Why does DW make my video card squeal?

[XanderF]

As above - when playing DW, my video card emits this rather annoying high-pitched squeal. This happens in both fullscreen and windowed mode....but ONLY when there is no 3d window on the display. Going to the 'Options' screen is the most obvious way of seeing this. On the '3d' tab, when the preview window is up...no squeal. Switch to another tab, squealing. Back to the 3d tab...no squeal.

Something about how DW is doing the 2d interface display is NOT agreeing with my system. Strangely, I have no problem with 'pure' 2d games, such as the "Icewind Dale" titles. And using DXDIAG, both my DirectDraw and Direct3d tests complete with no errors or unusual sounds coming from anywhere.

I've tried playing with all the video card settings I can think of - alternate DVI modes, FSAA or Aniso on or off, desktop at 16bit/32bit, various mipmap and v-sync settings, etc - nothing having any effect at all.

Which is odd, as I have a BUNCH of games on this system, and have been using it to play quite an assortment of titles with no problems at all (and I'm not just a 'mainstream gamer' - I'm talking "Indigo Prophecy", "Falcon 4.0 AF", "The Longest Journey", "Silent Hunter III", "Morrowind", "Icewind Dale", "Pacific Fighters", "Tribes 2", etc).

It's DW, and DW *only* that appears to cause this issue. And the sound is definitely coming from the video card itself - even turning off my speakers and monitor, it's still clear as a bell.

System as follows:

• AMD Athlon64 '3200+' (Winchester)
• - ATI Radeon X800XT 256mb VIVO PCI-E video card
  - ATI Radeon X800XL 256mb PCI-E video card
• - Dell 2005fpw 20.1" LCD (DVI, VGA)
  - NuTech L921G 19" LCD (DVI, VGA)
• 2gb OCZ PC3200 DDR
• Jetway A210GDMS-Pro motherboard (ATI XPress200/Uli M1573 chipset)
• Enermax Noisetaker 420w PSU
• Catalyst 5.13 video card and chipset drivers
• Windows XP Home SP2

ANYWAY, interesting addenda:

- FYI: Noticed this first on the retail 1.02 DW. Installed the 1.03 Beta patch, and that made no difference. Just eliminating it as a possibility.

- Recalled the similarity between DW and SC's engines. Hmm. So, I installed "Sub Command" and patched up to 1.08e. And THAT is working fine.

SO...how about THAT? Something in the 2d engine (not the 3d engine, that's fine - just 2d) that changed between "Sub Command" and "Dangerous Waters" is what is causing this.

Addenda #2 (new system! new OS install!!):

• AMD Athlon64 X2 '4200+' (dual-core Manchester)
• ASUS 'Silent'-brand ATI Radeon X1600XT 256mb VIVO PCI-E video card
• Sony SDM-HS75P 17" LCD (DVI)
• 1gb PQI Turbo PC4000 DDR
• Shuttle ST20G5 chasis+mobo (ATI XPress200/Uli M1573 chipset)
• Catalyst 6.4 video card and chipset drivers
• Windows XP Home SP2

Yes, it squeals.

Interestingly - I got the squeal to go away on all the tested cards. If I *force* 4xFSAA and 4xAniso, it stops. Of course, that's not a valid solution, as FSAA is quite 'broke' in this title - periscope view goes all funky, flashing colors on the map displays, etc.

Further, the integrated graphics on my current system (the ST20G5) - using the onboard Radeon Xpress200 - has no squeal at all regardless of settings! And let's not suggest it's a fan on the video card - the Asus 'Silent' X1600XT has no fan on it, it's a passive 'heatpipe' card.

And, of course, on any of the cards, Sub Command (so very similar 'behind the scenes' to DW) is just fine - no squeal, any settings.

[TLAM Strike]

Maybe it is squealing because its really happy you’re playing DW?

Sorry that was a totally unhelpful post and I apologize…

Maybe its your fan? Does your Vid Card have a fan on it?

[XanderF]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Maybe its your fan? Does your Vid Card have a fan on it?

It does, but that is not the problem. I'm using ATI Tool to monitor temperatures and fan speeds, and both do not vary from other applications that work fine.

Besides, 3d mode stresses the card MUCH more than 2d mode does, yet all that I need to get DW to stop squealing is to have any kind of 3d window up at all. Periscope, 3d preview in 'options', etc.

ANYWAY, interesting addenda:

- FYI: Noticed this first on the retail 1.02 DW. Installed the 1.03 Beta patch, and that made no difference. Just eliminating it as a possibility.

- Recalled the similarity between DW and SC's engines. Hmm. So, I installed "Sub Command" and patched up to 1.08e. And THAT is working fine.

