On Oct. 11, I started my computer and it made an odd buzzing noise, and would
get to the desktop and then restart itself. After it did this a couple of
times, the computer finally booted all the way and was then fine. Once the
computer is warmed up, I can restart without the noise and with no auto
restart; however, if I turn the computer off or leave it on stand by for more
than half an hour, it repeats the problem. I saw something on another website
that said to use a boot delay, but it didn't say how to do it...any ideas if
that is the correct solution, or is my hard drive going bad? Thanks!

Possible failing cheesy sleeve-bearing fan.

Check all of them, CPU, PSU (may be more than one), video card
after letting the box sit all nite and get cool.


"jennikj" <u38234@uwe> wrote in message news:79a6df9a2c098@uwe...
> On Oct. 11, I started my computer and it made an odd buzzing noise, and would
> get to the desktop and then restart itself. After it did this a couple of
> times, the computer finally booted all the way and was then fine. Once the
> computer is warmed up, I can restart without the noise and with no auto
> restart; however, if I turn the computer off or leave it on stand by for more
> than half an hour, it repeats the problem. I saw something on another website
> that said to use a boot delay, but it didn't say how to do it...any ideas if
> that is the correct solution, or is my hard drive going bad? Thanks!
>

Take the cover off and check the CPU fan and other fans for the buzz. Also
if badly covered with dust, clean it.

JS

"jennikj" <u38234@uwe> wrote in message news:79a6df9a2c098@uwe...
> On Oct. 11, I started my computer and it made an odd buzzing noise, and
> would
> get to the desktop and then restart itself. After it did this a couple of
> times, the computer finally booted all the way and was then fine. Once the
> computer is warmed up, I can restart without the noise and with no auto
> restart; however, if I turn the computer off or leave it on stand by for
> more
> than half an hour, it repeats the problem. I saw something on another
> website
> that said to use a boot delay, but it didn't say how to do it...any ideas
> if
> that is the correct solution, or is my hard drive going bad? Thanks!
>

I should have put that in my first post...I did take off the cover and
checked/cleaned the fans on Thursday. Took the cover off again today and then
started it up to see where buzz was coming from and although it's hard to
tell for sure, it looked to me like it was coming from the hard drive, which
is why I thought it might be going bad. I also ran virus scan, adware scan
and spyware scan; no problems, and ran a defrag.

JS wrote:
>Take the cover off and check the CPU fan and other fans for the buzz. Also
>if badly covered with dust, clean it.
>
>JS
>

Try HD Tune, provides drive info and has an option to test your drive.
http://www.hdtune.com/

Also SpeedFan has an online analysis feature for hard drives.
http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

JS

"jennikj" <u38234@uwe> wrote in message news:79a7fc4641e24@uwe...
>I should have put that in my first post...I did take off the cover and
> checked/cleaned the fans on Thursday. Took the cover off again today and
> then
> started it up to see where buzz was coming from and although it's hard to
> tell for sure, it looked to me like it was coming from the hard drive,
> which
> is why I thought it might be going bad. I also ran virus scan, adware scan
> and spyware scan; no problems, and ran a defrag.
>
> JS wrote:
>>Take the cover off and check the CPU fan and other fans for the buzz. Also
>>if badly covered with dust, clean it.
>>
>>JS
>>
>

Thank you JS...I downloaded HD Tune, and the health showed all ok and error
scan no damage. Temp got up to about 51 C while running the program but went
down to 40 C after it was done. I looked at SpeedFan but it looked more
complicated than I would be able to do. I'm afraid I'll change something I
shouldn't...

JS wrote:
>Try HD Tune, provides drive info and has an option to test your drive.
>http://www.hdtune.com/
>
>Also SpeedFan has an online analysis feature for hard drives.
>http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php
>
>JS
>
>>I should have put that in my first post...I did take off the cover and
>> checked/cleaned the fans on Thursday. Took the cover off again today and
>[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>>>
>>>JS

JS added these comments in the current discussion du jour ...

> Take the cover off and check the CPU fan and other fans for
> the buzz. Also if badly covered with dust, clean it.

