Hard drive noise through speakers - Laptop

Hello All.

I have an Acer Aspire 3000 which I've used for quite some time to play music/guitar through, connected as follows:

Guitar - Effect Pedal - laptop (out through headphone) - ground loop isolator - Cambridge audio hifi amp - speakers.

Up until two weeks ago I had awesome clarity & quality. I installed some software (Guitar Rig 3) but found it noisy. Since then I have experienced the following symptoms:

1. On boot (during Windows XP Loading screen) - single audible click from speakers
2. Hard drive "crunching" causing crackle through speakers
3. When idle, the hard drive activates every 15 seconds or so (self check?) this acts a switch that enables constant interference - so I get 15 seconds of clicking (2 clicks per second while the system is idle) and then when the hard drive self checks again it goes away, and so on (unless I do something like move the mouse etc, this causes noise to).

I thought that the program I installed may have caused this so (as it was due anyway) I perfomed a system restore (back to factory). and the problem is still there.

Also, the noise only comes through the right channel, and it also makes any other sound that should be coming through really quiet on that channel.

any thoughts?

 

During the XP splash screen is when drivers are being loaded, so I might wonder if it is a driver problem.

Go to the Acer website and get any updated drivers for your laptop model. Start by installing the chipset drivers, graphics drivers, then the audio, then any others, like ethernet/LAN. The chipset and audio drivers will be the most important. Acer might not have bothered to test and offer updated drivers (check their release date), if so, you might want to get them from the controller manufacturer. For example, if the chipset is Intel (and not an OEM version) you should find them at the Intel website. If the audio is, say, Realtek 97, find them at the Realtek website.

You are inputting from the Headphones jack....mmmm. Could the signal levels have been changed? You can have a high output with a low input, visa-versa or somewhere in between. Is the signal "maxing out" one of the levels. Are you inputting to the "microphone input" or a standard input on the laptop? A microphone input will supply voltage back through the cable to power the microphone.

"Ground loop ", you got me on that one. I expect you need it for your speaker amplifier. Could there be any signal problem, loose connection, etc, there?

Matt

 

Thanks for taking the time Matt.

I'm quite sure that the restore will have reinstalled the chipset drivers etc. It seemed to go through the process of installing them and the display drivers. Once the sound drivers were installed it started to crackle again.

I tried the drivers from Realtek (it is AC97) and there was no change. I've tried another hard drive (from another laptop) - formatted - and once the drivers are in it's exactly the same.

Inputs/outputs aren't the issue. the sound comes from the laptop internal speakers as soon as the drivers are loaded (and nothing connected). I'm using the "Line in" as an input by the way.

To be honest I think it's a hardware problem that has coincidentally occurred when I installed that app. the I.T tech at work has offered to send it off for repair - on the company, so I'm happy with that.

I'll do my best to find out what it was, and post back here.

The Ground loop isolator is an audio lead with some small ciruitry that cuts the ground loop - I was having issues with that at first (about a year ago) but the isolator fixed it.

Cheers.

 

OK, so the laptop has not gone for repair.

But I believe I've isolated the fault. If I connect any source to 'Line In' the output is only one channel (Right) which coincidentally is the channel where all the noise comes from. The clincher:- when muting 'Line in' in audio properties ALL noise dissapears and out put from any other source is clear and in stereo.

So I'm very confident that the 2.5mm Lin In socket has collapsed inside - earthing the left channel and causing all of the noise.

Does anyone know where I can get one of these? I've got the service manual for my machine now so performing the repair SHOULD be easy, provided I can find the right part.

Cheers.

 

As Pete mentioned, you are probably going to need to open that puppy up or at least look at a schematic but This store may provide some relief.

I've got some other suppliers available but you'll need an exact part number and that probably isn't going to be easy.

 

Thanks guys.

Pete, I've emailed that company about the cost of the mainboard, because I was informed by a tech support assistant at Acer UK that:

"These are mounted to the motherboard and we can't offer any of the mounted components, a new motherboard would need to be fitted. We can't offer you one of these as we don't keep any. "
You can book it in for repair with our engineers, who can fit a new motherboard for around £180 - £200 ".

...just about as much as the unit is worth!

Rockster, Thanks! Would it be at all possible to identify this part from a photo/photos? If I can get it out and get pics of it made available?

 

Here's the problem - based on your last post which indicates this is a surface mount jack, desoldering and soldering is going to be required. This may be a piece of cake or it might be next to impossible. Soldering on PCB's is a challenge because if you are working in an area surrounded by traces, you're going to burn or bridge the traces with almost any kind of hand-held device. That's probably why Acer is willing to replace the board itself but not the part - their repair vendor doesn't have the equipment necessary or its an impossible repair. The only way you are going to know is to physically look at the jack and how its connected, including the PCB and the surrounding area itself.

If I were in your shoes, I'd want to talk to a laptop repair specialist who may be familiar with this board. It could be an easy repair - I just don't know.

Quick story which will drive the point home. A few years ago, one of my clients brought me a laptop from their church and it was pretty obvious that the AC power adapter jack had been broken (it wiggled easily). I looked at this and told the person that it would have to be shipped out and would cost roughly $75. I returned the machine and gave them an address, phone #, RMA and shipping instructions. The machine then went to another church member who took it to a local shop. What a deal - the technician said he'd try to fix it but if he couldn't, there would be no charge. They left the machine with him. About three weeks later, my client brought the machine back to me and asked that I send it out for repair. Not a problem even though I was doing this gratis for my client. Surprise - Surprise - I get a call and what would have been a $75 repair has now climbed to $350 because someone broke the traces on the motherboard while attempting to repair this. The church went ahead with the repair but it should be a good lesson for everyone - we all need to know when to say when.

Unfortunately, I can't give you much guidance without first looking at the board and the jack itself.

 

Seriously considering it, although I've found a company who offer to fix (minimum fee £60) - no fix no fee. http://www.rmaupdates.com/ I'll talk to these guys first, I like the laptop being all encompassing. connecting an external audio device isn't a problem but it rather not have to. Good suggestion though.