GPU Use => HDD activity?

[[WHGT]Cyberman]

Not sure where to post it, as it doesn't only concern the new 7.3 client, but it doesn't happen outside of FAH.

When the GPU client runs, there is a noise that I'd identify as HDD activity - which is weird because the task manager doesn't say anything about it, and the primary HDD is an SSD anyway - so the noise must come from the second HDD - on which there are no programs currently running.

Any ideas?

[edit]This is my card: PCI-E 2.1 CLUB 3D Radeon HD 6970 CoolStream Edition, Retail, 2048MB
CGAX-69748F

[Jesse_V]

Hmm. Are you sure you didn't install F@h to the other HDD by accident?
Task Manager should have a System Monitor button to see HDD activity.

[toTOW]

Can you describe the noise ? Is the noise more like a scratching or like a whistling ?

[codysluder]

GPUs do make annoying noises sometimes. Are you sure it's the HDD?

[[WHGT]Cyberman]

Hmm. Are you sure you didn't install F@h to the other HDD by accident?
Task Manager should have a System Monitor button to see HDD activity.

Yes, I looked again - the only drives accessed (according to the system monitor) are C and I, which are SSD and Ramdisk.
All system data/programs are on the SSD, as is FAH.
I've just reinstalled the PC, so there isn't even anything on the other disk yet.

Can you describe the noise ? Is the noise more like a scratching or like a whistling ?

Scratching, I'd say. I sounds just as if something was writing on the disk all the time.

GPUs do make annoying noises sometimes. Are you sure it's the HDD?

I've never heard the GPU make a noise like that before - I've never heard that sound at all except when FAH runs. (Or a disk is being accessed.)

[edit]Of course, now that I wrote this, I notice the sound even though FAH isn't running, but a game is using the GPU (and the HDD). Maybe it's the GPU itself after all (probably the fans?).
If I find something, I'll write again.

[edit2]Maybe it is a fan after all. I'm not sure if I prefer that.
I suppose I could describe the sound as clicking? (Stupid brain that claims to recognize a sound even if it's just a similar sound...)

[Nathan_P]

Sounds to me like the fan on teh gpu is acting up, is anything catching the blades?

[[WHGT]Cyberman]

Sounds to me like the fan on teh gpu is acting up, is anything catching the blades?

I didn't see anything, I'll have to open the case to make sure - strangly it's only when the GPU is stressed, so it doesn't occur in idle. Perhaps the fans are dirty and it only starts to be a problem when they have to work harder.
I've never noticed because until now the system has been calcified anyway and I probably filed it under "some program caching things"...

[Nathan_P]

Either that or the bearings are starting to go on the fan and it only becomes noticeable as the fan ramps up

[P5-133XL]

Case vibration? A GPU under stress will make the fans run harder which will produce more vibration throughout the machine especially if it increases interior case temperature causing other fans, in addition to the video card, to speed up.