation? You mean this:

 

[Binker]

Also, heres a new video. It sounds louder:

 

[InCali]

Also, heres a new video. It sounds louder:

There must be a cover to the computer (otherwise known as a workstation). Remove it and use your ear to try to locate where the sound is coming from. I used to roll up a piece of paper into a funnel if I had a hard time locating a sound. Unplug the HD if you must and see if you still get the sound. If you do, it's most likely the fan. If you can see the fan, you can even stick something inside (non-metallic) to stop it from turning for a moment when you turn it on.

You can figure this out.

 

[Binker]

Well the only think we open up is the side.

I'll try, but I don't want to do anything to ruin it.

You sure its fan bearings? Because I figure age, and like I said, its only now that the norm of when the sound will happen has changed.

 

[InCali]

Well the only think we open up is the side.

I'll try, but I don't want to do anything to ruin it.

You sure its fan bearings? Because I figure age, and like I said, its only now that the norm of when the sound will happen has changed.

No. I'm not sure. Unplug the power harness from the HD and then start it up. It won't break anything. If you stop the fan with a wood skewer or something like that for a short period, it won't hurt anything. It will tell you what's making the sound. It's likely a moving part. I've had flyback transformers make noise, but you don't have one of those in your computer.

 

[Binker]

It sounded like ti was louder in the back, wasn't it?

 

[Binker]

Also, what happened last night happened again. After I shut off my computer, this sound continued for a minute after. I did capture it, the final 19 seconds. It’s here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvBbbO84m-o

to be quite honest, since this all started when I switch the hard drive back on, I wonder what would happen if I either switch it off again, or unplug it, or both, if that would fix it. Like a reset?

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

Power supply fan maybe ?
It doesn't sound like a sound an HDD could make, usually mechanical drives make a more distinct grinding noise.
As someone else said, open the case and try to locate the sound source.

 

[InCali]

This isn't hard and I feel like I'm talking to a wall. Unplug the fracking HD. If you don't have the sound anymore, it's the HD. Right?

If it's still making the sound, it's probably the fan. You can stop the fan with a non-metallic skewer or something and not hurt anything. If the sound stops, that's the problem. Right?

I'm out.

 

[Binker]

This isn't hard and I feel like I'm talking to a wall. Unplug the fracking HD. If you don't have the sound anymore, it's the HD. Right?

If it's still making the sound, it's probably the fan. You can stop the fan with a non-metallic skewer or something and not hurt anything. If the sound stops, that's the problem. Right?

I'm out.

I didn't do it yet because the sound hasn't occurred today. Another thing that makes it odd.

Please chill. If I have to do it on the weekend, then so be it. But I like to bring up and suggest ideas and theories. Like now...

Couple other things had happened on this computer: what are the symptoms of a computer affected by electronic interference?
I heard that somewhere, and my neighbors are working on something (I don't think it lasted when this started though), and when the sound does happen, the only other thing I would notice is slight ringing in my headphones that is only cancelled out when something plays. Probably nothing, absolutely nothing, but wanted to bring that up and ask.

EDIT: also keep in mind, if the sound happens like it does normally, I would have to open it when its been running for several hours just to pinpoint it. Is that safe to do to a running computer?

 

[Binker]

Power supply fan maybe ?
It doesn't sound like a sound an HDD could make, usually mechanical drives make a more distinct grinding noise.
As someone else said, open the case and try to locate the sound source.

This isn't hard and I feel like I'm talking to a wall. Unplug the fracking HD. If you don't have the sound anymore, it's the HD. Right?

If it's still making the sound, it's probably the fan. You can stop the fan with a non-metallic skewer or something and not hurt anything. If the sound stops, that's the problem. Right?

I'm out.

It’s the power supply. I still don’t know why or home, no problems before we cleaned it late last month, but it started become a problem when everything was put together. How do I shut it off, that sound comes to going; once I turn off the power supply in the back, it stopped. I’m gonna keep it off until tomorrow afternoon, and see what happens. I hope I didn’t hurt my computer.

One last thing: I don’t know how to replace this. I also don’t know if it’s just a fan inside the power supply, I just know it is the power supply. And yet it’s not affecting the computer. Just that sound.

 

[InCali]

It’s the power supply. I still don’t know why or home, no problems before we cleaned it late last month, but it started become a problem when everything was put together. How do I shut it off, that sound comes to going; once I turn off the power supply in the back, it stopped. I’m gonna keep it off until tomorrow afternoon, and see what happens. I hope I didn’t hurt my computer.

One last thing: I don’t know how to replace this. I also don’t know if it’s just a fan inside the power supply, I just know it is the power supply. And yet it’s not affecting the computer. Just that sound.

When you turn off the power supply, EVERYTHING stops. That's why I laid out the procedure I did (unplug the power harness from the HD and stop the fan with the power supply on). Like I said on several occasions, you probably have a bearing issue with the fan. Until you follow certain steps in a certain order; thereby eliminating possibilities, you won't know for sure. The power supply only has one moving part; the fan.

If you can't figure out how to remove the power supply, you'll have to pay someone to do it. It shouldn't cost much. Usually it's just a couple of screws, but Google is your friend.

Bye.