PC Doctor July 5, 2012

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Dear PC Doctor,

Lately, my desktop computer has been making much more noise than it has in the past. It sounds like the fans are running almost all the time even when I might not be using the computer. Is there something wrong with my computer and is it alright for the fans to be on all the time?

          Ian

Dear Ian,

It sounds like your computer is getting hot lately. With this current heat wave, I can see it affecting your computer, but if your fans are running round the clock, that is not a good sign. Usually it is just an accumulation of dust, however. Most likely, the heat sink in your computer has become clogged with dust causing it to heat up faster and making the fans turn on in order to cool off your CPU. Your fans may have also collected a fair amount of dust causing them to not be able to cool off your computer easily.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can try cleaning the dust out yourself. Be sure to take precautions and turn off and unplug your computer before opening up the casing. If there's any dust problems it should be apparent when looking around. Use a soft brush to avoid hurting any delicate parts. However, if that does not solve your problem, you should probably let your local computer shop take a look at it. They may also be able to do a much better job at cleaning your computer out.

                   PC Doctor

Until next time…happy computing!