PC is making a weird noise

[Cookson]

Come home tonight and it wouldn't fire up.

I unplugged it all, tried it all again, and it fired up. However, now its making a high pitch whine, ever so slightly. Not reeally loud, just in earshot. Like when it's reading/writing a disc...... but there is no disc in.

When I logged on, it had a "restore last session" thing, so obviously shut off when some fucker has been on the PC as it was viewing cinema listing.

Any ideas on the noise? About to blow the power supply?

 

[sbridgey]

could be a fan, try and listen to where the sound is coming from

 

[Cookson]

could be a fan, try and listen to where the sound is coming from

Inside it somewhere?

 

[guysy]

Take the side of the PC off, you will be able to see whats going on when running,

Might just need a hoover out or a new fan.

 

[Gareth]

Doubtful there is a problem with the power supply, as said you need to try and isolate the sound but a fan is a good bet.

 

[Damo_Sport]

Doubtful there is a problem with the power supply, as said you need to try and isolate the sound but a fan is a good bet.

It may well be the PSU, Don't forget there is a fan in there too. I think if the fan does not kick in when the button is pushed then the PSU will not turn on

 

[Gareth]

Yes and the PC is powering on, therefore unlikely to be an issue with the PSU??

 

[Cookson]

It died again last night. Took the side cover off and blew out a fair bit of dust. Put it back together.

It fired up again for about 20 seconds then died. Wouldnt turn back on. I got annoyed and went to bed.

Fan on the CPU I think, will have the side off again later

 

[Gareth]

If the fan on the CPU isn't working and it's powering off after 20 seconds then it does suggest the PC is overheating and turning itself off, if it's a standard CPU cooler it's a good bet it's a bearing fan which has gone (quite common). It should be a cheap fix but would recommend giving the PC a good clean out as well.

 

[Cookson]

If the fan on the CPU isn't working and it's powering off after 20 seconds then it does suggest the PC is overheating and turning itself off, if it's a standard CPU cooler it's a good bet it's a bearing fan which has gone (quite common). It should be a cheap fix but would recommend giving the PC a good clean out as well.

Cheers

 

[mantis946]

If you have to reseat the heat sink make sure you renew the paste too ! it's pretty cheap and it can make a noticeable difference.

 

[Silent_Scone]

thermal shutdown

Or possibly a whiney capacitor in the PSU ( it would still work)

 

[Addicted]

I doubt it'd be thermal shutdown if it's shutting down after 20secs after not being booted up for hours tbh, there's no way it'd get that hot that quickly!

 

[mugglesquop]

there's no way it'd get that hot that quickly!

there is, its called a CPU

takes about 5 seconds to get to 80 degrees if not cooled (heat sink counts as cooling)



btw, "blowing" the dust out will only make it worse, the fins on the heat sink may be blocked, stopping air flow. To clean it all out properly i remove the fan and use a brush end on the hoover to get rid of everything. (only done it once in 3 years)

 

[Craigus]

Is it plugged directly into a wall socket or on an extension lead? I was running my PC, xbox, home hub etc all into a 6 man extension lead, and my computer kept shutting down like yours, plugged it directly into the wall and never had a problem again.

 

[Cookson]

Is it plugged directly into a wall socket or on an extension lead? I was running my PC, xbox, home hub etc all into a 6 man extension lead, and my computer kept shutting down like yours, plugged it directly into the wall and never had a problem again.

On an extension, but been fine for 18 months.

Will get a can of air and clean it all properly later, check the fans etc. It has heatsink and a fan on the CPU, so I am thinking power supply maybe goosed

 

[mugglesquop]

On an extension, but been fine for 18 months.

Will get a can of air and clean it all properly later, check the fans etc. It has heatsink and a fan on the CPU, so I am thinking power supply maybe goosed

FFS USE A HOOVER!!!!

blowing the dust around isnt going to help

 

[mantis946]

FFS USE A HOOVER!!!!

blowing the dust around isnt going to help

+1 Dust causes most of the electrical shorts in a case, not to mention the fan will just suck it back up

It also depends what temp the BIOS is set to shut down the computer at, we managed to guess the Admin password when we where at secondary school and we changed all the shut-downs to 15 degrees lol old school RM BIOS ftw

 

[Darren S]

there is, its called a CPU

takes about 5 seconds to get to 80 degrees if not cooled (heat sink counts as cooling)

btw, "blowing" the dust out will only make it worse, the fins on the heat sink may be blocked, stopping air flow. To clean it all out properly i remove the fan and use a brush end on the hoover to get rid of everything. (only done it once in 3 years)

Very true! The stock cooler on an i7 allows approximately 0.0000000012Mhz increase over stock before it overheats and shuts down. Intel got away with the absolute bare minimum needed to keep those things cool at stock speeds.

As for blowing out the dust, it depends what you blow it out with . I've used air compressors here at work for nigh-on 11 years. So long as you're not stupid and blast components 1mm away, the amount of s**t that gets removed is really quite alarming.

D.

 

[Cookson]

I could turn the PC upside down. blow the dust out and suck it up with the hoover? Military operation breaking out here

 

[mugglesquop]

I could turn the PC upside down. blow the dust out and suck it up with the hoover? Military operation breaking out here

if you have to use a can of air, insert it in ur arse while hoovering the bloody PC

 

[guysy]

Use a hoover with a plastic end, dont touch anything just hover over it with the hoover,

If you reseat your heatsink, get some good thermal past like Arctic silver 5.

 

[mugglesquop]

Use a hoover with a plastic end, dont touch anything just hover over it with the hoover,

If you reseat your heatsink, get some good thermal past like Arctic silver 5.

to add to that: the magnetic flux from the motor on the hoover can royally fuk a PC, so keep the actual hoover as far away as possible.

 

[Cookson]

OK, I seemed to have got most of the dust out. It still wouldnt fire up. Weird.

Then I went to turn it on its side and it burst into life, flashing lights an all!! Both CPU and PSU fans are running. Everything seems fine. Had it on for 15mins or so, but then I turned it off as I had to nip out.

Question is, do I assume it just had a hissy fit, or it's virus'd up? Or do I get a fan on the side of the case to help with the heat inside?

 

[Sym0n]

Check your connections. I'd reply to your email but:

* I can't be arsed now.
* The advice I'd have given has been covered in this thread.
* You're a bellend.

 

[Cookson]

Checked all connections tonight, and its continued. Keeps just turning off. f**king junk

 

[sbridgey]

could just be a dodgy PSU, dont suppose you have another you could try in it?

 

[Cookson]

Nope, I dont have s**t like that. I cant stand tech at the best of times, even less when it starts to play up like this.

Will take it some nerdy shop this weekend and let them sort it

 

[Sym0n]

Sell it, buy a Mac (not the coat type that you go flashing in).

 

[mugglesquop]

guarantee its not a virus. they struggle to run when the PC isnt actually on.

it will be a loose connection or broken wire

 

[Gareth]

lol @ virus, no chance.

 

[Cookson]

Well, I got it to fire up again lastnight.

Mate suggested I got rid of avast and tried this superantispyware program. Installed and ran a scan. 428 threats, 10 of which were "major"

I had it running for a while and it seems OK, but still going to get it looked at by someone who actually knows what they are doing