Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Feel free to delete this off if you wish.... a question for former PC owners.

a-m-k

a-m-k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 3, 2009
1,581
148
I was just thinking about a problem I had with my '09 MBP notebook. Someone suggested I remove any unused icons and make sure that there was nothing in my downloads folder. I did that and problem solved.

My family's PC is exhibiting the same noise similar to what I had... would removing any unused/unnecessary icons do the same thing?

That fan noise isn't as loud as the fan noise I had, though.
 
a-m-k said:
I was just thinking about a problem I had with my '09 MBP notebook. Someone suggested I remove any unused icons and make sure that there was nothing in my downloads folder. I did that and problem solved.

My family's PC is exhibiting the same noise similar to what I had... would removing any unused/unnecessary icons do the same thing?

That fan noise isn't as loud as the fan noise I had, though.
Click to expand...

The noise comes from moving parts (cooling fans, HD). Two possibilities:
- Open your PC and see if the air vents are clogged. Also check the fans themselves (CPU, graphics card, case exhaust fan, etc.). Be very careful when cleaning. It is best not to touch anything inside, just blow air (you can use a can of compressed air).
- There may be some background process that is loading the CPU. This in turn ramps up the cooling fan. Check the active processes (in Window do Control/Alt/Delete and then choose Start Task manager). See if there is anything that is loading the CPU. If you don't know what a process is, Google it before killing it :). Of course, you also may have a background process that is doing lots of I/O to your hard drive.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Deleting unnecessary old files is always a good habit. However, files on your system are not going to cause audible changes to a computer unless:

1. As the previous poster suggested, a process is running in the background that is causing the CPU/GPU to run hot, therefore causing the cooling fan to run high.
2. A failing hard drive will make clicking noises/ swishing noises if there is something mechanically failing. Sometimes if the OS tries to access a file that is physically located on a corrupted part of the hard drive platter, you will get unusual system freezes and often mechanical noises.

That being said, it sounds like the PC should be cleaned out with compressed air. It's probably the simplest explanation. Just be sure that the PC is off when you dust it out. And I recommend you take it outside so you can blast it out real good and not just cover your computer area with dust, dirt and hair.
 
ZZ Bottom said:
Deleting unnecessary old files is always a good habit. However, files on your system are not going to cause audible changes to a computer unless:

1. As the previous poster suggested, a process is running in the background that is causing the CPU/GPU to run hot, therefore causing the cooling fan to run high.
2. A failing hard drive will make clicking noises/ swishing noises if there is something mechanically failing. Sometimes if the OS tries to access a file that is physically located on a corrupted part of the hard drive platter, you will get unusual system freezes and often mechanical noises.

That being said, it sounds like the PC should be cleaned out with compressed air. It's probably the simplest explanation. Just be sure that the PC is off when you dust it out. And I recommend you take it outside so you can blast it out real good and not just cover your computer area with dust, dirt and hair.
Click to expand...
How do you find processes?
 
davidgnomo said:
with ctrl+alt+del you can activate task manager : From there you should be able to find the list of all the processes running, that's where i usually go to kill the ones that bother me ...
Click to expand...

alt?
 
davidgnomo said:
With CTRL+ALT+DEL you can activate Task Manager : from there you should be able to find the list of all the processes running, that's where I usually go to kill the ones that bother me ...
Click to expand...

Or right mouse click in the task bar, it will show a sub menu with task manager.

Just a note, never ever use compressed air from a compressor due to static electricity.
Also, if you use canned compressed air is always good to touch metal inside the computer first to equalize.
I myself use a brush but you need one which does not generate static electricity.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back