pc fan loud

[C0mmUN1cAt0r]

hi quick question, i have a desktop pc running windows xp, when first booted the fan is very loud, however once i put the system in stadby and then resume the fan level is what i would expect. I have checked the bios settings and the fan is set to the lowest it can be, any other ideas?

 

[xit]

Replace the fan now before damage is done to your system.

If this is left unchecked it could cause heat related problems and even permanent damage resulting in data loss.

xit

 

[goombawaho]

Take the case off and see which fan it is. It could be a case fan, a graphics fan, cpu fan or power supply fan. If it's a case fan, it's not as critical as if it's the other types.

Try blowing off the fans to see if it's a matter of an unbalanced fan due to dirt build-up. I use an electric garden blower on the low setting.

Replacing it for efficiency and quiet is recommended sooner rather than later if cleaning doesn't help.

 

[mscallisto]

If you find you need a new fan I've always had success finding replacements at reasonable prices here:

http://www.thermalfx.com/merchant2/

sam

 

[webrabbit]

Also, the CPU may be covered with dust and the fan running extra hard trying to keep it cool. Use canned dry air (many brands available) to clean both the cpu and fan. The cpu may even shut down to protect itself.

 

[BionicJohn]

Find the noisy fan and replace it, either before it fails or you kick it out of frustration.

There's lots places offering quiet fans, e.g. Zalman, though they're more expensive.

http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/home

Liverpool: Capital of Culture 2008
Anfield: Capital of Football since 1892
Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[goombawaho]

The last two posts were repeat/redundant.

 

[C0mmUN1cAt0r]

i do not believe the issue is a faulty fan, as i posted, when i put the pc in standby and then resume, the fan is then at an acceptable level????

 

[BadBigBen]

my only suggestion would be to update the BIOS to the latest...

there might be a BIOS issue that involves the temperature reading on the sensors, which might have gotten resolved in a later BIOS version...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[G0AOZ]

The OP still hasn't said WHICH fan it is that's noisy, or confirmed if any of the suggestions made re cleaning etc., have been tried.

There are several systems which have the fan run at high or maximum revs at startup, and then speed is subsequently reduced (if appropriate to temperature) once the sensor circuitry has finished checking during the initial stages of POST.

Worn fan bearings will be far less apparent at low revs than when the shaft is running at full tilt.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[kjv1611]

Please do post WHAT fan is causing the issue - case fan, CPU, PSU, etc..

I did recently have a desktop where a bad stick of RAM was causing the CPU fan to run at high the whole time. In that case, the RAM wasn't toast, just bad enough to cause a headache... or maybe it was totally bad, I don't recall.

But once I either removed or swapped the position of the RAM, the fan worked correctly.

In this case, the fan normally would start out loud for a couple seconds at boot-up (pretty common I think). Then it would be dead silent practically all the time.

The system was a Gateway desktop PC with an Intel Q6600 Quad Core and DDR2 (I think) RAM.

The system never had any heat issues, nor any other issue (other than RAM related).

So if it's the CPU fan, but temps seem fine, then it could very well be an issue with the RAM, CPU, or Motherboard, I suppose... those would be my guesses. If it were the PSU (power supply), I believe you'd have different symptoms - dead fan, or slow turning fan perhaps.

 

[goombawaho]

It appears that WE are more interested in the OP's problem than they are.

 

[C0mmUN1cAt0r]

hi sorry it is the cpu fan,

I have tried to reseat cables, ram etc but no look, even swapped 2 sticks of ram out, I cant help thinking that it resuming from standby with the fan ok is of relevance, software/windows related perhaps?!

 

[goombawaho]

Ok, thanks for responding, but WHY are you doing what you mentioned when the CPU fan is noisy. I mean, RAM and cables don't have anything to do with a PHYSICALLY noisy fan. That's a mechanical problem not electrical or "PC-related".

 

[kjv1611]

avayaitup,

So, just to clarify... when you say "noisy", do you mean it sounds like it's running at full speed instead of low speed, or it sounds like something is broken?

In context, I believe it would be best to use the term, "noisy" if it sounds like it's broken - possibly a slight grinding sound, that sort of thing. The use of the word, "loud" would be better to refer to a fan running at full speed rather than slow/low speed.

Well, that's my opinion, anyway. I think it would help clarify things.

If the fan is truly "noisy" in other words making non-normal sounds, then it'd be best to just get a new fan, and replace it. Go to one of the many sites which sell computer parts, and order one that fits your CPU, and that it fits your heatsink as well.

If the fan is just running at full throttle - not really making any additional noise, but just sounding louder than mormal, then it may very well be an issue with some other hardware (or software).

And when you say it's going to sleep.... do you mean it goes into hibernation, or just sleep? How sure are you as to what it's doing? What symptoms/details make you think it's one or the other.

One way to test, maybe fix the issue, if it's related to hibernation is to initially disable hibernation. See how it does with hibernation totally disabled. Then if it seems to fix it, and you want hibernation, try re-enabling it, and see what happens. It'll take some time, obviously, but it should give a real world picture as to whether sleep/hibernation has any role in the events.

Another test, if it's not hibernation, would be to change the power settings. Change how long it takes for the hard drive to go to sleep for instance... or disable "sleep" altogether by running it at "high performance" mode, or whatever it was called in XP - I don't recall at the moment.

 

[C0mmUN1cAt0r]

the fan is running at full speed, there are no weird sounds as if its broke etc,

its not sleep as this is a vista function, on windows xp you can go to shutdown the machine but put it in standby, when I do this and then resume the system out of standby the fan runs at normal acceptable speed/level

 

[kjv1611]

Find your power settings, on the "advanced" tab, I think it is, see if "hibernation" is ticked. If it is, uncheck/untick it, reboot, and see how the system does after that.

Also, have you tried any general cleanup/fixup apps on your system that look in the temp files, registry, and such?

CCleaner, Advanced System Care, and Glary Utilities all seem to work well. Also, on XP, you can use RegscrubXP.

The reason I ask about those is that occasionally, especially if it's been a long time since the last clean up or reinstall of the system, Windows can get some weird/odd errors. And that's not just a Windows problem. I've seen it in some various applications as well. I guess it's kinda like being overweight - being heavier than your "optimal" weight can often make you tire easier, maybe get sick easier... I suppose.

 

[goombawaho]

Oh jeez - loud as in "spinning fast" vs. loud as in "worn out". BIOS update perhaps as well since it controls the fan.

Have we checked for dirt on the CPU heat sink??? That would force the fan to work harder to cool the same amount.

 

[wizzard2k2]

WHY would the fan spin at full speed when it's cold (initial startup), and not when it's warm (wake from sleep)?

This sounds like a software fault, maybe something that was installed then removed, but maybe not completely?

You might want to check your startup programs and see if there's anything in there that doesn't belong - whatever it is, it's not 're-awakening' when the computer wakes up...

 

[goombawaho]

Many PCs just do that upon POST to test the fan. Then the fan settles down to normal operating range for a cool PC.

Did something change?? BIOS settings, software installed???