Desktop hard-drive advice...

[cruiseroutfit]

My desktop unit is starting to make some noise, you can hear it spinning and every once in a while a bit of a squeel... How do I know if it is the hard drive or just the fan making some noise?

If it is the harddrive, how easy is it to swap all my memory while it still works?

How easy is a fan to swap out?

I have been backing things up that are important just in case...

 

[Rusted]

My desktop unit is starting to make some noise, you can hear it spinning and every once in a while a bit of a squeel... How do I know if it is the hard drive or just the fan making some noise?

If it is the harddrive, how easy is it to swap all my memory while it still works?

How easy is a fan to swap out?

I have been backing things up that are important just in case...

Double check your backups, I have seen drives make noise, give a little warning, then out they go. Hate to loose your data

Fans are easy to check, stick your finger in one, stop the fan, and see if the noise stops. Most case fans are one size, are cheap, and easy to replace. CPU fans may be more unique. Also look for little wires that have been moved a little and are rubbing a fan, they are often the source of bad noise. Also there are fans inside the powersupply

Sometimes with hard drives you can feel them vibrate a little if you touch them, that may also help you figure out if it was a drive making the noise.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I read about Wayne H's hard-drive fiasco... are desktops just as hard (compared to laptop) to retreive date from?

This computer is ~5yrs old, not worth much, what should I do in respect to a hard-drive if it is failing?

Guess I need to check the fan (with my finger!)

 

[spencurai]

If you have access to a stethoscope go ahead and pop open your case and start listening around. If you are nervous about losing your software, back up your save games, your documents, your pictures...the important stuff because you can always reload the software.

there are a couple of programs out there that allow you to move your entire file system to another hard drive...norton ghost comes to mind. These programs move all of your hidden and system files making a clean move. The best thing to do is start over again as windows performs best when wiped clean and reloaded every year or two.

I would bet that rusted is right, it is probably a fan. you can poke most of the fans except the power supply, just poke around.


and yes data retreival is just as hard with a desktop hard drive.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Thanks for all the advice guys... it is the fan... I pulled off the sidecover and tapped it a bit, guess I need to pick one up. Is this a regular comp. store item? Looks easy enough to change...

How about dust? This thing is NASTY inside, air? vacuum, static-free towlettes?

 

[Rusted]

which fan is it? The case fans (the ones that just move air in and out of the case) are common and real easy.

like this one

http://www.geeks.com/images/150x150/FAN-8025M-12-BLK-unit.gif


CPU fans may be more specialized because they sometimes are custom to a certain shape of cooling units


To clean the dust out I usually use some of that air in a can, so it comes out dry and clean. But I have used the shop air compressor before. Just take it outside or you will be cleaning the room for a week.

 

[Spork]

Fans are available at about any computer store.
If you have anything on the computer you want it's always a good idea to back it up. I can fit most the stuff I want to keep on a dvd-r or if you just have a CD burner burn it to multiple CDs. If you don't have any burners... get one. (that or flash drives).

 

[cruiseroutfit]

which fan is it? The case fans (the ones that just move air in and out of the case) are common and real easy.

like this one

http://www.geeks.com/images/150x150/FAN-8025M-12-BLK-unit.gif

....

Thats the one... any idea for a good local source?

 

[Rusted]

EBC computers on state and 9400 is pretty close to you. Walmart may even have them. I would start driving to EBC and stop by anything else that looked like a computer store on your way. If you can't find one I should have one at home you are welcome to have.

 

[Caleb]

yeah EBC (its actually State adn 90th on the Northwest corner, in the strip mall) is prolly the best source close to you, by Fashion Place Mall (actually across the street by old Ultimate Electronics and CompUSA) there is a PC Club (which I prefer over EBC). CompUSA even has them. The one thing I will say is take your old fan in with you so you can be sure to get the same size.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Thanks for the heads up... I will pull it out and head down to EBC. Thanks! I feel like I have my own tech support team, you guys need my credit card number or anything

 

[Pulverizer]

Hdd problems!!

Here is my 2 cents worth!!
If you have the funding purchase a new hdd format it make it your primary master and your old drive the slave.There are jumpers on the drive to accomplish this task. After you get windows reloaded onto the new drive transfer all your folders to the new drive and qait for the old one to fail.. it might last it might not. This is what I was up against not to long ago my old 80 gig is still purring...

good luck

 

[Meat_]

DO NOT stop a cpu fan, modern cpu's can fry in seconds with reduced cooling.

A tap on the center of the fan will tell you everything you need to know without stopping it.

A desktop hd will be just as expensive to retrieve data from after it's dead.

You should keep regular back ups, a noisy drive can run for years and a quiet drive can fail in seconds.

Also, a new drive can fail right out of the gate. HDD's are NOT a good thing to use for your main back up of important data.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

The tale goes on...

So the noisy fan turns out to by my power supply fan, easy to remove. I go down to EBC and all they have is 80mm fans (mine is a 90mm), they recomend Radio Shack, all they have is 80 too. So I try PC Club, great guys, but no 90mm. They recommend Comp USA, they have a 90mm, but it is 3 wire, mine is only two. He said the 3rd wire is the temp/speed control and it wouldn't work... He recommends a new power supply. $30 and I am on the road...

So, I install the new power supply, everything is great but the NEW power supply doesn't have a single 3 pin connector that connects to the mother board next to the 20 pin connector. I called, they said just try it... I did and it works fine, the computer seems to do everything OK, but there has to be a reason the old power supply fed a line to the mother board.

Thoughts?

(On a side note, this computer stuff is kindve like building a rig )

 

[Caleb]

three pin that looks like this? (but three pin)

if so those are usually fans or floppy drives. If all the fans are working and everything else seems to be in order I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

three pin that looks like this? (but three pin)...

Yup, here it is... (hard to see on the motherboard)

I havn't tested the drives yet, I will tomorrow... Thanks for all the help.

 

[Caleb]

Yup, here it is... (hard to see on the motherboard)

I havn't tested the drives yet, I will tomorrow... Thanks for all the help.

yeah, thats a molex connector...as I said before if everything works I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

yeah, thats a molex connector...as I said before if everything works I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks again for all the help Caleb!

PC Club is a cool place, I will be back there for more toys & upgrades. I like chatting with guys that know their stuff!

 

[Meat_]

It's most likely a speed sensor from the power supply fan(s), if so you don't need it.

PC Club is an alright place, but thier prices are higher than EBC and Newegg and PC Club tends to push middle of the line stuff..... well at least a bit below top of the line.

 

[Caleb]

PC Club tends to push middle of the line stuff..... well at least a bit below top of the line.

and EBC doesn't EBC usually sells ya the cheapest of the cheap parts unless you specifically ask otherwise...

I'll agree with ya on Newegg, if you got the time to order it, usually Newegg is the best place to go to. They usually have the parts to you within a day or two as well (even with their regular shipping)...kind like how Summit Racing is