My computer is making a grinding noise at start up only?

Every time I turn my computer on, there is a loud grinding noise as it boots up. After the computer is all booted up and at the desktop (meaning, that on my monitor, you can see all of my icons and such) it stops.

My fans all seem to be fine. What could this be and how do I fix it?

Thank you!My computer is making a grinding noise at start up only?
Your fans are likely at fault. I know they seem fine, but they may be having thermal issues. Try running the PC for 15 minutes or so, then REBOOT the PC using the START menu, RESTART sequence.



IF the 'ginding noise' happens again, then your system disk is possibly faling and likely needs to be replaced SOON. A BUSY disk doesn't sound like "GRINDING"



If the 'grinding noise' does not come back, I would venture that one of your fans is failing. It is noisy when COLD, but runs smoothly after warming. Remember, you have most likely 3 fans: CASE, CPU and Video Card GPU fans. Could be any one of those, but check the Video Card fan first since it tends to be the smallest and usually of poorer quality. (Yes, They TOO can be replaced)
Most desktops have at least 3 fans, case, cpu and psu. Possibly another if you have a graphics card. The only other moving parts would be the optical drive(s) and hard drive(s). You can easily eliminate the optical drive by inserting a disc to see if it's the culprit. As for the fans and hard drive, power down, open the case, and while listening closely, power up and see if you can tell where the sound is coming from. The hard drive pretty much sits off by itself, so it should be easy enough to tell if the sound is coming from it.My computer is making a grinding noise at start up only?
Likely your hard drive or fan.



Does the grinding noise also happen when copying large files? If so, then it's the hard drive.



Otherwise, failing/dirty fans are known to switch between making odd noises and not making odd noises.



If you know where the parts are located in your computer, listen more closely to see if you can pinpoint it.
Well ... if you are sure that it isn't one of your fans, then I'd tend to think that it is your hard drive. If it is your hard drive, then that is not good. The hard drive is on it's way out (dying). You will need to back up your files on to CDs or DVDs and then replace your hard drive (before it dies).My computer is making a grinding noise at start up only?
take the covers off and watch how the fans act as the computer starts up . the only moving parts in a computer are the fans and the drive motors. if it is a drive motor you better replace the drive before it goes out completely and you lose all the data.
needs reformatting or at least defrag - it has too many programs starting up at the same time.