what to do about a whiny puter?

[grasswire]

My computer was built for me this year of spare parts. It runs great, does everything I want it to do, but it has an annoying operating noise. It's a mid-range whine that sometimes is louder than other times. If I poke the shell with my foot, the sound will diminish for a while, but then come back.

What would cause this?

[steve2470]

1. fan bearing going bad maybe ? nt

[Phillip McCleod]

2. yeh probably one of the fans. probably the power supply fan.

they make hotrod silent ones that are about $50 or so.

[TheMadMonk]

3. Almost certainly a fan with failing bearings.

Remove the cover, and while the computer is running, one by one, briefly stop the fans with a finger until you find the one making the noise. Replace it.

Last fan will be inside the power supply. For this use a plastic pen or wooden pencil (nothing metal). Poke it through the grill at the rear of the case. Ignore the clatter, is the sound you don't like gone? Unless you're confident about opening up high voltage enclosures, have someone who is replace the fan, or replace the whole power supply.

[grasswire]

4. thanks everyone for the tips.

I should have suspected something to do with the fan.

Right now it's absolutely quiet.

[lastlib]

5. "absolutely quiet"? Plotting its next move to annoy you?

hope you get it worked out!

[CK_John]

6. Put rubber coasters under box on wood floor or shelf. On carpet place wood blocks under box,

to allow air flow and steady box.