# Cash-strapped firm kept ageing server running with improvised fans

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/lets-just-shove-a-bigger-fan-in-there-and-see-what-happens/
- Published: 2026-10-26T06:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T06:47:54+00:00
- Original publisher: The Register
- Original article: https://www.theregister.com/systems/2026/10/26/lets-just-shove-a-bigger-fan-in-there-and-see-what-happens/5304654
- Topics: Business, Companies

## Key points

- Staff kept an old server running with improvised cooling.
- Two external fans balanced over its exposed components.
- A replacement was bought after the third fan failed.

## Summary

A nearly bankrupt media monitoring company kept an ageing server running by placing larger, non-standard fans on its exposed components after its internal fans failed. The improvised cooling worked, but staff had to avoid shaking the server, and the story shows how financial pressure can lead businesses to rely on fragile workarounds.

The 2U server had three internal fans, and replacements were unavailable because the hardware was so old. After the first two fans failed, staff added external fans; the machine continued operating for six months until the third internal fan broke. Management then approved a replacement.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.