wingspar Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 (edited) I have a friend with a Dell. It’s at least 3 or 4 years old. Desktop. Don’t remember the model, maybe a Dimension 8400 or 8600. Every once in a while her fan will rev up and make a lot of noise. Doesn’t last long, and doesn’t do it on a regular basis. Her cure is to leave the side of the case open. I’m not real sure what fan is making the noise. PSU, or exhaust fan are my guesses. There is no intake fan. I’m thinking of having her download Speed Fan, or something similar in hopes that maybe it will help isolate the problem, but reading a little bit about Speed Fan, I’m not sure it will work on her Dell. Does anyone know if that software will work on her Dell? I use SmartGuardian that came with my motherboard. I wonder if that might work for her? EDIT: It's a Dell 4600 Edited June 14, 2009 by wingspar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgv115 Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 just try speedfan first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingspar Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 The reason I asked this question is from this statement on the Cnet download page for SpeedFan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrow21 Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 I've had a Dell with one fan before and it would rev up too sometimes. Trust me, it's going faster because it has to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingspar Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 (edited) I've had a Dell with one fan before and it would rev up too sometimes. Trust me, it's going faster because it has to. I had many Dells over the years before I started building my own, and have never heard anything like this. You can hear her fan all over the house. It sounds like something about to blow up. Doesn Edited June 14, 2009 by wingspar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 If I remember correctly, those models of Dells use a passive CPU heat sink with a shroud over it. The exhaust fan pulls air through the shroud and over the fins to keep it cool. The reason the fan is revving up is to cool the CPU and some of the Dell came with Delta fans which could explain the noise. You may be able to find a replacement fan but it has to have a 4-pin connector that will fit the Dell motherboard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 What Nemo said. I have a 4600 and it never does what you describe. AFAIK, other than in the PSU, the 4600 only has one fan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingspar Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 Thanks Nemo and Phil. That helps. I Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_Nate Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 (edited) Well, if it's the CPU fan / shroud, you could verify that the mounting holes are standard and then just take the shroud off and buy a cheap, quiet aftermarket cooler (arctic cooling, whatever). That would keep the CPU cooler, and the fan wouldn't have to ramp up. Edited June 14, 2009 by Crazy_Nate Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 Lots of fans on eBay for about $15 shipped. Just search "Dimension 4600 fan". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrewr05 Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 All our dells do the same thing, when you turn them on they sound like a vacuum cleaner for about 5 seconds and then when you hit ~100% cpu they occasionally kick into overdrive like that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingspar Posted June 15, 2009 Posted June 15, 2009 Well, if it's the CPU fan / shroud, you could verify that the mounting holes are standard and then just take the shroud off and buy a cheap, quiet aftermarket cooler (arctic cooling, whatever). That would keep the CPU cooler, and the fan wouldn't have to ramp up. Would installing SpeedFan isolate which fan it would be? Lots of fans on eBay for about $15 shipped. Just search "Dimension 4600 fan". Nothing on Ebay right now, but that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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