Long post.
Computer specks are 2.8gHz P4, ASUS P4P800 Deluxe Mobo, 2 WD HD's, M-Audio Audiophile 24/96

Ok, I built a computer for audio about a month ago. Came together quickly (my first time at doing this) and without any difficulty. Been working like a charm ever since. I have 2 problems, one serious, the other a minor inconvenience.

I am not doing anything heavy with it, 20 tracks, but I do use a lot of plugs, I normally run around 40-50% on my cpu. To me this doesn't sound like much but every 20 seconds or so, the cpu meter jump to the red for a split second, This causes my audio to crackle.

Now for the serious one. For reference, I have 4 fans in my computer. The cpu heat sink/fan, the ps fan, a 120mm case fan, and a fan on my graphics card.

Last night, my computer had been running for about 10 hours. I hadn't done anything to tax the cpu at all the entire day. When I go up to turn it of, it has gotten really noisy. (I am assuming it is the fans because I have never been able to hear my hard drives spinning.) Then right as I am about to click on the start button to shut down, it sounds as if at least two of the fans stopped spinning and the other one sounds like you are starting a car and it isn't catching. That ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah sound. I immediately shut down thinking it is the cpu fan.

I checked the case this morning, and everything visually is ok. Then I tried to start up the computer. Started up like normal. After about three minutes, it starts the same sound. I put my ear up to the case and it sounds like it is one of the fans. The 120mm is still spinning and so it the ps fan. This means it is either the cpu fan or the video card fan. Should I open the case while it is making this sound to see what’s going on?

Sorry for the long post, and I hope some of you can help me.