I thought of the CPU fan as well, especially because I had it go
bad. Seems, though, that a failing CPU fan would more manifest
itself via sudden shut-downs when hot due to the BIOS shutting down
when the temp goes above the threshold. Still, taking the case off
and looking at/cleaning ALL the fans is very good advice. In my
case, the noise sounded like one of the other fans running with
blades out-of-balance and literally vibrating the case, but the
others were all fine. Fortunately for me, I was able to order a new
one before anything bad happened.
> JS
>
> "jennikj" <u38234@uwe> wrote in message
> news:79a6df9a2c098@uwe...
>> On Oct. 11, I started my computer and it made an odd buzzing
>> noise, and would get to the desktop and then restart itself.
>> After it did this a couple of times, the computer finally
>> booted all the way and was then fine. Once the computer is
>> warmed up, I can restart without the noise and with no auto
>> restart; however, if I turn the computer off or leave it on
>> stand by for more than half an hour, it repeats the problem.
>> I saw something on another website that said to use a boot
>> delay, but it didn't say how to do it...any ideas if that is
>> the correct solution, or is my hard drive going bad? Thanks!
>>
>
>
>



--
HP, aka Jerry

jennikj added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

> I should have put that in my first post...I did take off the
> cover and checked/cleaned the fans on Thursday. Took the cover
> off again today and then started it up to see where buzz was
> coming from and although it's hard to tell for sure, it looked
> to me like it was coming from the hard drive, which is why I
> thought it might be going bad. I also ran virus scan, adware
> scan and spyware scan; no problems, and ran a defrag.
>
One way to determine which fan is failing by slowing down and/or is
out-of-balance is to GENTLY push on the rotating axle with your
index finger so as to slow it down but without touching the blades.
If you're sucessful, you will quickly find the bad fan. Now, if the
issue is that one fan is running out-of-balance for any reason, it
may turn out that this little idea won't help because the noise is
actually coming from the case itself vibrating. Be sure NOT to
touch the blades of the fans, you risk breaking one which will
cause you even more grief.

Good luck!

--
HP, aka Jerry

JS added these comments in the current discussion du jour ...

> Try HD Tune, provides drive info and has an option to test
> your drive. http://www.hdtune.com/
>
> Also SpeedFan has an online analysis feature for hard drives.
> http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

The OP didn't say, but the final diagnosis on my bad CPU fan was
the Windows app that my Asus motherboard people have that shows
both the speed of each fan and the temp of what it is
safeguarding. It was immediately apparent that the CPU fan was
running at less than half-speed and causing a heat rise. Until I
got a new one, if the heat got anywhere near the threshold, I
just shut the old girl down. As most people know, and I think the
OP does as well, if the CPU fan does die or is disconnected for
any reason, the CPU will very quickly overheat. Even if the BIOS
is set to shut down fast, damage to a very expensive component is
possible.
> JS
>
> "jennikj" <u38234@uwe> wrote in message
> news:79a7fc4641e24@uwe...
>>I should have put that in my first post...I did take off the
>>cover and
>> checked/cleaned the fans on Thursday. Took the cover off
>> again today and then started it up to see where buzz was
>> coming from and although it's hard to tell for sure, it
>> looked to me like it was coming from the hard drive, which
>> is why I thought it might be going bad. I also ran virus
>> scan, adware scan and spyware scan; no problems, and ran a
>> defrag.
>>
>> JS wrote:
>>>Take the cover off and check the CPU fan and other fans for
>>>the buzz. Also if badly covered with dust, clean it.
>>>
>>>JS
>>>
>>
>
>
>



--
HP, aka Jerry

jennikj added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

> Thank you JS...I downloaded HD Tune, and the health showed all
> ok and error scan no damage. Temp got up to about 51 C while
> running the program but went down to 40 C after it was done. I
> looked at SpeedFan but it looked more complicated than I would
> be able to do. I'm afraid I'll change something I shouldn't...

51C is getting pretty warm but proably won't damage anything. If
it gets into the 53-55 range, trouble is coming. I assume from
your comments that the utility didn't show any fan running below
its normal speed, which may lead you to conclude that somehow,
someway, a blade on one of the fans is bent/broken a little and
the thing is running out-of-balance. Hard to imagine how that
might happen unless a piece of crud inside a dirty case just fell
on it whilst it was spinning at high speed. Again, my suggestion
to GENTLY put your index finger on the axle; if it is an out-of-
balance fan rather than one that has slowed down, you may be able
to feel it. And, perhaps then you'll know where to look. The CPU
fan is by far the most difficult to replace as it is attached
pretty firmly, needs special heat "grease" and can be difficult
to unattach without bending your mobo enough to crack a trace. My
nephew, who used to be my tech but is out of that business now,
spent quite some time carefully replacing mine. Depending on your
diagnosis, you may want to have this done professionally if
you're at all uncomfortable. A big bucks repair may save you a
far bigger repair/replacement cost or even save an accidental
destruction of an otherwise well-working PC.

Again, good luck in your detective work.

> JS wrote:
>>Try HD Tune, provides drive info and has an option to test
>>your drive. http://www.hdtune.com/
>>
>>Also SpeedFan has an online analysis feature for hard drives.
>>http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php
>>
>>JS
>>
>>>I should have put that in my first post...I did take off the
>>>cover and checked/cleaned the fans on Thursday. Took the
>>>cover off again today and [quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>>>>
>>>>JS
>
>



--
HP, aka Jerry