why must you replace said fan? dells are oem builds and offer very limited flexibility. what is the machine's warranty status?

 

The fan has been making a loud noise over the past month. I've tried cleaning it several times to no avail. The computer is almost 2 years old so the warranty is kaput. I'm in the process of putting together a new computer on my own, but the noise of the current one is driving me nuts.

 

well, you'll probably do best by purchasing an (nearly) identical fan at a local electronics shop and affixing it by any means nessesary. just make sure it has similar electrical specs (same voltage, near same wattage).