Loud Fan

[Oblongs]

Okay, I did a search for "Loud Fan" and nothing came up. Scanned some articles and didn't find anything. Figured this would be a common question, or maybe I just don't see where it's been asked.

Anyway, my problem is a (just recently) loud fan on my HP Pavillion dv6700 laptop. It started about a week and a half ago. The only thing different I've done/noticed about my laptop was:

1) One day, not too long ago, my power adapter cut out on me. I was using it like normal and all of a sudden the laptop stopped charging. I checked to see if it was unplugged and it wasn't, so I felt the adapter, and it was burning up. Like almost too hot to touch. I unplugged it for a while and it worked normally until the same thing happened a few days later. Probably a few days after that is when I first noticed the fans running abnormally high. The adapter has seemingly been fine since.

2) After noticing how loud the laptop was, I turned it upside down and started looking around. I looked in one of the vents (where the air is blown out) and saw a screw, just laying there. It has somehow come loose. I can even see where it's supposed to go (I think)

So, that's what's happening. When I open it to do something on it, it starts out okay for a bit, then gets loud, then gets really loud, then will just be some level of loud until I close it/shut it down again. I've had the thing for about a year now, and I have not done anything on it differently now for quite some time. I installed the programs I needed for school and it's been the same since. I just browse the web, view pdf's/ppt's, write up stuff in excel and word, and that's it. At certain times last semester I would have open something like 5 pdf's, 2/3 ppt's, firefox, music playing, and it would be just fine. Now I can't even open a folder or visit a website without it being loud. Hell, even being idle doesn't quiet it down. I've tried blowing in the vents with compressed air and it hasn't helped.

I'm very worried about it. Please, anyone, help. Again, sorry if I should have posted elsewhere.

[Kohan]

When you say you think you're aware of where the screw goes, would that location happen to be anywhere close to the fan? The sound could be caused by severe vibrations.

[levish]

try starting up in safe mode (hit F8 before the windows logo comes up) and running your antivirus and antispyware scans

[Spekkio]

if there's a loose screw inside your case, there's little you can do to resolve that besides tearing it open, obviously. if it's still under warranty, i'd saddle the problem with the manufacturer to handle, however if not, most laptops tear down pretty easily (search for instructions online) and you should be able to identify where it goes. as for the power adapter, if it's overheating and failing on you, it may be time to replace it. power supplies are one of the things i don't mess with since they can catch fire or fry everything else and are usually fairly cheap to replace.

[Okan]

try starting up in safe mode (hit F8 before the windows logo comes up) and running your antivirus and antispyware scans

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Blanket statement much?

[Norellicus]

try starting up in safe mode (hit F8 before the windows logo comes up) and running your antivirus and antispyware scans

http://images.encyclopediadramatica....%2C_OH_WOW.jpg

[Pikarya]

try starting up in safe mode (hit F8 before the windows logo comes up) and running your antivirus and antispyware scans

You forgot to tell him to clean his temp files too. Way to go.

[Spekkio]

i just wrote him off as this:
YouTube - Foamy - Tech-support
and went ahead trying to solve the problem. if i had a nickel for every janitor who thinks he can fix the damn problem rather than calling me and makes it 20 times worse i could retire by now.

[Oblongs]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I believe I will go and replace the power supply, even though it seems to be okay now. Better safe than sorry.

Also, I spent some time trying to put the screw back in the hole it seems to fit it (not in the fan, but in one of the vents), but without taking apart the laptop, it's rather difficult, lol. But if it comes down to it, guess I might just have to send it in if it's still under warranty. If not I might try to open it up to get that screw back in there. I'm still trying to figure out how the screw got loose in the first place.