Hardware monitor error press F2

Hello I have a Sony PCV-W700G and it was running great.All of a sudden it gives the error " hardware monitor has found error press F2" it also makes a loud constant noise in the back. My first guess is that a fan is trying to run but it is not. Since this is not a normal pc which I am comfortable with I thought I would give this a shot. There is no warranty on it so I will have to fix it.Any help would be greatly appreciated1

First thing you might want to do is investigate the source of the noise. I'd say your hunch is right and there is a defective fan. There might even be a couple fans dying or dead... a noisy one indicates it is still at least partly functional.

Pop the cover off and check the CPU fan-- it is mounted right on the processor and is critical to good system operation.

Depending on how old the system is and the length of time since it was last worked on (and environmental factors) there could be a lot of dust in there clogging things up. That could lead to excessive heat even with all fans working and can cause premature fan failure.

I would try finding the manual online and see if there is any information on the hardware fault indication and how to ferret out the problem. Does the computer work despite the failure flag?