Just got new Vanquish L4 - Problems. Please help.

Hi guys. First post here, as i've only been reading posts until now.
I ordered a Vanquish Level 4 Ultimate and just received it this weekend. Upon setting everything up, the initial boot up had a very loud clicking noise. I opened it up and it took me a bit to figure out what it was, but it was a bundle of cords that were hitting the fan in the rear of the case. Got that fixed.

Now, onto the issue that is really wrong and I need help. I've spent 6 hours since yesterday when i first booted up attempting to solve this issue, and still cannot. My computer is making an electrical interference noise (buzzing / humming, tone changes depending on what is happening on my computer) coming from the speakers.

I've googled it for countless hours and tried so many of the supposed fixes. Trying different outlets, plugging the speakers in elsewhere, rearranging wireless (wifi card) devices elsewhere, etc. To no avail. I've also tried disabling all other audio in devices, and changing frequencies from 24 bit 4800/ to cd quality 16 bit, as i read online could fix it. Nothing has changed it. :/
When moving my mouse around, and using the scroll wheel on webpages, there is a light interference noise, but it is okay. I could handle this. The time it gets bad, is whenever i boot up the game i bought the PC for, GTA: V. (or any other game. I tried a few). The buzzing gets very loud from the speakers and makes enjoying the games impossible. I don't use headphones, ever. If this matters.

I'm using a 2 speaker + 1 subwoofer setup by Sony (RealTEK HD audio) pretty basic as that's all i want.

If someone could please help me so that i am able to enjoy this computer i bought.. i would very much appreciate it. All i've done on the PC is download the latest drivers, install google chrome, Steam, and Origin (with their respective games that i own). If anybody can solve this for me, i would be forever in your debt!


I am off to work for the evening but will try and new ideas or solutions later on that you guys can come up with, if any. I'm going to call support on Monday, but if i could get it fixed before then that would be wonderful. It's an incredibly frustrating issue. :/

(PS: I've also tried a different mouse. Nothing has worked! :(
I have my speakers going into the green "line in" jack on the back of my vanquish as i was told to do, and as i've always done. That's the only connection for me to even plug into the computer, as the subwoofer is wired into the Left speaker which is the control speaker.

Edited by ghosthunter - 25 Apr 2015 at 12:24pm

I would open the side panel with the rig unplugged and try reseating the graphics card, ram and the connections to the motherboard. An audio cable comes from the front panel, where the usb, front audio jack, hdd light, etc. Make sure they are seated properly. They probably go to lower right of the motherboard.   Your mobo manual has a picture showing connections.

Try the front green audio jack.

Could be that front panel wiring is picking up interference.   Go into Realtek Control Panel, click folder in upper right and check 'disable front panel audio', or something similar.

Worse case, unplug your video card and plug the monitor into the motherboard dvi, hdmi,etc, next to the rear fan. This will check for a video card causing an issue.

Good luck.

Pacesetter has quick fingers on the keys.   

Edited by bprat22 - 25 Apr 2015 at 12:55pm

Did you get a chance to try the front audio plug?

If still a problem, disable the front audio by going into Realtek Control Panel, click the folder above the audio output indicators and look around.     Your control panel might be different.   To get there, either right click the audio icon in lower right or go into Device Manager then sound.   While in there, you might see, under sound drop down, Realtek and Nvidia listed.    Right click the Nvidia listings and select Disable.   You only need Realtek if you're using DVI.   The Nvidia sound drivers are for hdmi audio pass through.

These are all long shots, but you might get lucky.    It could be a bad motherboard.

The comment by forrest74 brought up another thought.      Make sure the AC wall outlet is grounded.   Not sure how critical it is but could make a difference. 

Also, you did mention that a wiring harness was hitting your rear fan.   The only harness I can think of in that area would be the 8 pin ATX cable that plugs into the top left of the motherboard.  It has 12vdc and ground connections.  Eyeball the wires for any bare wires or the plug not seated tight.  Just have to push on it, power off of course.  

Hope something we said helps out. 

Originally posted by Pacesetter Did you try what I posted about the drivers? I went through this with a SoundBlaster Audigy FX card and after trying all I knew ( the temporary fix for me was to use HDMI to monitor and use monitor speakers rather than my Labtec set up) I called DS and Mike said " I know exactly what it is. Reinstall the graphics drivers using a clean install." It worked. Your name fits for this problem! It is like hunting down a ghost!

Not sure where to find my sound card drivers on my pc, or how to do a clean install. (Again, sorry guys. Very little knowledge on these things).

On another note, tried using a different outlet again (to assure it is "grounded") and another extension cord combo, same problem. I went up to Best Buy this morning and bought a Logitech 5.1 surround system with all new cords, thinking this would fix it. Nope. Same thing. So i've isolated it to coming from the PC.

EDIT: Googled the clean install instructions and i see nVidia gives it at a custom option when doing it, so redownloading driver right now. Also googled my RealTek and see a driver that came out last week. Will install these once done downloading and see.

