Fan Grinding Sound on dv8000

Hey. I just recently purchased a dv8000. By recent I mean a few months ago, but not long enough for this kind of deterioration in quality to be acceptable. First let me tell you that this laptop is great! I had the standard RAM amount lifted to 1G when I bought it and this thing has been running like a charm. However, just a few days ago I started hearing a grinding sound coming from the intake fan on the underside of the laptop, I looked underneath and there was quite a bit of dust in the grid so I blew it out with some canned air and made sure it was thuroughly cleaned. I started the computer up but the grinding presisted. It really is an irking noise and I'm in the process of trying to record the sound and upload it so you guys can hear it but it sounds like the fan is just brushing up against some hanging wires or a fan housing or something and creating a constant, high-pitched grinding noise. I have looked into the fan compartment and there are three wires (yellow, black, red) hanging just above the fan when it is in the lateral position but I see no reason why they have just randomly started interacting with the fan or more importantly, any way I can keep them from doing it if that is indeed the problem. Can anybody offer me some advice on either how to get a better view into the fan compartment without having to completely disassemble my laptop or on what a possible problem/solution might be. The real kicker of this story is that I cannot send it in for repair! When I had CompUSA install the PNY memory to up my performance, it voided the manufacturer's warranty and now CompUSA is shutting down over half their stores, including the 5 closest ones to where I currently live! Please I need some help here, it doesn't look like the sound is actually hindering the movement of the fan but I don't want this to lead the further problems and the sound is also completely aggrivating.

 

Upgrading the RAM doesn't void your warranty....

I would send it in to be fixed it should be covered.

 

No, the service to have the memory replaced required that we bought their warranty and when we did, they tossed out the manufacturer's warranty information and all of that. I have no way of having it repaired remotely and I really can't afford to send it in.

 

Tracekill, check out my thread here. I'm having a similar problem with the fan on my dv8408us (also purchased at CompUSA a few months ago) and I've attached a sound clip. See if mine sounds anything like yours.

Mine's still under warranty, but I'm going to wait until May to send it in, as I'm currently on an internship in Manhattan and need a PC. I'm also ticked that I'm already having issues, because this is a beautiful unit and it should last me 2-3 years. I'm glad I didn't get CompUSA's warranty and I'm definitely going to extend HP's once I get my rebate check.

 

Wow you have almost the EXACT situation I have and I think I may have the exact same problem! Did you ever find a solution or are you just living with the noise?

 

See edit above. ^ I'm going to put up with it, until I return to Michigan in late April, then have the fan replaced (and extend the warranty). It should be fine for the moment, as it seems like it's cooling the system properly. It just sounds like a (quiet) refrigerator.

Good to know I'm not the only one, but it really sucks that we're already having problems.

What I'd like to know is why the fan is on so often? Did you upgrade to the latest BIOS? It seems to turn on more with that. Where I'm doing the internship, I've been using a Dell laptop with a similar processor (1.66 Core Duo). The fan on that thing is never on and it doesn't get very warm.

 

I do have the most recent BIOS but I'm not really the case to use as a control as I do 3D design and I'm constantly stressing the system to it's limits.

 

I play a lot of games that stress the video card, but I'm using the system in a well-ventilated area.

 

I've noticed something new. If, for example, I use the scroll wheel to browse through images in IrfanView, it makes the speed of the fan jump up and down. Same goes for using the scrollbar in several programs (e.g. Final Draft).