You're trying to get work done, but in the background there's an annoying, persistent hum or, even worse, a constantly whirring loud noise coming out of your computer. The laptop fan is in overdrive and the noise is distracting, to say the least. Here's how to troubleshoot and possibly fix this common noisy laptop problem. (They work for desktop PCs too.) ~ November 4, 2014

All computers run a bit noisy, although some tend to be louder than others, depending on their fan placement and their hardware design and specs.

The MacBook Pro runs cool and silent, thanks to an asymmetric fan, while my tablet PC, a ThinkPad Helix, has been giving me grief lately with the fan running all day; the fan is in the tablet (screen) part of the notebook, not the bottom keyboard section, so a laptop cooling pad won't help in this situation.

If your laptop has been noisy lately, consider these possible fixes.

Stop Unnecessary Programs from Running on Startup

Over time, we install lots of applications that set themselves to start up when you boot your laptop and these naturally drag down your system's performance.  When your laptop's resources are taxed like this, it gets hotter, maybe even dangerously hot, and the fan is called to the rescue. If your laptop's fan is running all day, that's a sign you need to take the load off of your laptop or upgrade memory and other parts.

The simplest first step is to disable programs from running on startup if you don't need them to. Hit the Windows key and type msconfig in the Run box to get to the System Configuration tool.

Under the Startup tab, deselect the items you can launch manually. Things like your printer's management tool and Spotify don't need to load until you actually use them, but you'll probably want to have your antivirus and anti-malware apps load up on start.

Remove Dust with Compressed Air

Dust, dirt, and other particles can get into your laptop's ports and clog the fan, causing it to work harder and less efficiently--and possibly overheat. Turn off your laptop and spray the vents with a can of compressed gas (about $10) to fix this. If your laptop can be taken apart (the bottom panel unscrews), you can take this a step further and remove the panel to really get to all of the dust that may be in there.

Install More Memory

Memory issues might also cause your laptop's CPU to work harder, and as a result your laptop will get hotter and the fan will respond by getting louder. Check your memory usage in Windows' Task Manager: Hit Ctrl + Alt + Delete and select Task Manager. In the performance tab, find the memory usage percent. You should also be able to see how much memory is in use and how many memory hardware slots are filled up.

To find programs that are using up a lot of your memory, click on the "Open Resource Monitor" link at the bottom of that screen. You'll find the processes that are hogging all your memory. (Chrome and CrashPlan, when it's backing up my laptop, are usually the two biggest ones for me.)

If you don't have enough memory, head to a site like Crucial to order a new memory chip or two. The site's advisor tool will tell you if your system can be upgraded and which memory chips to buy. It's an inexpensive investment with a potentially great performance boost.  

Take Other Steps to Cool Your Laptop Down

Finally, you can also test your laptop's temperature to make sure it's not overheating, and try these five ways to make your laptop cooler.