Missing case fan (maybe more) from ML 330e

[satrow]

A client has asked me to bring a 'forgotten' ML 330e into the network at a satellite office.

The machine refuses to boot, giving me the message that the case fan is not running and shuts down. On opening it, I find that the system fan is missing and the cables are all disconnected from the drives, etc.

Can someone please let me know how to start the server using a standard 2 or 3 pin case fan (plus a dummy load?)so that I can work out if it is feasible to repair. No one knows what happened for it to get like this!

Thanks in advance,

Andy.
(Also posted in HP server forum. Originally posted in Compaq server forum a week ago).

 

[franklin97355]

Get a three pin fan and plug in one of the drives. That is if the plug on the board is three pin. You didn't specify what hardware we are talking about.

 

[satrow]

Thanks for the reply Franklin97355.

The hardware is a Compaq ML330e server, with combined VGA, NIC and IDE PCI 32bit card; a skt 370 PIII 1GB and 3x64bit plus 3x32bit slots.

The case fan pins are (from the top) one, space, three; ie., a four pin (five pin straight connector with pin #2 missing) fan would/could have been fitted originally.

The machine boots to Bios fine, but without a case fan of the 'correct' type fitted, I cannot test the remaining parts.

My clients are loathe to spend £40-90 ($55-115) on a case fan that may only show that it is beyond economic repair.

Andy.

 

[paparazi]

satrow, £40-£90?
Standard 3pin 80mm case fans cost much less than that (£5.17) on this link.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_YS_Tech_60.html

Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[satrow]

Martin (paparazi), it's not standard 3pin, it's a four pin - five pin straight connector with pin #2 missing.

Andy.

 

[Tarwn]

Buy te fan anyways, then if the machine doesn't work out you have a soare for one of the other servers. I would actually b surprised if you didn't have spares somewhere for the other servers (I'd hate to have a server down for 24 hours because I was waiting for a fan to come in).

If you need the fan to move forward, then you need the fan to move forward. Even if you might not need it in a few days, you won't get to that point without first having it. Thus it becomes a necessary expense.

-T

[sub]01000111 01101111 01110100 00100000 01000011 01101111 01100110 01100110 01100101 01100101 00111111[/sub]
The never-completed website:

http://www.tiernok.com/

 

[zepper]

Sounds like the fan has a built-in speed control circuit as well as a speed sensor wire. You might be able to find one w/o paying the exhorbitant Compaq price. As another said, if you need it you need it.
.bh.

He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine.

 

[paparazi]

satrow
Same link: 4 wire 80mm fans £5.17
OK! so you will need to take the pins out the plug (if differant) or use a common all garden block connector, whatever! surely it can be done? I'd bet on the fan harness having the same wiring, just the end connector will need sorting.
Martin


We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[zepper]

There's a difference between 4-pin and 4-wire, paparazi... IAC, you could probably make a standard 3-pin fan work (splice wires!!!) if you can determine the pinout. Only the speed won't be able to be controlled by the computer - it would just run full speed. I'm 99% sure all you would really need are the power leads and the speed sensor to get by..
.bh.


He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine.

 

[satrow]

Thanks to all who have responded!

Hey zepper, you're on the right track, I just need to figure out the pin-outs and whether I need a dummy load.

Tarwn, if they had another server with a similar fan, I would have shut it down during a weekend to swap out parts to test this one. They haven't, so I can't.

When I work for registered charities, I try to keep costs to the minimum. For all I know, this machine could have been stripped and filled full of junk parts! It certainly has been messed with.

I still have a couple of weeks to implement a fix or install another machine; time to visit my local radio ham, perhaps?

Thanks again,

Andy.