PC clicking noise

Update: Best guess is that it was the VRMs switching on the motherboard. The sound stopped on its own after a few days. No unusual behavior before, during, or since, as far as PC operation goes.

PC is making a clicking noise. nothing is touching a fan and its not speakers, it sounds like the CPU or ram somehow. (pc is running fine)

[Mantikal]

I had this same noise. It's was coming from the power supply unit - but wasn't the fan. Some of you may also notice that for some reason you're also hearing the same rhythm pattern of those high speed clicks coming through your PC speakers. Put a pen into the PSU to stop the fan for a second and you'll continue to hear the same clicking pattern - still coming from the PSU. Well, | didn't find the correct answer by looking through YouTube videos.

I found the answer by looking through online Electronics Engineering Forms. I was having this problem with a Seasonic TFX form factor PSU (for narrow - small space desk top PCs) . On this forum, there was one of these expert engineering DIY guys who just happened to be having the same problem with the same brand (not the same model) PSU. He said that Seasonic has a sister brand "Antec" that tends to have the same problem often as well. So this guy fixed the problem and hasn't had any clicks ever since!

So what's causing this sound when the only moving part in the PSU is the fan? Well, if you were to take out the whole assembly of the PSU and somehow suspend it in mid air and switch it on in a totally dark room room, it would be very obvious. This electronics engineering guy said that it's a phenomenon called "micro-arching." Ever seen those classic Nicola Tesla pictures of high voltage electricity lightning bolts leaping hundreds of feet in all directions (while he's sitting in his lab writing notes in his log)? Well something dangerous like that is happening within the PSU too - but on a tiny level. The real cause of that is poor quality soldering techniques by the manufacturer. So how did this EE guy fix it? A way that probably many here don't have the experience, training or patience of mind to put up with. He de-soldered all the tiny component parts from the PSU daughter board, then he completely wiped squeaky clean (with some alcohol type solvent) the daughter board. There was also something about applying special epoxy resins in layers to the board (hitting them with a hot air gun and letting each application of the epoxy air dry for 10 minutes) and when all those layers were dry, re-soldering all the tiny components onto the daughter board (with his technique). Like I said, he hasn't had a clicking problem ever since. Every time the electricity jumps across those all those poorly soldered micro-gaps to complete a circuit and continue on it's way, it sends out EM waves in all directions in the same rhythm pattern- that your PC speakers will pick up on.

[nairda]

This is EXACTLY the noise. Please do tell me what you have learned of it.

[aljon]

Same noise I got. It was from one of the twin gpu fans. I thought I ruled out the gpu with msi afterburner but turns out it only controls one of the fan so I got another fan control software simply called “FanControl” and figured out one of the fans got noisy when it went above a certain rpm, so I just set a curve that set fan below that rpm until temp gets too high.

Still though clean your gpu fans, bcus of the noise I can only set that fan to 35%.

[Prxdify]

this keeps happening to my pc off and on but is way louder and ive also noticed a decrease in performance since ive been hearing it

[ipodcar]

its air in the water line, in the old setups, when you fill the line it sounds like that for 1 hour until all the air its gone and you need to put more liquid.

[Victornup]

For me, it was the Gigabyte GPU shroud/fans clicking at a certain RPM range. I could turn the case on it's side and it would go away.

[yetiiiiiiiii]

I had the same problem, took the side panel off and it disappeared

[radioboy-oiyd]

I have surface pro 9, even years earlier i had intel pentium4, this ticking noise comes from the cpu itself, I am sure, but dont know what is it, if you want to check it run 3d max if exists today, when you move the object, it will produce that ticking noise very much

[skinny]

its the hard drive. mine corrupted and kept doing this noise after removing it the noise was gone

[gloriousspam]

Mine's making the same noise, it goes away about 30 seconds after starting the computer though. It seems to be coming from the radiator. any ideas or fixes?

[nikohaste]

My 6700 xt made the same noise, coil whine. Very annoying and I have never come across this type of coil whine before. The card is quieter under load than at idle. I returned the card.

[Shueibski_]

Same happened to me I’m a new to pc how do I fix it help please I’m scared

[calmtbh]

This is exactly what is happening to mine, when I tilt my pc to the right, the ticking is no more, when it's any other direction, I hear it.

[ChrisDMReloaded]

I have this problem but only with photoshop 2017 . every time i open it, it makes this clicking sound . when i open any game and clip studio paint, it doesn't sound .

[gorkman]

i have the same problem
sound comes on top of the pc
when i hit lightly it disapears
i couldnt solve

[phenom]

You still having these clicking sounds?

[izacrosen]

I had the same issues with my CPU cooler. Got it replaced and it stopped. Something with the water pumps I think.

[ryan_chisnall]

Mine has been doing this for months should I worry

[DirectedbyLee]

I get the same sound when I use dual monitors

[heisenmoon]

i have the same issue and am not sure what causes it mainly occurs when im playing heavy games such as red dead or COD MW but im not sure what is causing it