I recently installed several new case fans, and they seem to work normally. On the first startup, after briefly laying the PC on its back to disconnect the old fans and then returning it upright, I heard a clicking or rattling sound for roughly 10 seconds. It then faded away and stayed quiet for the rest of the session. I didn't see any fan wobble or anything visibly touching the blades. Could repositioning the PC have caused an air bubble or temporary noise from the AIO, or should I be checking the fans for a problem?
3 Answers
Try isolating the source by disconnecting or stopping one fan at a time, while keeping your fingers clear of the blades. The most likely causes are a cable briefly contacting a blade, part of the case touching a fan, or a defective fan bearing. Pump noise or trapped air in the AIO is possible but less likely, especially since the sound stopped so quickly.
Moving the computer can sometimes shift air in an AIO, but a healthy cooler generally shouldn’t have enough air to cause a short startup click. Since you didn’t move the cooler itself and the noise disappeared, I’d first inspect cable routing and test the new fans individually before suspecting the pump.
The PC was on its back only long enough to unplug the old fans, and I didn’t touch the AIO. The noise happened on the first boot with the new fans and stayed gone afterward.
Some fans can make a brief click when they start spinning or change speed, particularly models with magnetic or maglev-style bearings. If it only happened once immediately after installation and hasn’t returned, it may not indicate a serious problem. Keep an ear out for repeated clicking, grinding, wobbling, or a fan that fails to start.
If something were touching a fan, wouldn’t I have heard it the entire time? The clicking only lasted about 10 seconds before smoothing out.