Loud noise when booting up then disappears 2012 i7 Mini

[minime1000]

Hi I have an old 2012 Mac Mini i7 thats started making a loud grinding noise when booting up to home screen, then the noise stops any ideas what that might be?

 

[Juicy Box]

Without listening, a go-to for these types of noise are failing HDDs.

But after listening, I would say it sounds like a fan bearing starting to fail.

Do you have an HDD in your Mac Mini?

 

[minime1000]

Without listening, a go-to for these types of noise are failing HDDs.

But after listening, I would say it sounds like a fan bearing starting to fail.

Do you have an HDD in your Mac Mini?

Thanks for reply. SSD in it. Weird that the noise only happens when starting up, then no noise when in use

 

[Juicy Box]

Thanks for reply. SSD in it. Weird that the noise only happens when starting up, then no noise when in use

Maybe it has to do with temperature. If you restart the computer after having it on for a while, do you hear the noise?

Or does it only happened from a cold start?

 

[Fishrrman]

I agree about the "fan" that juicy mentioned above.

ifixit.com should have a guide on how to access/replace it.
It might just need a good cleaning...

 

[minime1000]

Maybe it has to do with temperature. If you restart the computer after having it on for a while, do you hear the noise?

Or does it only happened from a cold start?

How bizarre yes no noise when I just restarted it. Been on a couple of hours. What's occurring there?

 

[minime1000]

I agree about the "fan" that juicy mentioned above.

ifixit.com should have a guide on how to access/replace it.
It might just need a good cleaning...

Thanks for reply. Does seem to do it from cold startup.

 

[Juicy Box]

How bizarre yes no noise when I just restarted it. Been on a couple of hours. What's occurring there?

Could be the fan is starting to fail or the bearings in the fan are failing. It is only happening when cold, so I am thinking that as the MM is started and warming, and the fan is being used warming as well, "loosening up" things as the components expand, which is why the noise goes away after the computer has been ran for a while, and cannot be reproduced when restarting from a warmed state.

Before replacing, I would take the advice from @Fishrrman and try cleaning the fan. I remember after buying an old iMac a few years back, I performed the Apple Hardware Diagnostics Test and kept getting a code for a failing HDD bay fan. Opening the iMac and cleaning the fan with some compressed air fixed the issue.

If you clean and still have the issue, you might need a replacement fan.

 

[minime1000]

Could be the fan is starting to fail or the bearings in the fan are failing. It is only happening when cold, so I am thinking that has the MM is started and warming, and the fan is being used warming as well, "loosening up" things as the components expand, which is why the noise goes away after the computer has been ran for a while, and cannot be reproduced when restarting from a warmed state.

Before replacing, I would take the advice from @Fishrrman and try cleaning the fan. I remember after buying an old iMac a few years back, I performed the Apple Hardware Diagnostics Test and kept getting a code for a failing HDD bay fan. Opening the iMac and cleaning the fan with some compressed air fixed the issue.

If you clean and still have the issue, you might need a replacement fan.

Many thanks for your help I will try what you have suggested and see how it goes 👍 😀

 

[erikkfi]

You could also use Macs Fan Control (an app) to manually turn up the fans to max speed and see if the noise occurs then. You’d know it’s the fan at that point.

 

[minime1000]

You could also use Macs Fan Control (an app) to manually turn up the fans to max speed and see if the noise occurs then. You’d know it’s the fan at that point.

Oh OK thanks will check this out thanks