computer always whirring?

Question

my computer always sounds like it is doing something...making that processing/whirring noise that usually is made when large programs are being run. it does it just when i'm browsing the internet and when it's idle. it's a new computer (dell desktop). is there something that needs to be checked out?

Answer 1

If this is a FAN noise, you probably have two or three. One with the power supply, another with the CPU and maybe a third that is mounted on the case. Open the box with the power plug removed, then apply power and turn it on. Listen to each fan. The case and CPU fan is fairly easy to replace, but the power supply fan is more difficult. If it IS the power supply, then consider buying a new power supply. Check http://www.newegg.com for the fan.

If your hard drive lights up continuously, and a reboot takes several minutes, that mean that you have Too many programs running. Hopefully, you have at least 1GB of disk space free. But if the hard drive is especially noisy, maybe it will soon FAIL. It should not be a sort-of scraping sound.

You say that the computer is fairly new, so it should have 512MB of RAM. If not, check your system at http://www.coastmemory.com

Too many programs running could be an issue. The first thing that comes to mind are viruses and Spyware. Check your anti-virus solution, get updates and run a full scan. ou should have an anti-spyware solution on your computer. I recommend that you go to http://www.download.com and get AD-AWARE and SpyBot Search & Destory. Install, run, update and scan your computer with both programs.

Yes, new hard drives do fail. While fairly rare, they do. Take the time to run some tests. Open the MY COMPUTER section, then RIGHT CLICK on the C drive. Click on the TOOLS tab and click CHECK NOW. Check both test buttons then OK. Yes, this test will run after the computer restarts. It should take a half an hour or so. This test will give you higher confidence.

Through the Programs section of the START MENU, pick Accessories, then System Tools. Click on DISK CLEANUP. Everything that this finds can be eliminated from your computer. After running Disk Cleanup, then run DEFRAG. You will see this also in the SYSTEM TOOLS section.

Answer 2

There are a number of possible sources or 'whirring' noises inside a computer.

1) CD ROM drive. If you have a CD in your drive, particularly one with a patterned surface, it can produce a disturbingly large amount of noise. This is because the CD is spun up to very high speeds and can vibrate inside the drive.

2) Hard Drive. When your computer is loading large programs or files the hard drive often has to work quite hard. If you have removed any CD Roms from your computer then you should be able to tell if the Hard Drive is causing the problem as there is a light on the front of the computer (on the Dell I think it looks like a stack of circles) that will light up when the hard drive is being used. If the noise happens only when the light comes on then you know the Hard Drive is causing it. This is usually not a problem as some Hard Drives can be noisier than others.

3) Fans. It is unusual but sometimes even new fans inside computers can be faulty, causing unwanted vibration and noise. It does not appear that you have this problem as it doesn't seem to match your symptoms.


If you are concerned then it may be worth contacting Dell. You can hold the phone near the computer if necessary so that they can hear the noise and tell you whether there is anything to be concerned about. After all, you are the customer and they are there to help.

Answer 3

Since you said it is a new computer I wouldn't bother with defragging. You can probably just change the "Hard Drive Acoustic Mode" option in the BIOS (see the first link below). Of course it is possibly a fan.

Tap the F12 key while booting to get to a menu then choose "Boot To Utility Partition", on the next screen choose the "Symptom Tree" option, and finally run the "Abnormal Noise Coming From My System" test.

The second link below can walk you through checking out what is causing a noise.

Answer 4

Hi there

Your computer will always make some sound. Computers have an internal fan to keep them cool, this is always heard while the computer is on. The sound that it made when programs are being loaded is probably your hard disk drive inside your computer. If you think its sounds too loud, seek technical advice. They are supposed to make some noise though.

Scott

Answer 5

When the hard drive is highly fragmented or when you don't have enough memory (RAM), then the computer will be constantly processing/whirring.

Answer 6

Try defrag your hard drive and make it a habit to do it regularly.