Loud PC

[aidacuk]

Hi Guys,

 

Over the past few weeks my PC sounds like it is overheating and the fan is working overtime, even when doing the simplest of tasks, like opening an internet explorer window. The performance of the PC doesnt seem to be affected, it just sounds very loud!

 

If I watch a movie the noise is constantly on, when playing games it comes and goes randomly! But again, the performance of the PC is fine :confused:

 

Has something gone on my PC?

 

The only technical stuff I know about it that I can give is that its a HP Pavillion 2.80GHz, 1.00GB RAM, 80GB Storage, and using Windows XP :) not sure if they makes any difference to you guys though :D

 

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Hi Aida

 

May I ask when was the last time you gave the PC a thorough internal clean?

 

It sounds like a dust build up to me and it may be choking the fans.

[aidacuk]

lol to be honest, ive never done an internal clean. Usually clean it off on the outside! Sounds like im at fault not the pc :D

 

Will try that now, cheers :)

[Guest Wolfeymole]

People think that because it's an enclosed box type of thing Aida than nothing gets in.

 

You'd be amazed at how much crap can build up.

 

Power down and disconnect the power supply cord completely.

Take the side panel off and spray the insides with a can of compressed air taking particular attention to the fans.

 

Replace the panel and get back to us with how it sounds Aida.

[aidacuk]

Well I've took the case off, and there was a lot of dust :D I didnt have any compressed air, I did try and find some from the stores that were open, but couldnt find any. So I used a hairdryer with cold air, it got rid of nearly all the dust, but the computer is still making the noises :confused:

 

Im going to buy some compressed air tomorrow and try that out, so hopefully that will sort it out.

 

Cheers.

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Please do Aida as compressed air will deliver a more powerful jet of air under a lot more pressure than your hair dryer can deliver. The can will usually come with a kind of straw that you can insert into the nozzle which makes it ideal to get in between the CPU heatsink fins.

[aidacuk]

I got some from PC World last night, and used it on all the nooks and crannies..... now it seems perfect again :) makes me appreciate how quiet it normally is lol

 

Thanks Wolfey!

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Hey that's good to hear Aida, I'd recommend doing it every six months or so.

 

People just don't realise just what an effect dust build up can have on a machine and the next thing that happens is the heatsink can't cope, the temperature rises and activates the thermal cut out and the system shuts down.