Is my computer crying? -or- Computer makes loud BEEP

[Seyba]

Simply put: Out of no where, the top of my computer is getting extremely, extremely hot. I've had it for 6 months and haven't messed with the psu, or anything.

I put my hand on the harddrive (IBM 60gb) and it is VERY hot. Too dangerous to be safe. I don't know if it is the harddrive itself, or if heat is rising up from under it. My fan on the back of the computer is ON and working. After I turn my computer on for 10-15 minutes, it makes a constant BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. It sounds nothing like post, it's a new sound. I'm guessing it is a heat alarm...

I can't figure this out - whats going on? I'm posting from my old computer, as I'm afraid if I leave my other one on, it will perform ritual suicide.

 

[LiekOMG]

Hard drives (specifically the one you mentioned) are really hot. It shouldn't burn you or anything, but should be fairly warm. As for the beep, it sounds strange. Is it comming from your PC speaker?

 

[Seyba]

No, inside my computer. Definitely nothing I have heard before.

I wouldn't call it "fairly warm," I'd call it "a few more degrees and it would just plain hurt my skin." Although it may not be the harddrive at all.

 

[PerfectFit]

I think you're right, the beep is probably a system overheating alarm.

Check your BIOS settings under "Hardware Monitoring" - it should indicate the temp of the mobo, CPU, etc. Are all the fans in the case still working?

Do you have front and rear case fans? If yes, make sure your front case fan is set to intake, and the back case fan to exhaust - check the directional arrows on the plastic fan casing.