My closet server silence attempt ended in a meltdown
I set up a home server in a tight closet. The fan noise was really bothering me, so I grabbed some foam to quiet it down. I cut up an old seat cushion and taped it around the server case. This was a big mistake. The foam blocked all the airflow, and the machine overheated fast. It shut down on its own, and parts of the foam were melted and sticky. I had a messy cleanup job that took forever. Now I know to always check ventilation before trying DIY fixes.