ATI X1900 XT makes ticking sound.

jcfougere · Aug 22, 2006

Hello all this is a frustrating problem.

My brand new ATI X1900 XT makes a strange noise while in 3D applications. I have been trouble shooting this problem with ATI for months now. They sent me a brand new card, and yet I get the same problem. I have tried the card in a different system, and still I get the same problem. I have updated all drivers, BIOS, motherboard drivers etc. All my systems components are running clean and happy.

The problem can be described to be similar to the sound a hard drive makes while working. A ticking cackling noise. I am positive that this sound is coming fromthe video card,not the fan, or any other system device. The sound only because audible while in a 3D applications, such as WoW or F.E.A.R. The more FPS in a game, the louder the noise. As soon as I close the game, the sound is gone, POOF!

Here is a sound recording of the problem. You can hear my system with its fans, my hard drive while I load FEAR, then you can hear the video card make the noise when FEAR is loaded up and in the menu area(3 seconds in). Very short sound file, but max file size on this forum is very small.

ATI is asking that I send in this second card for another replacement, at my own expense once again. Can anyone think what this sound could be caused by? Is it electrical? I alwayas thought that cards made no noise cept the fans. So without any moving parts, what could the sound be? Perhaps a electrical "jump" between 2 circuits?

Any input is welcomed, plz keep in mind I have updated reinstalled and troubleshooted every part of my system so far.

Thanks. :banghead:

xylomn · Aug 22, 2006

i know you've said you've tried everything but have you checked whether this happens with a different graphics card inserted coz that really really does sound like a hard drive

to have two cards have the same problem is not impossible but unlikely, I use a 1900XT and have never experienced that problem

jcfougere · Aug 22, 2006

Yar I used to use a X800 GTO2, and no sounds like this.
It's not the HD sound I hear, but at 3 seconds in to the file, a higher pitched yet similar noise. Only comes while in a game, goes instantly when 3D is closed.

xylomn · Aug 22, 2006

oh yeah I can hear that now, yeah thats wierd, just installed the nice and quiet vf900-cu onto my 1900xt i'll turn it right down so i cant hear the fan and see if my card does the same

jcfougere · Aug 22, 2006

Let me know I'm interested to see if others experience this.
I believe it may be affecting game performance aswell. I get wierd lag in WoW and FEAR doesn't run any better then it did with my gto2

Urlyin · Aug 22, 2006

jcfougere... you're not the only one ... I have read in other forums of X1900 users talking about the noise coming from their vid card .. I too get the noise and thought it was coil choking.. but it may even be the fan tweaking ... I wanted to see if the noise goes away after I install a waterblock, removing the fan from the equation... something I have yet to do ....

xylomn · Aug 22, 2006

Just tested it with oblivion, yeah since i dont have the jet engine stock cooler on the card I can actually hear the effect you are describing myself. I dont experience that lag you describe everything on my computer I play in 1280x1024 (coz thats what my tft likes) with everything else at its max and always runs smoothly including WoW where you are experiensing problems.

Can't help you on the lag front but the noise seems to effect my card too only just noticed it when i put my ear next to it.

I don't think its the fan urlyin coz I use a fanmate to control the speed of the fan on my 1900xt and I still get the sound

Ketxxx · Aug 22, 2006

I dont hear anything apart from HDD activity.....if its not that im hearing, its just a rattly fan, the AC5 silencer i had on myold x800xl used to rattle a little sometimes.

jcfougere · Aug 22, 2006

Thanks for the input Urlyin, xylomn and Ketxxx.
Very strange thing indeed isn't it.
Perhaps my lag in game has something to do with other system components.

I can also control the fan speed using ATItools, and I will not get the sound no matter how fast or slow it's going. Only time i get the sound is in 3D. So it can not be the fan rattling. The sound is of electrical nature in my ears.

Urlyin · Aug 22, 2006

jcfougere said:
The sound is of electrical nature in my ears.

indeed it does and yes it's only on load... :wtf:

W2hCYK · Aug 22, 2006

I've heard of this before, but not this card, maybe its the same thing? Its supposedly from a loose connector and a heavy draw from the card.

When in a game, jiggle the video card ext. power plug and see what happens.

mandelore · Aug 22, 2006

hmmm, that is wierd, have you inspected any of the components? coz i know i once had a mobo that made strange noises, upon closer inspection while running it was an electrolytic capacitor making the noise, shortly after it bubbled over and popped.

Umm, i know most of the components are surface mount, and I dont want to be the bringer of bad news, but it could be something worth looking into. More intense the game, maybe more current drawn and the slightly more frizzled ur components are getting?

Who knows tho, maybe its just the x1900's trapped soul trying to escape, as we all know those beasts of cards must have something unnatural hidden in them

xylomn · Aug 22, 2006

oooo i wonder what soul my card has in it since it makes that sound too.

Maybe its the frantic crys of the frustrated soul of an emu

Thats so going in my sig lol

mandelore · Aug 22, 2006

Like most no doubts its a heavily tortured soul, especially in an x1900, the card essentailly is a clever electrical cage, only when the card dies does it get released from its life of servitude. Hell, mines never gonna escape, MUHahaha! when my card goes its getting transferred into a calculator, see how it likes that. Incentive never to escape

jcfougere · Aug 22, 2006

Perhaps I will take it to my local shop and let them have a look at the motherboard.
Either that or there are ALOT of these cards that are doing the same thing.

