CPU Fan Getting Louder and Louder

[Banana]

Hi All. I have a Cooler Master DP5-6H51 for a Duron 700@933. In the past couple of weeks, the fan is getting very noisy on an intermittent basis, especially when I first start the computer. The pitch of the fan's whine would vary up or down. Sometimes it just sounds like a sick elephant (OK--That's an exaggeration. I don't even know what a sick elephant sounds like). Anyway, the CPU temperature is still stable at about 45F at full load and the fan's RPM is also unchanged compared to before the noise started. One more thing, the fan's RPM is stable--it does not fluctuate. I've had the setup for about a year w/o prior problems.

So--Should I be concerned? How do I fix it?

1YP

 

[dunkster]

If the cpu temps are the same, I'd suspect that either the fan is not securely mounted to the heatsink (gently tighten the mounting screws to stop vibration) or the fan bearings are shot (replace fan before it seizes).

Hope this helps!

 

[Banana]

I'll try screwing first, but it's probably the bearings 🙁 I wonder if Cooler Master will replace the HSF . . .

Thanks for your reply.

1YP

 

[jiffylube1024]

Also, get some compressed air (if you don't have any already) and make sure the fan is dust free. After a year, a lot of dust can accumulate in a HSF and that can make it run loud (also can actually stop the fan after a long enough time, but that reuquires a LOT of dust).