A little help, please!

[candg4ever]

From my observations over the years, I've noticed that a lot of CF'ers seem to be a lot more tech savvy than me, which isn't really saying a whole lot. Here's my question:

The last few months, my Dell desktop has been making some odd noises, a kind of squeaking whirr, and it seems to be getting worse. Now, some apps are running pretty slow and choppy, I think it's my hard drive going bad.

Should I get a new hard drive, a new tower, or just start looking at a new PC or a laptop? The Dell I have is a few years old, but still has plenty of life in it, I think. And, if the answer is a new hard drive, where can I go to have it replaced that charges reasonable rates? I figure the Geek squad ain't the way to go.

Any input will be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Acylum]

You're sure it's the hard drive making the noise? If not, check the fan. If the fan isn't working properly the heat could be causing the other symptoms. I'm not real tech-savvy but what you are describing sounds like a problem I had once and it was one of the fans not running.

 

[Naughtius]

Is it a little squeaking sound? Might be a squirrel in there. It's that time of year.

 

[baller21]

doesn't dell use the "mouse on a wheel" power technology in their cpu's? He's probably just getting hungry in there.

 

[drmwevr08]

Is it a little squeaking sound? Might be a squirrel in there. It's that time of year.

My laptop seems to really dislike some CDs. I was ripping music the other day and it sounded like it was going to croak or blast off with one in particular, the next one it was quiet and fine.

 

[keepngoal]

See about replacing the fan.... overheating due to a non working fan can cause strange things to happen.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I would say the fan also. In my experience, when a hard drive starts making nioses it isn't long before it crashes.