Hello I hope someone can help me I'm new to this site and I have a concern. I bought myself a new PC last november and for the past month or so every once in a while (not all the time it's strange) when I first turn it on one of it's four fans makes a loud grinding noise (almost like there is something in it clanging around) but after about 30 to 60 seconds later (when the computer is done booting up) the noise stops and all fans seem to be running normally. My friend who knows a bit about this stuff told me to take the cover off turn it on and see if any of the fans are vibrating and if they are then get a new one for it PDQ but when I took the cover off (of course it stopped making the noise go figure) all the fans were securely in place (I just watched them and didnt touch them without some gloves on as to not shock the system) and they were all producing nice cool air and of course I didn't hear from the problem since I replaced the cover I thought I was home free until I heard it again the other day. I can live with the noise as long as it isn't going to hurt my PC. Also I have no idea which fan is making the noise because A) it never stays long enough for me to find out B) none of them seem to be loose. My pc has four fans on it A) CPU fan (which seems to be fine I THINK again I'm not positive but I THINK the noise is coming from the back B) a fan on my video card C) just a simple air circulation fan in the back and D) the power supply fan. What should I do first I need to know how to tell WHICH fan it is (again im 100% positive its not the video card fan about 60% its not the CPU fan)I know just enough about computers to be dangerous that is why I'm asking around here hopefully I'll be able to find someone who can help me out and who can stand talking to me. I will try to check on this site every few hours but the best way to contact me is via email or even better via msn messanger my email being Professor.Drake@gmail.com (no i'm not a professor for those disney fans out there youll know who i'm talking about) Thank you all and I hope someone can give me a hand. - Chris

Most likely this happens from a Cold boot rather than starting up after the system has been running for a while. Leave the side off the case and then next time you startup see if you can isolate the noise. You may be able to eliminate the problem by giving the whole thing a cleanout. A buildup of dust/crud on fans can lead to the symptoms you describe. Don't be too sure it isn't the Graphics card fan. Being the smallest it is also the one more likely to wear out first. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and his wife will never forgive you.

yes exactly its after a cold boot but not every boot like i said it went for a week without giving me so much as a hiccup. the fans shouldnt be wearing out the pc is only a few months old the video card is a relatively high end ati radeon (9800 pro to be exact) plus when i did pull the case off it was the quietest of them all and doesnt seem capable of making the noise im hearing i could be wrong i will check it out but this thing has 4 fans all like right next to each other are there any other ways to find out which is making the noise again when the case is off they are all fine. last thing could this mean they are dying? im afraid to use my pc for fear it might burn up on me please help

Use a plastic tube such as a piece of garden hose about two feet long. Put one end to your ear and hold the other end near the fans. You may be able to isolate which is doing the vibrating. Just because your system is only a few months old doesn't mean that nothing can go wrong with moving parts. It is always possible that a fan may have had insufficient lubrication added during manufacture. These fans all have a sticker over the central pivot and you can carefully lift that sticker and add a tiny drop of fine machine oil. If it isn't a fan then the only other moving part is inside the harddrive. If that's causing your noise then it should be replaced immediately. There are no user-servicible parts inside a harddrive. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and his wife will never forgive you.

It could be a cable touching a fan.

I can pretty much guarantee it is not the hardrive I am 100% positive its from one of the fans in the back so you say some machine oil will fix it would it to any harm to just add a little bit too all of the fans anyways? also is the sticker the only thing sealing the oil in? (forgive my lack of knowledge of these things) if it is can i be sure it wont leak on me if i try to seal it again? and could you name a few good brands of fans becuase im thinking of just replacing the CPU fan anyways (id rather spend 10$ on the fan instead of a couplehundred on a new processor)

I have EXACTLY the same problem, and I know what it is. It's my NEW ATI RADEON 9800 Pro Card, bought from Newegg a fews days ago. It's about to be sent back as we speak. This new card obviously has a bad batch of fans. I'm going to contact Newegg about getting a different card.