computer whirring excessively noisily

[bigdan]

I've just taken over a computer from someone else.

On the whole its pretty silent (still louder than most computers but bearable) but at some points it gets extremely loud. Not necessarily when tremendous load is on it. For example right now its doing a virus check but I'm not using it actively, at the beginning of this post it was silent and now suddenly its loud as ****. Anything I can do to fix this or just have to accept it?

thx
Dan

 

[carnageX]

What are the temps of the CPu and such? It's doing that most likely because it's cranking the CPU power up, which creates more heat, and the fan is set on auto to adjust itself when there is more heat-dissipation needed.

 

[bigdan]

interesting. is there anything i can do about it?

how do i check the temperature?

i assume you want the temperature both when its silent and when its noisy?

incidentally since last night it has been both loud and soft at different times, although i havent touched it since my last post.

 

[veg1992]

Use Everest or CoreTemp to check your temps.. give me both the idle and Load temps (when not much is running on it and when its hogged up to 100% respectively)

 

[bigdan]

ive downloaded everest.

having trouble figuring out how to check temp's tho? ive checked the help but even there dont see how to.

btw the noise i mentioned, that doesnt necessarily happen at 100%. i dont know for sure b/c i didnt touch the computer at all last night, but i started a virus scan and at some points it'd be noisy, at some point it wasnt.

assuming this computer wont hit 100% under normal operating, should i load a bunch of programs just to get it to that and then check temp, or something else?

btw does it have to be at a certain percentage for a certain period of time? or as long as it hits it for a second it OK?

 

[carnageX]

There should be an option for Sensor under the Computer section (I think that's what it is; can't remember for sure as I haven't used everest in forever). Can always just try RealTemp or CoreTemp to check the CPU temps.

As for getting a load temp, just go download Prime95, let it run for a few minutes till the temp on one of the temp-reading programs stabilizes out (or get an average if it jumps around a bit).

 

[bigdan]

you are right carnage, computer/sensor has it.

Temperatures were pretty much the same when whirring and not.

Temperatures
Motherboard: 59C - 62C
CPU: approx 42C

Cooling Fans
CPU: 2600-2800 RPM (when not whirring) / 4021 - 4065 (when it is whirring)
Chassis: 1640 RPM / 2297

CoreTemp didnt work, said the Intel processor not supported.

btw the load so far has been about the same. the loud whirring doesnt seem very dependent on load of processing. i did open another browser window to download said applications so maybe there is some relation. but thats maybe.

(computer just made loud whirring noise for a few seconds, the CPU usage was 7-15% throughout...)

******. Just tried realtemp, that didnt work either. same error: the processor detected is not supposed - GenuineIntel

Why on earth is this? I bought the computer from Compaq so its not even some clone.


About to run Prime95 test, will give results after posting this one.

ran prime95, the temperatures were still pretty static. interestingly enough the CPU usage didnt really goto excessive numbers though. it was between 55 and 70% most of the time, actually in the 50s usually, though it did hit 90s and 100 at some point. RAM was at 95+% the whole time.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

the temps are probably not moving much because of the fans. e.g. when the temps normally would increase the fans go into overdrive, and keep the temp the same.

In the bios there'll be an option called 'smart' or 'auto' or something along the lines for fan control. Just change it to manual, and make sure the max speeds of the fans isn't too high. e.g. around 2700RPM should be fine.

Then boot into windows and start Everest again, watch the temps at the same time as putting some load on the system.

 

[carnageX]

@bigdan: Hmm, those are some fairly high Mobo temps... Wondering if the north or southbridge is getting too hot. Maybe you can apply some new thermal paste to either of those (wouldn't hurt to do that to the CPU as well).

@SOULphIRE:
He has a Compaq though, so I'm pretty sure the option to adjust fan speed won't be there. Never has been for me in any of them that I've seen, anyway.

 

[bigdan]

thanks for the response fellas.

so is it safe to change fan speed? esp when carnage is saying temp's are already too high?

either way, ummm i dont know where the bios is! pls advise?