fitting extra fan on Dell 1100

catalina66

Hi

Had a 2nd fan fitted on previous machine, so thought may as well put it into the Dell 1100 as extra cooling. Not whizzkid at all, just absolute basics ... plugged fan in the only 3-pin thing I could find spare on the motherboard, but it doesn't run, unlike on the previous (Tiny) machine ... someone had fitted that extra fan for me, so I checked what they'd done (plugged it into the only free 3-pin thing) before having a go myself today.

Given machine good clean [v careful, plus earthed), including lifting the green fan cover and cleaning inside there. All running fine ... just wondering why the extra fan wouldn't run.

Cheers, Cat

fwor

I don't have a Dell at the moment, but one possibility is that the BIOS is able to control the fans on your motherboard, and that that one is currently turned off. Was the socket marked FAN2 or similar?

Easiest way to check: reboot your machine, and as it boots up, hit the DEL key. It should say "Entering Setup" and then give you the BIOS setup screens. ***Obvious critical point: do not change anything in the BIOS that you don't understand!*** Check out all the options, and if you're lucky one screen will give the fan control settings.

Then again, maybe it's a fault on the motherboard and that fan connector is dead!

SilverScooby

If the BIOS doesn't expect there to be a second fan it might not see it.

There's a handy utility called I8kfanGUI http://www.diefer.de/i8kfan/index.html which controls the fans on inspirons. I use it to stop the fan on my 6000 running constantly, which is all the BIOS can get it to do

albertross_2

Why bother, it will cost more money to run, and be noisier.

catalina66

Hi and many thanks for responses. Much appreciate.

I've had a look and can't see anything in the BIOS. BIOS is A00 08/15/2005 ... bought machine Feb 2006 and know there's an updated BIOS available, but was warned not to install it on another forum?! Would anyone be able to tell me if the updated BIOS does mean can enable a 2nd fan?

Cheers, Cat

bookduck

catalina66 wrote: »

Would anyone be able to tell me if the updated BIOS does mean can enable a 2nd fan?
Cheers, Cat

Strongly doubt fan support would be in there. It would mostly be a bug fix or mods for new hardware however seen this http://www.lieffcabraser.com/dell-inspiron-3.htm , so looks like there is a design problem with cooling.

In my desktop I have 2 extra fans : one on the bottom of the hdd and the other goes in a card slot on the back of the pc. I'd always recommend a fan to cool the hdd!

Yeh, it is noisier, but more reliable and my disks don't die on hot days!

motorguy

albertross wrote: »

Why bother, it will cost more money to run, and be noisier.

i agree, if its not broken dont fix it. Esp with a Dimension 1100. Not a bad little machine but optimised down to a price.

motorguy

bookduck wrote: »

Strongly doubt fan support would be in there. It would mostly be a bug fix or mods for new hardware however seen this http://www.lieffcabraser.com/dell-inspiron-3.htm , so looks like there is a design problem with cooling.

In my desktop I have 2 extra fans : one on the bottom of the hdd and the other goes in a card slot on the back of the pc. I'd always recommend a fan to cool the hdd!

Yeh, it is noisier, but more reliable and my disks don't die on hot days!

It may well be required on your machine but on a standard Dell 1100, thats a different matter.

catalina66

Thanks again for helpful responses.

So it may be as well to just leave the machine as it is, Dimension desktop doesn't necessarily need a 2nd fan?

Cheers, Cat

spakkker

Err ... do you need a headache? Life's sometimes too short.

bookduck

pgilc1 wrote: »

It may well be required on your machine but on a standard Dell 1100, thats a different matter.

My machines were a desktop - optiplex gx110, then a gx110. The PC was on 24/7. On hot summer days the hdd would overheat. Via smart, the temp got up to around 80c (if i remember correct) and the Pc would crash. fans sorted the problem out.

My ex work PC a Dell GX240 (my replacement), now has by design the HDD right above the PSU fan.