Newly built computer, buzzing / crackling sound?

[patonb]

What do you mean with a card outputting full power? Like if my graphics card is outputting at full power so whenever I tab-into a game my graphics card works harder and it interferes the front panel?

Yha, so as you're gaming, the capacitors and other electronics are spitting out electromegnetics, it could be causing stray sounds up the wires. When I seriously stress my gpus, i can hear my capacitors actually squeel from the electricity.

My front panel has two connectors; HD AUDIO and AC 97. The HD AUDIO is obviously connected to the motherboard. However, the AC 97 is just free falling. I guess I should strap that elseplace? Is the computer smart enough to detect that the HD AUdio cable pack is connected then it will ignore the AC 97?

This could be a source too, tuck the cablinbg up where it comes out of the case, or tape it behind. But connecting it shouldn't effect it, and yes the sound control should know which you've connected.

What kind of damage should I be looking out for? Can you elaborate?

Will it help if I take a picture of how everything is connected?

Damage being exposed wires, or kinks in the cable.

 

[-RockMan-]

Find your manufacturers onboard sound and do a test run to see if your onboard sound is going bad.
If so, get yuur mobo fixed up by them and before you shipped it off, grab a pci sound card to make sure it is the problem -onboard sound-.
If the pci sound card works then there is your problem: onboard.

 

[akasixcon]

Find your manufacturers onboard sound and do a test run to see if your onboard sound is going bad.
If so, get yuur mobo fixed up by them and before you shipped it off, grab a pci sound card to make sure it is the problem -onboard sound-.
If the pci sound card works then there is your problem: onboard.

my onboard sound works fine.

its the case front panel sound that doesn't