Fan Dying - Twice in 3 Years. Thoughts Please.Follow

Apologies if this ends up being double posted, it didn't show up when I first tried, except for a blank message with the user name being SCHALR006 or something. Then it disappeared.

I had a computer built for me 3 years ago for a local computer shop. Less than a year ago, the fan started making noises. They (said) they replaced it. I have the work order from it.

Well, since then, it's off-and-on made noises when I turned the computer back on. Usually pressing on the metal grille around the fan or giving the CPU a little bang made it stop and all was well and good until I shut it off and on again. Didn't always happen then, either.

Admittedly, I leave it on almost 24/7, and only vacuum is every couple of months.

However, in the last couple days, the fan has been constantly making its buzzing "I'm dying" noises. I vacuumed it, took off the side of the CPU, vacuumed the inside of everything, and even jiggled the metal box the fan is in. Nada. Bang it, sometimes it'll stop for a while, sometimes not. This leads me to believe the fan isn't dying, but possibly loose. I had someone look at it about 6 months ago and they said they say no problem. This was a third party, who was doing some work on my other computers, not affilated with the place I got this one from.

There are three other computers in this house, and 2 of them have been on nearly as much as this one. One is about a year old, the other about 4. neither have ever needed a replaced fan. This will be my second in three years, if it is indeed the problem.

I keep my computer in a large room with a screen door open in good weather, no doors or anything, keeps air circulating, but I do have cats. They generally don't go near the CPU though. Dust does get in, like I said, and if I peek at the fan through the holes, there is that small film of grey-brown dust most computer fans get.

So, I have my work order from August 31st, 2004, and it took them until September 3rd, I believe, to get iot back to me, and the writing on the work order is illegible so I can't tell if it was actually replaced or not. I also have my original purchase forms. I called, and they said that they do warranty for 1 year, but envoirnmental causes negate it and I would have to pay.

What do you think? I think if they make me pay for it, I won't, and I'll take my computer elsewhere. No fan should be dying twice in 3 years when none of the others in the same house have ever died.

Do you smoke in, or near the room with the CPU? Tobacco smoke can be a huge fan killer. It generates a lot of dust, which could add to the cat dander that's probably already getting into the fan.

I used to have a cat that slept on my tower. Needless to say, I had to pitch the whole thing after about 2 years of use. The entire motherboard got caked with dust from the damn cat. It wasn't affecting it, but it did ruin my fan. And I wasn't going to bother to keep it.

Very common misbelief. If enough dust builds up it can create an electrical connection between the contacts on your board and cause a short, very uncommon but it does happen.

The noise your hearing is most likely the bearing in the fan. I rebuild power supplies on a regular basis and can tell you that the life expectancy of a fan is completly random. Since the fan bearing is inserted and lubed by a machine it is common to get a small amount of dust or foreign substance in it before its sealed. Also that film that builds up on the fan blades will add weight to the fan causing extra strain on the bearing, and even slow the fan down slightly. The best thing you can do is to grab a can of Dust-Off and blow out the computer about once a weak. I usually do mine on the weekend before I clean the room.

If you really don't want to replace it try this. With the computer unplugged pull out the power supply (assuming thats the fan your talking about. Case fans are the same but CPU fans are different) and open it up. Pull the fan out and on the back of the fan you should see a small circular rubber stopper. (usually covered by a sticker) Lay the fan flat with the stopper facing up and remove the stopper. Get some lightweight gear oil and place a drop or two on the bearing and spin the fan with your finger for a minute or so and replace the stopper. Make sure their is no excess oil that will go flying once the fan turns on and replace the fan. This should quiet the noise if not get rid of it entirely. However it may not help at all if something is stuck in the bearing. Just keep in mind once you open the power supply you void the warranty so if it is still under warranty just take it in.