My White SE 600T keeps making a TICK sound

I got my computer assembled by a computer store. Took it home and it would make a "tick" sound every once in a while. At first it was like every 30 minutes, then eventually it occurred every few hours. I noticed that it would happen more frequently when I play games. I've check the fans and I don't see any wires in the way(cable management is good).

 

The sound is more external, its not muffed out by the inside of the case. This is why I suspect its the case.

 

I posted this on another forum and apparently someone with a Black 600t case also has the same problem. Another person said they also had something similar with a case from another manufacturer. We suspect its the side panel.

 

 

I don't really want to have to ship the case and everything, I just wanted to let you know and if there were any solutions to this problem. Ive had teh computer for 1 week so far.

Nothing else in the case is moving. I don't touch anything in there either.

 

The sound is random when it occurs so its very hard to isolate it. When I play games, whatever fans that increase in rpm are automatic. I dont touch any switches or set up anything speeds. When it ticks, it doesn't "rattle" like something is touching a fan. Most times it would occur individuallly and not be followed up by any other ticks. Only a few times did it have a series of ticks.

 

My computer is only a pretty strong table. I try to put some pressure on the PC and it will not produce the tick sound.

 

The most probable cause that I can think of is that the side panel is just "settling" down. The ticks are less often now and slightly quieter. Like I said before, its external. A lot of the times it would occur when there is no extra strain on the computer, just simply surfing the net.

 

However, the sound itself is really strange, its like the case itself is shifting and yet nothing is happening.

So more information, when i loaded up a game (shogun 2) it would make the tick more often. Now after playing for about 2 hours, and putting the case fan(the knob thing) to max, it has stopped occuring so often.

 

I think I have one explanation. The fans could be putting air pressure on the inside of the side panels. Pushing the side panel in this way could result in "pushing the panel out" and creating the "tick". Just imagine punching the side panel from the inside. I noticed that when I opened the side panel with the computer on, the front fan would spread air pressure in a wide arc, and create the "pushing out" effect because the fan is pushing air against the side panel.

 

One problem though, is sometimes the top area of case on the outside would make a tick too. Maybe the same problem exists there.

 

Its just quite annoying, about the only compaint i have about my computer. I'm looking at the inside thru the window and just dont see any reason why this "tick" would happen.

 

edit: possibly the reason why I stopped hearing the tick after playing for at least 2 hours is the air pressure has shifted the side panel to such an extent that any loose "fitting" between the case and side panel has been dealt with. So much less possibilities for shifting because it already has shifted to fit better.

I have the same issue with my 600T

 

I've had the case for about 6 months. I can't be certain that it happened right away, but in the last 3 months I've definitely been noticing it.

 

I definitely notice it more often when I'm playing a game, or watching a video. But it does occasionally happen when it's idle. And even a few times early in the morning I've heard it after the computer has been off all night. I've read around a bit and a few people have shrugged it off as thermal expansion of the case. I tried to organize the cables a bit to get more airflow, but it hasn't made a difference.

 

As hungh pointed out, it's very difficult to isolate since it happens so randomly. I've tried running Prime95 and other stress tests to try and build up heat, but even then it's fairly random.

 

Now I think it is the doors. Possibly something not fitting correctly with the handles. I'll have to look into it more when I have time.

 

I've been running the case the past few days with the doors removed and I think one sound has disappeared.

 

Unfortunately, I hear another sound from the front of the case. Although, I'm pretty sure I have a hard drive that's failing which also makes identifying the problem difficult. Over the next couple days I'll try and swap out the old hard drive and see if the sound persists.

I'm gonna try some time in the future to take out one of the hard drive cages. However, I cannot move them to the left because I dont' have a modular PSU so the cables get in the way. Maybe simply removing one of the two cages might disrupt the air flow that causes this "sound". If anyone has the time and expertise to do something similar like this or even moving the cage to the left, it would help to find a solution.

 

I'm gonna take a guess and assume its not the fan strength causing this because it seems to happen on both models of the 600t. It must be some sort of air pressure build up.

my best guess would be the heat in the case causing it to expand and contract so where the panels meet its likely "slipping" there.

try leaving the door off for a day and see if it still happens, if not put some scotch tape on the inside lip where the case rear is secured to act as a dampener.

 

hope that helps

It's the side panel window, it ticks/creaks as the case warms up and cools down ( if you push on the panel by the window frame with your finger you can probably replicate it ). Try taking off the side panel and tightening the screws up a bit on the interior of the side panel window. I swapped the window to the mesh, then back to the window later and haven't heard it since. So I'm assuming the screws are just a little loose out of the box.

okay I just did it. I'll report back tommorow night with the results.

Well just to update, I havent used it a lot because I've been doing other things. A few things to note though. The sound is less loud for one, but it still occurs. Right after I reinstalled the side window, and launched SC2, it happened again. Also less loud.

