Member Avatar for billy61788

i appologize if this is in the wrong section. Lately my computer fan has been turning on and when it runs it is very loud. I let my copmuter sit over night and i turned it on and within 10 minutes the fan came on and is loud as can be. How do i stop this? i dont think it would be overheating that fast. maybe it need a dusting inside? or something else? please help...thanks

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Quick expert summary: loud fans come from three things — restricted airflow (dust), mechanical wear (worn bearings or blade contact), or fans spinning fast because a temperature sensor or controller is driving them. Several replies here point to cleaning and replacement — and were right that cleaning is the cheapest first step, while and correctly note that worn bearings often mean replacement. Below is a short, safe troubleshooting sequence and a few practical tips that go beyond the replies.

  • Identify the source first. Remove the side panel, boot the machine, and listen with the side off. Use a rolled piece of paper or a cardboard tube to channel sound so you can localize the noisy fan without touching spinning blades.
  • Check temperatures and fan RPMs in the BIOS or with your motherboard/sensor utility (as suggested). If temps are normal, noise is likely mechanical rather than thermal.
  • Clean safely. Power down and unplug, ground yourself, then use short bursts of canned compressed air on fans and heatsinks. Hold the fan hub (not the blades) to stop overspin while you blow. Avoid household vacuums on components — ’s post shows static can kill parts.
  • Lubrication is a temporary patch only for certain sleeve-bearing fans if you can access the bearing; for sealed or ball-bearing fans replacement is the right call.
  • Replace sensibly. Match the fan size and connector, prefer larger fans (lower RPM for same airflow), choose a quiet model with good bearings, and use rubber mounts or washers to cut vibration. For noisy PSU fans, replace the PSU or have a pro replace the fan — do not open the PSU yourself because of stored charge (a safety point touched on).

Do not bang the chassis to "fix" noise — that risks hard-drive damage (as warned). If cleaning and a good-quality fan swap don’t fix it, have the PSU and bearings checked professionally.

Recommended Answers

All 17 Replies

Member Avatar for Kerjo

Have you tried taking it out and cleaning off the dust? Blow it out with some air too.

Member Avatar for Catweazle

Clean it!

I use a soft bristled, clean paint brush to dust off, then a plunger type camp mattress inflater to blow the dust out of the case. If the fan is still loud, try carefully peeling back the sticker, and applying a single drop of sewing machine oil to the tiny hole you'll see above the spindle. If that doesn't help - replace the fan as a matter of urgency.

Member Avatar for Yzk

I've had the same problem a couple of months ago.. a couple of bangs against the computer solved it though. I'll try cleaning my computer as well.

Member Avatar for Catweazle

If that happens, it probably indicates a fan that's working its way forward on the bearing. If that's the case, the fan should be replaced anyway, because it'll fail sooner rather than later.

Member Avatar for Mastadex

What are your computer stats? and if you know what motherboard you have, then the motherboard manufacturer ususally has a untility that lets you monitor system values like cpu temperature, fan speed, voltage etc.

commented: Great answer! +3
Member Avatar for dlh6213

I've had the same problem a couple of months ago.. a couple of bangs against the computer solved it though. I'll try cleaning my computer as well.

If you're 'banging' your computer while it's running, you are probably damaging the platters in your hard drive!

Member Avatar for TallCool1

i appologize if this is in the wrong section. Lately my computer fan has been turning on and when it runs it is very loud. I let my copmuter sit over night and i turned it on and within 10 minutes the fan came on and is loud as can be. How do i stop this? i dont think it would be overheating that fast. maybe it need a dusting inside? or something else? please help...thanks

Bearing wear is a problem with cheap DC fans, noise is a major symptom. Actually you can replace the fan yourself, based on the physical measurements and the current rating--it's pretty easy. Most are 80mm x 80 mm square x 25mm thick. This is a pretty typical power supply replacement fan. You may be able to find a similar one locally at a computer store or trade show.

Make sure the supply is unplugged for an hour or more before you open it to discharge the capacitors.

Member Avatar for alc6379

Make sure the supply is unplugged for an hour or more before you open it to discharge the capacitors.

Does it really need to be this long? I thought that's why motherboards had those little lights on them-- to tell when the power in the system has been discharged.

Usually, all I do is unplug the system, and then hold the power button in for about 10 seconds, and then crack things open. Have I just been lucky up to this point? I've never been zapped, or anything...

Member Avatar for Catweazle

That's fine for working on the inrenals of the system itself, Alex, but when you're cracking open the power supply unit itself it pays to be quite a bit more cautious. There's some rather big-ass capacitors inside power units!

Member Avatar for Dani

Please be careful when dusting off the interior of your computer. I mistakingly dusted out the inside of my machine with a mini electronic vacuum. The kind that is typically used to clean the dust under the keys of a keyboard or other electronics. Unfortunately, I ended up killing one of my sticks of RAM at the same time. :(

Member Avatar for mokkema

Please be careful when dusting off the interior of your computer. I mistakingly dusted out the inside of my machine with a mini electronic vacuum. The kind that is typically used to clean the dust under the keys of a keyboard or other electronics. Unfortunately, I ended up killing one of my sticks of RAM at the same time. :(

Oooh jeeze, yup that happens. Static electricity is not your friend if your a computer geek!

this is also coming from the kid who never uses a static wrist band...and wont til something actually gets zapped by me :mrgreen:

Member Avatar for jessiemcmillan

buy a cheap air can and blow out your fan and the power supply box that should help with the heat, if not buy a new fan

Member Avatar for Yzk

What I did was bang a little, not banging it with a big baseball bat (however I do feel the urge sometimes ;) ) lol

I take my time when it comes to cleaning, a big dry cloth of kitchen paper and being careful that it doesn't stick. Lots of blowing from my lungs and I also use a small vacuum cleaner, however I don't use it on the interior, my chassis has a removable exterior with air holes in it and because the chassis is on a wooden floor without any kind of lifting from the ground its a working vacuum cleaner as it is. Its not something I'm proud of, but here we don't have the space to put it up, because it reaches the desk if it does.

Member Avatar for horatio

Just get a new fan. They are not expensive.

Member Avatar for sheiep

Cranberry juice did the trick for me. Pour a little of it on the motherboard and it will clear it right up.

Member Avatar for ekkanh

You shouldn't bang your computer at all. Just do as everyone here says, open the computer and clean it. Sometimes I use a vacuum cleaner very carefully to clean off all the dust.

Member Avatar for maximochka

You can buy a new fan - (just fan) on eBay auction,
Buy a good known brand
and attach it even with strips - it will be good to cool your CPU , VGA , case with no sound.

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