# Help me ID this mystery computer sound **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-mystery-computer-sound/169225 "2003-04-17T02:05:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-mystery-computer-sound/169225/1 "2003-04-17T02:05:02Z")
There is an odd sound that occurs at seamlingly random times on my computer. It sounds like a door opening and creaking. I don’t think it is attached to the generic screen-saver I use and it is driving me batty! The sound lasts about 2 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-mystery-computer-sound/169225/2 "2003-04-17T02:09:23Z")
If you have AOL Instant Messenger, thats the sound of buddies coming online or going offline. ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-mystery-computer-sound/169225/3 "2003-04-17T02:14:19Z")
It is installed, but I do not “sign in” unless I want to see if the mom is online. I use messenger and that sound I know… ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-mystery-computer-sound/169225/4 "2003-04-17T02:21:24Z")
Yahoo! Messenger has the same sort of sound effects, too. Also check your Sound Events using Control Panel \> Sounds. You might have that sound set up for sone Windows event.