 

Today I experienced it shortly after I starting up the computer(less loud again), but after leaving it on for a while(5hours), I haven't noticed it again although I have some music on.

 

So all in all, its been reduced a lot from simply reinstalling the window. I made sure the screws were pretty tight this time. I'll update again in maybe a week if nothing happens.

Haha! the EXACT same thing happens to me, Its the side panel, No way to stop it though, i assume it will stop after a while...

This thing still ticks, except now its not as loud.

 

How would I get a new side panel?

I've been doing some more playing around with it a bit, and I still can't not certain where the sound is coming from. But I managed to rule out a few things.

 

I've been running it for the last week or so with both side panels off. They are the original 600T solid panels, so the window wouldn't have been the problem anyway.

 

I swapped out all my hard-drives, cloned the one I was suspicious of and ran it on a new hard drive. So that isn't the problem.

 

I even removed my DVD drive and all the front panel faceplate spacers. So the issue isn't there either. So the case is wide open - no side panels and basically the top half of the front panel is open.

 

I'm still getting the noise. It still seems to be coming from the front of the case. I'm starting to suspect that it might be coming from the USB/fan control panel. I sat in front of the case and it sounded like it was coming from something at the top and front of the case.

I had this when I turned on the chassis for the very first time. It was a problem with the cable going to a fan that was not properly routed. I re-routed the cable and all was well.

I've had the computer for almost 3 weeks. It was loud when it first started happening and after reinstalling the side panel window, its gotten quiter. The problem is that now when I load up a game, it makes the sound multiple times in a series. So its like a tradeoff happened. I prefer the old sound cause it was more random, while now, it seems to be caused by loading games. It reminds every time I do something that there is some sort of defect with my computer.

Well I've removed one hard drive cage and it will still make the sounds.

 

Instead of decreasing in frequency after all this time, it is actually occuring right on cue after I load up a game. So for the first 15 minutes, it will literally make these sounds randomly. They aren't quiet sounds too. Its like something is busting up in there.

I get one or two at the most creaky snapping sounds out of my case, pretty sure it is the piece with the window expanding from heat, because it is usually right after I load an intensive game or something that is pushing the machine. And seems to come right from that spot.

 

It doesn't bother me one bit tho; I kind of dig it. Reminds me that the machine is working, and is not an unpleasant sound anyway, just like an expansion sound, like the sounds you hear in an old house if someone is walking around upstairs, or ice on a lake.

 

But maybe I am lucky and you guys are hearing worse noises, and they are incessant?

Yeah mine is pretty bad. Its enough of a problem loading up a game and hearing the hard drive, but then this "extra loading" from the case is driving me crazy. They are pretty loud, something you would expect similar to stretching the case itself. The annoying part is that its always stretching right after I load a game.

 

I'm watching one of those videos after you finish a mission in SC2 and the thing will just start making "ticks". Its just a video and it seems the case is having to explode just to handle it.

 

Even worse is i've contacted Corsair twice. One like last thur/fri and they are suppose to respond within 24 hours. Nothing so far. Then I sent another messege yesterday night. Right now, its almost 24 hours and still nothing.

I sent a tech request and a description of my problem with my corsair white 600t case last week and have not gotten a response. I sent another one a couple of days ago and still no response.

 

heres the thread about my problem

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=505453#post505453

 

This seems defective to me and would like an official explanation for my problem.

Did you ever take off the side of the case for a full day?

 

try leaving the door off for a day and see if it still happens

ummm even if i did and the problem went away, do you think i wanna have a computer with no side panels?

I would like an official explanation for this problem.

 

if you read a previous reply on this thread, a guy took out both side panels and even his optical drive and the sound still occurred for him. I'm not gonna waste days trying fix this problem in this manner. Its not normal.

 

I've reinstalled the side panel window and removed one whole hard drive cage. And from the looks of it, even after removing large parts of the enclosure, it will still happen. There are no loose wires running around.

 

And what is the warranty service on this thing? I have to remove everything and pay for shipping which would be rediculously high since this case is heavy. I don't wanna remove any parts since i'm no expert at installing hardware and i'm not gonna risk screwing up the rest of the computer because of this problem.

process of elimination. if you dont even try to see what is definitely making the noise how can anyone help you? we are not there so you will have to do these steps yourself.

if you still dont want to see what is causing it, you will have to live with the noise.

its up to YOU now. :):

 

btw, if you take the door off and the noise stops Corsair can just RMA the door and you wont have to disassemble anything. but again, you have to try.

okay i will try that tommorow.

As I said earlier in the thread, I believe the sound from my case is coming from the fan control/USB panel.

 

Looking at the underside of the panel in the case, it seems to be held in by two screws. Maybe I'll take it apart and see if I can find anything.

 

I can actually reproduce the sound when I press down (gently) on the fan control knob.