The cooler on the laptop makes noise but does not heat up. Damage to the cooling system

Many laptop users, especially those who purchased a laptop for the first time, ask “Why is my laptop humming?” Of course, it would be more correct to ask: “Why is the laptop making noise?”, but this does not change the essence of the question.
So, it is worth considering two cases:
1 case. The laptop hums (makes noise) immediately after purchase, i.e. We are talking about a new laptop.
So, if a new laptop hums (makes noise) during operation, then, as a rule, there is nothing to worry about. The fact is that, as in a regular (desktop computer), the cooling system of the laptop processor includes a fan, which makes noise during operation.

Laptop processor cooling fan

The fan does not work constantly, but turns on only if the laptop processor gets very hot. When the fan turns on, the noise appears.
Here a second question may arise: “My neighbor (acquaintance, brother, matchmaker) doesn’t make noise, but why does mine make noise?” If your friend has exactly the same laptop model, then it’s worth thinking about. But as a rule, it turns out that we are talking about a different model and the laptop is actually practically silent during operation.
What is the reason for this difference? The reason is simple - laptops have different configurations, i.e. simply put, different internals. We are talking about the processor, hard drive, RAM, etc.

The components of your computer heat up more than the components of your friend’s laptop; for this reason, your laptop has a more efficient fan (cooler) with higher speeds or larger blades. Naturally, such a fan will make more noise.

Let me give you one example from practice. For a very long time I had the opportunity to hold in my hands a laptop made on the basis of the Celeron-700 processor. When it was running, even under load, I noticed that the fan made virtually no noise.

Not long ago, I was holding an eMachines-430E laptop based on the Semprom-100 processor. The fan also did not make much noise when operating. As for my home laptop Lenovo B550 based on the Intel Pentium T4400 processor, the fan is quite noisy during operation. Why? Yes, it’s just that the processor of my laptop is “more powerful” than the processor of the eMachines-430E laptop and generates more heat during operation.

Case 2. Previously, the laptop did not hum (did not make noise), but now the noise is getting stronger. Actually there are two visible reasons:

1. A certain amount of dust has accumulated in the laptop case and it’s time to clean it.
2. The cooler bearing is worn out and the cooler needs to be replaced. In such cases, some comrades suggest lubricating the fan without changing it. I am against such experiments and recommend replacing the fan with a new one. Here you should immediately note that different fans have different noise levels during operation and you should choose a cooler with minimal noise.

Evgeny Mukhutdinov

Today's Question

Good afternoon.

Tell me, I have a problem with my new laptop (it’s 1 month old). At night I clearly hear a slight hum when you launch the WOT (tanks) game - the volume of the hum increases, and over time the laptop hums like a tractor! This bothers me very much, because... It happens that loved ones are already asleep (and I end up disturbing them...).

Is it possible to somehow reduce the noise? I can no longer return the laptop under warranty; more than 2 weeks have passed since I purchased the device (it so happened that I did not check the device completely because I was leaving).

Alexey, Moscow.

Hello.

Alexey, I want to say right away that there is a difference between noise and noise. Moreover, if there was no noise before, but now it appears, this may indicate hardware problems with the device. In your case, most likely, when purchasing, you simply did not pay attention to the features of the laptop. However, something can still be done.

In this article I will touch on the main reasons why a laptop can make noise, and what can be done about it...

I want to say right away that there are much fewer mechanical devices in a laptop than in a PC, which can cause noise. On the one hand, this fact helps to quickly determine the source, on the other hand, due to the compactness of the device, it is not always easy to eliminate the cause...

Cooler. Probably the biggest source of noise found in most classic laptops. As a rule, if you do not heavily load the device (i.e., do not run games on it, watch high-quality videos, etc.), then its operation is almost silent. Although on some laptops there is a slight hum when you get close to the side vents on the device.

HDD. The most insidious source of noise. Firstly, some models can easily click and crackle when operating (some models do this under load). You can only hear this noise in complete silence (i.e. at night in silence it will be 100% annoying). Secondly, this is not a warranty case, and you will be denied a replacement device for this reason.

Also, with a high load on the disk, a barely noticeable hum may be heard, similar to the noise of a cooler.

CD|DVD drive. It makes quite a lot of noise during operation: there is both a hum from the rotation of the disk and light crackling sounds. By the way, many users forget to simply remove disks from it, and because of this, the laptop often spins the disk in the tray and noise appears.

