However, some computer issues may be making yours louder than necessary. If that’s the case, you can probably take steps to quiet it down.
Reasons Why a Computer is Loud
How to Fix a Loud Computer?
Check the most important things first, then your settings. Once you understand how things are working, you’ll probably have a better idea of where the sound is coming from.
Loud Fans: Sometimes the fans in a computer are just very loud. Different fan types from different manufacturers make different levels of noise. While you can always look for fans that perform more quietly and replace the ones you have, it might be an investment that only makes a negligible impact on the overall soundscape.Increasing Temperature: Your temperatures may be higher than usual, causing your fans to operate faster – meaning more noise. To reduce the noise and keep your computer safe, you’ll need to address the issues causing the computer to run hotter. Remember that sometimes the computer will operate at higher temperatures, like when you use a demanding program. You don’t want to slow the fans at those times unless it’s getting enough cooling without them running full blast.Loose Parts: A moving part in your computer might be impeded in some way. If you hear a sudden loud or repetitive sound, it’s worth checking.Faulty Hard Drive: Some hard drives make sounds when they start to die. Clicks, whirs, or a grinding sound could signal that.
If the noise you’re hearing is new or sudden, stop what you’re doing and investigate it before continuing. You’re more likely to avoid damage if you take care of the problem fast.
Assess the Situation
First, take stock of what you were doing when the sound first occurred. This will set the stage for your investigation into how to quiet things down. Some sounds are expected on your computer. A water-cooling system will also add another layer of sound to it. But most of it shouldn’t be obtrusive.
Remove Any Obstructions
Because obstructions in the computer are a severe issue that can damage your hardware, remove any that you notice when you look into your computer. Once you’re done and everything is in place, it’s time to clean out the computer.
Clean the Computer
Extra dust equals extra heat. Excess heat means the fans have to work harder to keep the inside of the case cool. Give your computer a good dusting to ensure that it isn’t contributing to the sound you’re hearing. Now you’ve eliminated some of the issues that can increase the volume of your computer. It’s time to dig into your settings.
Check Your Fan Controls
One of the best things about fan control software is that you can raise and lower your fans whenever you want. Doing so will make it easy to determine whether the fans are the source of the sounds you’re hearing. You have few choices if you’ve determined the fans are too loud. You can replace them with a quieter model if you’re comfortable removing and replacing computer components. You can also create a custom fan curve if your fan control software supports it. A custom fan curve is a little graph that tells the fans when to speed up or slow down. Each point on the graph corresponds to a temperature and fan speed. For example, you can tell the computer to increase the fans to the max when it hits 80 degrees instead of increasing to the maximum at 75 degrees if that’s the current default. Delaying the time it takes for the fans to increase may mean your components stay hotter longer. It might also affect your performance in games. However, if the fans are too loud at max, it can mean your computer runs more quietly.
Replace Failing Parts
Sometimes sounds in your computer come from failing parts. If you’re sure it isn’t the fans or an obstruction, it might be something like a hard drive. You can open your computer and listen to the sounds it’s making. Rarely are abnormal sounds good because they often signal that a part is dying. For example, hard disk drives will often make clicking or grinding sounds as the internal parts begin to wear out, shift, and rub against each other. It’s difficult to tell whether and how a part is damaged just by hearing a sound. If you think it’s failing, you can try to swap in another similar piece to see if the computer’s sound changes to something more appropriate. If it does, it’s the part you removed making the noise, and you should seek help to repair or replace it.
Consider New Fans
As a final resort, you may need to replace the fans you have. If you do, consider checking if larger fans will fit. As strange as it sounds, many people experience positive results when they upgrade from an 80mm fan to a 120mm fan, for example. You should also check to see what size fan your PSU has, especially if it seems particularly noisy. PSUs with larger fans are often quieter, especially if you upgrade the quality too. Like most other components, more premium PSUs often run quieter.
Check Out Other Hardware
Some companies sell sound-dampening cases or other parts you can insert to try to make it quieter. Read the reviews and check to ensure these don’t increase the heat of the case too much and that your parts will fit inside it.
