Laptop fan continues to... at DVinfo.net

Charles King · December 18th, 2004, 11:32 PM

...rotate even when it is not being used. This cannot be normal. It didn't use to do this before. There must be a problem, or is it me?

Any ideas? The noise is becoming unbearable.

I have a Compaq 2700

A. J. deLange · December 19th, 2004, 10:42 AM

These fans are usually controlled by a heat sensor on a critical component (the CPU). If the laptop is in an unusually warm place such that the CPU is hot even though no heavy computing is going on (there is always some housekeeping activity) the fan may well run continuosly. OTOH the heat sensor or its circuit may have failed and the particular failure or a failsafe condition may be responsible for the continuous running. Try shutting it down completely and leaving it off long enough for it to completely cool and let it do so in a cool room or even outdoors. Upon restart the fan should only run very briefly at first and then stay off until it is warmed up. If this isn't what happens it would probably be best to take it to the shop for a check.

Charles King · December 19th, 2004, 11:53 AM

Thanks but I think I'll have it checked out. There's plenty of space around it and the room is cool so there is an internal problem.

Rob Lohman · December 21st, 2004, 07:32 AM

If it didn't do this before then you probably have some software
running that eats more CPU cycles. An easy way to test this would
be to start the computer and hit the PAUSE button while BEFORE
the operating system starts (when the BIOS is listing devices and
such). See what happens to the fan if you let it stay there for a while.

Usually fans are always running, but you might not hear them in
lower speeds. Ofcourse this also depends on the processor you
have in the system.

Charles King · December 21st, 2004, 09:57 AM

Funny you might say that.

The funniest thing as happened. Strange is more like. I was checking to see if my anti virus program was activated. Of course not. That's strange. So I avtivated and did an upgrade of my anti-virus program...and guess what? No more annoying fan noise. It is like the problem never existed.

Now, I would like to know how can an antivirus program have any effect on the fan?

But the question is, which program was the culprit if t was another program? It must have something to do with the Anti-virus program or something. Aaah well, it's working the way it's suppose to.

Rob Lohman · December 22nd, 2004, 04:24 AM

Just wanted to mention that sometimes dust inside the fan can
make you hear it more as well...

Anti-Virus can definitely do this! Usually these programs are very
resource intensive and can eat memory and CPU cycles like crazy.

So I'm not at all suprised that perhaps the AV software was
pushing the CPU just over the edge where it needed extra
cooling and so forth. An update might have made the program
a bit more resource sensitive (or perhaps it was a [slight] bug
they fixed).

Glad you got it solved!

December 18th, 2004, 11:32 PM	#1
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	Laptop fan continues to... ...rotate even when it is not being used. This cannot be normal. It didn't use to do this before. There must be a problem, or is it me? Any ideas? The noise is becoming unbearable. I have a Compaq 2700 __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

December 19th, 2004, 11:53 AM	#3
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	Thanks but I think I'll have it checked out. There's plenty of space around it and the room is cool so there is an internal problem. __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

December 21st, 2004, 07:32 AM	#4
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	If it didn't do this before then you probably have some software running that eats more CPU cycles. An easy way to test this would be to start the computer and hit the PAUSE button while BEFORE the operating system starts (when the BIOS is listing devices and such). See what happens to the fan if you let it stay there for a while. Usually fans are always running, but you might not hear them in lower speeds. Ofcourse this also depends on the processor you have in the system. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

December 21st, 2004, 09:57 AM	#5
Charles King Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: sweden Posts: 795	Funny you might say that. The funniest thing as happened. Strange is more like. I was checking to see if my anti virus program was activated. Of course not. That's strange. So I avtivated and did an upgrade of my anti-virus program...and guess what? No more annoying fan noise. It is like the problem never existed. Now, I would like to know how can an antivirus program have any effect on the fan? But the question is, which program was the culprit if t was another program? It must have something to do with the Anti-virus program or something. Aaah well, it's working the way it's suppose to. __________________ Charles 'What we perceive to be may not be what we believe to be.'

December 22nd, 2004, 04:24 AM	#6
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Just wanted to mention that sometimes dust inside the fan can make you hear it more as well... Anti-Virus can definitely do this! Usually these programs are very resource intensive and can eat memory and CPU cycles like crazy. So I'm not at all suprised that perhaps the AV software was pushing the CPU just over the edge where it needed extra cooling and so forth. An update might have made the program a bit more resource sensitive (or perhaps it was a [slight] bug they fixed). Glad you got it solved! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

December 19th, 2004, 10:42 AM	#2
A. J. deLange Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: McLean, VA United States Posts: 749	These fans are usually controlled by a heat sensor on a critical component (the CPU). If the laptop is in an unusually warm place such that the CPU is hot even though no heavy computing is going on (there is always some housekeeping activity) the fan may well run continuosly. OTOH the heat sensor or its circuit may have failed and the particular failure or a failsafe condition may be responsible for the continuous running. Try shutting it down completely and leaving it off long enough for it to completely cool and let it do so in a cool room or even outdoors. Upon restart the fan should only run very briefly at first and then stay off until it is warmed up. If this isn't what happens it would probably be best to take it to the shop for a check.