Power supply cooler

Cooling the video card

CPU cooler

Noisy PC fans are a big problem if you prefer to listen to music, read books, or do things that require concentration at your computer. An annoying distracting buzzing noise, especially at higher speeds, does not help, but only distracts you from what you are doing. But there are a number of ways to avoid or at least reduce this scourge.

How to protect yourself from noise

There are a lot of reasons for this. They are conventionally divided into those that can be eliminated independently and those that require the intervention of a professional from the service center. Since it is obvious that specialist help is a last resort for those who know how to use basic tools and modern software, it is worth considering what is available to every user.

A fan may be noisy due to high speed or small diameter, or sometimes both. Replacing a small fan with a larger one in diameter can help solve this problem. Large blade sizes provide better airflow, which does not require high speed and is usually less noisy.

It also happens that the fan begins to make noise due to the oil drying out in the rotating part. It will take a screwdriver and some special lubricant to get everything back to normal. Specialized computer stores sell the necessary oils for fans. If you have difficulty choosing, contact a sales consultant, he will suggest the best option.

In addition to reducing the noise from fan rotation, you can resort to other methods of noise protection. For example, there are system units lined with soundproofing materials on the inside. This gives a good result if it is impossible to replace the fans themselves. You can make such protection yourself using foam rubber or special materials.

As a radical way to combat noise, we can suggest replacing conventional fans with water cooling. In this case, all parts are replaced with a special pipe system, pump and radiators. The advantage of such a system is that there is no noise other than the gurgling of water. The cooling efficiency is even higher than many other systems. There are disadvantages of bulky equipment and the possibility of water leakage.

Special software

You can also reduce noise using special programs. The simplest thing is to use the BIOS settings, where there is a SpeedFan option. In some systems, this value can be adjusted to set the one that best suits your case. So that there is no overheating and no unnecessary noise.

In addition, there is a separate program with the same name. It is convenient because it works from Windows and does not require knowledge of BIOS. It does the same thing, only much simpler.

Noise coming from the system unit can signal a variety of problems. But even if it is known for certain that it comes from one of the fans, you should not relax, because high-quality, uninterrupted cooling is the key to a long service life for your computer.

Most people, trying to keep up with progress, constantly update their PCs and strive to replace them with new, more advanced ones. However, it is possible that the fan is noisy due to the fact that it is an old model, which seems loud compared to modern, almost silent ones. If the sound appeared recently or unexpectedly, there are several possible faults that could cause it.

Power supply cooler

The cooling system of the power supply may make noise. If the room is dusty or the entire system has been operating for several years without replacing elements, contamination even gets there, bypassing all protective barriers. The noise usually comes from this part the most, since the cooler has a large diameter and a very high rotation speed. To clean and purge the power supply, you will have to disassemble it.

Some models can be disassembled quite easily; the main thing is to remember where each bolt comes from. Then, after cleaning and lubricating the necessary parts, assemble the block and install it in place. Options that do not require simple disassembly will have to be changed. In any case, experts advise installing a new power supply every two to three years, regardless of the presence of noise and failures.

Cooling the video card

Problems often arise due to the fact that in most cases it is installed upside down to achieve maximum efficiency. Under large, long-term loads, it can gradually shift, beginning to touch static surfaces with its blades. If this happens, even a fan of such a small diameter can become very noisy.

The easiest way to solve the problem is to buy a new video card. But if desired, the old noisy version can be separated from the motherboard, check the fan axis and lubricate it. If the axis has shifted, you will have to slightly file the edges of the video card box so that the blades stop touching them.

CPU cooler

The processor cooler also makes noise quite often. It gets the most dust and is the least protected. The main layer accumulates between the fan and the radiator, where air is driven for subsequent cooling. To clean the system, the fan is disconnected and both elements are cleaned separately and lubricated if necessary.

It is highly undesirable to use a vacuum cleaner when cleaning coolers. This is convenient, but sliding dust particles create static electricity, which can damage the system.

In this article, you will learn what to do if your laptop makes a lot of noise, which not only reduces the comfort of work, but also creates an alarming feeling that something is wrong with the computer.

It lists all the possible reasons why the laptop cooler begins to spin more actively, their symptoms and possible options for eliminating the sources of the problem.

Content:

If the device is several years old from the date of purchase, and its operation is accompanied by increased generation of noise that occurs due to the accelerated rotation of the cooler, this is a reason to think about it.

During prolonged operation under heavy load, increased fan speeds are normal.

