I recently installed an additional 16GB of RAM in my PC, but they turned out to be incompatible. This led to several problems, and since then, my CPU cooler has started making strange noises. Considering the cooler is about 9 years old, I'm wondering if it's just really dusty or if the bearings might be loose. Could my CPU be damaged, or do I just need to replace the cooler? And how can I tell if the CPU itself is damaged? I also noticed my CPU is running at higher GHz than normal, and I'm curious if there's a connection to these issues.
2 Answers
You might find that replacing or cleaning the cooler will help with the noise. If there’s nothing obstructing the fan's movement, and it's still noisy, consider getting a new fan or cooler altogether. A damaged CPU is less likely unless you're seeing issues like crashing or weird behavior, so run some stress tests to make sure it's stable when it’s under load.
It sounds like your cooler might just need some maintenance, especially since it's been around for almost a decade. Dust buildup can definitely cause noise, but if the bearings are shot, it could just be time for a replacement. As for your CPU running at higher speeds, make sure to check your task manager for any background programs that might be using resources. If everything else checks out, I would say just keep an eye on the temperatures.

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