Does anyone know what it means when the fan in the laptop is making a loud grinding noise? It sounds like it is struggling. This **** is getting on my nerves, too. My computer is a Dell Inspiron 1545. TIA
Turn it off. Try to blow it out. It could just be a failing fan. Sounds like it's out of balance, or the motor is dying.
This happened to me the other day actually. While it could be a failing fan, in which case you'd have to get it replaced, I actually took it in and they said that a loose part was caught inside the fan. Best bet is to just take it in to Best Buy or some place and have them check it out
The fan is usually an easy fix. Search YouTube with the model of your laptop and fan replacement or motherboard replacement. You obviously don't need to replace the motherboard, but it will show you how to get to the fan. Usually about 10-15 screws from the underside of the case. You can find a replacement fan for a few bucks, eBay, etc.
Google is your friend (first one specifically for 1545, but others may help too): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Gt2i_yS3I btw, I had to recently replace the display on a Inspiron laptop... easy peasy. Dell was going to charge me over $250 and the part was $70. Do it yourself.
This is a great idea if you like to get ripped off and want someone dicking with the inside of your machine that has about as much expertise as you do. Those guys are working at Best Buy for a reason - either lack of real experience, or they're idiots. Don't take your computer there. Preferably find a friend or family member that works in IT and have them look at it. If that's not possible, use Yelp to find a reputable repair service. I seem to remember there's a guy on here that has his own PC Repair service, so that may be an option as well.
This (Best Buy) is a great idea if you like to get ripped off and want someone dicking with the inside of your machine that has about as much expertise as you do. Those guys are working at Best Buy for a reason - either lack of real experience, or they're idiots. Don't take your computer there. Preferably find a friend or family member that works in IT and have them look at it. If that's not possible, use Yelp to find a reputable repair service.
Usually a fan starts to overwork when the computer heats up a bit. Grinding noise sounded like you need to replace or something's in there. I'd open it up and use an air can first to see if it's just something stuck. I'd then find a program to check the temp or you should know if it feels like it's ridiculously heating in there.
I you can isolate the noise to the particular fan like the CPU or the power supply, it means that the motor is on its last legs on that particular part. Usually people won't fix a broken fan, they will just buy another. If it only does the grinding noise every now it might be like mine... it was the power supply fan and I had to replace it, and I spent about $25 on an XPS 400. This has just been my experience with one machine, so yours might just need cleaning. Just isolate the noise, see if you can replace one piece only. EDIT: Just read that you have a laptop. Still, try to clean them yourself. I like Harrisment's advice: SO GOOD, you had to have it TWICE! (that's what SHE SAID!)
Make sure that your friend has experience with laptops. They aren't like desktops, which more or less have a universal layout. Every laptop I've ever cracked open had a completely different layout of screws, and laptops are also layered for space reasons, which means that you have to take them apart and put them back together in a very specific order. If your resource doesn't know what they are doing you could end up with a box o' laptop parts returned back to you. This thread underscores the reason why you buy extended manufacturer warranties on laptops.
The noise started a while back but wasn't consistent. Though the last couple of days it seems as if it's starting to gradually make more noise. Should I just purchase the fan and replace it? I don't want to disassemble it for no reason.
The fan for that system only costs $2.15 on ebay. Pretty easy fix but you have to take the entire top cover off which sucks. YouTube has the disassembly.
easy fix.. just a fan replacement.. you can try blowing out the dust but if it's grinding now.. it will grind later. If it's a dell.. it's a few screws. I would also recommend NOT to take it to Worst Buy. I would let the fools at Burger King work on my computer before I let the GeekSquad touch it.
This is a laptop, so the only fan will be an exhaust fan that cools both the CPU and GPU, usually with a large heat sink connecting the two. Unless you're an idiot it isn't rocket science. I've taken apart probably over 100 laptops in my life, and I did #100 like I did #1. Like when taking anything a part, make sure to note where the screws go as you take them out. I usually place the screws on the table next to where I'm taking the laptop apart. I place them in a diagram like order as I take them out, so when I'm done you could connect the dots (screws) and it would like like the laptop. Not sure if that really made sense, but if I take a screw out of the top left corner of the laptop, I place it in the top left hand corner of an area of the table. A bottom right screw, I place in the bottom right hand corner of an area of the table. YouTube tutorials make this even easier. If you take your time and don't act like an idiot, it is pretty hard to screw up in my opinion. If you can use a screw driver, you can do it.
Might as well post this in here.. Dell Inspiron e1505 laptop....Showing this blue screen: Relevant info: From what i understand, they were trying to install a Linsys e2500 router and the start up disc sent them to microsoft to get updates which were necessary. Computer was left on and when they came back and hour or so later, the screen was blue. During normal start up, screen either goes black or blue w/ error message. Under safe mode, screen works. From what i've researched, it's either the update installed, which was some kind of driver that's it's not supporting, or it's the graphics card that went bad. Would that be correct? Also lots of suggestions online to clean dust off vents. Bottom venets were dirty, but cleaning them didn't help. Anyone have experience with this? Thanks, in advance.
