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I have a Dell Dimesion 4700 Desk Top. I have had it for about 2 yrs and recently the cooling fan runs contiusally the only time it stops is when I shut down at night.I am afraid it will damage my 4700 and I don't have a
warnnity or money to put it in a repair shop.I am disabled and live on a fixed income. Can somebody help me fix it.

Respectfully
mrwinkle61

The cooling fan(s) on most desktops do run continuously. It is unusual for a fan to start and stop unless that model runs a fan with a thermostat. Which "fan" do you mean? There should be one on the cpu (always on for sure)... one that exits the hot air inside the case (always on) and fans in the power supply (also always on). I need to know where this fan is in regard to your machine. If you answer this...I will post back an answer also. Later.

What you describe is not abnormal for the Dell 4700, which is an excellent machine for the money and the time.
However, after two years, it may be wearing out a bit, thereby drawing your attention to it.
CPU Fans are cheap (well, relatively so.) You can get an excellent fan for $12 to $15 by Cooler Master, or a bit more for the superb Zalman. Just be sure you take all the parts (heat sink, fan, hold-downs) when you go to the store.
Or you can just wait until it gets so noisy you cannot stand it, then replace it.

Let me don my speculation hat and wade in on this one. I suspect dust is clogging up the CPU heatsink and the heatsink fan is running at full tilt to try to compensate. The CPU fan is thermally controlled, I believe. Ordinarily the fan runs slower and is so quiet you probably don't realize it is running.

Someone needs to open the case and gently clean out the dust inside, paying particular attention to the CPU heatsink.

Its the fan blowing out the hot air.The fan is keeping the tower cool to the touch but the fan has never been so loud.Mrwinkle60

Based on your information, I would agree with mailpup, dust is the most likely cause. My guess is that the fan in your PSU is given high temperature readings and unless you are tech savy, I would only suggest a can of compressed air to blow the dust out of there (and out of the other corners of the case and from the fins on the heatsinks(s) ). I DO hold the fan blades still when I do this as a fan can also be a generator - but then I'm a very cautious type.

If it is really a mess inside the case, punch a hole in a large plastic bottle cap, put small diameter (5-8mm) piping thru the hole, place the cap on a vacuum and use the piping to poke around inside the case to clean out the dust. Don't breathe the dust if you can avoid it.

Cases need regular annual cleaning except if you are a smoker. Every 3-4 months is required if you are. I vacuum first and use the compressed air to only in the tiny places.

I thank you very kindly as that was all my problem. I couldn't figure on
how to open the case so I just did the best I could and it really helped.
I would still like to know how to open the case that the conputer is in.

Thanks very much,
mrwinkle61

Dell has wonderful resources in support area - including downloadable manuals. On the 3 Dells which I have in house, they all open with a button push (on the top) before you spread open the case like a book - or clamshell - or cookie tin (depending on what region of the world you are from).

Go to Dell for specifics on your machine.

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1055464