Only thing that concerns me is i don't believe this PC even has a soundcard, just an on-board something? I didn't add a soundcard to it.

Edited by ghosthunter - 26 Apr 2015 at 10:30am

Go to control panel and select 'device manager'. the select sound video and game controllers. Right click on 'realtek HD...' (may be named differently but will have realtek in the name) - select 'properties' and click on the driver tab. Click 'uninstall driver'.

Then install the driver from this link, or from your motherboard manufacturer. (This link is a generic driver since realtek doesn't make drivers for all the different motherboards but it works well)

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=14&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

Nvidia driver can be downloaded from this link.

http://www.geforce.com/drivers/results/83079

Down load it - select 'run' - then select 'advanced' and check 'clean install'.

After this restart your system.

Hopefully this takes care of your problem, but if not stick with us or call DS on Monday and ask for Mike to call you.


Edited by Pacesetter - 26 Apr 2015 at 10:48am

Gotta be fast to keep up with you youngsters.  

I barely remember 62. 

"Only thing that concerns me is i don't believe this PC even has a soundcard, just an on-board something? I didn't add a soundcard to it."

The on board sound is commonly referred to as a 'soundcard' when discussing audio and sound.

Appreciate the update and am sorry we couldn't get this solved for you.

It will be interesting to see what DS finds. Maybe we all can learn something.

Hi ghosthunter,

I am late to the party and I know DS will get you fixed up shortly. 

I would be very suspicious of your speakers and grounding.  If your speakers has a two pronged plug that is not polarized (one prong bigger than the other) I would unplug the speakers, turn the plug over and plug back in.

Frank

My original thought was a bad motherboard if the connections were good.   The sound card bypasses the motherboards audio and might do it. Did you get an option to send it back for repair?

OOPS, looks like I jumped the response here. I just checked your order and it appears we're going to be sending you a sound card to see if that helps resolve the issue.

As always, we're here to help, contact us at any time. Thanks!

Interesting... so the noise only happens if you have a device plugged into the back, not the front?

If so, it could be some grounding issue... the new sound card would help, but I would recommend you plug the sound card or speakers to the back of the PC, on the new sound card.

Take the headphones and plug them into the back audio jack where the speakers are now.. if the sound is clear then the problem is not with the sound card, but the speakers themselves, imho. If the speakers are hissing in both jacks, then it's confirmed.

I'm wondering if the buzzing you are hearing in a game is the video card giving you coil whine.   It's an external whine but might get picked up by speakers, but that's a guess.  Some cards do it and some don't and some are louder than others.  The coil whine is not unusual but shouldn't be so loud it causes what you are describing.

Google 'coil whine' for a better understanding of what it is.  Easier than trying to explain it here. 

If it is coil whine, then DS will have to determine if a replacement card in in order. 


Edited by bprat22 - 28 Apr 2015 at 7:31am

If you are up for it, try this --

Download the graphics driver from my link:

http://www.geforce.com/drivers/results/83079

Once you have this, open control panel and select "programs and features". Uninstall anything 'Nvidia'. Then on whichever drive it is installed on - C or E - delete the Nvidia folder ( C:\Nvidia or E:\Nvidia). On the same drive go to "Program Files (X86)" and delete the Nvidia folder there......

Restart the computer (windows might try to install a driver) - let it finish booting up then install the graphics driver you just downloaded using a clean install - only this time install ONLY the graphics driver and PhysX === DO NOT install Miracast, 3D drivers, experience etc.

reboot and give that a try.



Edited by Pacesetter - 29 Apr 2015 at 6:29am

[QUOTE=bprat22] The buzzing is either the coil whine mentioned or the 970 cooling fan spinning up.   Depends what 970 you have. No way to tell from my perspective but it should be replaced if its as loud as you descibe. QUOTE]

Actually, I'm in agreement but going about it from a physics standpoint as to whether the cause is amplitude (P/S), frequency (video card ) or capacitance modulation (motherboard).

It's Ok normally but show up though the speakers depending on what is happening on the machine - majorly in games.

Normally the card is loading up the CPU and is controlled by it. When load is put on the graphics card and the GPU controls video the noise goes through speakers, but is inside on the graphics card otherwise (coil whine).

By deleting everything Nvidia (HD audio, 3D drivers and controllers, Miracast, Experience, logs and temp files) then 0nly installing the video driver and PhysX you can effectively lower the load on the GPU and card by about 30-40%. If it is the card itself the frequency and pitch through the speakers should change.

If it is motherboard, P/S or something else this really won't affect it.

So if it does change and the new soundcard doesn't fix it, the next logical step would be to replace the GTX970 as you stated. If the soundcard fixes the speaker part and the video card is still that loud, the problem lies in the video card. If the soundcard doesn't fix anything the problem is in the video card or motherboard. (most likely the video card).





Edited by Pacesetter - 29 Apr 2015 at 6:28am