Ghost in the machine?
By BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (52227)
St. Catharines, Ontario
November 2, 2026 7:07am CST
It started yesterday... A banging in my laptop. Two pitiful bangs that sound like someone's using a makeshift hammer trying to alert me that they're trapped inside. And when I turned on my laptop this morning, it started again. It's not a constant banging, but it is annoying. It's not there if I turn off the sound, but then I don't have sound.
Any thoughts?
7 people like this
8 responses
@BarBaraPrz (52227)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4h
I turned the sound off for a few minutes, and when I turned it back on, the banging ceased. Maybe it got out.
@BarBaraPrz (52227)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4h
Seems to be gone now that I turned the sound off for a few minutes.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (92661)
• United States
2h
I've never had that happen so I have no idea what could be causing it. Hopefully it will just go away and it won't be something that needs to be fixed.
@JohnRoberts (108829)
• Los Angeles, California
5h
I have never encountered such a situation.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (52227)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4h
First time for me, too, but it's gone now.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (64592)
•
1h
I don't claim to be an expert on computers, but my son is. I've learned more than I realized over time...I do know thi noise will happen sometimes to certain laptops. He says it is almost always the cooling fan making the noise, one of the blades to it is off kilter, etc. It could be something else, but he says that's the most likely reason. If you are comfortable taking off the back of the laptop (requires screws, etc. ) you could check, or take it to a repair to have them check. Often the fans get dusty inside. He also told me that sometimes even a hair can wrap around the fan blades, or cat hair if you have cats near your laptop.
