Computers get old. As they get old, they get noisy. 9 times out of 10, if the noise isn’t the hard drive, it’s a fan somewhere. For a few bucks and a few minutes of your time, you can put the hush back on that fan.
You will need the following items:
- Lube. Avoid WD40 and other similar spray on lubes like that. They will work, but only temporarily as they tend to dry up. Sewing machine oil actually works very well and can be found at department stores (Sears) for just a couple bucks.
- Some needle nose pliers. Possibly even tweezers would help.
- Phillips screwdriver – PC’s are usually held together by the Phillips head screw.
- If it’s a fan on your graphics card that’s causing all the noise, a set of precision screwdrivers are probably necessary to get at the tiny screws. A set of these things can be picked up usually for $5.
Step 1 : Open the case and take out the fan. Processor fans might be a little trick to take out. They can be clamped down to the socket by various means. If space is tight, might be a good idea to remove a drive or the power supply (unplug first) to give a bit more room. A flash light can help identify how the fan is clamped down. If the fan is on the graphics card, just remove the card, and unscrew the fan from the card.
Step 2 : Once you have the fan screwed off or unclamped from wherever, turn it upside down. There will be a round sticker on the bottom. There’s probably also a sticker on the top, but that’s just for show. Peel the bottom sticker off with the pliers or tweezers.
Step 3 : With the sticker off, there should be a small hole revealed. Drop a single drop of the sewing machine oil into the hole. That’s all it will take. Wait a few seconds for the oil to make its rounds within the fan motor. A tissue or paper towel might be useful to wipe up any excess oil.
Step 4 : Put the sticker back over the hole, turn the fan back upright and screw and clamp everything back together. That’s all there is to it.
