Holy crap, that was unexpected. I powered on the PowerEdge 2950, and I’m pretty sure it awoke the neighbors! That thing is LOUD!
I think, if I could perch this thing vertically, so that the rear of the machine is sitting on the desk – I’m sure that it would hover above the desk with all the fans running at full tilt!!
Considering this beast has to live in the spare bedroom closet (server room), this is unacceptable…
I found a couple of blogs elsewhere addressing the noise issue – I guess I’m not the only person with one or more of these machines in a home environment.
This one explains how to install a set of resistors in series across the fans – http://blindcaveman.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/problem-dell-poweredge-2950-iii-jet-engine-fan-noise/
This one explains how to patch and burn a new BIOS with lower fan speed thresholds, so that they don’t run so hard all the time — http://projects.nuschkys.net/2011/11/15/how-to-adjust-the-fan-thresholds-of-a-dell-poweredge/
Time to nip down to RadioShack for some heat shrink tubing and a couple of 47ohm resistors!