Sony SZ Fan Noise

This seems to be a common problem with Vaio notebooks, especially the SZ series.

I've had an SZ460 for a couple of years, and I'm starting to have problems with the fan. It's not the loud buzzing noise you hear when the processor is overworked. It's more like a rattling noise. I took the fan/heatsink out completely and cleaned it with a can of air, but the problem still persists. I have a feeling the bearings are shot.

The only replacement fans I could find are on eBay for $30-40, and they appear used. Where can I find an OEM fan for this notebook?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Are you sure it's the fan and not the hard disk?

 

I'm pretty sure it's not the HD. The noise is definitely coming from somewhere near the fan. Plus, I don't hear it until the OS boots up and the fan starts spinning.

Edit: On closer inspection, you were correct. The noise is coming from the HD. I don't know how I overlooked that. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the palm rest screws loose.

 

Hmm, I've been getting a strange rattling noise which I thought was coming from the fans too. With you does the noise come especially 1 or 2 minutes after start-up once Windows is loading all its start-up apps, or just sometimes as soon as you switch on your lappy? And then the rattling often goes away after a couple of minutes (but can start again randomly later).

 

It happens when windows starts up and apps start loading. I pulled the HD out today, but I think I broke the SATA cable. No big deal as I was planning on upgrading the HD anyway, but I'll leave it to the professionals this time.

It you hold your ear up to the lower left corner of the palm rest (where the HD is located), you'll definitely hear it. That is, if the HD is the source of the noise.

 

Palm rest screws - if your SZ is anything like my SZ7 - there are scrws underneeth the keyboard - the keyboard has to come off to get the palmrest off.
I think on my SZ7 its held in place by 6 screws.