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PSA: A $5 can of air fixed a weird server fan noise after three hours of checking logs
Had a rack server making a high pitched whine, not a full failure. Checked all the system logs, temps were fine. On a hunch, I blasted the tiny vents on the fan housing with compressed air. A clump of dust shot out. Noise stopped right away. Anyone else find weird fixes for phantom noises?
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the_ruby15d ago
Yeah, those tiny vents are a total trap. I've seen that same high pitch from a single cat hair wrapped around a fan spindle, looked fine until you shined a light at the right angle. Sometimes the noise isn't the bearing, it's something touching the blades just enough to sing.
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the_jason6d ago
My old desktop at the repair shop ran quiet for years with a fan full of dust bunnies. I've taken apart dozens of machines where the high pitch was absolutely a dry bearing, not debris. Replacing the fan fixed it every time. People blame dust because it's easy to see, but a failing bearing makes that exact same whining sound. Chasing hairs and fuzz can just waste time when the part itself is worn out.
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the_lily15d ago
Oh man, that makes so much sense. I read a forum post once where a guy fixed a weird whine just by cleaning dust off the fan blades with a q-tip. It's crazy how such a small thing can make that much noise.
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