R340 : Fans are very noisy

Cmagueur,

I would start with ensuring the server is up to date on BIOS, iDrac, and raid controller. The reason being is the iDrac is what regulates the fans, but you also need to update the iDrac with the BIOS as to not get too far of a version gap. 

Let me know how it goes, also let me know if the server is really far behind on any of those prior to the update.

Hello Chris,

Thanks for your answer.

This is the current version on our server:

- BIOS : 1.2.0

- IDRAC9 Express, version IPMI : 2.0

- PERC H330 : 25.5.5.0005.

I found this update on support : Nom du fichier: BIOS_NN73G_WN64_2.2.3.EXE.

We will try it as soon as possible.

Cyril

Hello Chris,

We did the update this morning, its' ok.

Thanks for your help.

Cyril

I have a follow-up question. What if my iDRAC and BIOS is already updated to the latest version and still having a loud fan noise. Should I roll back the version? Is it safe?

Hi,

Yes, it's relative safe to roll back previous version, it can be one of the troubleshooting steps. Have you checked in the iDRAC to see if there is any error logs that lead to the fan noise? 

Hello,

The latest BIOS and iDRAC versions are linked below. It looks like the BIOS revision was released in November of 2020 and the iDRAC version was released in December of 2020. This may or may not affect the volume you see from your fans. The server fans do spin at a very high RPM and this can be loud. If you want to stay on the older version, you can certainly do so, but it's not the recommendation.

BIOS 2.4.1: https://dell.to/3dyB3Jz

iDRAC 4.40.00.00: https://dell.to/3dIlVcJ

Are there news with new bios and iDrac versions for fan noise problem? Or with stay with downgrade?

This did not work.  What is the next step?

Hello timothyblts,

I’m sorry to see that. Do you have more information you can provide such as troubleshooting you have already completed? Is this a new install or existing? Were the fans quiet and now they aren't?

Please check these details below and let me know:

Is the lid closed and the intrusion light off?

Are there any error lights on front?

Do you have any faults or failures in the System Event Log or LifeCycle log in the DRAC?

How is the system installed; is it in a datacenter?

Is there anything obstructing air flow?

Any third party components in the server?

Have you reseated fan connections? Are any fans not spinning? Do any fans show damage?

Are you up to date on firmware - BIOS 2.5.1 and iDRAC 5.00.00.00?

Ohr4iagh,

I would start with also verifying the iDrac is up to date and current as weel, the reason being is that the iDrac is what controls the fans. If it is up to date you can look at the Fans Speed Offset, under Hardware - Fans - Setup, if the update doesn't resolve it. 

Let me know if this helps.

I have similar problem.

Power Edge R340 is very noisy after i added second NVME PCI-E card.

It have no real reason, to be noisy. Temperature of CPU and chipset is still same. Temperature around still same and low (under 25°C) Temperature of CPU is even significantly lower (8 or more °C lower) after card was added, because airflow is higher.

...

I have no solution, BIOS is updated to the latest (2.12.xx?). But there is missing any option which can influence cooling. Somewhere i saw, in BIOS should be option Thermal, but it is missing on my server.

Oftentimes the fans on these smaller systems like the R340 will also change their RPMs based on additional PCIe cards even if the thermals of of the CPU and motherboard chipsets don't change.  It's likely just triggering that it needs to run at the higher RPM because the system is detecting an additional PCIe card and there likely isn't anything that can really be done about it as this is oftentimes hard coded into how the fans behave in these systems.

I probably found where is difference between one and two NVME SSD's - doesn't matter if i am using one or two, but very significantly does matter if (one of) NVME card is in 8x slot where is available only one PCIe lane - then whole server runs relativelly silent. But when i added (or moved) exactly same card in second PCIe slot where are PCIe lanes all available because they are connectected to the contacts for PCIe 2x .. i mean, all lanes are near back panel all connected to the additional card - then server is very noisy even if CPU is almost idle, even if SSD is cool (around 30°C)

Conclusion -> number of used PCIe lanes matter, and RPM's of fans is much higher with more PCIe lanes connected even if server does nothing. Why?

I am very dissapointed with this behaviour.

And yes - everything updatable is updated. No errors anywhere. Temperature of CPU is around 34 - 38°C, chipset around 31°C, SSD around 32°C, but fans are running still very fast.

Btw... why must servers always have so slow Setups? It takes half of day to test something.