Graphics Card Making Strange Clicking Sound Under Load

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Eldamaur

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Oct 26, 2014
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Hello! I've recently been having an issue with my GPU. The unit I bought is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130951 . It's been in use for a little less than two weeks, with no problems until today.

I noticed it began making a strange sound, sort of a clicking, under load while playing Guild Wars 2. I recorded the sound in question here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl2oIKGWvd8 I've managed to find information about GPU whine, but this doesn't sound like that.

I've tried steadying it with my hand while it runs, to no avail. I've also tweaked the fan speed through MSI Afterburner while not playing the game, though I was unable to replicate the sound, even at higher fan levels than normal. The two statistics that spiked in tandem with the sound are memory clock and core clock, though I'm not sure what to do about that. The fan is not hitting anything.

Any assistance provided would be greatly appreciated. I could potentially get a replacement, but I'd rather not if possible, as I'd be out of a computer for a few days. If any further clarification is needed, please ask. Thank you for the help!
 
Solution
gunmetaltrevan
It's at a lower frequency than what I'm used to, but it sounds like a coil whine. The patterns also match a coil whine's behavior.

Unfortunately, these are typically are a nuisance that people either live with or trade the card over. Changing the clocks/volts may help (there are some other solutions as well), but if it's something that bugs you enough, you're very likely to need to RMA the card.

EDIT: Also make sure it's coming from the gpu. If your computer has onboard graphics, try launching a game without the card.
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gunmetaltrevan

gunmetaltrevan

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Oct 3, 2011
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It's at a lower frequency than what I'm used to, but it sounds like a coil whine. The patterns also match a coil whine's behavior.

Unfortunately, these are typically are a nuisance that people either live with or trade the card over. Changing the clocks/volts may help (there are some other solutions as well), but if it's something that bugs you enough, you're very likely to need to RMA the card.

EDIT: Also make sure it's coming from the gpu. If your computer has onboard graphics, try launching a game without the card.
 
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Octomon

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Oct 21, 2014
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I listened to your video, to me that sounds like a cable touching the fan. I had the same thing when I put in my second gpu idling I didn't notice it but under load the fan ramps up and same sound. After a closer inspection I found a plastic name tag on one of the internal usb cables that went to my USB ports on my case was only just brushing the fan.

Though you say you have checked nothing is touching the fan :/ Hmmm.

Now i'm interested when you say you tried steadying it with your hand, when you did that, the fan would have slowed down slightly and I would expect that the clicking rate would have slowed when you did this also? If so then we can be confident it is definitely the fan at fault here.

If the sound clicking doesn't change rate when your doing that, I would wonder if it is actually a cable touching a different fan perhaps the cpu cooler? when the system goes under load the cpu would ramp up its fan also so I would just make sure all the cables are well away from any of the fans in the system.

Still the confusing part is that its just doing it with this one game, and that manually ramping up the fans you would think would produce the same sounds if a fan fault. I would expect other games or a 3d benchmark to produce similar results?

It really does sound like cables brushing it or a problem with the bearings in the fan itself. Or possibly one of the fans is slightly loose or the card isn't quite seated properly,
either way I would take out the card have a good close look at the fans to see if they seem loose or if they could possibly be brushing against the card heatsink, and that nothing is somehow got jammed under the cover between the heatsink and fans.

Assuming nothing is making contact with the fans then re-seating the card is the only other thing you can try.
So pop the card back in make sure its in securely and see if it does it again.
It is does it again then i'm afraid you will need to get a replacement :/
 
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Eldamaur

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Oct 26, 2014
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I checked it again to see if anything was touching, but I couldn't find anything. I also tried re-seating the card as you suggested, but there was no change. I don't think it's the placement of the card that's the issue, both because it began having this issue spontaneously without the case being moved, and because there's no noise outside of games, while an obstruction would not discriminate.

I had only tried it with GW2 since that's where I noticed the issue, but I just tried booting up Borderlands the Pre-Sequel, another game which had run fine before, and the same issue was present, albeit to a lesser extent. I really don't think it's the fans that are the issue here. I'm leaning towards it being coil whine now, though the obvious difference in sound from normal coil whine has me doubting.

Anyways, thanks for the reply!
 
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Octomon

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Oct 21, 2014
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no probs mate, yes I think Gunmetaltetrevan is on the money here. looking like coil whine given all you have tried and checked so far. Its always a pain having to return a product like a gpu, at least you got to identify the problem early.

Best of luck
 
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