[fionaB]

Just giving warning, that if i disapear for a while( it may be a long while) its cos i think my computer is on its last legs.
Very very noisey when turned on ( think its the cpu fan as the alarm comes on now and again) and suddenly cuts out and refuses to restart and kinda dies with just an alarm dinging away ( sounds like its wants to then just dies)
please note by the technical terms that i have used that i have NO knowledge whatsoever of what im talking about! lol
And as im skint ( as always) i wont be able to afford anything more than the cheapest part replacements and if its past that point im goosed! and if thats the case it will be a while before anything can be done.

its decided to work this morning ! yipee but could conk out anytime so im not just not here im really not here! lol

Fi

[Steve]

If its noisy then it has to be moving parts..in a computer that probably means fans and they, thankfully are quite cheap to replace. The beeping and noise also points towards possible cooling issues, beeping probably because the CPU is overheating. As a very temporary fix you should clean all the case ventilation holes and all the fans inside as well, this will hep the air circulation and thus the cooling.

Good luck.

[fionaB]

cheers steve, i am hoping Alan will get the hoover into it at the weekend. I had an awful feeling that it was the hard drive! not sure why! lol but common sense tells me its one ofthe fans and probably the cpu one, i have this software that keeps a check on the speed of the fans, and when it drops below a certain speed it beeps....... which is what was happeneing with the CPU one the other day

Fi

[PeteT]

Originally Posted by fionaB

c I had an awful feeling that it was the hard drive!

Failing hard drives USUALLY make a rather characteristic 'Tick, Tick, Tick' sound. Your problem sounds like a failing fan - as previously mentioned this is easy and cheap to fix.

Be careful when poking around with a vacuum cleaner - the innards of your pc are static sensitive, so plastic vacuum hoses need to be touched on the case before you poke them inside.

Also make sure you unplug the PC from the mains first - as in some cases, even with the power switched off there is still juice to the motherboard (usually the memory chips) and if you do dislodge something when vacuuming, you may damage it.

Normally a good clean helps - my daughters laptop was sick until it was cleaned out - now its runs like a new machine !

Best of luck.

[fionaB]

well it has ust been pointed out to me that the inards had a good hoover a few weeks ago when i got more memory put in., I have to unplug the puter from the mains lol the cable doesnt reach the distance i have to pull the machine out.

its going very strange., now and then its ust completely cutting out with no alarms etc, which is what is worrying me as the main fan has an alarm.

im not a techie person, Alan is slightly better than me right enough, but im paranoid about being ripped off if i put it into a shop! lol

anyway its still working at the mo ( touch wood) cut out earlier this evening but have left it off all night !

Fi

[PeteT]

Originally Posted by fionaB

its going very strange., now and then its ust completely cutting out with no alarms etc, which is what is worrying me as the main fan has an alarm.

This is a characteristic symptom of an overheating processor - the machine will shut down without warning, and if left off even for a few seconds, will switch on again and run for a while before switching off again.

All you probably need is a new CPU fan (just the fan, not a whole heatsink) - a 5 minute job to replace it. I wouldn't expect it to cost more than £10-15 to have it done for you, any more and you really are being ripped off.

[fionaB]

think we shold be able to manage that ourselves! many thanx for that u have helped put my mind at rest!

Fi

[Chris H]

Shame you don't live near Manchester I'd have sorted it for you for the cost of parts.

I would put it more like £20 to £30 if a shop fits it.

If you want a fan to do it yourself have a look at Microdirect.co.uk is the UK leading retailer of quality computer components and electronics.

Look at Arctic fans, they are quiet and don't tend to go wrong. I run all my pc's on them

[fionaB]

im hoping to be able to nip down the town after work and get one......... are they standard size? or does it have to be specific to the processor?..........lol told u i was stupid

Fi

[Chris H]

Needs to be specific to the processor and there are many types.

Best thing if you get chance is to take the old one with you.

Ask if they have any heat sink compound as well, it's like white goop you put on the chip for extra thermal conductivity.

[fionaB]

ok afterall that its not the cpu fan after all! lol itsthe chipsetfan? as we speak the fan is getting fitted so fingers and tosiescrossedits all that needs done!

had to take ittot he shop tho!
i will apologise now cos imusing my other halfs computer and his keybopard isworsethan mine it seems@! lol
Fi

[fionaB]

ok bad news, the fan he has doesnt fit, and abit arenot supplying the fans anymmore sounless hecan getsome sort of thermal adhesive to attche the fan them im gonna have to buy a whole motherboard. which isnt goingto happen

[Sonsey]

Despite Abit not making the fans anymore there are various other 3rd party options available (have a look here for various examples depending on what you need).

If you have decent air circulation inside your case you could most likely do away with a fan altogether and replace it with a dedicated heatsink, your local shop should be able to fit one for you.

...Or if worst comes to the worst, to try and give your existing fan a bit more life, you could try and clean the fan fins with something like a toothbrush yourself. Dust gets clogged onto the fins that wont be removed by a simple case hoovering but it's a fiddly job and may well be for nothing if the fan has been permanently damaged.

Iain.

[fionaB]

but the problems attaching it is the same surely? he needs to find a thermal adhesive.......... the fan itself is broken . one of hte blades is off it which would account for the terrible noise!

[Sonsey]

Originally Posted by fionaB

but the problems attaching it is the same surely? he needs to find a thermal adhesive..........

Here you go, same shop, used them several times with no problems.

TBH if the PC repair shop you've taken it to can't fit a simple chipset cooler I'd take it to a different shop!

Originally Posted by fionaB

the fan itself is broken . one of hte blades is off it which would account for the terrible noise!

Ahh ok I didn't realise, definitely needs replacing then... there are several options in the 1st link I posted if the shop can't source anything here either.

[fionaB]

thanx for that will see what happens tomorrow