Why is my computer clicking?

Factual Questions
1

I just returned from a two-week vacation, only to find that my computer is making clicking noises. It’s from the speakers and stops when the computer is muted, but otherwise it sounds like I’m clicking on buttons repeatedly.

Other programs with sound run normally, but the clicking continues in the background.

I’ve actually chased it down a little, between pargraphs. It’s the “Start Navigation” events sound under “Windows Explorer” in the Sound Scheme control panel. I can change the sound that plagues me, and turn it off.

This is good, no more phantom clicking. But why is the sound going off? I’ve run scans for viruses and malware, and while I did find one, it’s been deleted, so that shouldn’t be the cause. should I be concerned?

2

Could it be a loose connection at the jack to the sound card? Maybe the sound card needs to be re-seated. Sorry, just WAGs.

3

That’s the sound I hear when I have a Web-based app (our company’s support ticket program) open in IE, and the app refreshes itself (every 5 min).

I would suggest getting Hijack This and posting your log over at the Tech Guy Forums Security forum. HJT seems to always be the be-all-end-all for my “wtf is wrong with my machine?” problems.

I do not suspect sound card problems.

4

I would check your computer for bugs, and I mean real live bugs. I had a video card destroyed from some little critter taking a stroll where he shouldn’t have. Not sure he got in there but it might have been the raw bacon I was warming.