I got my current used computer in June 2016. I installed win7 and the dell drivers, and updated the bios. There were issues with this computer and dell had replaced many. After much research and trying different ram, video and wifi cards I got a stable working system in Dec 2016. At this time I wiped HDD, reinstalled win7 and kept it updated with all the required patches. About a month ago I wiped the HDD and reinstalled everything again. I did this because it was getting slow and kwurky. This is the same as with xp. Before win7 I used xp for over 10 years and about once a year I would wipe and reinstall everything. When I reinstall, I always get the latest apps of everything that I use. Currently: TB, firefox, VideoLAN, Utorrent, AV, Easy Thumbnails, Libreoffice.

Sometime ago I started hearing 'pops'. I did not think this was caused by my computer. I have some wood furniture in my room and I rarely use AC, keep my windows open, and this is central humid florida. My room has wood walls and wood ceiling. It is not uncommon to hear noises like this. This pop sounds like wood cracking. I heard it maybe about once a month. When I am home, I do often leave my computer on all day to frequently check emails. So, im not in the room and it might be popping more frequently. In the last 6 months or so I think I have actually been hearing it less often. Im really not too sure, cuz I've gotten used to it and might not even noticing when it happens. Last night it happened again while I was using the computer and the screen went blank for a fraction of a second. I never noticed this before. This is making me think the noise might be from the computer.

Ideas?

thanks,
pa
Dell desktop optiplex 380 w/original Pentium Dual Core E5700/3.00GH z,2M,800FSB, Optiplex 380
PROCESSOR, E5700, 3.0, 2MB, WFD, 65W, R0.
It had no ram and I inastalled one four gig and one two gig DDR3
Integrated Video,GMA 4500,Dell OptiPlex 760/980
Integrated audio.
Using usb wifi. (using integrated or PCI wifi card caused occasional parity error. I've not had this error since I installed the usb wifi in Dec 2016.

 

i would try a different monitor.

 

i would try a different monitor.

Yes, the monitor would be my first suspect especially if it uses a CRT.

 

It could be the video card in the computer. They get hot and break their solder connections, causing intermittent service until they fail altogether. There's a cottage industry of shops that offer to reflow the solder but I think the reliability is questionable.

It'd be a good time to make yourself a complete backup. It's never a bad idea anyway but it becomes urgent when you start seeing problems. Time may be running out.

 

If the monitor is a crt, it will have high voltage inside. High voltage attracts dust. With your windows open and no ac there will be a higher amount of dust inside your home.
Take the monitor outside and remove the cabinet. Do not touch anything inside as there may still be high voltage inside, even with the power off.
A picture tube will hold a charge for days, even weeks.
Use compressed air to blow all dust from inside.
Replace cover and test monitor.

 

If the monitor is a crt, it will have high voltage inside. High voltage attracts dust. With your windows open and no ac there will be a higher amount of dust inside your home.
Take the monitor outside and remove the cabinet. Do not touch anything inside as there may still be high voltage inside, even with the power off.
A picture tube will hold a charge for days, even weeks.
Use compressed air to blow all dust from inside.
Replace cover and test monitor.

Its not entirely rare for EHT flashover in the monitor to cause the PC to reboot.

 

It's like deja vu all over again.

 

Integrated Video

Does the screen always go blank when you hear the noise?

It could be the video card in the computer.

No video card.

Sometime ago I started hearing 'pops'.

Or a clicking sound??

 

No video card.

Well, sort of. There's no removable card but I'm pretty sure there's a GPU that can suffer the problem I described? I was thinking the crackle was arcing across a bad solder joint.

 

There's no removable card but I'm pretty sure there's a GPU that can suffer the problem I described? I was thinking the crackle was arcing across a bad solder joint.

The GPU is on the same die as the microprocessor. No solder joints; all connections are copper. (Well, except for the diffusion contacts...)

That's not to say that the GPU can't become defective...

 

The GPU is on the same die as the microprocessor. No solder joints; all connections are copper. (Well, except for the diffusion contacts...)

That's not to say that the GPU can't become defective...

It's just as well, probably. No need to pursue the likely blind alley of re-balling or whatever they call it.

 

It might be that something is loose in the computer, you should remove the box and find out. The fan might be hitting something. In any case you should solve the problem before you keep uing the computer. Dissasemble the fan and the heatsink and check if something has fallen inside (like a nut that hits) or if a cable falls inside from time to time. Is this a tower computer or is it a lying on the desk one?

 

From my experience "popping" noises and monitors going black usually means HV arcing.