The processor processes large amounts of data (3D games), which causes it to heat up more, and to prevent it from overheating, the system automatically increases the fan speed.

By the way, if you encounter the “cpu fan error” problem, we have a separate one for solving it.

So, if you watch movies in high quality or play games, the appearance of strong noise is somewhat normal, especially after several hours of operation of the device.

It’s another matter when the problem appears immediately or a few minutes after the device starts.

Is high cooler volume bad?

In addition to feeling discomfort and thinking that something is wrong with the laptop, increased noise from the CPU cooling fan is a sign of significant heating or overheating of the CPU.

And the operation of any components at elevated temperatures, for which they were not designed to operate or were designed for short-term exposure to such conditions, causes their faster wear.

And that's the best case scenario. At worst, the computing device will simply overheat and fail.

The advantage of the utility is the ability to control the speed of fans installed on the GPU and display the temperature dynamics of key hardware components.

By manually changing the initial fan speed in 5% increments, you can either lower it if the device is humming a lot without load or overheating, or increase it when the CPU temperature is close to critical or simply elevated.

Unfortunately, the application is not updated often, which is why it may not be supported by some new products on the laptop market, and is also not compatible with a small percentage of computers due to the specificity of their hardware shell.

It is no less simple, but in each firmware version from each manufacturer this parameter may be called differently and located in different submenus.

The instruction manual or your own ingenuity will help here.

Blowing out the cooling system

If the first option does not solve the problem, or rather it is caused by dust and small specks stuck to the cooler blades and radiator mesh, then we move on to the option of purging the cooling system.

This is done in several cases:

  • when the device is still under warranty, and it is not advisable to void it by disassembling the case for cleaning;
  • the user does not have the skills to disassemble laptops or is afraid to do so, and going to a service center is not a solution.

In this case, you will need a special canister filled with compressed air (sold in specialized stores) or a powerful vacuum cleaner, preferably turned on for blowing (reverse).

In extreme cases, a hair dryer will do, but its effectiveness will be extremely low.

We take the device with a spray can or vacuum cleaner to a balcony or other room that you don’t mind getting dirty with dust.

This should be done in calm, dry weather if the procedure is carried out on an unglazed balcony or in the yard. After several blows with a stream of air, the laptop can be turned on and tested.

It happens that blowing does not bring almost any benefit, or a few months after it the laptop begins to hum just as loudly.

Then it will have to be done both on the cooling system itself and on getting rid of dust under the back cover of the case.

How to quickly and easily clean your laptop from dust with a vacuum cleaner?

Let's consider a simple household method of cleaning a laptop using a vacuum cleaner, so to speak, at home. We'll also look at why it's important to clean your laptop and how to determine if it's worth cleaning.

Removing dust

You should undertake this when you are sure that you will successfully disassemble the laptop case without breaking its fasteners, carefully follow all the recommendations below, and disassembling the case will not void the warranty (it has already expired).

To remove small dust particles you will need:

  • screwdriver for unscrewing bolts;
  • preferably a kit for opening laptops and other equipment (if you don’t have one, you can use improvised tools);
  • a couple of napkins, a piece of cloth, cotton swabs or something similar;
  • vacuum cleaner, compressed air cylinder or hair dryer (optional).

The sequence of actions for removing dust will be as follows.

  1. We disconnect the laptop from the network and remove the battery from it.

Rice. 2 - Remove the battery

  1. Disconnect all wires and external devices.
  2. Unscrew the bolts of the back cover.

Rice. 3 – Remove the back cover

  1. We remove the entire back cover or the segment where the processor with the entire cooling system is located.

Advice. If you do not have tools for disassembling tablets/laptops, find a replacement and carefully, so as not to damage various latches, disassemble the case.

  1. Using fabric, cotton wool, or simply by hand, we remove large pieces of debris, often compressed or welded together.

Rice. 4 – Remove dust from the blades

Advice. Remaining dust can be blown off using an air can or a vacuum cleaner. When there are no such devices, carefully remove them using a napkin or cotton swab. If you want to blow off the dust, do it outside or in a utility room.

  1. If tiny air ducts in the radiator mesh are clogged with dust, the cooler and radiator can be unscrewed and thoroughly cleaned one by one.

Rice. 5 – Remove the cooling system

  1. Carefully assemble the laptop, performing all steps in reverse order.

Cooler maintenance

At the point of contact of the radiator with the surface of the processor, a special substance with high thermal conductivity is applied.

It removes excess heat from the CPU to the radiator, which is cooled by a fan by removing hot air outside the case.

