How can a passive 8600GT have a loud high pitched whine?

ob2kenobi · Post by **ob2kenobi** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:14 pm

I have a GIGABYTE GV-NX86T256H Passive GeForce 8600GT video card. It makes no noise in normal use. But as soon as I start playing a 3D game, it makes a loud high pitched whine/buzz. There is no fan, so how is this possible? Is the video card broken?

It idles at 51C
The noise starts around 62C
and the card reaches 80C under load.

I don't know if those are acceptable temperatures or not. But I cant stand high pitched noise, this whine is making me crazy.

Doesn't anyone else have this card? Does yours have the same problem?

I really like the game performance level of the 8600gt series though. If anyone could recommend something quiet around this level I would appreciate it.

vortex222 · Post by **vortex222** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:03 pm

Welcome to SPCR

There were a bad run of GigaByte Silent Pipe video cards that had a few bad power supply parts on them. It is a defective card and can be replaced under warranty.

It is somewhat common for midrange gigabyte cards right now.

HueyCobra · Post by **HueyCobra** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:52 pm

In the case of the two Gigabyte GV-NX86S256H (GeForce 8600 GTS with Silent-Pipe 3) tested by The Tech Report, the high-pitched whine was caused by bad electrical chokes:

Geoff Gasior wrote:We went through a couple of sample cards from Gigabyte, and both exhibited the same screeching under load, prompting Gigabyte to investigate further. The company apparently traced the issue back to a batch of bad electrical componentsâ€”chokes, specificallyâ€”that it had received from one of its vendors. This batch of bad chokes didn't affect every GV-NX86S256H sold, but both our samples came from an inflicted batch ...

ob2kenobi · Post by **ob2kenobi** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:29 pm

Thanks for the info. Hopefully my replacement from Newegg wont be from the same batch.

vortex222 · Post by **vortex222** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:48 pm

ob2kenobi wrote:Thanks for the info. Hopefully my replacement from Newegg wont be from the same batch.

the replacement should be ok, gigabyte issued a small recall on some models recently.

Sylph-DS · Post by **Sylph-DS** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 3:15 am

Just out of curiosity, how does that work exactly? Pulsating currents of electricity create small but rapidly shifting electro magnetic fields that cause stuff to vibrate and make noise, or something? Or am I saying something bizarrely illogical here?

lm · Post by lm » Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:52 am

Sylph-DS

I think you are exactly to the point. The whining components are usually some kind of coils so they create a fluctuating magnetic field around them, which in turn moves the coil itself if it's not heavily glued steady. IANAEE

psymanproductions · Post by **psymanproductions** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:10 am

i have purchhased 3 componenets from gigabyte 2 of them have coil whine

_MarcoM_ · Post by **_MarcoM_** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:46 am

Same here with a GA-965P-DS4, rev 1.0, i had this motherboard from october 2006. When cpu reach 98% under OCCT, the whine start. Don't want to RMA it, so i hope it is not a great issue... every test i run, included OCCT, is completed without errors

psymanproductions · Post by **psymanproductions** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:21 pm

yea its annoying allright but its not something wich will damage your pc or cause it to be unstable

_MarcoM_ · Post by **_MarcoM_** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:47 am

psymanproductions wrote:yea its annoying allright but its not something wich will damage your pc or cause it to be unstable

Good, i'm glad to hear it, because the motherboard is nice. RMA is not

psymanproductions · Post by **psymanproductions** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:26 am

if you are not rma-ing you could try putting something such as blu-tac
or bathroom silicon over the offending coil. sometimes it helps to hold it still and stop vibrations. or it just dampens the noise a little

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 11:25 am

ob2kenobi wrote:Thanks for the info. Hopefully my replacement from Newegg wont be from the same batch.

Hi ob, just wondering what happened with your replacement card. Did it solve the problem? I've just received a passive Gigabyte 8600GT that also makes a loud clicking noise when in 3D mode.

vortex222 wrote:the replacement should be ok, gigabyte issued a small recall on some models recently.

May I ask where you got this info? I just purchased this card from DirectCanada.com (same as NCIX) and I'm wondering if it could be part of these recalled models.

Thanks!

sweatypickle · Post by **sweatypickle** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:56 am

Mine was from DirectCanada as well (8600 GT Silent) and produces the high pitched whine during gaming also.

