Laptop makes a noise on startup.

[JBK311]

My 4 year old spectre x360 is making a high pitched noise on startup. The noise goes away once the login screen appears. No other issues except the noise. 

I took the laptop in to best buy because I thought my laptop may have dust blocking the vents which might be the cause of the high pitch noise. The store refunded my money because the laptop was “in pristine condition”. I had them send out my laptop for a diagnostic test and was told that my motherboard needed to be replaced but they are unable to find one.

Could the motherboard really be the culprit of this problem? If so, where can I find a new motherboard?

Also, I custom built this laptop through the HP website, so I do not even know what part model to look for. 

Thank you in advance for your reply.

[Jerry_57]

Hi @JBK311,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query. I understand how a high-pitched noise during startup can be concerning, especially when you've been advised that the motherboard may need to be replaced.

Likely Cause:

A high-pitched noise that occurs only during startup and disappears once the Windows sign-in screen appears is not always a sign of a failing motherboard. It can be caused by:
 

• The system fan briefly spinning at a higher speed during the Power-On Self-Test (POST).
   
• Electrical coil whine from components on the motherboard or power circuitry during initialisation.
   
• Firmware (BIOS) behavior during the boot process.

If the laptop operates normally after startup with no overheating, unexpected shutdowns, or performance issues, the noise may be a characteristic of the hardware rather than an indication of imminent failure.
 

What to Check:

1. Are you seeing any startup error messages, such as a 90B Fan Error? This can help determine whether the fan or cooling system is involved.
    
2. Run HP PC Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI).
   
   Test the Fan and System Board components. If any failures are detected, note the failure ID and share it here, as it will help confirm whether hardware replacement is required.
    
3. Update the BIOS.
   
   Installing the latest BIOS and firmware for your Spectre x360 may improve hardware initialisation and fan management during startup. Official HP® Support.
    
4. Monitor the system during normal use.
   
   If the noise only occurs briefly at startup and the notebook remains stable without overheating or other symptoms, it is generally considered a minor nuisance rather than a critical hardware failure.

About the Motherboard

Based on the symptoms alone, it is not possible to conclude that the motherboard is defective. The results from HP Hardware Diagnostics are the best way to verify whether the system board is actually at fault.

I hope this helps.