Constantly worried about my PC?

xMRxVENGEANCEx

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So basically, I built my first PC about a month ago, and I'm always uncomfortably worried when using it. I feel like I didn't do a very good job putting it together, I mean, I feel like I could've been a little less reckless, maybe worn anti static protection more of the time etc. Ever since it's been built really I find something to worry about, probably because I built it myself and it just seems odd how I'd be able to do such a thing correctly. The main things I'm worried about are : The motherboard, the PSU, the graphics card, and the hard drive. My graphics card is quiet enough but some times I worry when I hear certain noises, wondering if they're normal. Installing the graphics card wasn't that easy either or as smooth as I believe it should have been. It slots into the PCIE slot alright, but it has quite a lot of ability to move about even when doing so. I had to sort of jiggle it about to the left just so it would line up with the mounting holes on the case. Wondering if this is a fault with GPU or motherboard, or normal. My hard drive is probably the noisiest component in my PC. I mean, some times it can work REALLY hard , usually when I'm not really doing much, but when gaming and typing this thread, it's silent. It makes quite a lot of clicking noises when working, seemingly normal clicking noises, but it does so quite frequently randomly. Also there is a noise coming from something which I would assume was the hard drive when starting up the PC. First of all I hear a sort of "berhh-berhh" noise, sounds like a wall of light from the game Dishonored, or like when something is powered by whale oil. Then I hear a sort of rattlesnake sounding noise which I am almost positive is the hard drive. I've had no problems with booting so far, just those noises which I am unsure of. HD Tune says my hard drive is fine though. One of the most things I'm worried about lately is the LED on my power button has been flickering/dimming randomly lately, but I haven't seen it doing it during this session of it being powered on, which means it's getting better, which makes me kind of worry worse, as I originally thought the light must be dying. Now I'm very worried that it's the motherboard or PSU at fault, which even though this is small, makes me wonder if it'll arise to greater problems if those two components are at fault. I've plugged it in fine, so it's not that. My case is the Corsair Carbide 300R by the way. My PSU seems fine to be honest, I'm only really worried that something may be wrong with it through the power LED thing. And my motherboard I'm just really worried about because of the graphics card having movement when installing, and also the power LED thing. None of my components have really FAILED as such, or show any major signs of being bad, but I just wanna get this out of the way because I'm really worried my £800 build will just, blow up. I think it's possible if something's wrong with the PSU or motherboard? I'm also known to be a bit paranoid and overly worried, and probably because it cost a lot of money and I'm afraid of losing it, but I really want FULL RESOLUTION to these things I'm experiencing and it's killing me, not being able to even use it without feeling uncomfortable.
 

Mattib 050

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China called, they said they want their great wall back


Seriously though, the only real problem is with your power LED, and that can't exactly cause a system failure anyway. Are you sure it's not your HDD activity light flickering?
Pretty sure the sound you hear on start-up is your DVD drive, I get the same sound when I boot, and also get the HDD clicking sound when it's under heavy load. Not sure if either of these are normal, but my PC has been fine for around 4 years now so it's nothing to worry about.

The GPU installation issue you mentioned is also pretty normal, especially with bulkier cards. As long as you screw it into place where you removed the expansion slot cover, you'll be fine.

What makes you think there's something wrong with your PSU or mobo?
 

natedawg72

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You're just paranoid and overly worried :) (As you stated yourself)

I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can.

#1 (GPU Noises): It is common for GPUs to make noises other than from the fans. It is almost always "coil whine", which is basically rapid vibration of electrical components. Its a normal occurrence. (I'm very picky about noise, so I try to get a card with little coil whine)

#2 (GPU Installation): That is normal. There tends to be a little bit of wiggle room, especially with large cards. It's fine, the screws you used on the PCIe brackets are doing most of the work supporting it anyway.

#3 (HDD Noise): Also normal. Some hard drives are pretty loud, some are relatively quiet, but they all make clicking and/or humming noises. How much noise you hear from it depends on what you are doing; when you are gaming or when you were typing your post the hard drive has little to no work to do since everything is being performed in memory. In contrast, booting up is probably the most intensive work a hard drive does so that's when you will hear it being the noisiest (plus it has to spin up to speed (7200rpms) at boot, so that'll make different noises).

#4 (LED): I don't have an answer for that one, but I don't think its something to worry about either. I can say that I'm sure it's not your PSU.

 

Scampi

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Computers do make noise, it's just a fact. HDD accessing data, fans spinning, components powering up etc... you get used to it & yes, the noise on start up is usually louder than other times.

As long as the graphics card "clicked" when you put it in the PCI-E slot that's fine. There is a little latch on the slot that holds it in as well as the back plate screws or tooless clips (whichever your case has). I can still get movement from my card when it's seated, nothing wrong with it as long as it's connected & secured in this manner.

Cases often have 2x LED lights on them, one is the power on light to signify it's on & the other is a HDD activity light. The HDD activity light flickers on & off all the time as the HDD is doing something or other. Maybe this is what your confusing.

 

xMRxVENGEANCEx

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Thank you, you've made me feel a little better. No it's definitely not the HDD light, that flashes pretty much constantly, just like the clicking in the HDD, it usually is in sync with the HDD's clicking sounds. My card is also pretty bulky and heavy and powerful, it's a GTX 770 by Nvidia and it's the EVGA version. it's about 25cm long and pretty chunky generally. I believe I've plugged everything in right, but yeah the power LED still flickers/dims randomly. I haven't seen it doing it so much in this session, and THAT'S basically only the reason I'm a little worried about the mobo and PSU, but I suppose mostly the mobo as that's what the power LED cables is plugged into. It would be kind of sucky but to be honest I wouldn't mind if the LED is dying, because everything in the PC is actually working fine and doesn't affect it right? I'm just worried that there my be something wrong with my motherboard from this, and makes me worry if the mobo fries all my other expensive components. I'm planning on buying a motherboard BIOS POST "bleeper" speaker, will that help me determine whether something is truly wrong with the mobo? And it just makes me worry how the power LED has suddenly got better as I haven't seen it doing any real flickering or dimming in the session, it makes me worry. Also can you explain the great wall of china joke please? xD
 

xMRxVENGEANCEx

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Thank you. As I just stated it's definitely not the HDD LED, it's the power LED. Just so you know I'm not a dummy, it has a symbol on it somewhat like this "C-" but facing upwards xD. It doesn't flicker as the HDD does, but it sort of flickers between full brightness and dimmer brightness, not on and completely off.

 

Mattib 050

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Not the great wall of china, I meant the great wall of text

There's nothing wrong with your PSU, if it didn't have enough power to power your LED, it wouldn't have enough to keep the rest of your system on.
 

xMRxVENGEANCEx

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I was thinking that. I'm not so sure what to do about my LED thing now. I'm at a loss.