IMAC squeaking

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Hi, everyone,

I have the previous series 21,5 inch Imac (3.06GHz, 4GB, 1TB, ATI 4670).
It makes an unusual sound, a discreet but annoying squeaking, having a repetitive pattern.

I assume it could be the cooler's fan. It's been doing this for some months now, so I don't think it's anything related to the HDD, for instance.

Any hints for getting rid of it myself (beside keeping it on Sleep mode)?

Thanks!
 

chscag

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Since there are three fans in your iMac, you're going to have to track down which one is doing the squeaking. An iMac is not an easy machine to take apart and should only be attempted if you're confident you can do it. See the take apart instructions for your model at iFixit: The free repair manual. Of course if your iMac is still covered by Apple care, let Apple do it.
 
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Thanks for the reply.

I'm no specialist, so the idea of the fan making the noise was just that - an idea.
Would you confirm that the annoying sound is most probably a symptom of a fan failure? Or are there other possibilities?
And if it's about the fan, isn't it possible that there is some dirt/dust preventing it to spin properly and I could maybe blow it off with a compressor through the space on the back of the IMAC?
 

chscag

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Your assumption about the squeaking was in my opinion correct which is why I responded and let you know about the three fans. Your idea of blowing air into your iMac with a compressor is not a good one and can actually cause damage to the machine.

Your iMac draws cool air in from its bottom vents and exhausts warm air through the top openings. So it's possible that over time a fan or fans have accumulated dust. But usually squeaking has more to do with fan bearing failure rather than dust buildup. It's best to replace the squeaking fan.
 
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FWIW I occasionally hook up the narrow nozzle up to my 'hoover' and suck out the fluff from both intakes underneath R & L of my iMac and also the exhausts. The cheeky one is the vent right at the back behind the stand spigot.
 

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