Computer Noise: Yesterday constant loud high pitched vibration. Today only moderate. Why the difference?

Question

Given the change from a very loud to a moderate noise which of the two fans (power supply or cpu) is more likely to be the source of the noise?

Any ideas about why the noise would be so much louder one day than the next? Loud noise began shortly after I turned computer on, so its not about amount of use. Today the computer has been on for 8 hours and there is a relatively low high pitched vibration.

Can both fans produce the high pitched noise? I have an inner ear disease that makes that sound intolerable.

Dont want to replace cpu fan if power supply fan is at fault. How do I diagnose which fan is responsible? Could it be both? Does power supply fan problem mean replacing power supply unit?

Who makes a good quiet cpu fan at a good price? Does Zalman make good fans? Is endpcnoise.com trustworthy?

All recommendations for a quiet fan and where to buy it appreciated. Do vibration dampener kits work? How much will silicone grease help to fix the problem?

Answer 1

I have a Zalman CPU fan, a 120mm case fan, 2-80mm case fans, and 2 fans on the power supply. The noise level is zero! Zalman is an excellent choice because of the heat sink. They make them of solid copper or copper and aluminum. Copper is an excellent heat conductor and pulls a lot of heat away from your processor. One cause could be dust. Blow the computer out with "Canned Air". If that doesn't do it, then start disconnecting fans one at a time until you find the offending fan. Be sure to listen to the hard drive also, if it is starting to make noises, get a new one right away, the old one is about to crash! Another solution is to cut the power down to the fans. They run at 12 volts you can cut the voltage down to 7 volts and not lose too much of your cooling efficiency. But, it will cut down on the noise.

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/9169

Answer 2

It could be both, though power suply fans are less likely to make the noise, also you said that the noise was loud one day and not so loud the next, so that leads me to believe that there were temprature variations in the CPU core, which points to the CPU fan as it's RPM is temprature controlled. There are various solutions to this problem, but since i'm not from your country, the implementation details of these solutions might differ a bit:

(1) Apply a lage amount of thermal grease between the CPU/heatsink (let it ooze from the sides, but not so much as to touch the mainboard), make sure it is of good quality. Application is especially necessary in cases where it has dried up due to heat.

(2) Check your Cabinet for loose screws/hinges/panels etc, sound after all is caused only when particles collide and there isn't much to collide in the fan itself. Also make sure your cabinet is placed where it's stable and not wobbly, like a three legged chair or something.

(3) I don't think these "vibration dampener kits" will do anything other than what you already know to do.

(4) Make sure you hav removed all overclocking hacks you may have applied, including cooling fluid tubes and any mods you may have made to the tower.

I hope one of these solutions helps.

Answer 3

Experience has shown me that this noise you are discribing is more than likely your power supply. If I knew what kind of power supply you had and what kind of computer then I would know for sure. Any time your computer puts a drain on you power supply it gets noiser and noiser. Your right, replaceing the cpu fan will not help if it is your power supply. I am big on having more power than what you need as this way you get lots of head room. So lets take a stab in the dark to answer your question. If your power supply is anything less than 400 watts and you have a brand new computer then up date your power supply and see if that solves your problem. To diagnose the other fans if it is not your power supply is to go buy a fan and change them out till you find the one. Yes Zalman makes great fans but first focus on the power supply. Another note: Antec makes a great power supply and has the name to back itself.