Hi I've just bought several composant to build my own quiet HTPC.

Here is the config

intel i3 2100
scythe big shiruken
gigabyte H67N mini-itx
4go DDR3 Corsair XMS3 PC1600
320go 2.5" seagate
2To Seagate SATAIII
2To WD Caviar Green
all in silent hdd case
HTPC Case SILVERSTONE GRANDIA GD04S (with 3 internal 12cm fan plugged with 3 zalman Fanmate2)
Nexus NX5000
no graphic card just plugged my plasma to the hdmi 1.4 output.

I've read lot's of article of your website in order to build an ultimate quiet HTPC for my small appartment. When lying down in my bed my head is aproximately 1m of the HTPC case. My goalis to make a 24/24 server that can run quietly by night when I sleep. I'm also sensible to high frequency sound such as motherboard condo buzzing sound.

I've just build my new config. First time it was temporary with a no-name silent PSU, because I needed to find the right one from another webstore.
At the first time I've booted the PC i didn't noticed the buzzing sound, but after installing all the windows updates, softwares and copied files, I've noticed that there is a sound coming from the MB, a really high frequency sound, constantly earable, but with different intensities, for instance based on HDD activities.
Since then I've tried to reinstall the PC with another bios option, because I've noticed that I changed the SATA option from IDE to AHCI in the very beginning of installation, and the sound wasn't that loud with IDE mode...

This sound appears not at the bootup sequence, but really when windows load and I see the "starting windows" screen.
I've tried to unplug the hdd that I've added few days later, but didn't noticed any difference.

I was thinking it was my first bad PSU that I've bought quite a long time ago to reuse a old P4 and to make a silent pc. The pc was first silent, but with the time the PC (MB) started to make buzzing sound..Since then It always has made a buzzing sound. I thought it was the old MB with old components that made the sound.

But even if it didn't make buzzing soud at the beginning (approx 2days), the MB and then PSU started to make buzzing sound as well as my older config. I've received my new Nexus PSU 2 days ago and I was really expecting no buzzing with this quality alim...but the buzzing is still there...

I'm a little bit dissapointed because Ive bought all this expensive stuff in order to make it as quiet as possible, based on your SPCR test, buying the quietest PSU, the quietest CPUfan and a quiet case, but the only sound that disturb me is this f*** buzzing sound...

It seems to come from condo just behind the USB/ethernet plug.

My question is : is it possible that my motherboard is defective at the beginning, or maybe I've damaged it a little with my temporary (2or3days) no-name PSU? In this case I'll return it to warranty in order to be changed...I hope, but with a really long delay without my brand new htpc...
Or is it quite a usual problem with motherboard, especially this small one with lot's of power and functionnalities in such a small electronic card?
Is gigabyte a known seller of buzzing MB, or is it a common issue?

Is there any solution to make it sound quieter (maybe changing some BIOS option, or putting some sound absorber in the case?)

Thanks a lot for your answer.
I already apologize if the subject has already been aswered, but the first 5 pages of this topic wasn't dealing with it, and no stickypost about it...

A french quiet PC lover

Bios:
Advanced CPu Core features: Disable C3/c6 state support, CPu EIST Function, CPU Enhanced hald C1e
Advanced voltage settings: Set DVID CPU VOltage to minus (-) 0.200 or -0.150 (depending what is the default VID of the CPU to result 1.00-1.05V)

The CPu will be always 3100Mhz at 1.00V

So, your work around for this problem is to never let the CPU idle? That solution will cost $30/year in electricity. Seems harsh.

First start with only disabling the additional C-states like C3/C6. By disabling those but keeping C1E & EIST you'll lose out on some power savings, but your CPU will still throttle down.

I've experienced the same type of buzzing on newer motherboards paired with older PSU designs -- Gigabyte EX58-UD4P w/Seasonic S12-600W for example. Disabling the C3/C6 solved my problem in the past.

My measurements show 14 watts difference in case C1e and Cstates were disabled, not much to pay for silence, in my country it amounts to 10$ yearly.
only disable the C-states first if doesn't help then C1e.

2500K Dual Core Idle System power Usage(CPu power usage)
56W(5) 1600Mhz 0.80V
61W(8) 1600Mhz 1.00V no-Cstates
70W(13) 3100Mhz 1.15V no-C1e

2500K Quad Core Idle System power Usage(CPu power usage)
57W(6) 1600Mhz 0.80V
64W(10) 1600Mhz 1.00V no-Cstates
74W(19) 3100Mhz 1.20V no-C1e

Cstates has to do with the L3 cache entering sleep state. L3 on 2500K it is double the 3MB, for greater impact on power saving. Voltage doeasn't affect things as much. it is supposed to be ~1.05V.

thanks a lot for your aswer, desabling C3/C6 cstates solved the buzzing soud problem ^^

If I've correctly understand the measurement made by yuu, there is only a 5W difference at idle between all cstates ON, and disabling C3 C6states? (I assume that it's a core i5 2500K, not a 2100 but it should be approximately the same level)

I'm ready to spend 5 more euros yearly to have a quiet htpc at night my temporary solution (and working) was to put a small cushion between my head and the htpc, but it was definitly not "design" having a red cushion stucked in my TV glass unit

If I've well undestood, it's only affecting the idle state of CPU, but will it affect more widely the eco-saving mode of windows seven that I put at night?

I've also enabled the gigabyte energy saver 2 software that pretend to makes economy with a beautiful count lcd with CPU power and watt economised, but when I confront it to CPU ID hardware monitor voltage, swiching ON-OFF only change the CPU voltage from 0.97 to 0.92. I've not re-enabled cstates since then, but I assume I should see 0.80v if it was bios-enabled?

My goal was to make a good htpc unit to display correctly 3D Bluray through hdmi1.4 while consuming not too much energy the rest of the time when working as a webserver and a backup server.
I think it's quite a balanced solution even with cstates disabled. I don't have a Watt counter that i can put directly on the PSU plug to see the diference, enventualy I can see the old wheel spining at different speeds directly on my general electric counter



What do you mean by older PSU designs? I was expecting to buy a good PSU with the Nexus NX5000, as it was the one used while testing the Silverstone grandia 04 on SPCR, with the same kind of config.
Can you confirm that it's directly due to the design of PSU, and with a brand new electrical conception (and not so quiet) PSU I should not have this kind of problem?

The legal retractation delay is finished for me, so I'll keep cstates disabled and enjoy only the hdd spinning sound and wind sound of the case fans by night ¨^^

Thanks a lot for such a specialised answer, It's very pleasant to see the spcr community helping new members

Hi thanks a lot for your answer disabling C3/C6state in the BIOS solved the buzzing problem
Now I only ear the quiet sound of case fan and the hdd spining sound throught scythe quiet hdd box

my goal is to make a enoughly powered htpc to play bluray3D through hdmi1.4, and enoughly economic at idle to make it a 24/24 webserver. I think that even with C3C6state disabled, it's still a good balanced solution.

I don't have a wattmeter to plug directly on my PSU plug, but I'm ready to spend few euro yearly not to ear buzzing at night. The cushion I've temporary placed between my head and the htpc (to absorb sound) will return to my couch ^^



What do you mean by older PSU design?
I was thinking buying a 70€ PSU Nexus NX5000 (recommended by SPCR) was quite a good investment but if it's not a good electronic design for new config it should be remove from advised PSU? Am I right or is it more PSU+MB tandem probleM?

Thanks a lot for such a specialised piece of advice it's really a community that helps new members


PS: sorry for the delay, I've already posted my aswer 2 days ago but my post hasn't apparently been accepted by moderation (or maybe a bug?)