computer fan

I don't think the fan in my PC is working properly.

Often the computer case gets warm. I've opened it up to see if there is anything wrong inside, but I cannot see anything faulty.

lapafraxx...

So the fan IS still turning? If it is, is it turning at it's proper speed? Make sure it's not filled with dust....if it is? When the computer is off and unplugged, use some canned air to blow the dust out of it.

Also, is the fan aimed in the right direction? Silly as it sounds, it can happen. I have a computer where they designed the power supply cooling fan so that it sucked in air from the back of the case and blew it onto the CPU. Kinda dumb if you ask me, since the fan in the front of the case sucks in air, and the fan in the rear of the case sucks in air, so there's no "flow". All that hot air just collects in the top of the case, so I have to operate it with the cover off, or else it overheats.

Also, if everything seems to be ok, case design in general may be a problem. If you're using a cheap case, there may not be very good airflow at all. More expensive cases tend to be designed to accomedate more fans, and often have better airflow in general. If you're using a pre-built system like say, Dell, then you'll probably just have to deal with it. Companies like Dell skimp everywhere to save a nickle and have some of the poorest airflow that I've ever seen. I saw a Dell system once that had over a 1ghz CPU (I think it was 1.2ghz) and Dell didn't even put a CPU fan on it! If you ask me, that's just asking for problems down the road.

Honestly, if your system is just slightly warm to the touch, you're probably ok. If you put your hand on the case and you're practically getting burnt (I had a system like that once) then I'd start to worry. Maybe you could check to see if there is space for an extra cooling fan in your case though, as they aren't always filled with the maximum amount of fans they can have. Often, the addition of a single fan can lower case temperatures 8-10 degrees or sometimes even more.

The problem is solved now. I got my dad to replace the power supply itself (so we have a new fan) and it seems to be working OK.

Thanks for the advice anyway!