Well since the forum title is "PC", I'd say you were on-topic 😀

I don't know if PCs require internal cleaning - they probably do, a lot of dust or whatever.

Well, eventually they all need to be cleaned out, but when it's needed is dictated by the environment where they are running.

It sounded like a bee was stuck in my PC - loud buzzing or squealing or something. It would slow down and quiet down until it would stop.

Sounds like my original GeForce fan. It could pretty bad, sounded like a tortured squirrel sometimes and could get really loud.

Maybe the fan needs some lubrication or something.

Most, if not all, fans are sealed so you're relegated to cleaning (air only) or replacement.

To confirm it's your fan you need to remove the case cover (or a panel) and listen to find the actual source. It's probably a fan, but even then you have at least 2 fans, probably more. So you need to be sure what the source is.

But what do you think it is and how serious do you think it is based on what I have described?

If you were running an AMD processor and it was the CPU fan, I would be concerned (it will cook the chip if the fan stops).

However, you're running a P4, so you have Intel's "safety valve". If the fan were to stop, the processor would keep slowing down until the temperature cools down to a tolerable point. Of course, at some point it's going crash the OS. So if the sound were to go away and then your computer slows down massively, you probably need to check that fan.

In any case, you need to open the case and confirm the source of the noise.

Yep, follow Nicht's suggestions.....

It's most likely the PSU (power supply) fan. You see those with fans problems alot in computer repair. Just get a can of air and blow it out.

It's best to blow out the air in your PC about once a month, most people think that since their case is "contained' that dust will not build up but that's what the fan's are for. One for intake and one for outake. Most case fan's have inadequate filters (or none at all) which accounts for the dust in the PC.

I better do what you guys said. I just turned it on and it was loud immediately just like two months ago. I think the PC is in a particularly dusty area. I need to change something here.

DosFreak wrote:

It's best to blow out the air in your PC about once a month, most people think that since their case is "contained' that dust will not build up but that's what the fan's are for. One for intake and one for outake. Most case fan's have inadequate filters (or none at all) which accounts for the dust in the PC.

Mwah! *huggles his Lian-Li PC60-USB case with carbon filters over the intakes*

I had that exact same problem; I had 3 fans on top of my Athlon and they would buzz severely loud at the beginning of boot up and then they'd soften down as the computer was left on.

Your best bet is to replace it.

But is it just annoying or could it become a serious thing?

It could very easily become a serious problem. If the fan fails, kiss your CPU goodbye.

Actually, since she's on a P4 the CPU should survive (processor slows down until temp reaches a safe zone), but it would still lock up the machine.

In any case, you need to confirm the source so you're not needlessly replacing parts. Run the PC without it's case cover/cover panels. When you hear the sound, jump to it and start listening to pinpoint the source. If you're still uncertain, take it to that shop mentioned and explain it to them and let them have a shot.

I had a GeForce that became lout shortly after installing it. It never really got quiet again, but it still runs, so this isn't always a harbinger of doom.

No harbringer of doom, but jet still VERY annoying.. BTW, most.. if not all AMD processors have a temperature sensor in it that should make some terrible beeps when the temp is to high.

Still I'd recommend you'll replace the fan, it's not that expensive.

I'd not even get a fan. I'd get one of those fan heatsinks (uh, shaped like a fan, heh). I know I want one. No fans means silent running, and they'll work up to a 1600MHz Athlon XP sans fan (even higher with the fan).

Fan heatsinks? What is that? Is that supposed to absorb the heat and not let the whole computer warm up or something?

If my CPU does fry, will I lose the information on my PC? I don't think so since that's the hard drive, but I don't know for certain if it would effect the data.

For now, you need to confirm the source of the noise. If you can't, then maybe you should take it to that shop you had mentioned earlier and have them take a look at it (presuming of course, you trust them with it).

meh...this beast is what I'm talking about. God, isn't it sexy?! I think it is. >:) In any case, it's said that this is a better heatsink, and it's probably gonna be what I get.

Heatsinks absorb the heat generated by your cpu. Without a heatsink, your CPU would fry in 2-5 seconds. The only way you'll have data loss from a blown CPU would be a result of the CPU crashing during a write operation to your HDD, and that would only be the data that was being written. Problem is, CPUs are rather pricey ($200 is about average price for a high-end processor), so you don't exactly want to go around blowing them up.

Snover wrote:

this beast is what I'm talking about.

Interesting. Looks like it came straight from Fritz Lang's "Metropolis"

... isn't it sexy?! I think it is.

Your descriptions of hardware can be "uncomfortable" at times.

Heatsinks absorb the heat generated by your cpu. Without a heatsink, your CPU would fry in 2-5 seconds.

Actually, since she has a P4, it should last a lot longer. Having said that, you sure wouldn't want to leave it running after it's fan dies.

Yeah, gotta love the P4... throttles down to avoid fryage 'till it crashes. I would feel more comfortable if that was a feature on the AMD processors, but I've also heard bad things about it (like too much heat conductivity with the throttling circuitry). *shrug* In any case, indeed, you wouldn't want it to stay on. 😜

By desk is really limited in that it's hard to get the case off and put it there. I will have to put it on top of the desk I suppose.

One thing I am noticing is that reguardless of how many times the sound occurs in the day, or how loud, it definitely is ongoing at night (the sound is always present). It sometimes sounds constant, and sometimes makes random little changes in the sound. But since the PC is on most of the day, by the end it must be warmer and so the fan is trying harder to work or something. I don't know, but the sound is always present at the later hours it's on for.

I better do something about it. Even if it's not serious, it is very annoying, and I want to put my mind at ease.

If you push on the fan while it's on (the centre of the thing, we don't want any lost fingers) does that make the sound stop? If so, it's probably just a bearing/dust issue.

The most likely culprits for noise are always the fans, it may be your cpu fan which can be easily changed, but may possibly be the fan in your power supply unit at the rear of the pc(its the part that the power cable goes into), so if you put your ear next to this you should be able to tell if thats your problem. One other possibility for the noise is vibration through your pc case. If one of the panels is not screwed in properly(or even if it is on some cases)you may get vibratory noise. Hope this helps!

My fan does this too quite often 😀

I will go in and give it a cleanout later

A friend of mine baught a Geforce4 MX, and his fan on it, totaly siezed up within about one month of having it.

Not good, the fan just up and died!