Hi: On my new pc which is a month old and starting yesterday every time I turn my pc on (only happens after the pc been off for a while) I get a a low running-motor type noise which stops after a while (maybe after 5 to 10 minutes?). The noise will not come back no matter how much I turn the pc off and reboot. Only if I turn it off for while like an hour or so then turn on will this noise happen? I have opened the pc and the pc is clean and even have re-cleaned it. Do not know what the cause is? I am running a western digital HDD test now to check the HDD, but SMART softwares show all is "OK" and "GOOD". Any help on this matter is appreciate it. Thanks in advance.
tableblou, being brand new and possibly under warranty, perhaps your best course of action is to contact the PC manufacturer's Technical Support.
You would need to open the case to listen and identify exactly where the noise is originating from. I could advise you the mostly likely source(s) of the noise, but as JRViejo say, you should instead go straight to OEM supplier for support. Opening the PC would invalidate your warranty. Good luck!!
What you mentioned seems to be only related to the "cold boot" prodecure. It reminds me of some desktop computers which behave differently on reboot and cold boot. Use the term when contacting tech support.
It's probably the fan on the graphics card. You need to lubricate it with machine oil. Of course , it might be something else, you need to locate the source, if you can stop the fan in the graphics card with your fingers (you have access to it), do it, noise should stop, and if that action does stop it (it should continue when you remove fingers from it), then it's your graphics card for sure. In that case you need to do what I said above.
Hi: Thanks for the response. I did contact ACER and they said to ship it to their factory in Texas. Heck I am in Toronto, Canada and thats a long way and it could take 10 business day for me to get it back and not mentioning shipping it over the border. Also my mother board is very compact and small and the graphics card is integrated nvidia geforece 6100SE nforce 103. I do not think it has a fan?? from what I thing the noise came from the back bottom part where the power supply and cord is I think. I opened it up and the pc is very clean. All HDD tests are fine and am running and extended HDD test right now to be sure using western digital HDD test tool. I just hope its nothing serious. I will run a few more tests and HD cleaning and DE-fregmenting and check-disk running and see. The ACER tech gal said she and acer have never heard anything like this. this is the pc that I bought and have issue with: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product...4-645-ax1420-eb20p-ax1420-eb20p/10172186.aspx
The website SilentPCReview has great information on identifying noise in computers. Here's a FAQ with tons of troubleshooting steps. http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4094
This is the address of your nearest Best Buy store according their website. There are also other Best Buy stores in the Toronto area that may be more convenient for you. Toronto Eaton Centre 65 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON, M5G 2C3 Phone: (416) 642-8321 In their terms they state you can return defective or unwanted products to their nearest store (if I understood correctly from a very quick scan-read). Read their T&Cs In most countries it is the reseller who has the duty for RMA in the first instance. If you feel the unusual noise, which has only started in the last 24 hours, on a product one month old, is coming from the psu you really need to return the pc and let them trace the problem and find a satisfactory resolution. A faulty psu can cause failure of connected components. Best to be safe than sorry.
Hi: I opened the cover and during this morning cold start I did listen closely and the noise seems to come from around the power box? Maybe a fan in there??. I did stop the fan on CPU with my hand and the sound continued so the HDD and cpu fan is ok. Also when the pc warms up the noise goes away??
Dude, I'm kinda confused. Firstly please don't take anything the wrong way. You have a new OEM Acer computer (one month old) purchased from Best Buy CA. You have a valid warranty. It appears to me that you have limited technical knowledge of computer hardware. In the last 48 hours your machine has started to make an unusual noise after boot. The pc never used to make the noise. You have identified the noise originates from around the PSU. FACTS: A typical PSU retains considerable voltage weeks after being shut down. The voltage is more than enough to kill you outright I am not going to be irresponsible and advise you how to open a PSU when it is clear you have limited knowledge. Opening the PSU to investigate the operation of the fan without appropriate knowledge could prove fatal. Tampering with your hardware would render your warranty useless. Do an RMA. If my sister had the same problem with a new PC I would not visit her and fix it. I would tell her do get it done on warranty. If it ends being something silly like a loose mounting what harm has been done by taking it back to Best Buy. It only costs you a bit of time. It may make you feel foolish. But it it is the correct course of action. That is my friendly (and courteous) opinion.
