CPU Fan noises come and go

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jlahey

Honorable
May 20, 2013
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10,510
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with my issue I'm having with my desktop. Its a Gateway GM5048 desktop, kind of old, but still works and I have a few upgrades in it like maxed out RAM, Asus video card, etc. Everything was running great until I took the whole computer apart and cleaned it with a vacuum (very carefully) and then I put everything back inside the computer and put it back together. I have double checked my wires to the motherboard and everything looks hooked up correctly according to the motherboard schematic on Intel's website. I also cleaned the CPU and heatsink with rubbing alcohol thoroughly and then applied new thermal paste to the CPU and put the heatsink back on. I hooked everything up, now it still makes the noise. I will be sitting on any screen doing anything, like in BIOS, not pushing ANY buttons or making the computer do anything, and the CPU fan will just spin REALLY loudly to the point where it sounds like something is going to break (seriously, kinda scary). Then it will quiet down and the computer will be really quiet for a few minutes or a certain amount of seconds then start this loud fan spinning again. However, like I said before, it does this, even if the computer is just sitting at a BIOS screen or anything else simple, not even being in Windows! I find this hard to believe that the CPU needs THIS MUCH cooling if there are no mathematical functions that need to be calculated by the CPU, etc. In other words, this obviously shouldn't be happening. Does anyone seriously know what is wrong with my desktop? I am seriously ready to go nuts. Thanks in advance.
 
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C12Friedman

C12Friedman

Glorious
Jan 25, 2012
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I'll first suggest checking your Heatsink mounts to make sure it isn't loose on one of the corners. If the HSF is mounted firmly, I'd be inclined to think too much or too little thermal compound was used and would suggest cleaning and reapplying new thermal compound. But, it is also likely the graphics card's fan is making the noise, or even the PSU's fan. You can use a papertowel tube to isolate the source of the noise. Feel the air coming out of the PSU, if it is hot when the fan is ramping up, that is a warning that it is close to failure time for it.
 
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J

jlahey

Honorable
May 20, 2013
4
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10,510
Yeah, I was going to say that the noise is still prevalent even after I applied the thermal paste. When I first put everything back in the computer and hooked everything back up, it was making the exact same loud fan noises that it is now. That's why I bought the thermal paste online and then when I got it in the mail, applied it to the CPU and heatsink. I only applied a pea-sized amount as described in most DIYs online. It's ridiculous that the same noise is still occurring even after applying new thermal paste. I felt the air coming out of the computer, its like a rush of cool air coming out both the front and the back fans. I am seriously stumped on this but want to be able to use my computer again soon. Does the heatsink need to sit on top of the CPU in a certain way or do the screws need to just line up? I can't see why it would need to sit a certain way? And I took the graphics card out as well and tried using the on-board VGA, and it still makes the same noises! What else could it be? I appreciate any help!
 
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J

jlahey

Honorable
May 20, 2013
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10,510


Okay, so I think I MIGHT, JUST MIGHT of figured it out! So, I opened up the computer when it was running, and listened to hear where the noise was coming from. It turns out that the noise WAS NOT the CPU fan, as that was quiet as anything. The loud noise was the exhaust fan on the back of the chassis! It turns out that I put the fan back on backwards when I reassembled the computer. Instead of the air blowing out, it was sucking air into the machine, and getting hot I guess. Any explanation on why if the exhaust fan is inverted, it will make these loud noises? These loud noises stopped completely when I switched it around the correct way. I will update this thread if the noises start again. There are still fan noises, but no where near as bad like it sounded like it was going to blow up earlier on. Is there a temp sensor inside the machine that senses hot air and then causes the fan I had put on backwards spin faster? I'm crossing my fingers that the noise is gone now, but I'd like to know out of curiosity why it was making such a LOUD noise since I put it on backwards.
 
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C12Friedman

C12Friedman

Glorious
Jan 25, 2012
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If the fan is PWM controlled by the motherboard, I'd imagine the fan did not provide enough pressure into the case hence making it work harder to try to provide some cooling.
If a non-controllable fan, I would think the pressure against it might have prevented it from reaching it's target RPMs then overspeeding when pressure decreased.
Assumptions mind you since I have no knowledge of your setup.
 
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J

jlahey

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May 20, 2013
4
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10,510
Well, yeah I believe the motherboard controls the fan as needed for temperature differences, etc. I have a Intel D945GCZ motherboard, rather old, but I doubt the fan on the back of the chassis has any options I can set, so I assume it is a motherboard controlled exhaust fan. Seems like this fixed the issue though, I will let you know if anything changes. Thanks for your help!
 
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