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    wierd buzzing sound?

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by ryuzaki, Oct 16, 2009.

  1. ryuzaki

    ryuzaki Notebook Guru

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    Today I started up a new mmo that ive been wanting to try out on my M17x. When i started it up i noticed a quiet buzzing/screetching sound that seems to be coming from the lower left side of my laptop. Does anybody know what it is or how i can fix it?
     
  2. Marvie100

    Marvie100 On a Mission

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    Thats GPU whine. nVidia cards are notorious for it. There's nothing wrong, they sometimes will whine under load though.
     
  3. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Lower left side under the palm rest or by the LCD? That location under the palm rest is the bluetooth module. That would be odd. By the LCD is the GPU.
     
  4. ZackB

    ZackB Notebook Consultant

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    Yah my GPUs do that as well from time to time and usually during in-game menu screens (for whatever reason). It usually sounds like it's coming from the lower right side near the palmrest of mine when sitting in front of it, but when standing behind or on the right side of it, the whine seems to be coming from the rear near the LCD end where the gpus are seated. I have my bluetooth disabled so I always assumed it is just the way the sound travels from the back through the vents or something.
     
  5. vagiz

    vagiz Notebook Enthusiast

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    mine too, thats normal?
     
  6. ZackB

    ZackB Notebook Consultant

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    From what I have read on the forums, yup, it is normal for Nvidia cards and it doesn't affect or hurt anything phyically, as long as you can live with it :) It is caused by some type of coils on the cards heating up and vibrating which causes the whine. There is a fix mentioned in one of the threads someplace on here involving putting some glue or something on the coils to prevent the vibration, but it doesn't happen enough for me to warrant putting a dab of glue on my cards :)
     
  7. Dreambrother

    Dreambrother Notebook Guru

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    Yup I had the same whining noise on my lappy. It was loud enough for me to return the sucker. I had a few friends listen in on it. One couldn't hear it and another didn't think it was that audible. Sucks to have good/sensitive hearing I guess. Too bad, it was a really nice lappy. I had the 260gtx sli option.
     
  8. ryuzaki

    ryuzaki Notebook Guru

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    Ok I was worried that I would have to return my laptop or something. I can live with it its not a very loud whine. Thank you all for the information :D