Techy help needed!
Details in replies (in a minute, gimme a mo to write it...)

EDIT - Btans rock! 4 answers in about a minute - Stay classy, Btans (points at everyone and clicks tongue)
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:15, 17 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

The 'fan' on my Dell laptop...
...has suddenly started kicking quite loudly as soon as I turn it on. It used to only do this when I was watching something using Flash (live Baseball), but now it does it all this time, and it's driving me nuts.

Any ideas on what to do to quiten it down?

Ta
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:17, Reply)

Usually controlled by the BIOS
but it may be that the fan controller ist kaput.

How old is it? Some Dells have a 3 year warranty.
(Ethelred is watching cheese grow, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:20, Reply)

4 yrs old, warranty just ran out
Doh...
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:27, Reply)

Cover the hole with
layers of cotton wool and gaffer tape to muffle the sound
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:20, Reply)

Got no tape
How about Clingfilm?
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:26, Reply)

Tech support requires me to ask more questions
1) Is it the same noise as when it goes at full tilt, or a different noise (like something has worn out)?

2) Have you recently installed some new software which chews up your processor in the background?

Regardless of the answer to these, you can force your CPU into 'quiet' mode with this:

www.diefer.de/speedswitchxp/

Definitely works on Windows XP, not sure about Vista

EDIT: Sorry, I actually meant "cut your ears off and stick the fleshy bits in both your earholes and the laptop vents"

That should do it.
( chart cat has an itch, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:21, Reply)

Gets Stanley Knife, starts sawing...

(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:27, Reply)

It's likely got dust in it.
Can you get the cover-plate off?

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T PUT THE HOOVER UP TO THE FAN-GRATE. IT'LL FUCK THE FAN RIGHT UP.
( Cawl, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:22, Reply)

Also,
Don't try to stop it spinning with your penis.
It'll void your warranty.
( Cawl, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:25, Reply)

That was close
*buttons flies*
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:28, Reply)

Good stuff,
Crisis averted.
( Cawl, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:33, Reply)

Hahaha
I have done this many a time :(
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:38, Reply)

Call dell,
kick up a fuss, a new fan is a non returnable part so they shouldn't care too much about it and post you a new one. Even if you're out of Warranty.
Crying on the phone often helps.
(PsychoChomp, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:24, Reply)

do you speak from experience?
or is it just something you 'heard through the grapevine'?
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:37, Reply)

I used to work for dell

(PsychoChomp, Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:45, Reply)

that's good experience then :P

(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 10:25, Reply)

A top tip
*gets ready to blare down the phone*
(Apathyman Prepare to be underwhelmed..., Wed 17 Jun 2009, 9:38, Reply)