"Rumbling" Rig

[Taffycat]

There is a bit of an intermittent rumble, which I suspect might be coming from the HDD of our XP-Pro rig...

Mostly, the rumble will happen when something (such as a programme, application or web-page,) is being accessed, so it happens fairly briefly, then is quiet again.

However, we run both rigs 24/7 (crunching) and recently, I find that after a few days of continuous use, the rumble becomes almost constant - "pulsing" you might say (probably in time to the crunching) ... so that I have to shut it down overnight. The "rest" seems to help, because after the initial boot-up and rumble, as the AV does it's thing, it becomes quiet again - apart from when anything is accessed.

I de-frag, CClean etc., also I've run chkdsk - just to eliminate those things... although didn't really think it would be that.... so I wonder what your advice might be please guys?

Do you reckon I could carry out a bit of first-aid? Or does it need a Paramedic? At the time of writing this, it is quiet as the proverbial mouse! Your advice would be much appreciated. Oh, and for newer members who might not know me so well, I'm enthusiastic, but class myself as an amateur when it comes to the "gubbins" Thank you for reading.

Specs:

XP Pro SP3
AMD Athlon 64 4000+ Socket AM2
3000 MHz
2.61 GHz 2 GB RAM
WinFast MB Model 6100M2MA Version FAB1.0
Chipset C51 PCI Express Bridge
NVIDIA GeForce 6100

 

[Madxgraphics]

Is your HDD screwed to the chassis or is it one of the new fandangled ones that have clips..? If its screwed to the chassis, check the screws over as after time they do come loose, due to the different expansion and contractions of the two different metals in the screws and the HDD.

Chances are if the spindle motor was getting ready to die it would just die..They are sort of like on/off switches when their time comes, no inbetween stage they just die...

 

[Taffycat]

Oh thank you Madxgraphics, that is something I can check (I have previously nosed around in there, but would need to look again to see how it has been fixed).

If it turned out to be clippy things, s it possible to get some "silencing pads?" I might have imagined it, but thought I saw somewhere, that they could be fitted to help reduce a noisy HD? Or... maybe that was for sandwiching between the fan fixings... oh heck, not sure now, sorry.

 

[Madxgraphics]

I don't know about getting silencing pads, but most have a little metal spring palte in them, so can be bent slightly to form a tighter grip..Also check things chassis fans for tightnes...

 

[Taffycat]

Thank you again I shall do that ... it will also be a good excuse to have a good clean around inside too, whilst I'm at it.

 

[Madxgraphics]

Thank you again I shall do that ... it will also be a good excuse to have a good clean around inside too, whilst I'm at it.

A good clear out is a god thing, you'd be supprissed what a build up of dust and the like can do to a system..Just be careful how you go about cleaning..

 

[floppybootstomp]

It could be a fan but it does sound like it's noise from a hard disk, summing up all the available info.

Hard drives can become noisy and as Mr MadX said it would be wise to check all mounting bolts for tightness.

If it is a hard drive it could be a sign it's on the way out if it was previously quiet, the bolts have been tightened and it's still noisy. So consider backup.

If you hear any click type noises coming from a hard disk it's definitely on the way out and probably won't last a great deal longer, but you didn't mention a clicking noise, just a rumble (a bit like my tum sometimes...).

 

[Taffycat]

I shall first select one of the cats, then use his tail to gently tease around the delicate bits... then I shall give it a suck with the Dyson...er, I mean the computer, not the cat Just kidding.. I shall be careful

 

[Madxgraphics]

I shall first select one of the cats, then use his tail to gently tease around the delicate bits... then I shall give it a suck with the Dyson...er, I mean the computer, not the cat

Just kidding.. I shall be careful

NOOOOOOOOO!!!! Keep the cat away..Computer no like static

 

[Taffycat]

Woops, beg pardon Flopps, I managed to miss your post earlier.

There has always been an "intermittent" rumble, ever since day one... but it only ever happened when something was being accessed. It's only since it started to spend the whole day with a rumbling pulse (so to speak) that it beccame annoying. Coupled with that, there has always been a very occasional - and I do mean occasional - "chink" sound. The kind of sound you'd hear if a coin was tapped, just once, against something metal. It has always done that too, but not regularly, or frequently. Would that count as being a click?

I know it might sound daft.. but I've always thought of it as just being a "quirk" of the computer

 

[Madxgraphics]

I look at noises that come from computers a bit like tooth ache..You think its the front tooth thats hurting but when you get to the dentist its really the back tooth on the other side at the bottom that he rips out..Now the computer is much the same, you hear noises and think oh feck me hard drive is about to snuff it...

Go around and check everything is tight, fans, PSU the lot..You'd be supprissed what vibrations a fan in a loose PSU can do..Girscopic forces have a funny way of shifting the forces elswhere..

 

[Taffycat]

Right, so it's to be screwdrivers at dawn!! Thank you

 

[Madxgraphics]

Right, so it's to be screwdrivers at dawn!! Thank you

Away you go and sort the rumble, just remember NOT to use magnetised screwdrivers

 

[Taffycat]

No, I'm genuinely careful not to use anything like that ... I've got my own tool-set, in fact and nothing is magnetic in it.

 

[Madxgraphics]

No, I'm genuinely careful not to use anything like that ... I've got my own tool-set, in fact and nothing is magnetic in it.

ARGH! a woman with a tool kit...lol

 

[Taffycat]

Titter ye may....but guess who's husband has to borrow their screwdriver when he can't find his own...

 

[Madxgraphics]

Titter ye may....but guess who's husband has to borrow their screwdriver when he can't find his own...

Just so I can get mesen out of the hole I just dug for mesen, while Michael Schumacker was still racing he had upto 40 engineers around him most of the time, of those engineers 15 were woman..

 

[Taffycat]

Hee hee ... I rest my case

 

[Taffycat]

Finally - I got around to taking a look to see whether I could find my "rumble" and also took the opportunity to really give both rigs a good spring-clean.. er, autumn clean.

I took a couple of pics, just to better explain what I am about to ask, (they're in the gallery so should come up quite clearly when the links are clicked.) The first shows the innards of the Novatech, and the second pic, will show you what I'm about to refer to in the para below.

The only part that I thought to have a little bit of movement in it, was on the AMD fan. The main seating seems fine, but in the pic, you will see there are four deep "screw holes" ... the movement appears to be bottom left. However, as you'll probably know, in the aforementioned holes, are four, raised-cross doobries. Can these be tightened and, if so, what kind of instrument should be used please? Or are they some kind of push-fit affair? Not knowing, I didn't meddle, but just left all alone until I could seek some advice.

General innards: https://www.pcreview.co.uk/gallery/showimage.php?i=778&original=1

The AMD fan: https://www.pcreview.co.uk/gallery/showimage.php?i=779&original=1

Thank you very much for looking, it's much appreciated

 

[floppybootstomp]

I suspect the fan is held on to the heatsink with security screws and if you have the correct tool I expect they can be tightened.

Not sure what the tool's called but it looks like a small letter 'u' on the end of a screwdriver type device and can probably be purchased in B & Q and similar stores but probably only as part of a set.

If you have a small pair of long needle nosed pliers you could probably use those to tighten it.

If the screw feels loose, tighten it but only use medium pressure, don't force anything.

I'm not 100% sure my advice is accurate, have never seen those screws holding a fan to a heatsink before but if it were mine I'd certainly try to tighten the screws.

Do remember not to over tighten them though, firm but not forced is the rule.