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phil284

23 Posts

15046

January 1st, 2008 19:00

9150 Noisy Fan

Hello - wonder if anyone can help?
 
Turned on my 9150 today for the first time in a week - the fan at the bottom front of the case has suddenly turned itself onto maximum. Noisy!
 
Would there be any reason for this when I have made no hardware/software changes, and that I have made no changes to the BIOS?
 
Any help would be appreciated.
 
Thanks
Phil

shesagordie

10 Elder

 • 

46K Posts

January 1st, 2008 20:00

phil284

First, open the case and reseat all the cards and check that the fan, front air intakes and the inside of the case has no accumulated dust.

Check the reading of the power button LED, is it solid green, blinking green, solid amber, blinking amber?

Check the sequence of the diagnostic LEDs on the front panel of the case?.

Run Dell diagnostic's extended test, on the system, not the quickie express test.

How to run the Dell's Diagnostics Utility

After the Dell Diagnostics loads and the Main Menu screen appears, click the button for the option you want.

Bev.


===================================================
Please don't send me questions about your system by DCF Messenger.
Post the issue in the appropriate Board, where they will be answered.

x_lab rat

2K Posts

January 1st, 2008 20:00

And the computer still starts and works?  Reseat CPU fan connector, as shown here < ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>
 
Computer does not start?  Most likely motherboard.

ManyDimensions

1.3K Posts

January 2nd, 2008 05:00

phil284
 
The Dimension 9150/ XPS 400 have two front case fans. The middle fan is primarily the CPU cooler whilst the lower fan (referred to as rear cooling fan) is for cooling the hard drives drives (lower case) and auxiliary adapter cards in the rear most end of the case.
 
If either the middle or lower fan races, it is normally caused by a thermal condition. There is a pin on the CPU that transmits thermal status of the CPU, there is another sensor on the motherboard for the backplane thermal status.
 
Simple accumulations of dust can and will cause interference with the thermal devices.
 
MD

phil284

23 Posts

January 2nd, 2008 16:00

So, could I source a fan from anywhere, or just from Dell? It is in this funny casing at the moment.
 
If from Dell, do I just give them a ring? My warranty is over, but I'd be happy to pay.

phil284

23 Posts

January 2nd, 2008 16:00

Hi - thanks for all replies. I have dusted down the inside of the computer. It wasn't too bad, but got rid of the bulk. However, the rear cooling fan is still racing (sounds like a jet engine!).
 
When I took this fan out and cleaned it, it has a little green diode-type thing near the centre of the fan itself - would this be a type of thermostat for the fan speed?
 
If this was the thermostat, I could simply replace the fan, which in turn would possibly solve the problem. But if you're saying that the thermostat is actually on the motherboard, replacing the fan won't make any difference, unless I just replaced the fan with a 'simpler' fan?
 
I was hopeful for the dust theory, but it is still racing.
 
Phil

x_lab rat

2K Posts

January 2nd, 2008 16:00

Good find, Phil.  That is indeed the temp sensor, that fan regulates itself according to exhaust temp.  Replace the fan and the problem will be solved. 
 
Only the CPU fan is regulated by the motherboard.  The self-regulating fans don't typically fail in that manner, but as I've said time and again, anything can happen.

x_lab rat

2K Posts

January 2nd, 2008 17:00

It is a standard fan, but Dell tends to use different connectors.  Easiest probably to get it from Dell.  I think they ship it with the casing that mounts it to the chassis so you won't have to mess with that.

shesagordie

10 Elder

 • 

46K Posts

January 2nd, 2008 20:00

phil284

You can obtain a replacement fan from Dell Spare Parts.

Bev.


===================================================
Please don't send me questions about your system by DCF Messenger.
Post the issue in the appropriate Board, where they will be answered.

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