For about a week, my roughly three-year-old PC has been making an intermittent scratching sound. I'm not very experienced with troubleshooting, and I'm not sure whether it's coming from the graphics card or somewhere else. The noise seems more noticeable near the top of the case, which is a Corsair 4000D. I only have an SSD, so there isn't a mechanical hard drive making the sound. What should I check to identify the source safely?
3 Answers
Be cautious with unknown file-hosting links. You don’t need the recording to start troubleshooting anyway—describe whether the sound changes with GPU usage, CPU load, or fan speed. Also check that every fan screw is tight and that the case panels, dust filters, and front or top mounts aren’t vibrating. Replacing a noisy case fan is usually straightforward, while a GPU fan may require a replacement fan or warranty service.
Since you only have an SSD, the noise probably isn’t from a hard drive. Try listening with the side panel removed and use a cardboard tube or a rolled sheet of paper as a listening aid near each fan, the GPU, and the power supply. Don’t open the power supply itself. If the sound changes when the GPU is under load, the graphics card fans or coil whine may be involved; if it changes with overall system temperature or fan speed, a case or CPU fan is more likely.
A failing or obstructed fan is the most likely cause, especially since the noise seems to come from the top of the case. A fan bearing can start making a light scraping or rattling sound even when the fan appears to be spinning normally. Check the top exhaust fans, CPU cooler fan, GPU fans, and any cables or dust filters that could be touching a blade. Turn the PC off before inspecting, and don’t put your fingers into a spinning fan. If you briefly stop individual case fans with a plastic object while the computer is running, do it carefully and only for a moment to help isolate the source.
The fans seem to sound normal most of the time, but I’ll check the top fans and make sure no cables or dust are rubbing against them.