Reason #1: the cooling system is clogged (if the cooler is rattling)

Perhaps the most basic reason why a cooler begins to hum (or, as many say, “rumble”) is a large accumulation of dust, which covers the ventilation holes, accumulates on the impeller and interferes with normal air circulation.

Due to dust, the cooling system cannot cope with the load, the cooler starts to work faster, and as a result, the noise increases.

Difficulty in cleaning your laptop from dust depends on its configuration. Some laptops will not be difficult to clean on your own even for a complete novice user, while others will require you to completely disassemble the entire device to get to the cooler!

Therefore, here, look for yourself: either go to the service, or try to do everything on your own. I gave my thoughts and recommendations on how to do it in one of the articles (link below).

Details on how to clean your laptop from dust yourself -

In general, it is highly advisable to clean the device 1-2 times a year and remove excess dust. It would be a good idea to lubricate the cooler during this procedure. If the impeller is noisy and periodically touches the body (for example, it can be damaged by careless cleaning), then it is easier to replace the cooler completely.

cleaning the impeller with a cotton swab

Reason #2: high temperature and load on the laptop

Perhaps this reason partly overlaps with the first. The fact is that the laptop cooler works dynamically - i.e. rotates at different times at different speeds. The higher the temperature of the processor rises and the higher the load on it, the faster the cooler begins to rotate in order to cool more strongly and have time to remove heat. And such operation of the cooler, in turn, leads to the appearance of hum and noise from the laptop...

By the way, during this hum, when the cooler is working at its limit, hot air usually begins to escape from the side of the ventilation holes of the laptop. The keyboard may also become warm and work may become uncomfortable (this is especially true for Acer laptops with AMD processors).

So, how to find out the temperature of the processor and video card in a laptop?

The easiest way is to use a special utility - AIDA64 (a link to it is given below). To view the temperature of all components (CPU, video card, hard drive, etc.) in AIDA64, go to the tab "Computer/Sensors" .

The best utilities for viewing computer characteristics (including AIDA64) -

I told my humble opinion about what temperature I consider normal, and at what temperature something needs to be done, in this article:. I recommend you check it out!

1. use the laptop only on flat, dry, hard and clean surfaces (otherwise many people use the laptop while lying on the sofa - and because of this, the ventilation holes may be blocked, which leads to overheating);
2. regularly (1-2 times a year) clean the device from dust;
3. if you like to play games (and also indulge in heavy applications: video and graphic editors, etc.) - purchase a cooling pad for your laptop. It can reduce the temperature by 5-10 degrees (although note that some of them make noise themselves ☺);
4. see if the high CPU load is related to something else, and not just the running game (I recommend reading this article:);
5. you can also manually adjust the cooler rotation speed (carefully! do this step by step, slowly and monitoring the temperature) -
6. if it is very hot outside your window, try not to use the laptop in the sun; if possible, load it in the morning and evening hours, when the temperature becomes lower.

Reason #3: humming, crackling and clicking noises from the hard drive

Some models of hard drives produce mechanical noise during operation: crackling and clicking. If the room is very quiet, then these clicks are very annoying. This happens due to the rapid movement of the block with magnetic heads. Looking ahead, I will say that the speed of movement can be reduced, which will reduce the noise...

How to reduce disk noise:

1. replace the disk with another one (which does not make noise). The best option is to install an SSD disk (it is a priori silent, since it has no mechanics), and such disks are much faster! A comparison of an SSD disk and a classic HDD is presented in this article:
2. check in task manager (to call it, press the combination Ctrl+Alt+Del) - is there an application that heavily loads your disk (most often these are torrents, p2p programs for downloading files);
3. reduce the head positioning speed using the quietHDD and HDDScan utilities. For information on how to do this, see this article -
4. If your hard drive was not noisy before, but now it has started - this is an alarming symptom, I recommend checking the HDD -

Reason #4: forgot to remove the CD/DVD disc from the drive

Many computers and laptops have a CD/DVD drive (although some new ones do not have it at all). Because This is a mechanical device (like a HDD), when the disk spins up (especially at maximum speeds), it begins to hum loudly. The noise from it is louder than from an actively working cooler.

If you forget to remove the disk from it - then every time you open Explorer (folder) - the drive will spin the disk, trying to provide you with information. As a result, noise will appear, and for 1-2 seconds. The computer will freeze...

