Howdy -- Mrs. Maus's computer is acting funny and shutting down due to overheating, and making worrying whirring noises. Opening up the computer, I see that the noises are caused by the fan below the PSU keeps stuggling when the power is on. I've taken my spray duster to it thinking it might be clogged with dust, and for a couple of hours that seemed to help but the problem came back.
My latest discovery is that if I hold down the "test" button on the side of the PSU (PC power: off) the fan spins perfectly well and as it should do. However, with the PC switched on, the fan is struggling and stalling and causing quite a racket.
Diagnosis, anyone?
Does the computer basically just need a new PSU or is the problem likely to be more serious? And if it does just need a new PSU, any tips (or web links) for self-installation?
When you say the fan below the PSU, do you mean one on the base of the PSU itself, or one on the motherboard (probably on top of a reasonably chunky heatsink) below where the PSU is mounted? If it is the latter then it's quite possible the CPU fan, which ain't good as i'm sure you can imagine. If it is the fan that is the issue, however, i'm wondering why it is OK during PSU test mode. Maybe it's got clogged so it requires more juice to actually spin it at the right speed, and you're very close to your PSU's power limit? I'd be very surprised if that was a correct diagnosis though. Fans, even clogged ones, can't draw that much can they?
'tis the PSU fan, not the CPU fan.
are you able to replace this fan? Might be the cheapest option. Otherwise I happen to be flogging a psu ... ;)
QuoteOriginally posted by suicidal_monkey@Jun 5 2006, 05:49 AM
are you able to replace this fan? Might be the cheapest option. Otherwise I happen to be flogging a psu ... ;)
[post=130278]Quoted post[/post]
Thanks, but I just picked up a new one myself. Didn't have to be anything fancy, and we needed it sooner than you could probably ship it to the States.
Problem fixed, too.
heheh, yes the states may be rather far away ... and electronics is generally cheaper over there as far as I can tell :dummy: