My computer's power supply fan keeps kicking on

[Oeditpus Rex]

Should I be concerned? Is a good vacuuming in order?

[BigMcLargehuge]

1. sounds like a cleaning is needed

you might also look at the placement of the computer. Is it getting enough airflow to cool down effectively?

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. You tell me

There's about 3 1/2" of space behind it and about 4 1/2 above. I've also got an 8" desk fan a couple of feet away from it — not pointed toward the computer, but so it'll keep dust and stuff away from it.

I'll crack the case later and see how much dust is inside.

[BigMcLargehuge]

3. looks like there isn't a lot of space for air to move

How close is it to the right side wall??

[Oeditpus Rex]

5. About four inches from the wall

But the back half is about two inches from the desk's side panel.

[lectrobyte]

4. I'd take that place mat or whatever it is off the top too.

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. I put that there to keep dust off

Perhaps it's keeping in heat as well?

[BigMcLargehuge]

7. that's more than likely too

[Richardo]

9. The lamp is probably not helping, either.

[Oeditpus Rex]

12. The lamp has only a 25-watt bulb

and it's not on very often; only when I fly flight sims at night. It puts light on the keyboard and little else.

[Texasgal]

8. Thsi started happening to me too..

A few weeks ago. I cleaned it with compressed air and it keeps buzzing. I think I may need a new fan. :(

[Darth_Kitten]

10. I think I may too......

for the last month or two my fan was working very erratically and sometimes stopping. But for some reason, for the last week it's been running okay. :shrug:

My computer is weird. :shrug:

[In_The_Wind]

11. I had that problem with my laptop.

I wound up sending it back for repair. The fan needed replacing.


You can borrow my vacuum cleaner.

[Benfea]

13. Replace the PSU just to be safe.

You don't want to mess around with the PSU. It can damage other parts in your computer (especially system RAM), and if your PSU is going bad, the errors it causes look very much like other problems entirely, so they can be ducedly hard to diagnose.

[Gormy Cuss]

14. Dell?

They're known for fan failures.

[0007]

15. Is it a loud intermittent humming sound?

[Texasgal]

16. YES!!

Or atleast mine is...

[0007]

17. If you know you're fan is running, by looking at the back of your

computer, you'll know right away if that's the problem. If it isn't operating, then replaced the fan, which is no biggy. If the fan is running then we know that it is not the problem. It may be that you have a CD in the tray and it keeps loading to the Hard Drive, and that could be the sound you're hearing. If that doesn't work get help.