How to Fix Grinding Noises Coming From Computer

It can be scary to hear your computer make a grinding noise when you turn it on or even just suddenly after running it for a while. The only components that can make this kind of noise inside a computer are mechanical moving parts, such as cooling fans or drives (hard disk drives or optical disc drives). The actual part that is making the noise can either signal a minor or a major issue, so it is important that you determine the source of the noise as soon as possible. Other symptoms that can be noticed during the noise are the computer to be running slower then usual, freezing or even crashing.

In order to find which of these components is causing the noise, you have to listen closely to determine where the sound is coming from. If possible, the computer case may need to opened for a more accurate assessment.

• In case of the optical disc drive, without having to open the case, you can just eject the disc quickly and listen if the noise disappeared.
• In case of a hard disk drive, the sound is more like a hard ticking or crackling noise. The disk drive may also be overheating and be unsafe to touch. In this case, you should be backing up your data as soon as possible as the disk may be at risk of failure.
• In case of a cooling fan, the sound is like a loud whirring or miniature motor and is caused either by lack of oil, dust gathered on the fan and inside the case, the fan being misaligned or wires or other objects touching the fan blades.

It is highly recommended to seek a professional for help in these situations. However, if you feel tech savvy enough, there are few things you can try doing yourself.

For an optical disc to be read properly:

1. Make sure the disc drive is capable of reading the disc type you are inserting (CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc).
2. Make sure your device containing the disc drive is placed on a stable flat surface in the position it's intended to be used in.
3. Make sure you are inserting the disc correctly in the drive. Most optical disc drives can only read discs placed in a horizontal position with the label facing upward, whereas others can read discs in a vertical position as well.

Check your devices documentation if you're unsure what types of discs it can read, how to position your device or how to place the disc into the drive.

1. Hold the disc by the edges without touching the top or bottom surfaces.
   
2. Inspect the disc for dirt, scratches or visible defects.
3. If the disc is dirty, use a soft, clean, slightly damp cloth to clean it by lightly wiping from the center of the disc outward.
   

   Use water only. Do not use solvents to clean the disc.

4. If the disc still can't be recognized or played, try it in another unit of the same type or try another disc of the same type in the unit.

Computer storage drives are devices that allow you to save your data and store it for future use. There are two main storage drive types in use today:

• Hard Disk Drives (HDD) containing mechanical parts, mainly metal platters with a magnetic coating and reading/writing heads on moving arms that access data while the platters are spinning. Compared to SSDs they are less expensive and provide higher storage capacity, they have a longer life span but are more vulnerable to physical damage due to their moving parts.
• Solid State Drives (SSD) containing no mechanical parts, but instead containing interconnected memory chips similar to those found in USB flash drives. Compared to HDDs they provide much faster access to data and are less vulnerable to physical damage due to lacking moving parts, but have a shorter life span due to their cells wearing out over time.

To continue, we need to know what Operating System your computer is using.

There are 2 main Operating Systems for personal computers currently available, Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS.

Microsoft Windows	Apple macOS
Microsoft Windows runs on computers produced by multiple companies, such as Lenovo, Asus, Dell, Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, Acer, and Sony.	Apple is the only company that makes macOS computers.

1. Type optimize in the search field at the bottom left corner of your screen then click Defragment and Optimize Drives in the search results.
   
2. Look at the Media type column. It will show what type of drives your computer has.
   

It is always wise to backup your computer's data. Data backups should be performed regularly. Even beyond the scope of malware or for the sake of security, it is always prudent to have frequent backups because hard drives can fail, systems can crash, things can break, "life can happen," so you're always better off safe than sorry.

Data backups, just like any type of backup, are a matter of redundancy. One backup solution is good, two or more is better.

Offsite backups (such as online data backup services) are always a good idea, especially as a secondary backup. That way, in the unfortunate event that a fire, flood, or theft happens, you have a copy of your data in a remote, offsite location to fall back on.

