Coil Noise from GTX 260

O

operaman

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
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So I bought a Gainward GTX 260 for 205.95 EU. It is exhibiting coil noise with 2 different PSU's (Corsair HX620 and Cooler Master 620 80 plus certified). This occurs in 3DMark06, ATITool, and Folding@home for gpu.

Quad 6600 8 GB RAM
Raptor 150 2 500GB 1 750 GB and 3 optical drives. So I am well within spec for the PSU.

Is this a serious problem or something that is simply annoying? I have had it one day, and could return it, or I could just hang on to it if it is not serious.
 
I had the same issue with my Evga GTX 280. I called Evga about it, and they said it was nothing to worry about. Said it happens on alot of cards, some cards are loud others quiet. Anyways, they told me there was nothing wrong with the card, and it would not harm it over time. I also called the store where I purchased it, they told me the same thing but as well since the card was actually not defective, I couldn't return it.
 
Are they still running? I saw your sig. If so I can live with it. I just don't want a ticking time bomb in my case.
 
Still running 100%. Actually that coil noise from the Evga card, I haven't heard it in a few weeks. It only really was noticable the first few days I had my 280, then it seemed to vanish. Evga said it was just transistors and whatnot warming up, told me there was absolutely nothing to worry about. I've been playing Crysis on it alot, and that is stressing the card, so I'm going to beleive them.
 
Yeah, mine was really bad for the first day or so too, but now it is silent. They need to break in or something.
 
I had this problem on my 8800GT, it was loud as hell in games and in atitool. So after a couple of months I took a plier and broke off the piezo buzzer that was on the card. Problem solved. I'm not recommending this, since your card is waay more expensive and reliability isn't exactly known but it is an option if you're ballsy enough.
 
If it does not go away, find some big soft type heat shrink tubing and slap that on them, it should reduce it somewhat.
 
I have GTX 285. I hope that after a couple of weeks this coil noise vanish.
Is not that bad actually,but anyway...sometime when is very quiet in my room,it's annoying
 
My first GTX260 was dead silent but the replacement I got whined like no tomorrow. EVGA was nice enough to do a second RMA for the replacement card due to coil whine but even the replacement still had it so I just cut my losses and lived with it.
 
mine has coil whine only when running the ati tool stability test, and loading a valve game, seeing the intro with the heaqd with the valve in it, with fraps on i get like 1500 frames, soon as i hit spacebar, whine is gone.
 
Yeah, the whine gets worse the higher your frame rates are. It's helpful to have v-sync on if you have frame rates through the roof.

I also heard of someone, somewhere, coating the coils in hot glue to silence them.
 
I just posted something like this on [H] and i figured it was just squealing capacitors. Don't worry your card will not die they capacitors just like to scream ;)
 
Some people said,after a few weeks the noise disappear.
Is that okay if i leave V Sync on,all the time?
I would like to do a try with a plier to break off the piezo buzzer,but i'm affraid,maybe a damage the video card.
The videocard i had before,it was Nvidia 8800 GTS 512, it was a little bit loud,but not as GTX 285,but after few weeks i didn't hear the noise anymore.It was just vanish.
 
medire said:
Some people said,after a few weeks the noise disappear.
Is that okay if i leave V Sync on,all the time?
I would like to do a try with a plier to break off the piezo buzzer,but i'm affraid,maybe a damage the video card.
The videocard i had before,it was Nvidia 8800 GTS 512, it was a little bit loud,but not as GTX 285,but after few weeks i didn't hear the noise anymore.It was just vanish.
Click to expand...

For heaven's sake, don't break anything off. If it really bothers you, you can try putting hot glue or nail polish on the coils - maybe wax would work also, but I don't know about its electrical properties.
 
Okay :D
I'm more affraid now,to break it off.
I have no idea where the coils are,inside the videocard.
Do you know some links on youtube,about how to do that?
I don't wanna make some mistakes,i payed 330 euro for that card,so i better get more infos before i do anything.
But,i repeat : so many owners said that after few weeks the noise disappears.
I HOPE SO.
 
It is hard to do anything to these cards because the heatsink shroud covers the whole thing (on most cards at least). I'd say just hold off for a week or so and see if it becomes less noticeable - mine did.
 
It's getting quieter,more and more.
I don't know now what about the VSYNC,from driver settings options. Should i leave FORCE ON / FORCE OFF or USE 3 D APPLICATION SETTINGS ?
I played yesterday Crysis Warhead, settings-Enthusiast ,16 x AA,and about after 1 hour the temperature on my videocard was 84 C.
After i closed the games,in 4-5 minutes it was 44-45 degrees C.
Is that to much (84 C) ? I do not make OC.
 
I *keep* ending up with squealers, for whatever reason. I recently RMA'd the GTX 275 I had, and I ended up with one that not only squeals during loading screens, but makes a lower pitched buzzing during menus such as in GTA IV. Now I have to decide whether I want to RMA again.
 
So,any ideas,guys ?
RMA would be a better solution ? Honestly , the card works great,i don't wanna change it,i better find a person who could apply some nail polish on the coils.
I could try it,but i'm not sure where do i have to apply the nail polish,so i'm gonna find a "specialist"
Please tell me your opinions.Thanks !!!
 
Could that be the PSU ?? It's a Corsair 650TXEU.
I'll make a test with another videocard,today. ( 7300 GT,or older)
 
Corsair PSUs are reknowned to heighten coil whine, there is thread on here somewhere about it
 
I have a 750W Corsair (also GTX 260) that I bought a few months ago and during the first 2 weeks, I too heard the infamous coil whine. However, it's gone now...so I agree the person above. Maybe they break in.
 
