Funny noise!

[Olde Crone Holden]

I assume it is the fan - why does it keep coming on, it is doing it literally every five minutes.

I have never heard this noise before - high pitched whirring sound. Gulp!

OC

[Elaine ..Spain]

Have you checked the air vents at the back/sides of the computer - make sure they are not full of dust.

[WendyPusey]

Dave says it's more likely that one of the internal fans is speeding up to compensate for increased temperatures inside.

As Elaine says, it could be that it needs a good clean and defluffing. You will be surprised how much fluff gets inside.

[daj]

If your vacuum cleaner has a hose, or a set of tools, switch the computer off, and place the hose of the vacuum cleaner against each of the vents on your computer to remove an excess dust.

There isi always a vent where the power cable goes into the computer and often one on either side, or even the top

[Olde Crone Holden]

Oooh err!

I've just cleaned off a blanket of fluff from a side vent I cannot normally reach!

Still doing it so I will try the vacuum cleaner thingy in a minute. Thankyou everyone.

OC

[Elizabeth Herts]

My brother-in-law installed an external drive for me on Thursday, and a week before this he asked for the vacuum cleaner as the hard drive unit was so dusty.:( He told me off for not doing this myself on a regular basis.

Well, I know what you all think about h*******k!!! :D

[Olde Crone Holden]

Right, I've done all that (and the surrounding areas, lol) and so far so good.

I had this idea that computers and vacuum cleaners don't go together...shall try to do this regularly in future.

OC

[daj]

Right, I've done all that (and the surrounding areas, lol) and so far so good.

I had this idea that computers and vacuum cleaners don't go together...shall try to do this regularly in future.

OC

Yes, for sure. The air vents are very important as they allow air in and out of the computer to keep it cool. There are several fans inside the comp and their job is to keep air flowing. When the vents are blocked things heat up very quickly and damage can occur to the electronics. Usually the computer will just switch off if it overheats as they have a built in self-panic mode!

It's water and computers that do not mix! (water, coffee, tea, gin & tonic...) ;)

[Heather Positive Thinker]

Yes, I was worried that a hoover would suck out its innards too. Son said to use a can of compressed air, which I havent got round to getting.

[WendyPusey]

Dave says that his colleagues at work would say:-

"It's better to blow than suck"

He actually uses my OH's air compressor on a very low pressure.

[Guy]

Cans of compressed air are fine as they contain dry air, a compressor (unless it has a filter (dessicent) to dry the air) will spray moisture into the computer.
If in doubt always far better to suck than blow.
Cheers
Guy

[WendyPusey]

My OH's compressor has water traps in it, and so far we haven't had any problems using it.