New CPU Fan Cures Whiny Computer

Today I reached the limit of my patience with a CPU fan that had become whiny over the years. It sounded like a 1-pound mosquito, and the whine varied in pitch with the workload on the CPU, making it even more irritating.

Air blowing and vacuuming a couple of times had reduced the volume, but it always returned to distracting levels after a day or two.

new CPU fan
The new CPU fan above the old fan. The new one is huge, stands “sideways” atop the CPU like a mini-skyscraper, and has a different mounting system from the old fan. When I was buying it, the guy asked “are you sure you have a big case?” I can see why he asked :-).

After struggling with instructions for nearly two hours (!), I laid out all the parts that came with the new fan, checked my parts bag from the original motherboard, and put together my own installation solution.
new_cpu_fan_2_20150706
The new fan nearly touches the clear side of the tower.

Ah, the sounds of silence! The computer is now barely audible, knock on wood…