# Hard Drive Sound Interference Through Speakers



## ruperthay (Aug 3, 2008)

Hey, I have a newly built computer with windows vista ultimate 64bit installed on it. Through the computers speakers I can hear weird interference noises, kind of like chirping and scratching sounds. This interference occurs every time the hard drive indicator flashes. I have a Asus P5VD2-VM-SE motherboard and have installed all of the drivers that came with it. If I mute or turn down the audio whilst in windows vista and still have the computer speakers volume turned up the interference noises stop. Does this mean the interference is driver/ software related? 

I have tried headphones and the front panel audio ports but I still get the interference noises. On the Asus site for my motherboard I'm pretty sure that their latest drivers are the ones I've already installed that came with my motherboard. 

Any help would be appreciated on how to fix the interference because it is very irritating.


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## K7M (Feb 27, 2000)

I have found that most motherboards with on board sound will get interference from the drives. try re routing the cables inside your case. also you might want to try round shielded cables off the hard drive. If all else fails use an add in sound card.


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## ruperthay (Aug 3, 2008)

What do you mean by re routing the cables? and what are round shielded cables?

I know that most motherboards built in audio probably do have interference like feedback or humming....and that is probably common. But this is abnormally loud and weird I am hearing the hard drive thinking through my computer speakers, something is like amplifying the sound of it. It also happens with headphones so I know that it's not my speakers. 

And as I said before if it turn the volume down in windows I don't hear it so it must be software related then??? and shouldn't have anything to do with cabling. Like when I first turn on the computer and the hard drive indicator starts to flash I don't hear anything. As soon as the Vista loading bar comes up and then the vista icon, this is when the interference starts.


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## K7M (Feb 27, 2000)

Ok I said round shielded cables, That only applies if you are using IDE and not SATA. They are round and have the grounds wrapped around all the conductors to eliminate noise. By re routing, I mean try to keep all wire away from the sound chip on the motherboard, USB, audio, power, SATA, any wires loose in the case. A wire will act as an antenna. As far as being software related, I would guess that it is not, only because of past experience


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

If you want to approach it as a software issue then try newer drivers from Realtek directly, they are much newer then the ones on the Asus site and occasionally they do address noise quality issue: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads...=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false


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## Razmatazz (Sep 16, 2008)

I have an ASUS motherboard P5E3 Premium. The audio that came with it was the Sound Max audio. I also noticed abnormal sounds coming from the speakers. They included sounds during hard drive activity and also with mouse movement. They were not loud but noticable. I searched all over the web but didn't find the answer. I stumbled across the fix myself. I also have vista-64. In the sound control panel > speaker properties > levels... there is a pc beep slide bar. I noticed that if it is disabled then the abnormal sound went away completely. Problem solved. Hope this helps.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

Also segregate the external speaker cables as far away from all other cables entering the PC. They will pick up transmitted noise, particularly if they are poorly shielded cables. In some area they will pick up local AM stations...


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