Is this problem worth fixing?

[loz]

I have a DELL DIMENSION 4600 with a 128MG ATI RADEON 9800 PRO. When I start my computer up I get a grey message saying 'Previous fan failure'. If I press ENTER my computer just boots up like normal.

However, when I play games or do heaps of 3D stuff I can hear the fan of my gfx card making really weird noises, as if it's trying to power up but can't.

Is the fan worth fixing, as I can currently play all games and anything else fine. Only annoying this is the noise.

 

[stevty2889]

I would probably fix the fan, it's there for a reason. If you run it like that for too long, your card will likely start overheating, and causing all kinds of problems.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If it's still under warranty, get Dell to send a replacement.

Otherwise, places like newegg.com sell replacement heatsinks and fans, including silent ones (Zalman heat pipe) and near-silent (VGA silencer). These can be tricky to install properly though, so I wouldn't do this unless you can't a new card from Dell

 

[loz]

is there any diagnostic software that i can use to test whether the fan on my gfx card is in fact busted?

 

[Super6]

Not that I know of. Getting a replacement is cheap insurance and worth a few dollars.

Super6

 

[loz]

are fans difficult to install? Also, it could be any number of fans in my comp, gfx card fan, cpu fan. How to determine which?

 

[tweeve2002]

easest way is to pop the side of the case off and look at the fans when the system is powered up...Alot of dells use a duct system that lets them use a case fan at the rear of the system to act like the CPU fan so watch out if your is one and you remove the cover over the CPU.