Arch Linux

marmalade

Member

Registered: 2019-09-21

Posts: 21

Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

So this has been happening for a while - but for some reason at exactly 1AM, (or 2AM depending on daylight savings time) an alarm sound goes off. I have no idea how or why it happens. The times that I've been at my computer when it happens, I've checked the audio settings to see what app was producing the sound, but nothing new showed up. I've checked Gnome Clocks but nothing. For reference, I'm using Gnome 3, and I'm not sure if this happens on other DEs but I believe if I remember correctly it does.

The most interesting thing though is that this always occurs even after complete fresh installs. I recently wiped my hard drive and did a fresh install of Arch, and the same thing happened. It's happened every single new install. I have no idea where to even start with it.

Not sure if this belongs in the Newbie Corner exactly, but I have no idea where else to put it.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 77,164

Re: Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

Did you also wipe your $HOME?
If not, do you get it w/ a fresh user login?
If yes, do you get it w/ a different OS (liv distro, install iso, …)

What does the alarm sound like? How long does it last?
(Might be useful to inspect the process list while it's playing)

ftr, 1am is at night - did you mean 1pm?
Or where's your timezone? Is 1am youtime 0:00 UTC?

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marmalade

Member

Registered: 2019-09-21

Posts: 21

Re: Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

Yes, complete wipe and reinstall, nothing preserved at all. This only seems to occur with Arch.

It's like a standard alarm beep sound. The kind of thing you'd hear from a $5 digital alarm clock. It lasts for about 6 - 7 seconds maybe at most. Basically one full 'alarm clock' cycle. I don't know how else to describe it, unfortunately.

It is 1AM - in the middle of the night, yes. I've had a few fun nights being woken up by it going off on my speakers because I forgot about it. I'm in the Pacific timezone (Los Angeles).

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,690

Re: Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

Bizarre.  Perhaps a different tack.  I find it somewhat unbelievable that it is Arch, so let's make an assertion it is not.  Then what could it be?

To isolate it, first, turn the computer off at night.  If the sound is from the computer, that should surely isolate it.
Are you using external speakers? Wired? Bluetooth? HDMI?  Any chance something else is connecting to a Bluetooth device beside your computer?
What if you disconnect your computer from external networks overnight? 
What if, when there is no network connection, you change the real time clock on your system slightly?
What if you disable your display manager (probably gdm on your system) and boot to a console without entering Gnome?

Last edited by ewaller (2021-12-09 19:56:05)

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Slithery

Administrator

From: Norfolk, UK

Registered: 2013-12-01

Posts: 5,776

Re: Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

Are you absolutely positive that the noise is coming from your computer?

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twelveeighty

Member

Registered: 2011-09-04

Posts: 1,454

Re: Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

Does suspend work on that machine? Try suspending the box before 1 AM and see if you still hear the sound. Separately, also try eliminating GNOME as a factor by logging out of your session before that time. Also try seth's 2nd suggestion with a dummy, fresh new userid.

marmalade

Member

Registered: 2019-09-21

Posts: 21

Re: Alarm Sound at 1 / 2 AM?

Bizarre.  Perhaps a different tack.  I find it somewhat unbelievable that it is Arch, so let's make an assertion it is not.  Then what could it be?

To isolate it, first, turn the computer off at night.  If the sound is from the computer, that should surely isolate it.
Are you using external speakers? Wired? Bluetooth? HDMI?  Any chance something else is connecting to a Bluetooth device beside your computer?
What if you disconnect your computer from external networks overnight? 
What if, when there is no network connection, you change the real time clock on your system slightly?
What if you disable your display manager (probably gdm on your system) and boot to a console without entering Gnome?

It doesn't happen if my computer is off or hibernating / sleeping.
It happens with any speakers I use, though typically it's just the speakers connected to my DAC or my headphones connected to the same DAC.

The next three I'll have to test.

Are you absolutely positive that the noise is coming from your computer?

100%. It blasts me in the ears if I'm wearing headphones at that time.

Does suspend work on that machine? Try suspending the box before 1 AM and see if you still hear the sound. Separately, also try eliminating GNOME as a factor by logging out of your session before that time. Also try seth's 2nd suggestion with a dummy, fresh new userid.

So last night I actually got the answer to this one - I was on KDE and the same thing happened.

Last edited by marmalade (2021-12-16 17:46:06)