Area 51 M15x crackle noise?

I've had this laptop for 3-4 years, and it's been doing it since day 1. I've gotten used to it and haven't really cared, but now I'm just curious to know if anyone knows this is.

So whenever I am playing games or watching something on VLC the laptop will randomly (or maybe it isn't random, as it never happens in short increments) make this crackling/grinding noise for a couple seconds. While/When this occurs, the game I am playing will sort of lock up for the few seconds and then go back to business as usual.

Any video I am watching will continue playing but the video itself will get messed up. Specifically it willl kind of lock up the video on whatever image was on the screen when the noise started, and then will become broken up into blocks as the camera pans or character moves - but as soon as the scene changes in the video it will go back to playing as usual. Also, when the image gets locked up on the screen, moving the ahead or back a couple of seconds will get rid of it.

I can only assume that the noise or problem stems from my gpu as it only happens when I am doing something that potentially puts stress on my GPU.

Any thoughts?

 

Over the 3-4 years have you ever re-installed the OS and dug up all of the latest drivers from the web for your system? At least that could potentially eliminate a software issue.

 

I have re-installed the OS and have updated some of the drivers, but definitely not all. GPU driver was definitely updated though