Not really the other way around. I just wasn't quite clear. The power supply got hot enough to fry an egg on. I mean that thing was *hot*. I'd say not much below the temperature at which the paint would have cooked off.
I have no idea if the CPU would have kept going without that fan or not, but I was glad it had one. That box still runs. It's been a diskless workstation for a couple years now. Sort of like that thead about the old tools that just refuse to die. :)
Or a winter day. It's probably hot. My pathetic little ancient 1 GHz puts out enough heat to keep this room about 10-15 F warmer than the rest of the house all year round. I especially notice this in the summer, when the central air just doesn't seem to be doing anything for me out here.