My aged Starmax has served me beyond all expectations. Lately, though, it hums louder than it has in the past. Drives have been changed, but I have never changed the fan.
Can this be the problem or am I looking at a unit that is about to expire?
Nan-- I had a similar hum and it was a fan. Actually there are several fans in the stock SM-- one up front (on my desktop model, it's on the left front corner where the Motorola logo is) and one in the power supply in the back right corner. If you have the tower model, the placement will be different but easily determined by opening the case.
If you have not had the case open in recent years, then your problem might just be dust and lint accumulation around and in the fan. Use a soft artist brush to sweep it out. Avoid using a vacuum cleaner as the high velocity air generates static electricity that can zap internal components. I usually finish up by just blowing softly with a soda straw to get the last dust out of the case and then vacuum up the debris outside the case.
To test the front fan simply unplug it from the board and if the hum stops then the fan needs replacing. Mine snaps into place with plastic tabs that were flexed aside with a screwdriver. The power supply fan is more of a chore to replace but to test it, use a unfolded paper clip or slender screwdriver to block the blades from turning and then power up. Again if the hums is gone you'll know it's the problem unit. Pull the paper clip or screwdriver out of the way to allow the fan to spin and proceed with the boot-up. The fan is very low power so there's no danger in blocking it for a short while.
Measure the space between the mounting holes in the fan's case to determine what size you need. My front fan was 80mm X 80mm, a very common unit to find at CompuUSA, Frys, etc. or just do a Google search for an on-line supplier.
I have a JoeCard G3 processor upgrade card that has a 40mm X 40mm fan atop the processor that started humming. I peeled back the circular label in the center of the fan and put one drop of oil on the fan's center shaft and the hum went away.
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ Ed Stewart, Colorado Rocky Mountains <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Personal website at: <http://www.skymtn.com/> Updated: 11/05/03
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