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 2:32 pm

Well I've just ordered a replacement from them after RMAing mine. Let's hope I don't get another unit with the same problem. I did contact Gigabyte prior to RMAing; they did not acknowledge the recall on some units, but they did suggest I have it replaced.

Will let you know. I can't think of anything more ironically annoying than a screeching "silent" video card...

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:58 pm

Obtained replacement. It is much worse. Makes the screeching noises even in 2D mode when moving windows or when hovering over items in the start menu. In 3D mode it is even louder. Will move away from Gigabyte -- what a waste of time/money.

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:57 pm

Just a follow up. I ended up purchasing an Asus Silent EN8600GT. This one IS completely silent. Quite happy with it.

sweatypickle · Post by **sweatypickle** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:06 pm

Crabnebula, what did you do with the Gigabyte?

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:36 pm

Well Gigabyte issued an RMA number so I could send it back to them directly, but because they have a 2-3 week turnaround and I ran the risk of having to pay custom brokerage fees (offices in the USA), I requested an RMA with DirectCanada and sent it back there instead. Let me know if you need further info.

sweatypickle · Post by **sweatypickle** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:41 pm

I meant the second one.. I'm just wondering if it's worth it to RMA mine to DirectCanada as it sounds pretty close to the problems of the second one you received.

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:33 pm

Sorry I wasn't clearer. I was referring to the second one. Both cards were returned to DirectCanda.

If you do return it, I suggest you replace it with a different model as there seem to be quite a few in the retail channel that exhibit similar problems.

sweatypickle · Post by **sweatypickle** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:01 pm

So they allowed you to return the Gigabyte and pick another card?

Erssa · Post by **Erssa** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:01 pm

Too bad I didn't see this thread before I bought my Gigabyte 8600GT. The noise occurs only in 3D mode and is terribly loud. I think I'm just going to return my card and buy another one.

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:27 pm

sweatypickle wrote:So they allowed you to return the Gigabyte and pick another card?

They actually issue a refund, and you then have 30 days to order a replacement with free shipping if you wish (it can be a different product). Their policy does say that they charge a 15% restocking fee, but I believe they do not apply this if it is a defective product.

Erssa · Post by **Erssa** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:06 am

Small update on my part. I got a new Gigabyte for warranty and it had the same problem. Returned it for refund. Don't really know what to do now. I might just wait out for 8800GT, since the availability of passive 8600GTs is pretty crappy here.

line · Post by **line** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 7:44 pm

Sapphire's passive 2600XT card might be worth checking out.

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=9957&page=2
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/2600xtultimate/

gregorm · Post by **gregorm** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:25 pm

(I hadn't posted in so long that the forums lost my registration, but I originally registered in 2004!)

I would like to add my experience so far with this card:

Almost a year ago I ordered the now older silentpipeII 7600GT for another computer, and it has operated silently and flawlessly the entire time.

I ordered the Gigabyte GV-NX86T256H card in late December from newegg because of my good experience with the 7600GT version

The 8600GT worked OK, but made a slight buzzing noise when doing any 3-D rendering, which was annoying but moot because the card crapped out after a week and a half with strange rendering glitches and lockups.

I RMA'ed it for replacement to newegg, and the replacement just arrived a couple of days ago, and it seems to be from a new redesigned batch, but it still has problems.

Physically, the replacement card has a new smaller SilentPipe II heatsink - the old one stuck up over 1/2" above the top of the card, but the new one sticks up under 1/4" above the top of the card, which should allow it to fit into more cramped HTPC cases than the old design. I believe that the new heat sink is slightly thicker than the old one, and connects more securely to the card.

So far it works OK, but makes an INCREDIBLY loud high pitched buzz now when doing any 3-D rendering, much louder than the entire PC (I have a Seasonic S12-330, a 65-watt AMD64 X2 3600 with the stock fan, and a 120mm case fan)

I'm really disappointed in this 8600GT card since the 7600GT has been so reliable and silent.

I'm going to RMA this one for replacement again on Monday (I'm out of the refund timeframe unfortunately)

crabnebula · Post by **crabnebula** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:41 pm

Good luck with the replacement. I'm glad I bought an Asus as this problem seems to be widespread.

How can a passive 8600GT have a loud high pitched whine?

How can a passive 8600GT have a loud high pitched whine?

GIGABYTE GV-NX86T256H is still a lemon