Why Does a Computer Motherboard Make a High Pitched Sound?

by Andrew Aarons

Sounds play an important role in troubleshooting a computer. Computers have pre-programmed beeps and sounds that notify you of clear hardware issues. Then there are the subtler sounds: a high-pitched whine or squeal that starts one day is a sign that something isn’t working exactly correctly. If you’re willing to take one of the computers in your office apart, you can identify the source of the sound precisely.

About Working Inside a Computer

Computers are full of moving parts and electrical pulses, so working inside of a computer is a delicate process. There aren’t any exposed electrical currents, so you needn’t worry about the risk of shocking yourself, though you may have to worry about the risk of shocking your computer with static electricity. But if all you want to do is identify the exactly cause of the noise, taking the case off of your desktop PC isn’t going to cause any problems. You can't do this on a laptop, however. A laptop's construction and layout, with the connectors between the power button on the outside and the motherboard on the inside, means you can’t work inside a laptop while it's on. There's no way to have the laptop taken apart and to turn it on at the same time.

Finding the Noise

With the case off of the PC, disconnect all the peripherals -- printer, mouse, keyboard, monitor and any USB devices you have connected to your computer and turn the computer on. Wait for the high-pitched sound to begin and then listen carefully, moving your ear around near (but not touching) the motherboard to find the source. It’s more likely that the noise will be coming from the fan or the hard drive than any of the electrical components, but it’s best to identify it with the case off before continuing troubleshooting.

Motherboard or Not?

If you’ve taken the computer apart and still can’t identify the source of the sound as something directly on the motherboard, try temporarily disconnecting the CPU fan and the hard drive to eliminate those as the source of the sound. Turn the computer off and then unplug the red, black, white and yellow cord from the back of the hard drive. Turn the computer on and see if the sound has stopped. If not, turn it back off, reconnect the hard drive, and remove the red, black, white and yellow cord from beside the fan over your CPU. Turn the computer on again and see if the noise has stopped. Both of these devices can produce high-pitched whirring sounds when they begin to malfunction, though the sound isn’t a harbinger of compete device failure.

Electrical Sounds

Occasionally, high-pitched sounds coming from the motherboard are from electrical components in the system experiencing a strong charge or malfunctioning. The power supply can emit a high-pitched sound if it experiences a surge. “Squeals,” according to Tecca’s Matt Jessell, can be ominous signs, indicating the chips and capacitors on the motherboard are failing. When you start to hear a high-pitched sound that you can’t identify, consider replacing the computer in your office.

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