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Computer makes an odd sound when booting, and shortly afterwards

AizawaAizawa Registered User regular
edited May 2010 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
That was a long title.

Anyway, as I wrote; my computer makes a noise when I start it, and shortly afterwards. We're talking... maybe 5-10 minutes. It sounds as though a cord is hitting a fan, but there are no cords close to any fans now. I built the computer myself, and I made sure no cords were close to... well, anything.

It doesn't sound very loud. It's hard to describe, but it resembles a cord hitting a fan, although the "tock-tock-tock", if you allow me to write it like that, is neither as loud as the real thing, nor as fast as the real thing. I know this is probably a little hard to understand, but I don't know how to describe it in any other way.

I've had the computer for a year now, and it's always made that noise. Nothing has broken (yet), but I'm very curious as to what it could be.

Any ideas?

Druid
1801011.png
Please, excuse any socially awkward actions taken by me. I have autism.
Aizawa on

Posts

  • EgoEgo Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Could be a one of the bearings going on a fan. I'd recommend opening the case and (carefully) slowing down the fans in the case (I'd just use a finger... again, be careful) one by one to see if the sound changes. If it does, you know what the problem is.

    Ego on
    Erik
  • AizawaAizawa Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Hm, slowing down a fan with a finger sounds like an incredibly bad idea, but thanks for your input.

    Aizawa on
    Druid
    1801011.png
    Please, excuse any socially awkward actions taken by me. I have autism.
  • -Loki--Loki- Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Just put your finger to the center of the fan, not the blades. I used to annoy the shit out of a friend when he modded his case and had a fan exposed, I'd slow his fan down while he was playing stuff by pressing my finger to the small, round center of the fan.

    -Loki- on
  • AizawaAizawa Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Oh, right, that makes more sense. I'll try that when I have time!

    The only thing I don't understand is why the noise stops a few minutes after booting. I should also add that if I boot up the computer and the noise stops, and then reboot it or just turn it off for only a few minutes, it doesn't occur the next time I boot - it only occurs when I've turned it off to go to sleep, or any other lengthy breaks.

    Aizawa on
    Druid
    1801011.png
    Please, excuse any socially awkward actions taken by me. I have autism.
  • Roland_tHTGRoland_tHTG Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    You might have more luck figuring this out if you boot it with the case off so you can narrow down which area the noise is coming from.

    Roland_tHTG on
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