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D asked in Computers & InternetHardwareDesktops · 1 decade ago

Computer always sounds like its "working"?

You know the sound a computer makes when it's "thinking"? My computer constantly sounds like the processor is working on something even when it is just sitting there. I am not sure what it is. I noticed it about 4 months ago and hasn't stopped. I have a Pentium 4 processor with HT, 3.0 GHz, and 1024 mb DDR dual channel memory. If you think you need more info, let me know so I can post it. Thanks!

9 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Usually you are hearing the internal fans on the computer. There are possibly a number inside, one on the CPU and some variously placed ones inside the case; most likely one of them isn't lubricated properly or misaligned. The fix for that is usually replace the fan with a new one (shouldn't be to expensive, around $10 at most I would estimate) or you could have a build up of dust on the fan slowing or impeding its rotation. The use of compressed air can be used to blow the dust off the fan while the computer is powered off. One last possibility is that one of the internal wires is leaning against the fan and causing a ticking noise. Just alter the alignment of the cables a little should fix that.

    There are other possibilities for the "thinking noises" but majority of the time its the fans; check those first. Good luck.

    Link below directs you to tigerdirect.com and shows you some internal fans and prices.

  • 1 decade ago

    Well you can't hear the processor working as there are no moving parts on it, but you could be hearing the hard drive working more as it get filled and fragmented windows might be accessing different parts of it for the paging file. Try cleaning out your hard drive of unwanted programs and defragmenting it.

  • Rossie
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    it might be a fan, sometimes when the get too much dust on them they start to work harder, its always a good idea to clean and dust out your computer, atleast once a week if you keep it on the floor.

    or it could be your hard drive, old hard drives that are on there way out tend to make abit of noise, or it could be that you just have way too many things running at once and your hard drive is having trouble keeping up, maybe check how much room you have left on it and maybe purchase a new hard drive, i recomend SATA2, its faster then the IDE;s.

  • 1 decade ago

    You can always hit control, alt, delete at the same time and that will bring up your task manager and see whats running and at what percentage its running at,that will give you a good idea if a program has taken over your computer.

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  • 1 decade ago

    The CPU of a computer is silent. You could be hearing the fans inside the computer, or more likely, hearing the hard drive. Don't worry about it.

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    that weird outerrrrr spaceeee sound or electronic squeal? that's the "electronic handshake" when you boot up connecting to the internet via your isp. you can stop that. repost under stopping modem squeal subject line or email me to get the answer if if i've guessed correctly and are you using XP or Vista. different ways to shut that turkey off

  • 1 decade ago

    usually the sound made by the computer when it is "thinking" is usually caouse by the Hardrive or Fan, but not the Processor, if it is the Fan, it will be okay, but if it is the hardrive it might be something wrong.....but, if i were you....if the computer is working fine.....i wouldn't worry about the sound.

    Good luck

  • 1 decade ago

    Check your fan, my dad's did the same thing.

  • 1 decade ago

    ctrl+alt+delete and go to performance tap

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