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Community Newsletter: Q&A: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns?
- 3/21/08 10:47 AM
It may be much easier than you think.
by ErikHockman - 3/10/08 5:27 AM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There's a jolly good chance the bearings on the cooling fan are going bad. If you disconnect it and the noise goes away, you know you've got an inexpensive problem which is easy to fix.
Hum coming from PC
by willix - 3/10/08 6:01 AM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Before you start buying new components, open the case for your PC - I've had numerous such hums over the years on many systems. Usually the cause is a fan - the power supply's fan, the CPU cooling fan, or a case mounted fan. As the fans get full of dust or their bearings start to give out, such vibrations start to get louder and louder. Often when you turn your pc off, the next time you turn it on, the noise is more pronounced, and sometimes the fan just stops running. If it is the CPU's fan, the system will overheat rather quickly and either not boot at all , or freeze up shortly after turning the pc on. Good luck.
Check fans first
by tchristoff - 3/10/08 8:51 AM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First, confirm that there are no CDs in the CD drives and that the CD drives aren't making the hum.
I would check the fans next. You most likely have at least 2, and possibly more.
First, find your power supply fan and listen to see if it is coming from that area. If so, I suggest replacing the power supply. It is possible to replace just the fan in the power supply, but power supplies are relatively inexpensive, and not hard to replace. Not to mention, they keep some power, even when unplugged so there is a risk of shock. Just make sure you note what plug goes where and watch for Electro Static Discharge (make sure you and the PC are grounded).
If the hum doesn't seem to come from the power supply fan, check the CPU fan next. You will need to open up the PC to do this. If it is coming from the CPU fan, most computer stores carry a variety of CPU fans, one of which should fit your CPU. Note, you shouldn't have to unscrew the tiny screws on the CPU fan. The fan is usually screwed onto an assembly that clips to the CPU. You may want to take it to the store for comparison. It is usually pretty easy to isolate if the hum is coming from one of the fans.
If the hum is not coming from a fan try listening near the hard drive to see if the hum is coming from that area.
Noise diagnosis
by LarryH - 3/10/08 12:08 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Is the hum coming from the computer/case itself or the speakers? This seriously determines how you go about diagnosing the problem. If it's coming out of the speakers then it comes down to:
Checking for solid sound card connection (if separate) to motherboard
Checking for loose audio cables
Trying different speaker product
Trying out a set of headphones
The point is to try one thing at a time to see what might be the cause.
Now, if the sound is not coming out of your speakers then most likely it is an issue relating to something with moving parts. This all relates to hardware so it may or may not be something you are comfortable doing. Possible sources of the hum could include:
Hard drive(s)
Fan(s)
Loose screws (in the computer, not the owner)
Power supply
If the hum is present at all times then I would try the following:
First open the case and see if you can tell generally where the sound is coming from. If it sounds like the hard drive, turn the machine off, disconnect the power connection of your hard drive and see if the sound is present when you turn the machine back on. It won't boot but at least you can listen for the hum. If it's the hard drive then I would suggest you make sure the screws holding in the hard drive are tight. Ultimately, I would recommend replacing the hard drive. Most new drives include software for copying your old drive's data to the new drive. You may want to make a separate backup first, though.
For each fan, while the PC is running you can push on the center of the fan to momentarily slow down or stop the fan (be careful to not touch the fins as that might be a bit painful). If you notice a change in the hum volume then you have found your culprit. I have been told that sometimes you can oil a fan but that may depend on the fan.
Make sure all your case screws and electronic connections are tight. Make sure all cables are not touching anything with moving parts. When I got a new machine a few years ago, there was a terrible noise the first time I turned it on. It turned out the case fan cable was hitting the case fan blades. I fixed this with a small zip tie to the case.
If it seems like the power supply is the source you could always replace it and see what happens.
I hope this proves helpful.
Larry
HOOVER HUM
by andrewdad - 3/10/08 12:19 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
HI MIKE
IM ANDY .IT SEEMS TO ME YOUR BEST BET IS, SCREWDRIVER.KITCHEN TABLE GET THE TOWER ON IT,BEWARE OF THE STATIC (WEAR RUBBER GLOVES) OPEN CASE CHECK YOUR
POWER PACK FOR A BUILD UP OF DUST.AND FAN IS FREE FROM STRAY WIRES.HOVER OUT IF POSS.PLUG TOWER BACK ON ITSELF,WITH BACK OPEN IF POSS.HOPEFULLY NO MORE HUM. IF THERE IS THEN AT LEAST YOU WILL ROUGHLY KNOW WHATS WRONG.TO AVOID BEING RIPPED OFF. GOOD LUCK
Check Fans
by rsonnenberg - 3/10/08 1:03 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think the most likely source of a hum or buzz is one of the fans. I have had to replace several case fans because the bearings wore out and they started making a lot of noise. I have also had the tiny fan on a graphic card go bad and start making lots of noise.
The last time this happened with my mom's computer, I opened the case and belw out all the crud that had accumulated in the case fan. It ran quiter for about a week, but eventually I had to replace that case fan.