I guess it's possible that ATI sent out a bunch of defective cards.
Or maybe the sound is normal?

I can't see how it could be normal though, it shouldn't be making any sound other then the fan....

putergod · Aug 22, 2006

Im not hearing anything abnormal from either of mine (X1900XTX, X1900 Crossfire). However, I do have 5 Vantec Tornados blowing in there, so I can't hear much of anything besides wind noise, lol.

cadaveca · Aug 22, 2006

I have had quite a few x1k cards, and all of them exhibited this sound while under load. It does seem to be shader/mem heavy loads that create the sound the most.

Through some extensive monitoring, i found that this noise is quite normal...if you look just below the PCI-E connector, you'll see 2 Silver squares, offset from one another, or in some cards these are black coils. As well, down at the bottom corner of the card is a larger coil-looking component, which also plays a role in this.

The sound you here comes from these parts, and the juice flows through them. Naturally, while under load, this is a greater amount, and the sound increases. You'll also notice faint squeeling and other noises, which i have attributed to the PWM area of the card.

So, how did i test?

An array of mics in a soundproof booth in a recording studio! Whichever mic emanated the sound the most got a bunch of other mics around it...and you should see where this is going.

I'm a bit surprised at this noise myself...to me it says there are some components on these cards that are being pushed fairly well, and anyone that's tried assembling a dual-core crossfire rig will be more than aware of the power requirements such a system needs.

dolf · Aug 22, 2006

My opinion is that the noise comes from one or more of the (seven installed on the board) pulse (PA0511.101) inductance coils (part of the power supply circuit). Similar noise can be heard from X800/X850 boards which has only 2 coils. It happens at certain core current draw which deppends on the frequency and the application. Try to change the core speed (up and down) and probably the noise will disappear or will be reduced. After that you can try different core voltage.

drade · Aug 22, 2006

By the way, My card (PNY 7600GT) seems to have the same problem...It sounds like a cricket in a way.....But very soft but noticable if the sound is to low..So it's not only this card.

jcfougere · Aug 23, 2006

WOW
I can't believe how fast all of you replied and helped me out.
I'm really glad I registered.

So...it would seem I'm not the only one after all. You don't know what a relief it is to find this out, being in the dark with something like this, and ATI telling me to send the card in again....

Cadaveca, you are the man. Kinda a shot in the dark to find someone such as you, who has discovered, and tested this problem so fully.

I guess there ARE cons to having a very quiet system...you can hear the things that go bumb in the night, or that ATI doesn't want you to hear... LOL

Putergod im not surprised you can't hear this yourself, with any kind of loud fan you won't catch it.

Dolf I think you would be correct to assume lower frequencies might reduce the noise, but who the hells going to REDUCE frequency just cause of a little noise

Anymore input? Let's hear it!
Right now I would have the opportunity to send this card in aswell, since ATI is so convinced it doesn't exist. Should I get another new one if I can? Or should I try for a refund and buy a GeForce based card?

Thanks again.

Changis · Aug 23, 2006

when running 3dmark 03 on the first test, (ww2 planes in dogfight) my x1900gt sounds like a speaker, making the "eeeooo" sounde (doppler effect kinda) when the plane flys by, just like the sound test and more :S kinda annoying actually

"offtopic"
ps. JCgougere: put your system specs in the "edit system specs" in your user CP and you get it displayed like i (and others) have

jcfougere · Aug 23, 2006

LOL
Since I have some attention, what are the optimum settings I should try to get the most out of game play in games such as F.E.A.R.

ATI Overdrive anygood?
ATItool seems nice, i've played around setting to the stock speeds...anyone overclock much?

dolf · Aug 23, 2006

Decreaseing of the core clock is just a test option in order to determine (to heare) the difference. Because you don't want to go down with the core clock just overclock your card and hear what happen with the noise.

As you already know the huge current draw through the coil (at certain value) causes accoustic resonance and the "sound of PWM" can heard. Sometimes it could be annoying. All the "power hungry" cards ATI / nVidia has these elements in the core power supply circuits. That's why it isn't impossible to get other ATI or nVidia card with similar "problem". The choice is yours

.

Ketxxx · Aug 23, 2006

jcfougere said:
Thanks for the input Urlyin, xylomn and Ketxxx.
Very strange thing indeed isn't it.
Perhaps my lag in game has something to do with other system components.

I can also control the fan speed using ATItools, and I will not get the sound no matter how fast or slow it's going. Only time i get the sound is in 3D. So it can not be the fan rattling. The sound is of electrical nature in my ears.

id say hdd activity then, or your hearing some very funky electrical crosstalk between components.

bcracer220 · Aug 23, 2006

Changis said:
when running 3dmark 03 on the first test, (ww2 planes in dogfight) my x1900gt sounds like a speaker, making the "eeeooo" sounde (doppler effect kinda) when the plane flys by, just like the sound test and more :S kinda annoying actually

"offtopic"
ps. JCgougere: put your system specs in the "edit system specs" in your user CP and you get it displayed like i (and others) have

yea i have that as well on my x800gto with 16 pipes, its really wierd. if u use the sapphire tool trixx as well and u change it to silent then it makes that sound as well (just not as loud). im glad im not the only one who has that *phew*

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ATI X1900 XT makes ticking sound.

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