AHHHHH

December 5, 2006 7:29 AM

What the heck is this darn sound in Windows?

Basically, I've had this sound coming out of my speakers every so often. It really bugged me, and after reformatting my machine, the sound was gone until today, where I heard it again.

I can't understand where it comes from.

Here's a sound clip I managed to capture:

Mp3 Sound File

It just sounds so weird.


Thanks in advance friends!

posted by CXImran to Computers & Internet (19 answers total)

Could it be a web page in the background that automatically refreshes every few minutes? This happeend to me in the past, but I'm not at a windows machine right now to test.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 7:32 AM on December 5, 2006

That sounds like a screen capture "snapshot" to me.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:35 AM on December 5, 2006

I have the exact same thing happening with my computer... I haven't been irritated enough to track down the problem, but it seems like it started around the time I either installed Skype, or added a logitech quickcam to the system. From your question, though, it doesn't sound like you installed anything prior to the reappearance of the sound.
posted by logicpunk at 7:43 AM on December 5, 2006

Best answer: It's Windows' search feature -- the stupid dog. You have the "Search Companion" open in one of your windows.
posted by glibhamdreck at 7:45 AM on December 5, 2006

Best answer: Oh, you can right-click the dog to "Turn off the animated character"
posted by glibhamdreck at 7:46 AM on December 5, 2006

Response by poster: OH MY GOSH IT IS THE DOG

If you open the search feature, and click on the dog, you hear the sound!


THANK YOU!
posted by CXImran at 7:54 AM on December 5, 2006

Just so you know you're not alone, here are two other MeFiers who've had that problem: 1, 2.
posted by llamateur at 10:57 AM on December 5, 2006

Ha ha! I had this same problem a few months ago. I could not figure out what the damn sound was. It happened every once and a while. I couldn't find any rogue programs in the task list. A friend told me that it might be wireless interference. It really freaked me out.

Just a few days ago I had the search thing open and I heard something like it again.

Damn dog.
posted by almostpositive at 11:37 AM on December 5, 2006

Absolutely insane that a "professional" OS would include a goddamn cartoon dog as the DEFAULT OPTION. First thing I do on a fresh install is turn that bastard off.
posted by caution live frogs at 11:53 AM on December 5, 2006

I hate that dog. The thing I hate the most? When you turn the little cur off, he makes cute before he walks away. In my dream OS, a little kid comes out and shoots him, like old Yeller. And then the kid laughs.

Stupid dog.
posted by donpardo at 1:23 PM on December 5, 2006

GIS for "writing a letter clippy"

It looks like you're writing a letter.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 1:53 PM on December 5, 2006

Wow, I asked the same question a week ago, it was driving me INSANE. Why would they do that, it's just such a stupid thing to have? It doesn't make anything better, it just annoys people.
posted by tomble at 2:03 PM on December 5, 2006

It looks like you're writing a suicide note. Would you like me to...
posted by flabdablet at 3:25 PM on December 5, 2006

If anybody is still reading this, I thought I'd piggyback rather than ask the front page again: I have a sound too. It's basically a small click, always(?) preceded by a half second of hard drive activity. The dog is definitely off, and the sound only happens once, and I have installed a greasemonkey script that blocks all autorefreshes. What could it be?
posted by jacalata at 4:19 PM on December 5, 2006

Hahaha flabdablet.
posted by limeonaire at 4:49 PM on December 5, 2006

jacalata: if it's coming from the hard drive itself, as opposed to the speakers, it's possibly thermal recalibration.
posted by flabdablet at 8:30 PM on December 5, 2006

Isn't that the dog from Microsoft BOB?
posted by reklaw at 3:22 AM on December 6, 2006

Wikipedia says yes.
posted by flabdablet at 5:08 AM on December 6, 2006

I'm still not sure flabdablet, but thanks for the suggestion!
posted by jacalata at 8:36 AM on December 6, 2006