Strange Sound from Computer Case When Runnung AH3

[Bizman]

Cloning the hard drive for testing is a very good idea, Chalenge! Thanks for bringing it up.

Condor, yesterday I did some more monitoring while testing the Beta. The highest temperature was 99c and it dropped rapidly even while alt-tabbing from the game to view the monitoring program. And at times the fan was blowing like a tornado!

[Condor]

I would immediately move all of the data on the drive that AH3 is mounted on to another drive (clone it). You can use Macrium Reflect to do the migration quickly and efficiently for free. After the move if the noise continues then you know it is not the hard drive. In that case you should probably begin replacing all of your case fans, and even the GPU fan(s). I can't remember ever having a GPU fan make that kind of noise, but I try to replace things long before they might fail.

What happens in the case of a HDD is the platter starts to get this deep rut engraved into the surface. I just love taking HDDs apart and finding that very rough groove cut into the mirror surface. It can develop very quickly, too.

(Image removed from quote.)

Thanks for the tip about free Macrium reflect. Ive got a couple of spare HDs. Do you know if I can do the clone to an external hard drive via USB? The Macrium site was kind of light on details.

[Chalenge]

IF your OS can see the drive you can use it.

EDIT: The manual is here: http://updates.macrium.com/reflect/v6/user_guide/macrium_reflect_v6_user_guide.pdf

[Condor]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I decided to go low tech and try to locate the sound by ear while AH3 was running. It's not from the computer. It's from my APC UPS that's next to the computer. So now I have to wonder what the deal is with that. It only happens when playing AH3, never when playing AH2. It's nice to know it's not the computer.

[TequilaChaser]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I decided to go low tech and try to locate the sound by ear while AH3 was running. It's not from the computer. It's from my APC UPS that's next to the computer. So now I have to wonder what the deal is with that. It only happens when playing AH3, never when playing AH2. It's nice to know it's not the computer.

battery sounds like it's about to conk out on you if it is your BPS making the clicking..... I don't have that problem, but I only have 2 APC UPS's running, and the PC's on them don't run all he time, but it sounds familiar from a few yrs ago.... I recommend you get ready to buy some back-up battery(s) for that APC UPS

TC

[Chalenge]

Probably your UPS is not sufficiently supplying power when your PSU is powering your GPU at peak output.

[TequilaChaser]

Probably your UPS is not sufficiently supplying power when your PSU is powering your GPU at peak output.

yes, is a possibility it is under sized for his system, I've ran into that issue before myself many years ago.....

[Drane]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I decided to go low tech and try to locate the sound by ear while AH3 was running. It's not from the computer. It's from my APC UPS that's next to the computer. So now I have to wonder what the deal is with that. It only happens when playing AH3, never when playing AH2. It's nice to know it's not the computer.

Condor I'd recommend minimum 850VA UPS for a CPU, modem, router, and a low power draw monitor (like LCD). That should give you enough time to land if you're near a friendly base when the power goes out.

I hook everything else, like printers and sound, to surge only. Printers can be torture to an UPS when hooked up to the battery output.    If you can move something from battery to surge that might help your situation.

Personally I've given up on APC. They kept screwing up even when the batteries are good.    We do have a lot of power fluctuations here. The cost of shipping them back for warranty makes them a bad deal for me.

Bought a couple Tripplites and they have been awesome with keeping power steady to my rigs. Got these from Amazon. 
http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-ECO850LCD-Battery-Outlets/dp/B004ZMESXE?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

[Condor]

Condor I'd recommend minimum 850VA UPS for a CPU, modem, router, and a low power draw monitor (like LCD). That should give you enough time to land if you're near a friendly base when the power goes out.

I hook everything else, like printers and sound, to surge only. Printers can be torture to an UPS when hooked up to the battery output.    If you can move something from battery to surge that might help your situation.

Personally I've given up on APC. They kept screwing up even when the batteries are good.    We do have a lot of power fluctuations here. The cost of shipping them back for warranty makes them a bad deal for me.

Bought a couple Tripplites and they have been awesome with keeping power steady to my rigs. Got these from Amazon. 
http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-ECO850LCD-Battery-Outlets/dp/B004ZMESXE?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Probably your UPS is not sufficiently supplying power when your PSU is powering your GPU at peak output.

My APC is rated 750V and 450W. I only have computer and monitor plugged into battery backup. Everything else is surge protection only. Right now according to the APC software, the system is consuming 100 watts (It only measure whats plugged into battery backup) and I have 15min of battery time. In AH3 the power consumption increases to 250-300 W and battery time drops to 5 min. It doesn't appear I'm overtaxing the APC unit if their software is to be believed.

[Condor]

battery sounds like it's about to conk out on you if it is your BPS making the clicking..... I don't have that problem, but I only have 2 APC UPS's running, and the PC's on them don't run all he time, but it sounds familiar from a few yrs ago.... I recommend you get ready to buy some back-up battery(s) for that APC UPS

TC

Thanks,

You may be right. I've had it for more almost 6 years without a battery replacement but the computer only runs for 2-3 hours a day if that. Can you explain why a failing battery would cause a clicking sound when the system is running on house power and the battery is not needed?

[Bizman]

Thanks,

You may be right. I've had it for more almost 6 years without a battery replacement but the computer only runs for 2-3 hours a day if that. Can you explain why a failing battery would cause a clicking sound when the system is running on house power and the battery is not needed?

---The Smart-UPS will make a clicking sound when the UPS is enabling AVR Boost or AVR Trim. AVR Boost is when the UPS uses the internal transformer to increase input voltage which may be too low; AVR Trim is when the UPS uses the internal transformer to decrease input voltage which may be too high. When the UPS switches to use this transformer, an internal relay makes a clicking sound. This is normal operation of the UPS reacting to too-high, or too-low voltage.---

Also http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/10634-apc-ups-clicking-constantly.html gives some ideas about the clicking. And http://forums.apc.com/spaces/4/back-ups-surge-protectors/forums/general/755/back-upss-clicking-on-and-off-due-to-electrical-noise-all-day.

Seems you're not alone.

[Drane]

Thanks,

You may be right. I've had it for more almost 6 years without a battery replacement but the computer only runs for 2-3 hours a day if that. Can you explain why a failing battery would cause a clicking sound when the system is running on house power and the battery is not needed?

Wow Condor! 6 years is amazing time to get out of ups batteries. I usually get 3 years max.

[Drane]

Also http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/10634-apc-ups-clicking-constantly.html gives some ideas about the clicking. And http://forums.apc.com/spaces/4/back-ups-surge-protectors/forums/general/755/back-upss-clicking-on-and-off-due-to-electrical-noise-all-day.

Seems you're not alone.

Yeah Bizman that's why I mentioned the part about giving up on APC. Sounds like Condor has an ups that's starting to fail.

[Drane]

My APC is rated 750V and 450W. I only have computer and monitor plugged into battery backup. Everything else is surge protection only. Right now according to the APC software, the system is consuming 100 watts (It only measure whats plugged into battery backup) and I have 15min of battery time. In AH3 the power consumption increases to 250-300 W and battery time drops to 5 min. It doesn't appear I'm overtaxing the APC unit if their software is to be believed.

Hi Condor, looks like you've got it set up good.    All my APC ups started doing goofy things when they were about to quit.

[Condor]

Wow Condor! 6 years is amazing time to get out of ups batteries. I usually get 3 years max.

It's just that I'm cheap and lucky. Probably time to replace the battery. APC recommends every 3 years. I can get a battery for $45-50. But then what if it's the UPS itself..........?