And it copes worse with the functions assigned to it, and it has to be replaced.

You can do this yourself.

  1. As in the case of removing dust, we disassemble the laptop, letting it work a little or warming up the processor area with a hairdryer so that the thermal paste becomes more viscous.
  2. We remove the cooler and carefully disconnect the radiator from the processor, if necessary, heating the place of their contact.

Rice. 6 – Remove cooling

  1. Carefully clean the contact pad from any remaining thermal paste.

Rice. 7 – Removing residual thermal paste

  1. We degrease the surfaces with an alcohol-containing substance (cologne) and let them dry completely.
  2. Apply a thin layer of new paste from the tube, using a syringe or plastic/cardboard.

Rice. 8 – Applying thermal paste

  1. We put back the radiator with cooler.
  2. Putting the body back together.

The likelihood that the problem will be completely eliminated here is small, but periodic replacement of thermal paste once every year or two is necessary.

How to replace the thermal paste of the processor and video card on a laptop?

If you are interested in how to replace the thermal paste of a processor and video card on a laptop, then this video is for you. In it, I briefly, bypassing the obvious and understandable steps for everyone, explained how to do this after disassembling the laptop.

Fan repair/replacement

The last thing that can help the user is replacing or restoring the cooler. Over time, the ball bearings in it can wear out or the lubricant in which they move can be depleted.

Try to remove the back cover of the case in order to get to the cooler, and drop a thick lubricating fluid: grease or lithol into its center (usually you have to tear off the sticker).

If this does not help, a possible scenario would be to purchase and install a new cooler. The need to replace it may be indicated by:

  • the fan grinds throughout its operation;
  • the cooler does not rotate at the slightest touch of a finger;
  • The device is wobbly or loose.

Advice. If you are not confident in your strengths and abilities, contact a specialized center for help in cleaning your laptop from dust, replacing thermal paste, cooler, or repairing it.

And finally, a recommendation: to improve the cooling of your laptop, you can purchase a special table-stand with a built-in cooler, which will not only make work more convenient, but will also blow cold air from below the case.

Is your laptop overheating, slowing down and turning off? How to disassemble and clean a laptop from dust?

In this video, we explain why a laptop overheats, starts to slow down, and even shuts down. The whole problem is one thing - the cooling system is clogged with dust. This causes the laptop, that is, its processor and video card, to get very hot, and to prevent a malfunction, the processor and video cards lower the frequencies so as not to heat up even more. And, of course, here we tell you how to clean a laptop, change thermal paste, and in general how to disassemble it.

You came home, turned on your computer as usual... and heard it start up. the cooler is noisy. Not a single part will just make noise - it means something has happened.

If the cooler is noisy, it is most likely either dusty or faulty(bearings have become loose, grease has dried out). The cooler on the processor, the cooler on the power supply, the cooler on the case, or the cooler on the video card can make noise.

Try it first vacuum cooler radiator to clean it from dust. If the cooler still makes noise after this, you need to lubricate it. The cooler is usually lubricated using machine oil, watch grease or sewing machine oil. Usually do not advise Use Vaseline and automobile motor oils to lubricate the cooler.

Exists two ways lubricate a noisy cooler: removing it and not removing it. If you don't want or are afraid to remove the cooler, take a syringe with a thin needle and fill it with machine oil (there should be a little oil). Use a needle to pierce the cooler sticker and the plastic plug that is located under it (you will have to apply force to do this). Guide the oil from the syringe under the plug and remove the syringe. All! It is recommended to drop a little synthetic glue onto the needle hole to prevent the oil from leaking out.

If you cannot lubricate the cooler this way, unscrew it and remove the sticker. Clean the cooler from dust (don't forget the space between the body and the propeller) and drop a few drops of machine oil into it. You can put the cooler back.

Be careful when working with the power supply cooler! The power supply elements are under high voltage, so before cleaning and lubricating the cooler, you need to disconnect the power cord from the power supply.

If the cooler on the processor is noisy, in addition to lubrication, replacing thermal paste can help. The fact is that noise occurs if the cooler does not fit tightly to the processor. Replacing thermal paste will help close the gap between the cooler and the processor, and the noise should decrease.

If after this your cooler does not feel any better, the problem may be wear. Most often the cooler bearing fails. In this case, only an urgent replacement of the cooler will help - preferably with a more modern and silent one. The problem cannot be ignored. If the cooler fails, other components of the computer will begin to overheat, and then you may have to replace not the cooler, but the video card or motherboard.

