there's no visible stress point on the fan, no signs that anybody tried to dismantle it, no signs of a cut wire, etc.

it seems like there's no power. it's on the same surge protector as my laptop, and that's fine.

i keep thinking that it must be the hair that's stuck around the spindle, which is proving difficult to get off. but, as the weight in hair and dirt and dust that is slowing down the vibration is slowly done away with, i'm not getting any more evidence that i'm on the right track.

but, how do you break a fan in a way that's not obvious?

a magnet?