On switching on theres a brrrrrring noise like a cricket
stuck in the thing. The black start up screen goes into
action then the windows logo just stays on the screen and you
cant press anything except reboot. This has no effect and it
goes into safe mode this also hangs. In the end I have to
turn off at the mains start in safe mode then its fine no
strange noises and the scan disk runs normally.

Could it be a hard drive problem?

Maybe hard drive, people will give you guidance here but will need as much details as you can give, but in the meantime backup your data as it does sound like your HDD is going and you never know when the last time is it will work.

Could also be fan.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

If I remember correctly you're running win98 so boot to a win 98 start up disk, choose Start Computer Without CD ROM Support (you won't need the CD ROM for this and will reboot later) and at the A:\> prompt type
scandisk_c:_/autofix_/nosummary_/surface using spaces in place of the underscores used here. That will run a thorough unattended scandisk and if the drive has any errors it should automatically repair them.

Reboot and see if it runs any better. If you still get the noise you described, the hard drive might be going bad, as suggested above. If it is still under warranty, I would say contact the manufacturer's tech support and see about sending it back.

------------------
So many idiots, and only six bullets...
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

Leave the system powered off overnight, remove the case cover or sides,
power up, and make sure that it's the hard drive and not the power supply
or CPU cooling fan that is making the noise.

------------------
"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand."
-- Homer Simpson