Most modern coolers are software controlled. If any part of the computer gets hotter than usual, the cooler starts working at high speeds. When the cooler makes noise for this very reason (you know that it is working) - try to look for the problem in another part. It is not recommended to artificially lower the cooler speed, this may cause overheating.

If it makes noise notebook cooler, then most likely the reasons listed above are also to blame. So the “treatment” will be standard - lubricating, cleaning or replacing the cooler. The difference is that you shouldn't take your laptop apart unless you're confident you can put it back together. It is better to entrust the solution to problems with the cooler to a specialist.

Most computers are equipped with an air cooling system. This means that its parts are cooled using air flows created by fans. Sometimes troubles happen and disturbing noises appear. In this article I will tell you why the cooler in a desktop computer and laptop makes a lot of noise, and how you can get rid of it.

You can often come across advice that if the cooler is very noisy, you need to reduce its rotation speed using special programs or through the BIOS. However, I would not recommend this to non-experienced users. A decrease in speed can lead to overheating of parts, resulting in death and expensive repairs.

Reason 1: Dust in the cooling system

If the cooler is making a lot of noise, then open your computer and take a look at the dust that has accumulated there. This is what most often causes the noise. Thus, dust settled on the fan blades changes its centrifugality, causing it to hum. Additionally, if dust disrupts the cooling airflow, the cooler has to spin faster to keep parts at normal temperatures.

Dust can be removed from a desktop computer or laptop using a small vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or brush. You can also use a cotton swab soaked in alcohol to remove old hardened pieces of dust.

Be careful when cleaning dust. The computer must be disconnected from power at this moment. You cannot make rough movements so as not to damage anything inside. When using alcohol, do not allow it to come into contact with the boards. After treating with alcohol, the computer can only be turned on after 10-15 minutes.

Reason 2. Unlubricated cooler

If the cooler is very noisy, the reason may be the fan itself. If cleaning the dust does not help, you should lubricate the bearing with oil. You can use machine oil for this.

To lubricate the cooler, you cannot use car or vegetable oil, and especially Vaseline.

To lubricate the cooler, you can use a syringe with a needle or cotton wool. In most cases, you don’t even have to remove the fan itself, but simply tear off the decorative sticker in the center - from here you can gain access to the bearing.


Reason 3. Broken bearing

If a fan's bearing is worn out, it will make noise. As a rule, accompanying symptoms are the cooler not being centered and the blades brushing against its body when rotating.

In this case, if the cooler makes a lot of noise, that’s still good. In the worst case, it will stop and everything will overheat. Therefore, it is better not to wait for this and just change the fan.

The same reason can be attributed to cracks in the fan blades. If they are detected, you will also have to change the fan. True, this rarely happens.

Reason 4. Poorly secured parts

It is possible that it is not the cooler that is making noise in your computer, but something else that is susceptible to vibrations from the rotation of the cooler. For example, if a hard drive or disk drive is poorly secured in the system unit, they will vibrate and make unpleasant noise. A similar situation can occur if the screws in the case or parts of the laptop are not tightened properly.

What can I say? It happens that a cactus in a pot, placed on the case of the system unit, begins to vibrate so strongly that it interferes with work.

Which noise is normal and which is abnormal?

If the cooler is noisy, first understand how loud it is.

  • The fan noise should be similar to the sound of a slight draft. A little noise is normal.
  • If during games or when running some heavy programs the cooler makes a lot of noise, then this is normal, since the processor is under more load and the fan starts spinning faster to cool it (although it won’t hurt to clean the dust if you haven’t done this for a long time) .

And remember that the system unit is noisier than any laptop. So, if your friend with a laptop has almost no noise, then do not rush to look for problems in your system unit - it should make more noise.

How to find out which cooler is noisy

With a laptop, everything is simple - in the vast majority of cases there is only one fan. But with a desktop computer it’s more difficult - at least two fans: on the processor and in the power supply. And maybe more.

If the cooler in the system unit is making a lot of noise, then in most cases it helps to find out the source by simply opening the case, listening and understanding the direction of the excess sound. If this does not help, you can try a risky method - gently and briefly (momentarily) stop (slow down the rotation) each of the fans by pressing on their center with your finger. However, this can be dangerous for the hardware, so just try to listen.

When the faulty cooler is found, begin treatment.

If the cooler in the power supply makes a lot of noise, then be careful. When carrying out work, be sure to disconnect it from the network and start only after 3-5 minutes, since residual electricity is stored in the capacitors of the power supply, which can significantly shock you.


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