[Courier]

I've had my computer for 4 years. I've never had any hardware problems with it. About 7 months ago, my house burned up with my computer inside. I decided to have the insurance company clean it instead of having it replaced.

Once I got my computer back, I began to notice a strange sound coming from it. It would start out as a semi-loud whizzing noise, then after 2-3 seconds, it would escalate to a louder noise that was like a whizzing-vibrating sound. After a couple more seconds, it would go away only to start right back up again.

I can stop the sound for about 2 seconds by punching the top of the case above the power supply. I know I shouldn't do that, but the sound is so annoying, it drives me crazy. I've read up other sources for information about it, and learned it was either A. Dust in the power supply fan or B. A failing hard drive.

I got a can of canned air and aired out my computer. I was a little worried though of sticking the nozzle inside the small power supply holes and blowing, even though I had detached all the cords and power cables. After giving it a good clean, I reattached everything and started it up, only to have the horrible sound began AS SOON as I turned on the computer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Well there is definately something wrong try opening up your case and trying to hear exactly where the noise is coming from. If your computer was exposed to so much heat something could have been greatly affected. It probably is the harddrive but you should just try and hear where its coming from first.

[bobletman]

Well there is definately something wrong try opening up your case and trying to hear exactly where the noise is coming from. If your computer was exposed to so much heat something could have been greatly affected. It probably is the harddrive but you should just try and hear where its coming from first.

[SRX660]

Seldom have i heard hard drives making buzzing sounds. They usually make ticking sounds where the read heads at hitting the stops inside the HD. Buzzing sounds are usually fans. Cheap fans have sleeve bearings which can wear quickly to where they wobble on the shaft slightly making the buzzing sounds. If you have no other fans in the computer( cpu fan, case fan) it is probably the Power Supply fan thats buzzing. Now i take the PS's apart and replace the fans, but you may have a easier time just buying a new PS.

http://www.newegg.co...=Power-Supplies

SRX660

Edited by SRX660, 29 November 2006 - 04:23 PM.

[Courier]

Wow, a lot of those PSU are pretty expensive. Do you have one you would recommend?

[SRX660]

Here's what i usually buy.

Good quality for price, this is also the cheapest PS that i buy.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16817153023

For higher quality builds. I pick this one simply because it has the highest amperage on the 12 volt lines at 22 amps. If you are going to run a SLI setup you need all the power you can get.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16817194004

I pick PS's for quality rather than price. I have been let down countless times by cheap poor quality power supply's. It's only a few dollars more and the cost of the rest of the computer makes it worthwhile to buy a good one. I also stay with thermotake, enermax, and seasonic PS's over all the others.

SRX660