PCI Modem background noise

[kwazimoto]

I hope this is the right category as "other components".


I just installed the following USRobotics PCI Fax Modem into an i7 machine built on an ASUS motherboard running Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit.

http://www.frys.com/product/4829330?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

The modem has passed compatibility test with Microsoft for Win7 64-bit. The modem appears to work - however - whenever I use "Windows Fax and Scan" (built in Windows program to receive and send faxes) and click the option "Allow the device to receive fax calls," the PCI card makes a ton of noise while idle. Nothing I can do will get rid of the noise short of unclicking that option. I have tried going to faxmodem properties and sliding the "speaker volume" to "none" without avail to the idle rattling noise of the PCI modem.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[r_manic]

Wait, what kind of noise? The PCI card actually generates actual noise, or noise through your speakers?

 

[kwazimoto]

Yup - the PCI card actually makes noise. Like when the card handshakes (noise comes from the modem card) except, it's not handshaking since it's idle and set to receive faxes automatically... it's just making static noise. Strange, I know...

 

[r_manic]

Ah, there's at least one other person who complained about a buzzing sound from his expansion card. But this is a GPU, and we all figured it had something to do with the heat hitting a sweet spot with the GPU material's oscillation frequency (the natural frequency that causes something to actually vibrate). Sorry, I forgot where that discussion was conducted.

What kind of cooling is on your PC, in any case?

 

[kwazimoto]

Noctua on an i7. It literally sounds like the modem is searching for interface when making a call... Didn't bother buying another one to see if it's just that particular unit. I've since returned it waiting for another compatible Win7-64-bit modem to attain the compliance mark by microsoft.