I started with an empty chassis powered down. I populated it with the new modules, which included the high speed fan tray. At no time was the low speed fan tray in the chassis with the new modules. The high speed fan tray has a green status light and all the fans are spinning.  6509#sh env status all backplane:   operating clock count: 2   operating VTT count: 3 fan-tray 1:   fan-tray 1 type: WS-C6K-9SLOT-FAN2   fan-tray 1 version: 2   fan-tray 1 fan-fail: absent VTT 1:   VTT 1 OK: OK   VTT 1 outlet temperature: 22C VTT 2:   VTT 2 OK: OK   VTT 2 outlet temperature: 25C VTT 3:   VTT 3 OK: OK   VTT 3 outlet temperature: 23C clock 1:   clock 1 OK: OK, clock 1 clock-inuse: in-use clock 2:   clock 2 OK: OK, clock 2 clock-inuse: not-in-use power-supply 1:   power-supply 1 fan-fail: OK   power-supply 1 power-input: AC high   power-supply 1 power-output-mode: high   power-supply 1 power-output-fail: OK power-supply 2:   power-supply 2 fan-fail: OK   power-supply 2 power-input: AC high   power-supply 2 power-output-mode: high   power-supply 2 power-output-fail: OK module 2:   module 2 power-output-fail: OK   module 2 outlet temperature: 42C   module 2 inlet temperature: 23C module 5:   module 5 power-output-fail: OK   module 5 outlet temperature: 27C   module 5 inlet temperature: 22C   module 5 device-1 temperature: 32C   module 5 device-2 temperature: 32C   module 5 asic-1 temperature: 21C   module 5 asic-2 temperature: 21C   module 5 asic-3 temperature: 21C   module 5 asic-4 temperature: 21C   module 5 asic-5 temperature: 21C   module 5 asic-6 temperature: 21C   module 5 RP outlet temperature: 24C   module 5 RP inlet temperature: 25C   module 5 EARL outlet temperature: 34C   module 5 EARL inlet temperature: 22C module 7:   module 7 power-output-fail: OK   module 7 outlet temperature: 26C   module 7 inlet temperature: 24C   module 7 device-1 temperature: 21C   module 7 device-2 temperature: 27C

output from show env status all attached

That is strange. I looked at two chassis in the lab and both reported the status s ok:

Router#show environment status fan-tray
fan-tray 1:
  fan-tray 1 type: WS-C6K-9SLOT-FAN2
  fan-tray 1 version: 2
  fan-tray 1 fan-fail: OK

6500-1#show environment status fan-tray 1
fan-tray 1:
  fan-tray 1 type: WS-C6K-9SLOT-FAN2
  fan-tray 1 version: 2
  fan-tray 1 fan-fail: OK

Can you reply back with the output from the following two commands:

show idprom backplane

show version | in IOS

The fan is hot swapable, can you remove it and put it back in place? Does that change the status?

I have reseated the fan tray, no difference. I notice on the sh idprom backplane that the hardware revision is 2. My other 6905 that was upgraded as well is hardware revision 3, this chassis does not have the problem.

Rick, I do not believe the hardware revision is the issue. I found a chassis with Revision 1 which is working:

Router#show environment status fan-tray
fan-tray 1:
  fan-tray 1 type: WS-C6K-9SLOT-FAN2
  fan-tray 1 version: 2
  fan-tray 1 fan-fail: OK

Router#show idprom backplane
IDPROM for backplane #0
  (FRU is 'Catalyst 6500 9-slot backplane')
  OEM String = 'Cisco Systems'
  Product Number = 'WS-C6509'
  Serial Number = 'SCA031700TR'
  Manufacturing Assembly Number = '73-3438-03'
  Manufacturing Assembly Revision = 'A0'
  Hardware Revision = 1.0
  Current supplied (+) or consumed (-) =  -

George,   Thanks for checking on your end. When I checked the status of the fan this morning it had changed from "absent" to "OK". There are no entries in the log regarding the fan tray.  The switch was not rebooted. So, it's a mystery!