Fans often "growl" when started cold, and then get quiet once everything gets warm from running for a few minutes. Some good quality fans will never do this, some from only light use. Cheaper quality fans generally after a couple years. Fans can be on video adapter, or case fans, cpu fans or psu fans. Any fan can do this, no matter how good the reputation or the age. The most common scenario is that you turn the machine off, and when you start it the next day, the "growl" is there. A few minutes later, the noise is gone, and will not return until the fan has been cooled enough. There is no "danger" in this fan making noise. The danger lies when the fan finally "siezes" and no longer spins - thus not cooling what it was meant to cool. In the case of a psu or cpu, they are pretty important objects and really do need a fan. Some more powerful video cards could be lumped into this category too. Case fans and some mobo fans, not so much to worry about, all depending of course. Adding oil to a fan is something that can be done, but not all fans make it easy to do. Not to mention you should do this outside of the case, as you don't want excess oil being flung about inside the box. Most likely though, once you hear that "growl", your bearings have taken damage and oil will only bandage the wound, not fix it. The noise will return. You could of course keep oiling it, but replacing the fan is the best bet. Tearing into a PSU, as has been noted, is not something you want to do if you don't understand a few things. The main thing is that the capacitors in the PSU are large, and will hold a charge that could kill you concievably if you come up to potential to it (aka you become the ground). Most of the time you don't have to worry about such things when replacing a fan, but I would agree that it would be better to have someone else take care of the situation. A PSU can also fail in its circuitry/electrical components, but you normally hear a "whining" or "wizzing", not a growl like a motor and bearing would make. HDDs don't normally make that noise either, although they do have bearings. HDDs usually (in my experience) make a completely different sound, and a very unmistakable sound at that when they start failing. It sounds like you are desribing a fan bearing "growl". If it were me, I would locate the fan making that noise and replace it. If I were you, I would use what you paid for, that bieng the warranty. A PSU that gets too hot can fail, and when it fails, it can take a myriad of components out with it. A small inconvenience of a couple weeks without your machine may pale in comparison to having to replace the entire machine (worst case) or lost your data (another bad case) because the hdd fried along with the PSU. If you are really intent on not sending that unit back for RMA, then you may: 1. verify 100% which fan it is 2. monitor the fan (often) to make sure it is running 3. when it fails (or before) replace it I would RMA it if I were you though. Sul.
Something else while I'm thinking about it. I tend to build my own systems for home use. All except for one which is typically an OEM business system which becomes essentially my reserve or test rig (for testing hardware mostly) and is currently an HP dc7700 SFF which is wired up to an old IIyama TFT. Anyhow, my current test rig developed a fault a couple of years back which I could easily repaired myself. I have a complete stock of spares at home of various memory types, CPUs, PSUs, HDDs, opticals etc etc. It would have cost me nothing to repair. But the system was under warranty. I chose to send it back to them for repair and the machine is still going strong (using it now to send this post). The Iiyama also developed a fault about 4 years agao and was on the last of years of warranty. Again I got it fixed for free by Iyama (they actually sent me a replacement model). The main point is that I have literally built thousands of systems but still I occasionally make mistakes. I've once dropped $300 graphics card causing the board to crack and being useless. So I look at, why risk damage when they can do it for free? Aftercare and support. It's what you paid your hard-earned money for....
I have had those on multiple systems for years. When first powered on, they all sound like Armageddon. But then the parts reach their steady-state temperature and settle down. It's metal and plastic and whatnot, had such machines working and rumbling for years, no problem. If you can live with the noise, then it's just thermodynamics for you. Mrk
