@Aesop's Foibles.: It sounds like you're already emotionally checked out of that relationship. I don't really know if its fair to you or him to stay put? Especially given what you've said about it being a purgatory.
@Nitesh: I've googled a lot of the executable programs running and them seem to be things that windows needs or chrome etc etc. So, I'm going to shortly turn off my computer and blow out the fan.
The only reason I thought it was the hard drive is because the whole laptop gets very hot while the noise is being made and for some reason I though hot-HARDDRIVE?!
Thank you for the suggestions! I really appreciate them!
@JakeMG: Don't Panic: Thank you for your suggestions! I'm going to start with blowing out the fan and if that doesn't work then the system restore. And if that doesn't work, the full recovery. And then HELLO HP, HALP ME.
Again, thank you for helping the nearly computer illiterate.
@tw0 bears: I'm going to try this! I don't think I'll open it rather than risk a trip to derpland, but I'm going to go find my lab stash of compressed air. Thank you for your suggestions.
@psychiccheese: It may be the fan - but the whole laptop gets very hot - there are no crunching noises but its not so much a woosh noise either. I'm sorry I'm not more specific. I'm going to try blowing out the fans with compressed air. Thanks for your time and suggestions!
@Dorilys: I have an HP laptop, its only about 6 months old. In the last few days, its (I think the hard-drive?) been running like crazy. Draining the battery quickly and always making loud noise. Previously, it had been very quiet with noise only when I was running statistical analysis software that required lots of computing power. Is this something to be concerned about? Any advice?