If you are comfortable opening up your computer and running it with the case open, you can simply stop the case fan with your finger (which is probably not advised) or unplug it while the computer is not running. It will only take a second to figure out if it is causing the problem if you run the computer briefly with fans stopped or unplugged.
You can also physically stop other fans briefly to see if they are causing the noise. It could be the CPU fan or a fan on the graphic card.
While you have the case open, you should blow the dust off the fans, especially the CPU fan and heat sink.
humming sound from pc
by isctkc - 3/14/08 9:09 PM In reply to: Check Fans by rsonnenbergsource of noise is choking up of fans and heat sinks above processor and power supply keep these in clean state so that overheating does not fail your pc. this will cause high memory usage and sometime processor burn out or power supply failing. disconnect other drives to check if the noise /humming sound is from other than these two.
INDER JEET SINGH CHADHA
Find that Humm
by Pguerre1 - 3/10/08 2:13 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Mike,
#1 Before you do anything, make sure you make a backup of your system. An disk image software like Norton Ghost will work but there are many other good backup software out there. Discussion of backing up your system is a whole other section. Once you have a good backup try the following steps.
- Place the computer on a table where you will be able to examine it easily and remove the side panel(s).
- Turn on the computer and see if you can isolate the location of the hum.
- Turn off the computer and get an air can and blow out the dust from computer. Concentrate on areas with moving parts particularly fans. Make sure you prevent the fans from spinning when you blow them out as it can hurt the motor. An area some people forget to blow out is the Power supply.
- Turn on the computer and see if the hum has stopped or changed.
- If the hum continues then turn off the computer and one by one methodically remove non essential equipment from the area where the humming is located. (ie Adapter cards, CD roms, Hard drives). When you work on harddrives remove any secondary harddrives first. Removing the primary will make your computer stop working but if you can identify the harddrive as the problem then it will be worth it.
- Once you find which of the components is causing the problem reconnect the other components back into the computer.
- If it is a component that is critical to the system (eg powersupply) then you may need to purchase one to substitute during the test. Don't worry if it is not the power supply because you should be able to return your purchase back to the store if it turns out not to be the problem. Another suggestion on the power supply is to remember to purchase one that is equal (or better yet) more power then the original.
- Once you identify the component you can have it checked or decide to replace/upgrade it. Your choice.
Hope this helps
Pierre
Concern About Hum In Computer
by JCipo - 3/10/08 3:57 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Unless you want the machine to hum and put you to sleep you better run, not walk, to a place who will sell you a backup exterior drive or a program that will back everything up, and back everything up NOW (or even yesterday). After 30 years of experience with computers, you don't want to take chances with your data. It sounds like the drive is ready to fail. But if you have had that computer for more then two years without a major problem ....consider yourself lucky.
You want to repair a computer that is over two years old? WHY?
By the time you pay for this repair you may be able to buy two new computers. And if the problem is fixed...how long will it be until another problem appears in this old machine....a year....a month....a day? I hope you act quickly because it is soooo frustrating when a hard drive crashes wiping out all of your info
THE "HUM"
by goatie2001 - 3/10/08 9:44 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
THE HUM YOU HEAR IS PROBABLY THE BUILT-IN FAN IN YOUR COMPUTER TOWER.THIS IS NORMAL.YOU MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED IT BEFORE BECAUSE YOU WERE DOING THINGS THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE A GREAT AMONT OF PROCESSOR OR VIRTUAL MEMORY.AS YOU REQUIRE YOUR MACHINE TO DO MORE THINGS ON YOUR COMPUTER,ESPEXCIALLY MULTI-TASKING,THIS REQUIRES YOUR PROCESSOR(S) TO WORK HARDER,THUS MAKING THE COMPUTER TO HEAT UP. THE FAN KEEPS THE COMPUTER FROM OVER-HEATING.THE MOER THE LOAD THE WARMER YOUR COMPUTER GETS AND THE MORE THE FAN WORKS AT HIGHER SPEEDS.HENCE,THE"HUM".I HOPE THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUERY!
SINCERELY,
GOATIE2001@YAHOO.COM
Hum in harddrive
by abilone71 - 3/15/08 7:22 AM In reply to: THE "HUM" by goatie2001I also had a hum in my harddrive. Somedays it would not hum but many days I could hear the hum. I took it to the computer tech and he said the fan was ready to quit working. Replaced. Abilone
Steps to take
by victor_thai - 3/11/08 8:14 AM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have an experience when the hard drive goes bad, it started with a clicking sound, like an analogue watch that can not catch a gear. The hard drive will always be blinking and high speed spinning even when you are not using any program. Then programs starts to crash and the machine starts to shut off randomly or Blue screen of death (BSOD). Usually at this stage there is not much that can be done because you don't know when your computer will shut off by itself to do a full backup of your information. If you see those signs earlier buy an external Hard drive and start getting all the important info copied. For me it takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes to copy a 500GB hard drive on a Core2Duo so allow plenty of time.
