by David Hakala

A noisy computer fan is a constant irritation. Whether it’s a desktop or portable computer, the best thing you can hear from your machine is silence. Here are some things you can do to reduce or eliminate fan noise.

First, the easiest and most obvious thing: move the fan away from your ears. If your desktop computer is on your desktop, consider putting it on the floor under the desk. The vibrations of a fan often set up sympathetic vibrations in pencil cups, paper clip trays, and other desktop items. A fan can even cause a buzzing in the wood of your desktop. Move the computer if you can.
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