It is always prudent to set your backups to use a versioning scheme. When it comes to backing up data, versioning is like a saved history of your files. Versioning allows your backup service to record multiple copies (or versions) of your files in its system (how many depends on the service). You can use file versioning to go back and retrieve the version you need. That way if files are corrupted, infected, or locked, you don't have to worry about having only one backup which may be the bad version.

If you are using a local backup such as an external hard drive or flash drive, it is always a good idea to disconnect the drive when it is not in use. This is a safety precaution, as some forms of malware can encrypt or corrupt all of the data on any connected drive, so a drive that is no longer physically connected cannot be affected.

We will need an external disk to store the backup on.

Return to this guide when you have purchased an external hard drive.

Windows 10 comes with its own backup software.

To begin you'll need an external drive.

1. Connect your external hard drive to your computer.
2. Select the Start menu in the corner of your screen, then select Settings.
   
   
3. Select Update & Security.
   
4. Select Backup.
   
5. Make sure your external drive is connected and select Add a Drive.
   
6. Select the drive you want to backup your data to.
   
   
   Backups will start automatically, you do not have to make any other changes.
7. Windows 10 will now make a backup every hour of C:\Users\<your username>.
8. If you want to change these settings click More Options beneath Add a drive.

1. From the Apple menu select About This Mac.
   
2. Then go to System Report.
   
3. Select Storage in the left pane then look for Medium Type in the right pane.
   
4. If the medium type shows Rotational that means the storage device is a Hard Disk Drive and if it shows SSD then it is a Solid State Drive.

It is always wise to backup your computer's data. Data backups should be performed regularly. Even beyond the scope of malware or for the sake of security, it is always prudent to have frequent backups because hard drives can fail, systems can crash, things can break, "life can happen," so you're always better off safe than sorry.

Data backups, just like any type of backup, are a matter of redundancy. One backup solution is good, two or more is better.

Offsite backups (such as online data backup services) are always a good idea, especially as a secondary backup. That way, in the unfortunate event that a fire, flood, or theft happens, you have a copy of your data in a remote, offsite location to fall back on.

It is always prudent to set your backups to use a versioning scheme. When it comes to backing up data, versioning is like a saved history of your files. Versioning allows your backup service to record multiple copies (or versions) of your files in its system (how many depends on the service). You can use file versioning to go back and retrieve the version you need. That way if files are corrupted, infected, or locked, you don't have to worry about having only one backup which may be the bad version.

If you are using a local backup such as an external hard drive or flash drive, it is always a good idea to disconnect the drive when it is not in use. This is a safety precaution, as some forms of malware can encrypt or corrupt all of the data on any connected drive, so a drive that is no longer physically connected cannot be affected.

We will need an external disk to store the backup on.

Return to this guide when you have purchased an external hard drive.

1. Purchase an external hard drive at least as large as how much information you have to back up. To see approximately how much space you'll need:
   1. Choose Apple menu > About This Mac.
      
      
      
   2. Click the Storage tab.
      
       
2. Connect the external hard drive to your computer, and power the drive, if required.
3. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
   
   
   
4. Click Time Machine.
   
   
   
5. Click Select Backup Disk, Select Disk, or Add or Remove Backup Disk.
   
   
   
6. Select a backup disk from the list, then click Use Disk.
7. Click the Time Machine icon on the top-right side of your Mac, and choose Back Up Now.

Your initial backup will take a while to complete. Do not turn off your Mac, but you may continue using your Mac. A message will pop-up in the top-right corner letting you know when the backup is complete.

You can check the status of the backup by clicking on the Time Machine icon in the top-right.

Using a compressed air duster is the best and most recommended way of cleaning inside a computer.

When blowing compressed air, keep the can upright at all times and never shake it to prevent the liquid refrigerant from leaking onto your electronics. Use short bursts of two or three seconds. When the can gets too cold to hold, set it down for a few minutes until it warms up again.