Below is what you can do and the reasons why the CD/DVD-ROM drive is making noise:

1. Check if the media (disk) has scratches, chips, is it even? Warped discs make much more noise;
2. you can try installing special. utilities that can limit disk rotation speed, for example, Nero Drive Speed;
3. try inserting different discs: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, etc. I also recommend trying to use licensed discs of a well-known brand, and not purchased in transition at an unknown counter;
4. if there is a label on the disk, then this may be the reason; it may be unevenly applied (some thick labels can also affect the noise level of the drive);
5. noise in the drive may appear due to foreign objects, for example, a piece of a broken disk (has this ever happened to you? Did anything get into the drive?).

Reason #5: BIOS and drivers are not working optimally

Many people underestimate the work of the BIOS and drivers, however, they can have a great impact on the operation of the laptop. As for noise - as you probably already noticed - the cooler in the device works dynamically, i.e. The higher the load and temperature, the faster it rotates. This mode is enabled by default in the laptop BIOS (sometimes it can be configured, sometimes not). It is usually called like this: Q-Fan, CPU Fan Control, Fan Monitor, Fan Optimize, etc.

In some BIOS versions, this cooler adjustment mode works very poorly - i.e. the cooler works much faster than it is currently required to do. As a result, there is constant noise and hum from it (regardless of the load).

There are a couple of ways out here: try updating the BIOS (be careful! when updating - you can easily ruin the performance of the device) to a newer version (if it is on the manufacturer’s website).

Second way out: disable the automatic mode in the BIOS and configure the cooler operation yourself using special tools. utilities You can see an example of how this is done in this article:

I hope my modest advice helped get rid of the “loud” noise and calm your nerves ☺.

For additions to the article - a separate merci.

That's all for now, good luck!

Causes

If you notice that the fan in your laptop is humming, you should first understand the factors that provoke the cause of this phenomenon:

• incorrectly selected settings that are responsible for the fan rotation speed;
• some parts of the device become very hot;
• the cooler impeller bearings are worn out;
• A large accumulation of dust or dirt has formed on the cooler blades.

The fan in the laptop is humming: what to do?

It's worth noting an important factor right away: if the buzzing starts to appear when you run games or programs that overload the OS, this is normal. In this case, you don't have to worry. But if a small number of the most standard programs are running on the laptop, and the device begins to buzz a lot, then you should pay attention to this nuisance. We offer the most optimal solutions.

If you know exactly why the fan in your laptop is humming and it is overheating, then you need to find out whether you are operating the device correctly. For example, if the laptop is always on a soft and uneven surface (carpet, sofa, blanket, etc.), then the noise indicates that the ventilation holes are blocked, and thus the gadget is actively fighting for its existence. In order to completely eliminate the phenomenon, it will be enough to simply keep the product on a hard and level surface all the time - so that air is supplied to the radiator.

It is also worth noting the fact that special stands for laptops are becoming increasingly popular - they already have a built-in cooler.

Another effective way is to clean the product from dust accumulations. One point needs to be taken into account here. If you are not sure that you can disassemble the device yourself, while the laptop is under warranty, it is best to take it to a service center. There, experienced professionals will do all the work quickly and correctly, and you will be able to avoid sad consequences.

If you are sure that the fan in your laptop is making a loud noise due to dirt, and you know that you can carry out partial disassembly yourself, then we recommend taking a number of actions:

1. Turn off the laptop, disconnect the adapter and take out the battery.
2. Unscrew the screws that you will see on the back panel. In some laptop models, such screws can be hidden under special rubber feet - you need to carefully pry them off with a sharp object to get to the screw.
3. Remove the lid - this must be done very carefully.
4. Using cotton swabs, carefully remove dirt and dust from the cooling system.
5. Fine dust can be blown away. Or buy a special can of compressed air in advance - similar products are sold in computer stores.
6. After all the work is completed, you need to return the cover to its place and tighten the screws.

BIOS update

If even cleaning did not help eliminate the problem, then the problem may be due to incorrect settings. Sometimes such phenomena occur, and they are easy to eliminate. On the official website you need to find a new version of the BIOS, in which all errors will already be corrected. Your task is to download it.

Typically, portable computers—notebooks, laptops, netbooks, and ultrabooks—are relatively quiet. Special components are developed for them that have lower heat transfer and a quiet cooling system is installed. But sooner or later, any owner of such a device may encounter the fact that the computer begins to make sounds - buzzing and buzzing. You shouldn’t be immediately scared by this and run headlong into a service center or call a computer technician. First you should try to figure it out yourself - why is my laptop humming??

