Hydro boost power steering pump?

I have a 99 Astro (not AWD) with 278,000 miles. Has been running great until today. I parked it for a few minutes, started it up, and it made a rattling kind of noise - like something broke. It was still running, but no power to steering and brakes and the engine was a lot quieter - I guess the fan stopped working, too. I drove it just a little bit to get it to a shop. The engine remained eerily quiet, but ran fine and shifted fine. The power steering fluid was ok.

So from what I've read here, it sounds like the hydro boost pump or power steering pump? Is there any way for an ignorant fool like me to know which it was? And why the fan would've crapped out as well? Even if I can't figure it out, I'd at least like to have a clearer idea of what's going on with it so that I can try to minimize getting hosed.

forgot to mention - the serpentine belt looked fine.

assmaster? :rolleyes:

Sounds like the hydro boost unit failed to me. No lose of PS fluid though?

I had a belt tentioner go on my truck once, the belt was sitting in it's proper place and looked ok but the wheel on the tentioner was just gone, fan did not spin and the powersteering did not spin because there was no tention on the belt from the tentioner.
I can't see a failed pump stopping the fan, if the belt spins so does the fan,
If you don't want to be raped on repairs ask to see the problem before repairs are started, the only thing the pump and fan have in common is the belt.
good luck

assmaster? :rolleyes:

Perhaps it is related to this:

http://www.americanscienceandsurplus.com/

Or this:

American Science & Surplus (http://www.sciplus.com/)

Then again...

Perhaps it is related to this:

http://www.americanscienceandsurplus.com/

Or this:

American Science & Surplus (http://www.sciplus.com/)

Then again...

:iceslolan