I'm pretty sure,in my case is the video card ( 99,99,99 % )
So,you said it's gone now the coil noise ?You changed the PSU or what ?
I just wanna give some examples,when the coil noise is very annoying.
1 ) when games are loading ( not during the game )
2 ) yahoo messenger
3 ) youtube
4 )starter ( kit program i use it in XP ,aka msconfig )
5 )a lot of web sites
And the list could continue.
Now i'm more confused. Video card or PSU ?
I spoke with a hardware pc ( repair ) firm,and they said they could have a look,they investigate ,and maybe they can fix it. I told them about the story with "nail polish" and gave them the link here.
http://theovalich.wordpress.com/200...fix-it-no-more-gtx280-squealing/#comment-2231
I don't really know what to do : shall i wait ,maybe the coil noise disappear,or shall i go there with my PC.
They said,if they remove the video card case,i have no more warranty.
I hoped that many users ( owners ) will report here about the coil noise - disappearing ,but doesen't seems to be like that.
Please,advice me what do do,guys.
RMA ,i really don't find it as best idea.
If they ( or me ) apply nail polish on my coil / capacitors or whatever ,will i have problems with the video card temperatures,later on ?
Could that damage the card ?
 
I fixed it. No more coil noice. I didn't try in gaming yet,but in YM,and some web sites,it's gone.
I disabled from BIOS :CPU ENHANCED HALT ( C1E) and CPU EIST FUNCTION
I have Intel 7 920 and mobo Gigabyte GA EX58 -UD5
I was 100 % sure that the coil noise is from video card,but it wasn't.
When the games are loading....that doesen't bother me much...because while i'm playing,it's quiet..and anyway,i have the headphones.
I hope this helps someone.
 
Now i have to buy ( maybe not ) a better CPU cooler,after i disabled those options in BIOS,the temperatures are higher with 4-5 C,that's not too bad ,actually.
What CPU cooler ( Intel 7 920 )would you recommend ?
Should be silent as well,and giving a good cooling.
Thanks.
 
i never have the speedstep stuff turned on, no wonder i dont hear any noises from my computer lol.

i will have to remember that for future reference though.

if you really think you need a new cpu cooler there is tonnes of good ones it just depends on how much you wanna spend, most people go for the xigmatek dark knight who are on a budget, and the people who wanna spend more go for the TRUE 120 / v8 / noctua amongst others.
 
Will i lose performance,after i disabled those from BIOS ?
I think it's just about energy consumption,the CPU ENHANCED HALT ( C1E) and CPU EIST FUNCTION.
I would spend about 100 euro for a new CPU.
Which Noctua CPU cooler would you recommend ?
Actually,i don't mind if it's Noctua /Zalman /Scythe ..or whatever.
All i want is a good cooling for the cpu and quiet ( in IDLE especially )
If it's necessary,i spend more than 100 Euro.
Thank you.
 
Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 is the Noctua one...... and yes it's only about being power efficient, it just lowers the CPU multiplier when you're not using anything CPU intensive.

The Noctua has the best mounting i'd say, aswell as being quiet but it's expensive, even with the other coolers you can put whatever fan you want on them. Your choice :)
 
first and foremost, that sound, whether from the toroidal coils (inductors) from the PSU or the vid card, is a mechanical issue not an electronic one.

the donut shape ferrite core with copper wire wrapped around it, is the toroidal coil (inductor). That thing is vibrating, that's what produces the sound. Manufacturers put a clear or colored varnish to prevent it from moving (if it moves it will produce that humming noise) but sometimes they don't put enough, you can fix that by putting a little bit of hot melt adhesive on the coil.
 
leSLIe ,what should i put hot melt adhesive ? I lose the warranty if i do that.
I fixed it,and that was very simple,i just didn't know how ,but now it's gone the damn noise.
I'm not talkin' here about the noise when a game is loading.That's from the video card,but after the game is loaded,it's "quiet" my video card"
It's about some other applications,like yahoo messenger ( very very annoying ) youtube + a lot of web sites,and many different applications / programs from Windows.
 
what = why
Sorry. I repeat : why should i put hot melt adhesive ? I lose the warranty if i do that.
And the rest ....
 
white_dove said:
what = why
Sorry. I repeat : why should i put hot melt adhesive ? I lose the warranty if i do that.
And the rest ....
Click to expand...

hmm? so it doesn't emit sounds? at all?
putting that adhesive there ensures that you will not hear sound from that device ever again. You can remove hot glue rather easy, so if you ever need to go RMA, you wouldn't have any problems
 
No,no sound anymore.
I'm not gonna put hot glue or something,on my motherboard or CPU.
Please read my post nr 26.
 
spicey said:
Corsair PSUs are reknowned to heighten coil whine, there is thread on here somewhere about it
Click to expand...

Whilst searching the forums for advice on coil whine I came across this thread.

I forgot my own advice posted a while back. What an idiot.. :eek:

Bought a Corsair 650 TX and a GTX 260 and it whines like a bastard. Noticible when loading FEAR 2. Very annoying and my quiet PC is no more
 
white_dove said:
I fixed it. No more coil noice. I didn't try in gaming yet,but in YM,and some web sites,it's gone.
I disabled from BIOS :CPU ENHANCED HALT ( C1E) and CPU EIST FUNCTION
I have Intel 7 920 and mobo Gigabyte GA EX58 -UD5
I was 100 % sure that the coil noise is from video card,but it wasn't.
When the games are loading....that doesen't bother me much...because while i'm playing,it's quiet..and anyway,i have the headphones.
I hope this helps someone.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, glad I found this thread. I'll give it a try later after work.
 
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