Jon22: The Website of Jonathan Dobres

Has your normally whisper-quiet computer started making strange, ugly noises in the dead of night? Is its once serene operation now permeated by an unrelenting, desperate howl? Is your computer’s BIOS warning you about heat damage and imminent explosion? A few weeks ago, my trusty Vaio, which I have taken to calling The Black Tower, started doing just that. As it turns out, what I needed was a new case fan. However, I couldn’t find any good guides on how to replace a case fan. Most guides of that nature are dedicated to hardcore case modders looking to trick out their digital rides with undulating neon lights and transluscent, futuristic polymers. All I wanted was a way to stop my computer from screaming. So here’s that guide.

First off, a few basics. Airflow is critical to the operation of computers. Your computer’s processor and hard drive generate a lot of heat, and heat is bad for computers. The fans help keep things cool (they also tend to suck dust into the system over time). Odds are that you have two fans: one near the main processor sucking air into the case, and one attached to the back of the case pushing air out. This guide is about how to replace the case fan, the one on the back. Also, we’re going to be working with the insides of your computer, so please don’t electrocute yourself. It’s fine to turn on the computer with the insides exposed, but don’t go sticking your hands in there while the power is connected and things are spinning.

Step One: Determine that the fan is the problem. The source of the newfound noise could actually be a few different things, so first, unplug your computer and detach everything from the main tower. Get yourself a phillips-head screwdriver and reveal the horrific inner workings of your computer. Case fans are usually attached directly to the back of the computer, and can be unscrewed from the outside (usually four screws). They also have a small connector running to the computer’s motherboard, which you should leave in for now. You can actually plug the power cord back into your computer and turn it on. Watch things spin up and see if the now unscrewed fan is the thing making the most noise. You could also leave the computer off and just spin the blades by hand. It should spin in total silence. If so, the source of your noise could be the hard drive or the CPU fan. I wouldn’t know how to go about fixing either of these things, so leave my website and find a different guide.

Step Two: Could it be dust? It could just be a buildup of dust, especially if you’ve never opened your computer before. So blow really hard and clear out the dust, then wipe down the vents on the case, and be sure to get into the nooks and crannies of the fan itself. Plug in, power up, and see if that helped.

Step Three: No? Alright, you probably need a new fan (but it was a good idea to clear out all that dust anyway). Don’t worry, because fans are one of the cheapest parts in your computer and a new one shouldn’t run you more than fifteen bucks. You can get them from any number of computer stores, like CompUSA, or a website like Newegg. Stick with simple, non-glowing case fans, please. Something that looks like the fan you already have.

Step Four: What kind of fan do you already have? They come in a variety of standardized but seemingly random sizes (mine was 92mm square). Your best bet is to just measure the little bugger, or bring it to the store with you. Now, what kind of connector, three or four pins? My original was a four pin, but my replacement was three. It didn’t seem to matter.

Step Five: New fan obtained. Unscrew the old fan from the back of the case. There’s no real trick to disconnecting it from the motherboard. Just pull pretty hard. I found that a slight rocking motion also helped get it out, but you don’t want to bend or break the connector pins, so be careful. Once the old fan is out, putting the new one in is simple. When screwing it to the back of your case, be sure to use the screws included with the new fan. Also, make sure that the fan is pushing air out of the case. You can connect it to the motherboard without screwing it to the case, power up the system, and see which way the air if flowing.

That should have your computer running quietly again. In my case, though, once I had everything set up and put back in place I heard a terrible TINK TINK TINK TINK noise. Turns out the new fan was smacking into its own wires when it spun, so I twisted and curled them a little to get them out of the way. Works like a charm and runs like a dream.

Your mileage may of course vary, but these are the basics. Good luck.