Vibrations

[apex1x]

Here is a new thread about vibrations.
Now, my computer recently has been vibrating quite a bit and I'm wondering if there are certain adjustments I can make. It seems to be the CPU fan thats the problem but what sort of adjustments(besides a hammer) would you recommmend. It vibrates so much my coffee mug jitters across the desk.

 

[micker377]

That can't be good for the plug-in boards and connections(vibrate loose). You can remove the power supply, and set it on top of the case to test. If it's a few years old, hold the fan with a pencil so the blades can't turn, and blow the dust out with a can of "clean air". If this don't do it (bad bearings), replace the power supply. The fan can be replaced, but you can get a severe shock opening the power supply, even when it's unplugged.

 

[edfair]

Time to replace the CPU fan. Sleeve bearings can wear in such a way that they go off balance and fan plastic can crack and cause the same thing.


Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[garebo]

Just as a test you can peel back the label on the fan and oil it. A few drops will do. If it gets better then you know for sure what the problem is and replace the fan.
As already suggested, check the fan shroud to see if there is any cracked\broken plastic. One could use crazy glue on the cracked plastic, but again, i would still replace the unit asap.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[micker377]

I don't think that the CPU fan has enough mass to shake the whole computer desk. I would look for a larger fan such as a chassis fan, or as I mentioned, the power supply fan.

 

[garebo]

apex wrote: It seems to be the CPU fan

So i went by what he said!
Although i would agree with you, its hard to imagine the cpu fan vibrating the whole computer unless its a real extreme example, the fan shroud would have to be broken and almost falling off, etc, in which case the cpu should fail (amd) or throttle down (pentium).
Therefore maybe apex means a case (chassis) fan or the power supply fan and not the cpu fan?

Whichever fan it is, you could still oil it just to make sure that is the problem, then replace it. If its the power supply fan and its a cheaper or older one, then replace it instead.
What kind of system do you have?
We definitely need more info.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[edfair]

If it is a fan hanging from gunk in the sleeve bearings it will be noisy but not out of balance enough to shake the machine.

If is a worn bearing, no amount of oil is going to resolve the problem.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[apex1x]

Thanks for the suggestions thus far.
To clarify a few things; It doesn't start as large vibrations but the fan seems to hit on the harmonic frequency of the chassis and it makes a really loud noise and really does vibrate. Now the case doesn't shake like crazy but its well.... more like an electric shaver's vibration level.
When I put the computer on an angle the noise lets up and some vibrations go away. Probably CPU fan shifting?

Also, it progressively gets louder. Does the CPU fan speed up automatically when its being used more?

 

[micker377]

By "CPU" fan, we are talking about the small 2 inch fan directly on top of the AMD (or Intel) CPU?

 

[BenyG]

Yes. The system fan is just a seperate power plug on the mobo that you can use to help lower the temperature of your PC. They are far more common with countries with hot climates where 1 fan cannot be enough.

Benjamin

 

[garebo]

Get a new fan and install it.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[micker377]

BenyG, I was asking apex1x if we were in fact talking about the "CPU" fan. I know many people who refer to the tower as the CPU. If this was the case, he would really mean the power supply fan.

Apex1x, have you removed the power supply, as I suggested, to find out for sure?

 

[garebo]

We had better make sure we all understand what fan we are talking about.
You usually have a fan in the front of the case at or near the bottom, then there is a fan on the cpu and there could be a fan on the northbridge on the motherboard and there could be a fan on the video card. There is also, of course, a fan on the power supply, and there could be another fan in the rear of the case.

apex1x, you mentioned your cpu fan is causing the problem. Is this the fan that is attached to a large heatsink, which is also connected to your cpu? Or are you talking about a different fan?


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[apex1x]

I think the original fan on the AMD CPU is causing the noise. If I poke it a bit or put the box on a slant, the vibrations/noise is decreased.
I'll double check the power supply just in case I'm going crazy.
Will get back to ya.

 

[garebo]

If its the fan on the amd cpu then simply get another and replace it.

Just as a test you can peel back the label on the fan and oil it. A few drops will do. If it gets better then you know for sure what the problem is and replace the fan.
As already suggested, check the fan shroud to see if there is any cracked\broken plastic. One could use crazy glue on the cracked plastic, but again, i would still replace the unit asap.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips