[SOLVED] Grinding sound coming from desktop

[Matriox]

A grinding sound is coming from the inside of my desktop case. It isn't noticeably affecting performance, but the sound is annoying and I want to address it in case it actually is a problem besides just the noise. Some suspect it is a fan issue, but I am skeptical from prior experience.

This is the current unidentified sound coming from my desktop
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XB-HWkGemFQ3IQdQMj1WnN8vvCTXY0dq/view

Last year I had a sound coming from my desktop that turned out to be an issue which I resolved by replacing a malfunctioning fan. It sounds noticeably different in comparison.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tA2ZHV5Njns_peaARk2ZwrjSJ_NerV3s/view

Thanks for any help in troubleshooting.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

i've heard a lot of malfunctioning fans and drives through the years and that's not typically the sounds they make.
it sounds more like an obstruction that may be rubbing against a fan's blades. possibly a very light cable or paper tab?

if you probe the entire layout of the case and find nothing,
maybe try just giving the outside of the case a light wack🤜.

 

[Nemesia]

That's a fan. Finding which one is easy.

 

[Matriox]

That's a fan. Finding which one is easy.

Can you tell me why you believe this is a fan issue?

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

it is pretty easy to determine if it is a fan or not.
just stop each fan one at a time and see if the noise stops with one of them.
lightly press on the middle section and they will stop without much pressure.

 

[Matriox]

it is pretty easy to determine if it is a fan or not.
just stop each fan one at a time and see if the noise stops with one of them.
lightly press on the middle section and they will stop without much pressure.

I do not think it is a fan issue but brought that up because people suggested that. Adjusting fan settings in SpeedFan does not stop/change the noise. With the prior issue I had, changing the settings with that software would alter the noise.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Adjusting fan settings in SpeedFan does not stop/change the noise.

"adjusting" fan speed or actually stopping them?

but, like i stated previously;

i've heard a lot of malfunctioning fans and drives through the years and that's not typically the sounds they make.
it sounds more like an obstruction that may be rubbing against a fan's blades. possibly a very light cable or paper tab?

if you probe the entire layout of the case and find nothing,
maybe try just giving the outside of the case a light wack🤜.

 

[Nemesia]

This is def a fan. Could be the fan itself or something touching the fan blades.

You just have to open your case and touch the middle of each fan to slow them down a little until you find the fan doing this sound or you can see if something is touching the blades.

I never heard a HDD making a noise like that so it's not the HDD.

It has to be a fan. That's the only thing left in a PC that is moving.

Could be the PSU fan too.