The only moving parts in a pc are the disk drives and the fans.  (also the 
speaker, I guess)  The bearings can go bad.

She should open the case and try to hear where the noise is coming from. 
Fans are cheap and may be replaceable.  Disk drives are another story. 
There is a fan in the power supply (you can check this fan without opening 
the case), a fan on the cpu, a case fan, maybe, and a video card fan, maybe. 
Might have another fan or two in some instances.

One way to check on a fan is to turn the computer on with a pencil stuck in 
the fan for  a few seconds to keep it from turning.  If it is quiet and then 
gets noisy with the pencil out, then that is the source of that noise.  You 
can check the disk drives by unplugging the power cables to the drives (one 
at a time) before turning on the computer.

As always, you must be very careful not to touch anything else in the case 
with it open!!!   Be extra careful when the power is on.  Touching something 
could harm it or you!

BTW, the cpu fan can get quite loud when the cpu is being heavily used. 
But, if it is too loud, it should be replaced because you don't want it 
going bad and having your cpu fried.

Dean Kukral


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Schroeder" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 8:26 PM
Subject: [PCBUILD] Friends PC has a problem


Hi Listers,
Below is a description of a problem a friend is having with a used PC she 
just purchased not too long ago.  It's a PC a fried of hers put together and 
all I know is that it has XP home edition with all updates applied.  If you 
need any other info let me know and I'll try to find out.

"After my PC has been on a few minutes, the humming is so loud I hear it 
several rooms away.  Then it revs up like it's going to take off, then backs 
down.  I know that's not right.  "

Thanks for your help.
Dave Schroeder

 

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