How to stop annoying zooming sound in Google Chrome?

As soon as I launch Google Chrome or another Chromium based browser, I can hear a constant annoying zooming/buzzing sound. I don't have this problem with IE, Firefox, Safari or Opera.

I tried several versions of Google Chrome and Chromium, uninstall/reinstall, portable versions, with or without plugins/extensions, clean Windows installation, disable all possible sound sources through sound settings control panel, disable microphone, ... But none of them worked. I even changed my speaker cables because of electrical interference.

Complete sound mute through volume mixer without succes.

The moment I close Chrome the sound disappears.

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1 + latest updates
Speakers: Logitech z560
Soundcard: Onboard card ASRock M3N78D - 7.1 CH HD Audio (VIA®VT1718S Audio Codec)

Installed older versions and latest sound card drivers v10_1200a without succes.

Does anyone have an idea what might cause the problem? Thanks.

biosphera

Posted 2013-01-11T00:44:12.383

Reputation: 21

If I understand well, even if the whole computer is muted, when you launch Chrome, you hear a "bvvvvvvvvvvv" sound, as if turning on a very loud old speaker? – Ariane – 2013-01-11T00:47:57.020

That's correct. – biosphera – 2013-01-11T00:49:02.390

you shouldn't hear squat.. mute is mute. – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T00:49:33.583

1are you sure the sound is not caused by your monitor due to Hz issues? – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T00:50:25.470

Speakers are still on, but volume is on mute. Can CPU utilization be one of the reasons? – biosphera – 2013-01-11T00:51:20.867

tried to power off the speakers? do you still have the sound? – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T00:52:03.037

Yes it's still there after power off/on. A Hz issue would also cause a problem with other browsers. – biosphera – 2013-01-11T00:53:15.890

I think you should look at what the differences between Chrome and other browsers are. One I can think of is Flash Player integration. (Right?) Try turning the built-in Flash Player off. What else does Chrome do that other browsers don't do? Search through its preferences and menus. – Ariane – 2013-01-11T00:54:12.010

1if the speakers are OFF and the sound persists, it comes from the hardware itself. maybe a noisy fan upon speeding up? or even your monitor, due to a freq issue? make sure your monitor power cable is correctly and fully inserted – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T00:54:16.153

Oh but if the sound is still there after powering your speakers off, then that's heaps weirder. Maybe there's something wrong hardware-wise, apart from your cables? The holes they go in, for example, or the speakers themselves. I don't know. This is the weirdest problem ever. – Ariane – 2013-01-11T00:55:44.080

Without Flash or completely disabled, the problems persists. The speakers are always on, but on mute or volume 0% (volume mixer) the problems is still there. But if power is off => no sound of course. – biosphera – 2013-01-11T00:55:50.353

@Znau But wouldn't biosphera have noticed -something, somewhere- in -some- other application than Chrome? – Ariane – 2013-01-11T00:56:29.510

@Ariane first of all, we must exclude obvious answers, i assume. – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T00:58:03.863

Answers

Check if all power cables are correctly and fully inserted.

Check your monitor.

Get closer to the hardware and try to identify where the sound is comming from.

If it is a cable, insert it the best you can; if it is coming from your screen, lower its freq to lower Hz.

@biosphera , after hearing your youtube upload it sounds like a mic sound close to your speakers.. which is weird. try moving your mic away from the speakers.

also, try moving the speakers away one form the other, even from the bass if you have. give them some distance. let us know if the sound persists.

Lorenzo Von Matterhorn

Posted 2013-01-11T00:44:12.383

Reputation: 2 137

I'll try this later. I plugged in my headphones, and problem is still there, electric interference with other devices should be at a minumum now. It's probably a hardware issue. – biosphera – 2013-01-11T01:34:54.450

Open Device manager
Under view, select 'Show hidden devices'
Find a device called 'Beep' (it should be under 'Non-Plug and play devices') and disable it

This is the only beep sound that I know of that runs even when sound is muted, and it makes that 'bwwwwwwwwwww' sound as if you're pressing an invalid key.

This will disable this sound at all times though, I don't know of a way to fix it only in chrome.

Logan Bissonnette

Posted 2013-01-11T00:44:12.383

Reputation: 627

can be the case indeed. still the reference to "bwwwwwwww" sound comes from another user, not the QA. the QA only references a buzzing sound, consistent with an electrical sound, comming from a badly connected power cable, or even a monitor experiencing freq issues. – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T01:01:28.380

Can't disable it, so I uninstalled it. Unfortunately no effect – biosphera – 2013-01-11T01:03:42.320

I just recorded the sound with my iPad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0CQd9xu6wU

– biosphera – 2013-01-11T01:14:06.217

@biosphera read my answer – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-01-11T01:19:34.287