Does the noise persist, even with the hard drive disconnected?
Pinning down the problematic component is a bit harder–but at least you can take comfort in the fact that your data isn’t about to kick the bucket. One way to troubleshoot is to use the low-tech (yet effective) cardboard tube method: Hold one end of a paper-towel tube to your ear and the other end to various system components, and listen. Is the sound coming from a fan?If you are concerned about an unusual fan noise, use the free SpeedFan tool (see “Monitor Your Fan Speed”) to see if a cooling fan attached to the motherboard is spinning too slowly. Some components will fry themselves if not cooled, and a new fan costs far less than a new CPU or graphics board. Another good (and no-cost) utility for monitoring system heat is CPUCool. Got beeps? If you hear an unusually long beep (or several beeps) when you first power on the PC, your system is trying to tell you something–and it’s not good. While the normal beep before boot-up–a single short tone–is a universal “all okay” signal, th