SO...how about THAT? Something in the 2d engine (not the 3d engine, that's fine - just 2d) that changed between "Sub Command" and "Dangerous Waters" is what is causing this.

[XanderF]

Additional update - as I'm selling either of these cards, I DID have another video card handy to test this with - a Radeon X800XL.

Swapped the cards out, and re-installed the drivers, and...

Same thing. DW makes the video card squeal in 2d mode.

[Ramius]

Just a thought, but have you tried re-setting the clocks on both of these cards first ? rather than testing them when you have overclocked them ?

[XanderF]

Originally Posted by Ramius

Just a thought, but have you tried re-setting the clocks on both of these cards first ? rather than testing them when you have overclocked them ?

Stock clocks on both - same thing.

[drEaPer]

Hhahaha, I thought I was crazy and no one would pay attention if I tell ppl that my GPU on my grafx card itself is emitting high frequency noises!!

I have it too. Though I have to add, that I also found other games that do it, and sometimes, when there are many apps and windows oppened in my windows-gui it also starts to squeal. When I press the mouse button, it stops. Its also depending on where the mouse cursor is.
The noise can be a pain, as its a very high frequency...maybe 17-18k I would guess.

I also have an AMD + ATI, but an older card, the 9800Pro patched to 9800XT.


The other day I played a game in window mode (I dont know which anymore, maybe it was even DW) and when the mouse cursor was inside the application it made a low frequency noise, and the more I moved the mouse cursor closer to the edge of the window, the more the emitted noise's frequency tuned down, until the cursor left the window and was on desktop, where the noise jumped into a high frequncy again (exactly when the mouse cursor crossed the application windowborder. )
So when moving my mouse in and out of the window it sounded really odd.

At least I am not crazy. Maybe I should sue ATI...causing me headaches and maybe sending other unwanted wavelength into my body (I sit rather close to my pc with open case)

At least I now know I m not alone.

[XanderF]

Well, if you could get me the other apps that cause this - I could attempt to duplicate those, too.

As I mentioned, DW squeals, SC does not. Using ALMOST the same engine, too - just different versions. Which is beaucoup odd.

EDIT: ADDENDA

Just tried tinkering with settings again and I got the squeal to go away on the X800XL. If I *force* 4xFSAA and 4xAniso, it stops.

Note that these settings did NOT fix it for the X800XT, but it appears to on the XL. Go figure.

I mean, it was clear from the get-go the problem was some weird un-anticipated interaction between the video card and application...I just wish the details of that might be clearer.

And, of course, on either card, SC is just fine.

[porphy]

I have this problem as well. It got really noticeable with the 1.03b patch. First I thought it was the hdd. It makes me uncomfortable to have the card doinfg this noise.. what is happening in there?
Leadtek 6800GT latest drivers.

Cheers Porphy

[Deathblow]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Maybe its your fan? Does your Vid Card have a fan on it?

I have this problem....
Darn those Radeons, 2 cards bought... 2 cards fried....

[Zerogreat]

Just as i am thinking how a graphic card can squeal i am getting paranoid and starting hearing strange high pitched noise too, hehe
No, really, i find this interesting... did you also tried another resolutions? Are you sure it is a graphic card and not the power supply? My mind accepts squealing power supply easier than squealing graphic card

[Zerogreat]

Originally Posted by Deathblow

I have this problem....
Darn those Radeons, 2 cards bought... 2 cards fried....

Yeah, i had Radeon 9000 PRO and now have 9600 PRO. On both, the ventilators have gone bye bye after few months On the later one one of the ventilator flaps(??) just fell off (really, i didnt helped it..much ). Good thing was both of these cards have just small ventilators and they were able to hold for some time without them without melting Then i just glued one small 12V fan to the cards heatsink (this one, being like 5 years old, still works lot better than the default one which was on the card )

[cyberslicer]

Hi !

I can confirm the high pitch noice from my Radeon X700pro video card when I installed the 1.03 beta patch.

Had to roll back to patch 1.01 and then I have no noice from the video card.

Best regards

[porphy]

Hi
Yes, thats the same thing I experienced. Before 1.03b this sound was not present. XanderF describes the problem very well. It is related to the 2d interfaces. Hit f5 and its gone. It is not a fan sound, but I have no idea why it happens or how a gfx card can squeal at all... I'm not totally sure if it is the gfx card, my first thought was on the hdd. Power supply? Perhaps, I have to put my ear close again when I'm home from work.

Cheers Porphy

[LuftWolf]

I'm going to PM Jamie about this thread, this is something SCS should be aware of and take a look at.

Thanks guys.