Laptop is making a non stop clicking sound

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by G_Model101, Oct 26, 2010.

  1. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    Hi all,

    Recently my laptop has been making a constant non stop clicking like noise from the moment I turn it on. The frequency is high with like 10 per second in a never ending cacaphony. If I mute the volume the tone of the sound changes, but the frequency isn't reduced, the volume isn't really reduced either.

    Also If I plug in headphones I can hear it from the headphones and from the laptop.
    Any idea what this could be or what to do about it?
    The speakers are built in btw and I have no sound when I play videos etc.

    Many thanks in advance
     
  2. itmortiz

    itmortiz Corporal

    Laptop model?

    I'm trying to understand ('because i don't speak english too much') the problem is, when you turn on your laptop do "noises like clicks"?

    And you haven't sound in the laptop to listen the audio videos right?
     
  3. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    My laptop model is a Fujitsu-Siemens Esprimo mobile V5535.
    Yes you are right, no sound when I watch videos. Only noises like clicks.
     
  4. itmortiz

    itmortiz Corporal

    Ok.

    So if you do:

    Start > run > devmgmt.msc

    There's appear any device with a (!) yellow Exclamation Mark?
     
  5. plodr

    plodr Major Geek Super Extraordinaire

    I usually associate clicks like you hear with the dying of a hard drive.

    Try a linux live CD. If you still hear the clicks, then we can rule out a windows/software problem and concentrate on hardware.
     
  6. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    No, there are no yellow exclamation marks. It says my "Realtek High definition audio is working properly".

    Could it be a loose speaker cable inside the laptop?
     
  7. necro61

    necro61 Specialist

    Hi there,

    Hmm A knocking sound is frequently a symptom of a failing Harddrive.

    hopefully this isn't the case.

    In addition to the options already provided, try typing in the run command area.

    dxdiag.exe

    From the available tabs have a look at the audio option and run the tests.
    Also go to the control panel and select your audio device, have a look at the options there and see if anything looks strange, for example no default audio device available, or it is greyed out. If you have to alter an option there, you may need to log in using an administrator;s account, to make alterations.

    Good luck.:wave
     
  8. Caliban

    Caliban I don't need no steenkin' title!

    For future reference, the driver download page for your model is here.
     
  9. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    Hmm well I've run the Diect X diagnostic tool and everything seemed to be working ok and I've also downloaded the new drivers. Still no difference. Would a dodgy harddrive be effecting my speakers in this way?
     
  10. Caliban

    Caliban I don't need no steenkin' title!

    Do the symptoms change while BIOS and Safe Mode?

    I'm not entirely convinced it's your hard drive: if you "mute the volume (and) the tone of the sound changes", seems like that would rule out mechanical clicking. You should also be able to tell the difference locally: a 'click' sounds different from a 'beep'.

    But, that don't mean it ain't so - the next best step would seem to be plodr's suggestion:

     
  11. itmortiz

    itmortiz Corporal

    That's good, now i guess you're using the laptop embed speakers, did you tried with a headset or other external speakers?

    What O.S are you using? as i understand that laptops came with 7.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2010
  12. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    Right, I've been on holiday so haven't been able to check this...here's the update...

    I now have no sound.

    The clicking has stopped entirely. Have tried headphones and speakers, still no sound.

    Loose connection inside?
     
  13. Caliban

    Caliban I don't need no steenkin' title!

    Welcome back - hope you had a good holiday.

    Looks like we're at square one again. I would still suggest burning a live Linux distro and booting to that environment, which will pretty much cut the troubleshooting in half.

    And, again: what operating system and service pack # are you running?
     
  14. mcsmc

    mcsmc MajorGeek

    Hi

    I agree that trying a live Linux CD may be your best bet. I would recommend Linux Mint.

    If the problem persists, then I believe it's definitely a hardware issue. It's either a loose cable connection, the speakers are done (which I highly doubt), or your onboard audio chipset has gone bad.

