My computer fan makes a strange noise and I think it's touching something inside,I opened the tower and tried to push it a little and it stoped for tsome seconds but the started again.How can I fix it?

If there's dust on it, blow it off. Sometimes that does it.

If not, it's likely a bearing in the fan...in which case, you'll have to replace the fan.

Fans are cheap. Doesn't hurt to replace it and will save you from hearing the noise again.

About once a month, I remove the case from my computer and hoover it out. It's amazing how much dust accumulates and it seems to keep the fan running smoothly. But I agree with the others, if that doesn't work the fan most likely needs replacing.

Fans cost $5, so try that. Also make sure that their aren't any cables anywhere near your fans that it could bet hitting into and slowly cutting through.... that could end badly.... Use zip-ties or something similar to control cabling inside and outside your PC.

Originally Posted by jtdent

About once a month, I remove the case from my computer and hoover it out. It's amazing how much dust accumulates and it seems to keep the fan running smoothly. But I agree with the others, if that doesn't work the fan most likely needs replacing.

Hoovering inside the PC? Not a great idea. I did a COMPTIA A+ exam 2 days ago (that was hard but I passed) and one of the questions was "what should you use to clean the inside of a PC?" The answer was compressed air, since hoovers/vacuum cleaners have the potential to give off electrostatic discharge (ESD) which can damage internal components.

I recommend you buy a can of compressed air and use that in the future

I second the compressed air. Don't ever use a vacuum inside a PC!

You go one step further and do what one of my clients does...he's got an industrial air compressor. He takes the side cover off, stands about 3 feet away and BLAOW! Out comes the dust.

Probably isn't too safe for the machine, but it's funny watching the little black cloud come up.

I guarantee you there's a cable that keeps falling onto it, try better cable management, and get some zipties up in that rig, or stealth your cables or something. If not, again $5-15 for a fan isn't exactly going to rob your life savings.

Do yourself a favor (if you can afford it of course) and use a water cooling system. As a cheap alternative of course you can just replace the fan with a new one as they are dirt cheap.

Originally Posted by whym

Hoovering inside the PC? Not a great idea. I did a COMPTIA A+ exam 2 days ago (that was hard but I passed) and one of the questions was "what should you use to clean the inside of a PC?" The answer was compressed air, since hoovers/vacuum cleaners have the potential to give off electrostatic discharge (ESD) which can damage internal components.

I recommend you buy a can of compressed air and use that in the future

i thought that was only when you turned them off near an applicance?

And when it comes to buying a CPU fan, the stock ones will work as good as the fancy ones they charge you $30 or more. I bought a ThermalTake fan, spent a good chunk of change, and it sounded like a Jet turbine. You could hear it through my office door, and all the way down the hall.

Cheap fans are usually the problem not the solution. Cheap fans usually use a sleeve bearing design which allows the grease to gradually seep away from where it is needed.
A better alternative is a sealed ball bearing fan which will keep the grease in place.

Originally Posted by davemies

i thought that was only when you turned them off near an applicance?

Nope. You should use compressed air always since nothing comes into contact with the internal components. Something as little as 100V can damage internal components and you have far more static electricity in your body than that sometimes. I'd highly recommend using compressed air over a vacuum cleaner anyday.

You should find a contact cleaner and try to spray it at the motor bearings of that fans. Its works for me!

Try to open and check it over again. I think there is something really touchig the moving fan. It could be some cables. Try arranging the cables properly and that may do it, I guess.

You should be careful when removing the fan, I messed up with my fan before and it destroy my processor, over heat and automatic shut down in just 5 mins.. better buy your pc a new one..

Originally Posted by Cryxellis

You should be careful when removing the fan, I messed up with my fan before and it destroy my processor, over heat and automatic shut down in just 5 mins.. better buy your pc a new one..

lol you broke your computer by changing the fan do you have exp with making pc's ?

Vacuum it. Preferably with the computer OFF. Then try starting it up again. If it still makes noise then replace it. Fans are cheap.

there is a way to see if it needs replacement. if the noise gets lower eventually, it needs replacement. if it just noisy everytime, you probably just have something stuck in there.

you can just open the sticker on the fan, you can put oil in it, just a little to get it lubed. i used it once on my old PSU and its now working great.