[mrpooh3]

Hi there,I have had my PC a few years now and am thinking about selling it and upgrading but sometimes when I power on the PC,there is a loud rattling noise.I normally turn the computer off and when I turn it back on the noise has gone ,ocassionally I have to switch it on and of a few times but the loud rattling does go off and the PC runs as normal.Before I sell I would obviously get this fixed.Could it be something simple I could fix on my own or am I better to get my local PC tech to look at it?

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Are you talking about a desktop or a laptop?

A rattling noise inside a computer sounds like a fan issue?

How many fans do you have? Many desktop computers have a cpu fan, a case fan, and a power supply fan.

Do you clean the inside of your computer regularly? Is it dusty inside of the case?
First step is to get a can of compressed air and blow all the dust out. If this does not stop the rattling then you need to replace the fans.

Dust buildup can cause the fans to go bad. When the fans are not working, the computer can get hot, which is bad for your computer. The fans inside your computer helps push the hot air out of your computer.

If it is you power supply fan making the the noise, then you need to replace the power supply.

If it's you cpu fan, then you need to replace the cpu fan.

If it's the case fan, then you should replace it (a case fan is cheap)

Depending on you skill level, it's up to you to do it yourself or have someone else fix it for you.

[mgabriel]

Are you talking about a desktop or a laptop?

A rattling noise inside a computer sounds like a fan issue?

How many fans do you have? Many desktop computers have a cpu fan, a case fan, and a power supply fan.

Do you clean the inside of your computer regularly? Is it dusty inside of the case?
First step is to get a can of compressed air and blow all the dust out. If this does not stop the rattling then you need to replace the fans.

Dust buildup can cause the fans to go bad. When the fans are not working, the computer can get hot, which is bad for your computer. The fans inside your computer helps push the hot air out of your computer.

If it is you power supply fan making the the noise, then you need to replace the power supply.

If it's you cpu fan, then you need to replace the cpu fan.

If it's the case fan, then you should replace it (a case fan is cheap)

Depending on you skill level, it's up to you to do it yourself or have someone else fix it for you.

[mrpooh3]

hi mgabriel,I did not realise my desktop had so many fans!I thought it just had one for the CPU I thought it may have been a fan issue but I'm not sure.I don't fancy venturing inside so i'll telephone my local PC techie and get him to have a look at it.I just hope it won't be too expensive!thanks for the quick and helpful reply though

[mrpooh3]

hi again....I decided to have a look inside the case and it has 4 fans.it is a desktop x-blade gaming case.The cpu fan is working fine and so is the PSU fan,however there are two case fans.the one on the side works fine but the front intake fan is not working.(is an intake fan different from the others?)It looks quite difficult to reach.

[mgabriel]

The front fan is a case fan and cheap to replace. Be shore to unlug your computer prior to removing the fan. The fan should be held to the case by four screws. Unplug the fan and unscrew the fan. Take the fan to a computer part store and match the size. If you can post a picture of the fan and I can have a better look at it.

[mrpooh3]

The front fan is very difficult to get access to.Is it possible to intall a fan on the back of the case rather than the front?

[rshaffer61]

Does the front face come off the system? This is where you can access the fan easier.

[mrpooh3]

I am unsure as to how to get the front of the case off.

[rshaffer61]

Look at the bottom of the case in the front. Are there tabs on the front panel that clip into the steel skeleton of the case?

[mgabriel]

Can you post any pictures of you case inside and out?

[mrpooh3]

hi,I took some of the little panels of the front of the case but the fan is placed behind another sheet of metal that seems to be pinned together.Unfortunately I don't have access to a camera.I was hoping I could put a fan on the back instead,otherwise I think my local PC guy will have to do it

[mrpooh3]

Will the front fan be different from the side case fan?...As I read somewhere it was called an intake fan

[mrpooh3]

I'm sorry guys but I have got to go.I will try and get a camera and upload some pics tomorrow.thanks for the help

[rshaffer61]

The difference between a intake and exhaust is nothing more then which way the fan blows air. Basically the same fan but turned around to bring air in instead of blowing it out.
The other option is to check and see if the hard drive tray is removable which would allow you access to the fan then.

[mgabriel]

Does your case look closely like this one:




If it is you have to go through where the hard drive is installed at, which should be installed where the front fan is.

The front fan is an 80mm fan which can be replaced with either an 80mm or 120mm fan. You can add a 120mm fan to the back. The fan you buy works two ways. Install it one way and it sucks air out of case, the other it blows air inside the case. Usually the front blows in and the back blows out.

Edited by mgabriel, 01 December 2009 - 05:53 PM.