    If it's the onboard audio, you can use something like this instead (I'm not necessarily recommending this specific one, just giving you an idea).
     
  15. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    Thanks for the replies.

    I will try to dowload Linux tonight.

    What do I do? Put the CD in and boot from it?
    Total noob q. but this won't go over anything on my hard drive will it? :-o
     
  16. mcsmc

    mcsmc MajorGeek

    Hi

    Yes, when you download Linux it will be an .ISO image, which you can burn directly to a CD. You can use ImgBurn if you don't have a burning program already. Just right click on the downloaded .ISO file and use "open with" and select ImgBurn or your burning program.

    As it is a "Live CD", it will simply RUN on the computer, it only runs from the CD and your RAM. It won't install or write anything on your hard drive.
     
  17. sach2

    sach2 Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Make sure if burning with ImgBurn you use the option to "Write Image File to Disc". This makes it bootable.

    For information purposes ISO files like the Linux download are considered image files. Images in this context does not mean photographs.
     
  18. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    Linux live is downloading and I'll try it out when it does tonight...but I wanted to double check today and I found out there is in fact sound on my laptop.

    I ramped the volume to the max and found that there is muffled sound with a lot of white noise, the quality is the same with or without headphones. Strange, as there was no (other) sound whatsoever when all the clicking was going on.
     
  19. G_Model101

    G_Model101 Private E-2

    Ok so...I tried Linux live and there was still just muffled sound with a lot of white noise. It was the same too with headphones. Any ideas?
     
  20. mcsmc

    mcsmc MajorGeek

    Well, we've ruled out a software/driver issue then. It's likely there's a loose cable connection inside, or the audio chipset on your computer is bad (unfortunately, probably the latter).

    There are external USB sound cards available for relatively cheap... here's an example:

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ..._sound_card_for_laptop-_-29-128-007-_-Product

    I suggest that you check the cable connections inside the laptop, and if all is good, if I were you, I'd try one of those sound cards.
     
  21. voodoo3rd

    voodoo3rd Corporal

    It's possible that something in your audio chipset is trying to draw more than it's fair share of the current causing the voltage to drop to a point whereas the device looses conduction then because of lack of conduction the voltage will rise and again the faulty device will then draw to much current and the whole process will start over, this effect is known as motor-boating and that's probably what you could hear with that clicking in your audio.
    All this extra current consumption has probably caused further demise of the already faulty device and that's why you hear white noise now.

    I agree with mcsmc an external sound device might be the way forward.
     
  22. mcsmc

    mcsmc MajorGeek

    I thank this post not only for its usefulness, but for it's 3XTR3M3 G33KiN3SS!!

    :-D
     
  23. Caliban

    Caliban I don't need no steenkin' title!

    I agree: it's been many years since I've read the term "motor-boating". I remember it from Army electronics school, but don't believe I've actually ever seen it in the wild.
     
  24. voodoo3rd

    voodoo3rd Corporal

    "I thank this post not only for its usefulness, but for it's 3XTR3M3 G33KiN3SS!!"
    Thanks I'll take that as a compliment :-D

    I'm only presuming that's the problem it could also be a coupling problem between stages or something like that, without having the board and a bit of test gear in front of me it's difficult to say for sure.:confused
     
  25. Sombra_nocturna

    Sombra_nocturna Private E-2

    Hi all,

    I have the same problem with the same laptop model.
    The problem started when I connected a mixing console's output to the mic input of the laptop. I didn't get any input volume to record and shortly after the clicking sound started. I reinstalled win7, but the clicking sound continued, so no software problem indeed. Also I ran a linux live dvd, clicking sound present... so again, definitely no software problem.
    When I disable the onboard sound, the clicking does not disappear, only the volume drops drastically.
    Besides all this, I have no sound whatsoever from videos, mp3, wav, etc

    So, as I understand it could be some loose cable or the chipset, right? What would be more probable knowing what caused my problem? Anyone any ideas?

    Thanks in advance!!
     

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