Dell 6400 high pitch noise constant, help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

markjobrien

Hey,

I've got a 6400 with a high pitch noise coming from the machine where i think the proccesor is but it could also be coming from the centre of the machine. The noise changes according to what i'm doing if the system is idle the noise is constant and at its most annoying. If i run the system at full throttle I swap the very annoying noise for a less audible whine. I also get a similiar sound coming through the headphone socket but only when the AC power is connected, on battery nothing seems to come through the headphones. I should also say that the high pitched noise from the machine itself is also less noticable when running on battery but it is still there.

Any ideas?????????????

Ruu_Old

Could be the CPU fan perhaps, try some compressed air or something to clean it out?

markjobrien

Its brand new so I don't think it could the proccesor fan i.e. clogged dirt plus would that explain the noise coming through the headphones

Ruu_Old

Might be something out of your control, I would let the shop/site you bought if from know about it.

ViDuchie

Strangely enough, I've seen this problem before with a Desktop PC. It was a problem with the mainboard and one of the Large capacitors close to the Processor. It squeeled really high pitched depending on the processor load, up and down. Bring the computer in for repair if you can

BostonB

Regardless of what it is, its not your responsibility to fix it. Return it.

juliuspret

If the sound is resonating from around the area containing the power electronics then Dell are well aware of the problem but due to share prices dropping even further are very hesitant about fixing it.

When a (less than 2yr old) Dell laptop enters certain power saving modes the crystals which control the speedstep technology resonate at certain frequencies to decrease overall power usage.

With Dells design the piezoelectric effect occurs giving rise to a high frequency "buzz" somewhere in the upper band of human hearing ~16KHz to 18KHz.

Try out "Rightmark CPU Clock Utility" and set "Run HLT command when OS in idle" in the Management Tab and see if it helps.

Im actually amazed that there have been so few complaints about this problem thus far!!!

BostonB

I heard this on laptops other than Dells in the past, I always wondered what it was. Usually I'm the only one who can hear it.

markjobrien

Hey juliuspret thanks for the info its really unbeleivable this noise its kinda impossible to work with in a quiet enviroment for a long time.

Anyway how should i play this with Dell, you say they know about but don't want to fix it???

I think the fact that its also coming through on the headphone sockets is in my favour also.....

By looking through forums i get the feeling that if the tech guy can't hear the buzz through the phone they then claim its within normal operating conditions i've tried recoring the noise with mobile but I don't really think it comes through but it defo comes through the headphones.

Also can this problem be fixed by for example replacing the motherboard i've read in one forum a guy saying it fixed his buzz

Thanks for the help

juliuspret

As I said earlier try out "Rightmark CPU Clock Utility".

Take a look here:
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/topics/topic.aspx/emea/shared/support/dsn/en/document?c=ie&docid=0A7D5CD2E17F5125E0401E0A55176204&journalid=2C9A7EAB796D11DBA40719CB4CC688CC&l=en&s=gen
Dell are public about this...but like to hide it as far away as possible

Im afraid you dont have much of a leg to stand on!

markjobrien

Thanks juliespret,

I've tried running that rightmark cpu utility and although it helps unfortunatley i just trade the highly annoying high pitch whine for a less annoying high pitch whine. Plus running the CPU at full tilt destroys any battery power I have which is a real nightmare(i use this machine in my college library where its quiet(cue the high pitch noise) and I have no power sockets). This really is a joke a 9 cell battery i've paid extra for is reduced to over an hour to stop me getting a headache.


One other thing juliespret, the sound coming through the headphones surely Dell can't magic that away saying its within operating levels. It suggests to me as a lay person that if buzzing is coming through the headphones some kind of electrical interferance is occuring on the motherboaird and leaking through to the 3.5" jack.

Any help would be apprecaited when I get some of my work done i'm going to have it out with Dell on the phone cause theres also an issue with laptop chassis making a crunching plastic noise on the palm rests which will obviously involve a trip back to the factory so maybe they can try and sort out this other sh*t then

thebman

markjobrien wrote:

By looking through forums i get the feeling that if the tech guy can't hear the buzz through the phone they then claim its within normal operating conditions i've tried recoring the noise with mobile but I don't really think it comes through but it defo comes through the headphones.

Well if its a problem and the laptop is new/under warranty, I say ring them and say its unacceptable to you as you work in a quiet environment and the laptop is unusable for its intended purpose because of this whining.

If it comes through a headphone, does it come through on speakers? Plug in speakers, put your phone on speaker phone and the guy will hear it. Tech support probably aren't going to accuse you of using speaker phone to make the problem sound severe.

Oh and Dell tech support can only hang up on you if you curse at them 3 times according to their rules if things aren't going well.