My computer fell while the room was dark, so I'm not sure which side or component hit the ground. After I picked it up and turned it on, one of the fans made a noise like it was rubbing against something. Everything else seemed to work normally. I restarted it, but the noise was still there. While testing the fans individually, I accidentally set one to maximum speed. After a few seconds, the noise gradually got louder and then disappeared, and the fan has sounded normal since. Should I take the computer to a repair shop, or is there anything I should inspect first?
3 Answers
A fan that sounds like it is scraping can have a loose mount, a slightly bent blade, or a bearing that was disturbed by the impact. Avoid repeatedly forcing it to maximum speed until you’ve checked it visually. If the sound comes back, shut the computer down and replace the fan or have a technician inspect it.
Keep an eye on the CPU and GPU temperatures while the computer is under load. A damaged or obstructed fan can cause temperatures to rise even if the system initially seems fine. If the temperatures stay normal and the noise doesn’t return, it was probably something that briefly shifted when the computer fell.
Before using it heavily, inspect the fan blades and mounting points for anything loose or bent. Also check that the graphics card and memory are seated properly, since a fall can shift expansion cards. Make sure the internal cables aren’t touching a fan. If everything is secure and the computer is operating normally, a repair shop may not be necessary.
Thanks, I’ll check the fans, cards, and cables before running it much more.
It’s working normally now, but I’ll monitor the temperatures to be safe.