Problem with Computer (fan) - Solved! Thanks everyone!

The Successful Dropout

The Successful Dropout

CAGiversary!
Feedback
101 (100%)
Okay, so my desktop computer is like 6 years old, but it's a nice computer. It's still fast and works great. The problem is that a month or so ago it was really loud for a few weeks. I think the loudness was coming from the fan (in the upper part of the backside of the computer). Without giving it notice, the loudness stopped. I was messing around behind the computer a couple of days ago and noticed a stinky burning smell. I also noticed that the fan wasn't working at all. So I went to BB today and bought a new fan. By the way, I thought it would cost a fortune (what do I know?), but it was on sale for $1.99. The little that I know of computers is just from messing around with them (for the past 10 years) here and there just like anyone else does. I replaced the fan just a few hours ago and it's still not working. It also took about 15 minutes to start up. A week ago I installed Norton and I'm chalking up the long start up time to that. Since I've had my computer, I've rarely shut it down. I've always restarted it if I had to and just let it hibernate any other time. Since I've noticed the fan not working and the stinky burning smell, I've been turning off my computer whenever it's not in use in fear of it overheating and dying or causing a fire (I don't know).

Oh yeah, I plugged the fan in the same spot the other fan was plugged in at (a three hole thingy to a three prong thingy). The new fan came with some sort of extension with different (bigger) connectors, I'm assuming that's an option for it to fit in a different way or a different kind of computer, I don't know.

So my question is, what's the next step? Did I install the fan wrong? Is there another way to install it? With it not working, is this a direct sign of something else wrong with it. I really don't want to hire the stupid geek squad for a few hundred dollars just so they can do two minutes of work.

PS: I do realize that buying a new computer isn't too far off into the future anyway, but this one still has years left as a back-up at least.
 
[quote name='7dustfan']The bigger connector is the power cable. Look at the wires coming from your power supply and try to find an unused connector that matches the one on the fan and plug it into that.

The cable that you're looking for looks like this.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Molex_female_connector.jpg/800px-Molex_female_connector.jpg[/quote]

Yeah, it came with that. The small 3 hole thingy was plugged into a small 3 prong thingy (nice technical names by the way) on the wiring that was in the new fan packet...and the 3 prong thingy is wired to a much bigger wire that has the male and female connections of what you've shown me in that pic. So I guess I don't hook it up the way the old one was hooked up. The old one didn't have a power cable I guess. I didn't see any unused connectors, but I'll look again later today. What happens if I don't have any unused connectors? And I know hardly anything about the insides of computers, so this may be a dumb question (even in general), but do have to find an open slot for both the male and female connectors of the pic you've shown me?


PS: I could take pictures if need be. Thanks for your help so far.
 
If the fan you bought came with the male/female plugs connected, unplug them so it looks like this.
http://img.systemaxdev.com/productmedia/htmlimages/cten/StarTech/110678-front.jpg

Look near your harddrive or dvd drive and you might find an unused connector hanging down. Like I said, it will look like this.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...onnector.jpg/800px-Molex_female_connector.jpg

Then just plug this female connector into the male connector on the fan.


If you don't have an open connector, you will probably need to buy another fan or you could buy one of these.
http://www.cableclub.com/power-supply-splitter-adapter-cable-p-977.html
 
please post pics of back of computer, perhaps put a sticky note or something like that where the malfunctioning fan is located. This will help determine if is bad power supply or just case fan.
 
thanks to the help of all of you who've replied, i have a nice new working breeze behind my computer! it may have been my imagination, but the computer started up a lot faster...thanks again!

PS: how i (we) solved it was by putting everything back together the way it came in the packaging...avoided how the original fan was hooked up...then found an extra four slot connector thingy hiding in between a mess of wires and connected it to that

PSS: I'll now donate another $5 to Child's play to bring my total up to $15.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top