[SOLVED] Loud fan only on startup?

[Rickz6]

Recently cleaned my machine, put everything back together and all was good, except for the fact that every time the PC boots, one fan in particular at the back of the case sounds like it's taking off. It eventually stops, and the whole thing goes quiet like it used to be. Smacking it when it makes noise helps, but I don't wanna beat my computer senseless. I've tried unscrewing it, and it makes zero noise, making me think it's something to do with the contact on the case itself. Is there some common trick or something I should try? Like a thin cotton or synthetic padding between the fan and the case? Thanks!

 

[SkyRock1986]

I had a similar issue one time with an old case. Come to find out it was the plexi side was off one of the little metal latches. causing the fan to vibrate the side panel really loudly. check your case over really good.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

At the back of the case -- this could be the PSU fan. That's what it was when I had noisy startups.

 

[Rickz6]

bumping this because the issue is driving me to insanity. the fan is definitely vibrating the case, but besides removing it completely i dont know how to eliminate the noise. the weird part is it goes away after a minute or two. aside from disconnecting the fan, is there a trick to it? do i have to beat my case with a hammer to reshape the metal or something?? tightening the screws makes it worse, keeping them very loose helps but doesnt eliminate the issue

 

[Paperdoc]

My guess is that this is an old fan warning you to replace it.

As fans age, their bearings wear and the clearance between bearing and shaft gets larger. Eventually this leads to the shaft "rattling around" in the bearing sleeve, generating noise and slowing the fan down. Now, the clearance in there changes with temperature. When the fan is cold is when you have largest clearance and more likelihood of noise, but as the fan runs and warms up the clearance decreases and the noise stops until the fan is cold again.

Normally the first appearance of this is with a fan a few years old, and the noise only appears after the system has been off for a while. It lasts less than a minute quite often, then stops and does not come back until the system is shut down long enough to get cold again. As time goes on the noise lasts longer. Ultimately the noise may not go away, and then soon the entire fan will seize up and not work.

If that is the pattern you are seeing, plan to replace that fan sometime soon.

 

[Paperdoc]

Thanks for Best Answer. Good Luck!