Remove front panel?

[Giftz]

Hello. My computer has a "Gigabyte Sumo Omega Gaming Case Black" case. One of the front fans is making a little noise and I'd like to dust it to balance it. I can't figure out how to take the front panel completely off in order to reach the fans. I can't reach it from inside the case; one of the racks for HDDs is blocking it and I can't get my fingers past it (and then it'd still be from the back).

From googling it I have seen some images and talk of removing the front panel. Images such as:
http://www.pureoverclock.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/m_DSCN0336.jpg
http://www.hardwareasylum.com/images/ga_sumo_omega/case_open_filters.jpg

I don't have the manual that comes with the case (if there is one) and can't figure it out. Can anyone offer any advice?

Thank you very much!

 

[ThatVietGuy]

Judging by those pictures the front probably just comes off with a little force. Just pull with steady pressure and I'm sure the front pops right off.

 

[Giftz]

Thanks ThatVietguy. That worked. I tried it last night and was able to pop it off, dust it, and pop it back on.

When I took it off I found out that apparently one of my front fans isn't even spinning at all. The case has 2 front fans, 1 big side fan, 2 top fans, and 1 back fan; and they all are spinning except the one front fan. Weird, not sure why.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

Fans can die, simple as that.

 

[Giftz]

Ok, thanks. I got this desktop from ibuypower. I'm not sure if it has been dead since on arrival / died recently / or I was even considering maybe it was never even plugged in if they didn't have enough slots for it.

I have a asus Z97P motherboard. When I go their site on the specifications tab from what I can see when I search for "fan" it has:

http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z97P/specifications/
Internal I/O Ports:
1 x CPU Fan connector(s) (1 x 4 -pin)
2 x Chassis Fan connector(s) (2 x 4 -pin)

So that means it has a slot on the MB for the cpu fan and 2 slots for the case fans? Like I mentioned the case has 2 front fans, 1 big side fan, 2 top fans, and 1 back fan (the one front fan above the other front fan is the one not spinning).

6 fans, and 2 slots for them? I've seen people mentioning like splitters so you can plug in I think 2 is ok in one slot. But then there would still be 2 fans missing unless they plugged 3 into each slot or have 2 plugged into the PSU? I have a "XFX Core Edition PRO850W - 80 PLUS Bronze" psu I can't even tell where you plug fans into it.

So I'm not sure if they used triple splitters and plugged all 6 into the 2 motherboard slots or maybe they only plugged 4 into the 2 motherboard slots and 1 into the psu and never plugged one in.

The wires are all like bundled up and tied together and running through the back of the case since I chose an option to do that for increased airflow and I'm not really sure how I'd get to them or remove the broken front fan's wire from it if I needed to.

Thanks for the help.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

It's going to require you to undo the bundle and trace the wires. There's no other way to do it since no one here is going to know how the person assembling your system chose to route your cables.

If they're all stashed in the back you'll need to take off the other panel of the case to be able to find the wire(s) you need.

 

[Giftz]

Ok thanks ThatVietGuy. I don't think I'm going to need to do anything too intensive actually, after looking at it. But just curious, how do you take off a desktop's other / far side panel? Is it possible with all of them?

I opened the side panel today to take a look at what I could see. Seems if I pull out a few of the empty HDD trays from the rack on the bottom I can get enough space to get to where I found where the front fan wires connect (with those white plastic bits to other wires). I think it even said like "front fan" or something on them. They were connecting to other wires that were going further. But if that's where the front fan connects I can unplug it there, pull off the front of the case, and unscrew the broken fan. Then I can pull the unplugged wire out and install a new one. Then I guess I just have to fish / push the new fan's wire down the shaft or whatever is there until it comes out the bottom to where I hook it up to where it continues to the PSU or motherboard and it should be fine.

I sent an email to ibuypower support again updating them and asking if I could be shipped a replacement 12 CM / 120 MM fan. It was a blue LED fan (because of the case) which i mentioned but I'm guessing I'll get just a normal one but that's fine. They usually take like 5-6 days or more to respond to emails but hopefully it will all get done eventually. Thanks for all the help with this!

 

[ThatVietGuy]

The other panel should just be held on with screws located on the back panel. If you take off those screws the panel should come/slide right off.