The situations that arise can be divided into two groups:

The new laptop suddenly buzzed

The first reaction of an ordinary user is “broke”! Not really. It’s just that the laptop gets very hot and therefore the cooler (fan) hums, trying to cool the processor. There are several ways to deal with this.

1. Setting up the power supply scheme.

Powerful and fast laptops, at maximum operating parameters, usually get very hot. However, in most cases, maximum performance is not needed (of course, if you are not a fan of games). We do the following: press the key combination Win+R. The Run window will open:

Enter the command powercfg.cpl and click on the OK button. The Windows operating system power settings window will open:

If your power plan is set to “High Performance”, change it to “Balanced”. After that, close the window and reboot.

2. Using a laptop stand:

Now in any more or less large store that sells computers and components, you can buy a special cooling pad for a laptop:

It is usually a special platform with built-in fans that drive cool air to the bottom of the laptop, which heats up the most. This is a very convenient thing, which also allows you to position the laptop more comfortably and prevents anything from blocking the cooling system holes on its case.

Old laptop hums

If your old comrade suddenly started making noise with his cooler, then try to remember when you cleaned it. Would you like to see what its cooling system looks like after 2-3 years of active use:

Dust and hair clog the radiator to the point where airflow can barely pass through it. The cooler begins to blow hot air. It is clear that this is not enough and the system begins to increase the fan speed. That's why the laptop starts humming because it simply can't handle the heat. The solution is simple - cleaning and purging.

If you yourself can unscrew a few screws on the bottom of the case and get to the fan, then clean it carefully, first with a dry and then a damp cotton swab:

Blowing out the radiator is also not difficult - you either need to buy a can of compressed air at a computer store, or use some weak car compressor. As an option, you can blow it out with an old Soviet vacuum cleaner that can operate in blowing mode. The main thing is not to try to clean with a vacuum cleaner - this can end sadly.

And finally, a piece of advice - try to place the laptop on a flat, hard surface so as not to block the ventilation holes under any circumstances. It is also advisable to place it in a normally ventilated place. Then it will delight you with normal and quiet operation for a long time.

If your fan hums too loudly when working with your laptop, then these instructions are intended specifically for you. In this article we will look at why the fan is noisy and what should be done to get rid of the annoying sound.

Causes

There are several obvious reasons why a laptop is buzzing a lot:

• Overheating and, as a consequence, high rotation speed of the cooler blades, which leads to a high noise level.
• Dust and dirt in the cooling system, which interfere with its full and uninterrupted functioning.

Everything is quite simple, but there are a couple of nuances. For example, if your device makes a lot of noise only when certain games or programs are on, then there is no need to worry or take any action as this is quite normal.

All that is needed in this situation is preventive action every six months in the form. If your laptop makes a lot of noise when programs that do not load the computer are running, you should try to do something.

What actions can you take?

There are several options to correct these problems:

• Cleaning from dust and dirt;
• BIOS update;
• Using a program to change the cooler rotation speed;

Cleaning from dirt and dust

If the cooler in your laptop begins to make a lot of noise and overheat, this may mean that it is excessively dirty. It is recommended to regularly clean the laptop, but for this it is not at all necessary to take it to a service center, because everything can be done at home.

If you decide to clean your laptop yourself, you need to:

If there was a lot of dust in the device, then after cleaning you will immediately notice a positive result: the computer will heat up less and work much quieter. However, prevention does not always help, for example, when the mechanism wears out, in which case complete repair may be required.

Updating BIOS and drivers

Developers often release driver and BIOS updates that fix previously made errors. It is in the BIOS that the temperature of the sensors corresponds to the speed of rotation of the cooler blades. Therefore, updating the software may help eliminate the fan noise.

Sites with the necessary drivers for users of the most popular models:

• Acer;
• HP;
• Toshiba;
• Lenovo;

Changing the cooler rotation speed

If the fan in your laptop is making too much noise, then perhaps a special program called SpeedFan will help you, which will allow you to change the speed of the blades. It receives all the necessary information from the temperature sensors that your laptop is equipped with and provides options based on the received data. By correctly adjusting the indicators, you can eliminate the cooler noise by limiting its rotation speed.

If the processor temperature rises too high, the program will automatically start the fan at full power to protect the laptop from overheating. Therefore, if after the settings you made, the laptop began to make noise, then there is nothing to worry about.

How to prevent and reduce laptop noise?

Now you know how to quickly and without any problems reduce fan noise yourself at home, and you can help not only yourself, but also your friends and family.