Another possibility is the ventilation. Check to see if dust is clogging up the fans from 3 years of use. Fans from the case and power supply could cause the case to vibrate if it can not spin properly thus the humming sound.
Or if you have added a graphics card or new CPU check your power supply. The new hardware usually need more power. The hum could be from drawing not enough power to support the new hardware.
Hope that helps Mike can't think of anything else. If you are not too sure just backup all your important data first.
i had same problem
by leela_In_Dar - 3/11/08 9:49 AM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi there,
i had this humming problem for my HP machine. it was my 1st machine. after 3-4 yrs of use, the humming started . then it became a vibrating sound. i called a technician and he said it came from hard disc.we had to replace it. then after 1-2 yrs it started agin and i replaced the pc, got new pc. i think ur pc is outdated.
1)plz check with a technician where exactly the sound comes from
2) check ur hdd
3) if necessary, change the hdd
then see if the sound is still there..
then i wud suggest u better change ur system.
Got Cats?
by pie guy - 3/11/08 5:36 PM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Look for the cheapest solutions and work your way up. It may be as simple as an asthmatic wheeze of a dirty fan. If the hum is fairly constant it's more likely a cooling fan (either processor or power supply) than a drive. If your computer is working at all, the power supply is probably functioning properly.
Computer Making Noise
by waytron - 3/12/08 4:12 AM In reply to: Humming coming from my PC, what should be my concerns? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you discover that your computer is starting to make noises that were not there before, then it is definitely time to determine the cause before something major fails. But, before you even start messing with the insides, you should backup your data. A 4 year old computer is a ticking time bomb with a hard drive that is going to blow at some point and in most cases there is no way to predict exactly when that will happen. If you are real lucky you might get a warning on your screen or you might even notice strange noises coming from the hard drive, but in most cases there is no warning. With all the backup options available today, including online, there is no excuse for not backing up ones computer. If you are not comfortable with opening up your computer or dont want to take the chance of making things worse, I would suggest taking it to your local repair shop and letting them take a look at it. Some shops have a free, while-you-wait evaluation. If you decide to check it out for yourself, be very careful because finding the source of a noise requires that you open your computer while it is plugged in and running. You should be familiar with ESD precautions as well as standard electrical safety procedures. Dropping a screw or tool into an open and running computer can result in blowing out the system board. I would suggest turning off your computer to remove the cover and then move it into a convenient position to work on before plugging it back in and rebooting.
Fortunately, there are really very few moving parts within the standard computer that can even make noise so it should be fairly easy to determine where the problem is. You have:
FANS Most all computers have at least one fan and often you will find 2 or more, especially in a custom machine. There can be 1 or 2 in the power supply, 1 for the processor, 1 or more for the chassis itself and even a small one on your Video Card. Sometimes you will find 1 larger fan that is shrouded in such a way as to cool the processor and chassis at the same time. Fans can start making excessive noise when the bearings start to fail or the blades start to rub against the housing. Sometimes it can be caused by dirt and dust build-up but more often it is simply a matter of the fan is damaged and needs to be replaced. You can usually determine which fan is causing noise by methodically stopping each one with small wooden stick until you locate the problem fan. Do not stop anyone of them for too long because you may cause overheating.
HARD DRIVES Hard drives are another possible source of noise. Having platters that can spin at speeds up to 15,000 RPM, it is not uncommon to hear a slight whirring noise from them. Often, you can also hear the clicking sound of the heads as they position themselves to read or write data. If either of these sounds changes or increases over time, then it could indicate a pending failure. However, some drives inherently make more noise than others and may have no bearing on how long they will last. I have had some drives that whine like crazy and have for years. Sometimes excessive hard drive activity noise is not a physical problem with the drive but rather can be caused by simply increased disk access due to a Virus, Spyware or a fragmented or full drive.
DVD or CD ROM A DVD or CD drive can make all kinds of noise but is easy to troubleshoot because it will only do it when you have a disk loaded into the drive. Simply remove the disk and see if the noise goes away.
POWER SUPPLY Most power supplies have one or more fans built into them and these can start to make noise with age.
SPEAKERS Some Noises can be coming from the sound system and in some cases could even be coming from a built-in speaker or transducer inside the computer. If your speakers cord is not plugged all the way in, you can often get a low grade hum from your sound system. Simply turn off or unplug your speakers to determine if this is the source of your problem.
BEEP CODES Most all computers have Beep Error codes where a series of beep tones are emitted from the computer to help trouble shoot start up problems. You will hear these tones when the computer first starts. You need to check the manual or website for your specific model to determine what the beep codes actually mean.
FANS REVING UP Many computers have adjustable speed fans that will turn themselves up and down depending on the cooling needs of the computer. The harder the computer is working the faster the fans will spin. In many cases, the computer can get clogged with dust and the fans will have to turn on full to try to overcome the dust. It can sound like your computer is going to blast off the desk at any moment. You need to make sure none of the heat sinks or cooling vents are clogged with dust. Note: Many computers will rev up the fan for a few moments when you first turn it on, which can be perfectly normal for that computer.
Good Luck!
Dana
Wayland Computer
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