kadie@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie) (05/17/91)
My PC often makes a high-pitched whine. The whine is more common when room temperture is high. I think the noise is caused by the power supply's fan (since the fan and the hard disk are the only moving parts, and I've replaced the disk drive [for other reasons]). Replacing the whole power supply would be expensive. It would also be difficult to find one that is the right size with the switch at the right place. I have replaced the fan (cost: about $12 from Radio Shack). But that did not stop the whine. I think the problem is that the fan is vibrating the power supply box. Does anyone know of any tricks to stop the power supply from vibrating (like washers or something)? Thanks, Carl -- Carl Kadie -- kadie@cs.uiuc.edu -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
oneel@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Bruce Oneel ) (05/17/91)
In article <1991May16.185539.10519@m.cs.uiuc.edu> kadie@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie) writes:
My PC often makes a high-pitched whine. The whine is more common when
room temperture is high. I think the noise is caused by the power
supply's fan (since the fan and the hard disk are the only moving
parts, and I've replaced the disk drive [for other reasons]).
Replacing the whole power supply would be expensive. It would also be
difficult to find one that is the right size with the switch at the
right place.
I have replaced the fan (cost: about $12 from Radio Shack). But that
did not stop the whine. I think the problem is that the fan is
vibrating the power supply box.
Does anyone know of any tricks to stop the power supply from vibrating
(like washers or something)?
Thanks,
Carl
First, try turning off the monitor and see if the noise goes away.
Monitors are notorious for high pitched whines. Switching power
supplies such that pcs use cost in the $50 to $100 range. It might
not be too expensive to just replace the whole thing.
bruce
--
Bruce O'Neel oneel@heasfs.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/GSFC/STX/Code 664david@kessner.denver.co.us (David Kessner) (05/18/91)
In article <1991May16.185539.10519@m.cs.uiuc.edu> kadie@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie) writes: >My PC often makes a high-pitched whine. The whine is more common when >room temperture is high. I think the noise is caused by the power >supply's fan (since the fan and the hard disk are the only moving >parts, and I've replaced the disk drive [for other reasons]). > >Does anyone know of any tricks to stop the power supply from vibrating >(like washers or something)? > >Carl Kadie -- kadie@cs.uiuc.edu -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign I have never heard of a fan vibrating a power supply case-- although it could happen, I guess... Like someone else said, check the monitor. If that does not help, run several programs and see if the whine changes as you choose different options from the programs. I know this sounds strange, but here is my experience with about 20 different machines: Often there is a "crosstalk" problem with the keyboard controller circutry and a speaker in the computer (could also be a _MODEMS_ speaker). When a program is waiting for a key to be pressed, it 'polls' the keyboard-- which causes a 'click' on the speaker, and when done often enough sounds more like a whine. When the program is actually doing something (compiling, recalc, etc) it polls the keyboard less often, so the pitch of the whine changes (or goes away alltogether). There is not much you can do to get rid of the problem. In the instances that I found the problem, it was the modem's speaker that making the whine. The speaker was also shaped like a small plastic can with a hole in the top (rather than a 'paper cone' speaker). All we did was placed a little scotch tape over the hole-- we cannot hear that dial tone with that great fidelity anymore, but it masks the whine. :) This, of course, does not work for everyone. If this is the problem, please tell me what it took to get rid of it. I can always use that type of info... -- David Kessner - david@kessner.denver.co.us | 1135 Fairfax, Denver CO 80220 (303) 377-1801 (p.m.) | Reunite PANGEA! Why can't everyone have three or four line .sig's? |
donrm@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Don Montgomery) (05/18/91)
Hi- Are you sure it's your fan causing the problem and not your hard disk? A quick check is to stall the fan with something insulated (stick of wood, etc.) shoved in the fan blades when the computer is first powered up. Stalling the fan won't harm anything for the short amount of time to check where the noise source is located. If you still hear the noise, check the rub contact at the shaft end of the hard disk. It's usually a spring made of beryllium copper and they sometimes make a whining noise. You can usually fix it by either re- placing the spring or giving it a slight "tweak" to change its tension. Don Montgomery donrm@hpnmdla.HP.COM
campbell@dev8j.mdcbbs.com (Tim Campbell) (05/24/91)
In article <1991May16.185539.10519@m.cs.uiuc.edu> kadie@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Carl M. Kadie) writes: >My PC often makes a high-pitched whine. The whine is more common when >room temperture is high. I think the noise is caused by the power >supply's fan (since the fan and the hard disk are the only moving >parts, and I've replaced the disk drive [for other reasons]). > >Does anyone know of any tricks to stop the power supply from vibrating >(like washers or something)? > >Carl Kadie -- kadie@cs.uiuc.edu -- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Shove a pencil (or anything that will fit) through the fan to keep it from spinning. Turn on your computer. If you don't hear the noise anymore, you found the problem. You probably *should* have a vent fan from keeping the machine from heating up too much. I wouldn't recommend leaving the pencil in the fan as the fix. Replace the fan motor - it should be cheap. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In real life: Tim Campbell - Electronic Data Systems Corp. Usenet: campbell@dev8.mdcbbs.com @ McDonnell Douglas M&E - Cypress, CA also: tcampbel@einstein.eds.com @ EDS - Troy, MI CompuServe: 71631,654 (alias 71631.654@compuserve.com) P.S. If anyone asks, just remember, you never saw any of this.