Warranty Coverage for Ticking Computer Power Supply?

[Mentallic]

Last month I bought a computer online that's delivered already built, and just recently the power supply has begun making a quick ticking sound. I'm unsure if it's the fan or something else, but the ticking sound doesn't start until I'm at my desktop. During boot it's quiet.

Anyway, it's just impossible for me to work at my computer with this ticking going on, and I can't get into the thing to take a closer look without tearing the sticker that voids the warranty, so my question here is if the warranty covers these problems and what I could do if it is covered? Thanks.

p.s. In case it's relevant info, my computer turns itself on from shutdown within minutes to hours after being shut down. I've done as much google troubleshooting as I could on this problem. I don't believe there are any tasks that are waking it from its slumber, and the BIOS has wake on lan disabled, so all I could do to work around the problem is to pull the plug each time it's shut down.

 

[jedishrfu]

Here's a thread on others with a similar problem.

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7586_102-104466/pc-turns-itself-on/

Its quite possible your line voltage dipped and the machine took it to mean time to startup again.

 

[Mentallic]

Honestly, I'm not really bothered with the auto-startup right now, it's only a minor hassle that I can tackle later on*. For the moment though, this ticking is just too hindering.

*after spending 3 months with customer service trying to fix my internet, I probably won't be mentally prepared to do any more troubleshooting for quite a while.

 

[robphy]

Is it a name-brand computer?

Can you make a recording of the ticking? or
find one similar to it, e.g., from www.google.com/search?q=ticking+sound+power+supply&tbm=vid

Personally, I'd ask for a replacement (get an "RMA").

You might have to do a little troubleshooting now... and some complaining to get it replaced soon.
Otherwise, you'll lose the opportunity and end up hating and not really using your computer... possibly doing a lot of troubleshooting later.

my $0.02

 

[wukunlin]

If it is not a name-brand computer, some power supply manufacturers (seasonic and corsair I know at least) willing replace noisy units, good if you are comfortable with swapping out your power supply.

 

[B. Elliott]

If heard some power supplies make a repetitive clicking noise when the voltage regulator goes bad. Definitely RMA if you can.

 

[Mentallic]

Is it a name-brand computer?

Not exactly. It was put together by a computer parts company here in Australia.

Can you make a recording of the ticking? or
find one similar to it, e.g., from www.google.com/search?q=ticking+sound+power+supply&tbm=vid

It sounded exactly like the first video in the link.

It's weird though, the ticking had stopped on its own a few weeks ago. The computer still turns on by itself but I circumvent that by shutting off the power after shutdown, but that's nothing like the headache that the ticking noise was giving me.