Shoutbox

Yesterday, i was opening my case to install some new RAM i had just bought, but while i opened it, i dropped the front of the case and it hit the CPU fan and managed to break 2 bits off it. I've heard CPU fans are quite cheap but i have no idea about which one to buy and how to install it because at the moment, my computer is really loud and its really annoying.
My motherboard specs are in the attachment if you need them.

You will just need to buy a "AMD Combatible" fan. Thats it

If your wanting a high end fan you can get the Zalman 9500 CNPS LED for $60AU. But if your wanting a lower end(which i think you are) just ask your local computer store for one. The cheap ones are "no brand" and yeah, cant really recommend a cheap one to you

Try to get another stock fan if you can (unless you want a new awesome fan). Stock fans often work very well and are an awesome cheap alternative.

I dont mind spending up to about £25 and i want to order of the net really. I just find that easier. And how hard are they too install?

There very easy.
Depending on the fan you get, ussually just screw in a "base" thing. Then Clip the fan on to it. Preety easy . Just make sure its an AMD fan, not an Intel. It DOES matter.

Dude, you have to see what socket your motherboard has. The socket is the place where you fit the CPU and, as such, the heatsink will differ according to the kind of socket. For example, an Intel Socket 775 heatsink won't work in a 478 Socket (Well, there are some which support mutiple sockets).

I am not aware of what kind of AMD sockets there are, but it should be pretty straight forward to find out. Look for it in your motherboard's box.

Edit : I never quite understood AMD processors, but by looking yours up (Athlon 64 X2 4200+) on wikipedia, I found out it is either a 939 or a AM2 socket CPU.

Just to fix ideas, to cool a CPU you need a fan, and a heatsink. You don't _have_ to replace both if only the fan is broken, although on most stock heatsinks both parts are bound together, AFAIK.

The main characteristic of a fan is the diameter (80, 90 or 120mm), and possibly its noise level if you do care (the larger, the quieter).

If you want/have to replace both, then as said previously you should look for a model compatible with your CPU socket.

I only want to replace the fan as i dont see the need on replacing the heatsink if ive got a paerfectly working one. ATM, the fan works, the computer is still pretty cool, but the noise coming from it, im guessing becauses its unbalanced or something, is well, loud.
So all i have to do is buy a new fan that supports AMD?

No, you need a fan that supports your heatsink (As it's the heatsink which goes into the AMD socket, and the fan is attached to the heatsink)

... if you are able to swap the fan, which, as Apatik said, most times does not happen with stock coolers.