Yeat another T43 fan noise thread: questions and thoughts

[ddutta]

I am sure we all are aware of the T43 fan noise problem that people have mentioned here. From my little experience (I am a recent member), it seems that the main argument is this:

* 14" older T43s are noisy (fan on all the time, loud, shrill etc etc)
* 15" T43s quieter
* Newer (Aug05) T43s are quieter

Questions:

1. Do the newer models have a better design or a quieter/better fan or a newer BIOS? Design changes are harder to imagine for a minor revision. If its a SW problem, a BIOS fix might do it. So is this is a mere BIOS fix on teh new models?

2. If its a fan issue, can we just order a newer fan for the T43s?

3. For CTO models, is it possible to specify part numbers that you wish to have (eg fan)?

4. For folks buying T43s whats the better strategy other than buyin a T42? Get a newer model? Get a CTO model and hope that they will take care of the fan? Or just assume that Lenovo is becoming like Dell and choose a Dell 600M thats $500 cheaper with the coupons?

[nrj45]

Concerning my t43p it is especially a HW issue, since by cooling the chipsets with another fan, i made the internal fan stop.

[ddutta]

Thanks. I read that post of yours

If there is a HW issue, how is that magazines are giving the T43 editor choice awards? I wonder ... Does that mean that the T43s make less noise than the Dell 915 based machines I guess that the T43 chasis is the same as that of T42 and it wasnt designed to handle the extra heat generated by the 915.

[tom2517]

I am sure we all are aware of the T43 fan noise problem that people have mentioned here. From my little experience (I am a recent member), it seems that the main argument is this:

* 14" older T43s are noisy (fan on all the time, loud, shrill etc etc)
* 15" T43s quieter
* Newer (Aug05) T43s are quieter

Questions:

1. Do the newer models have a better design or a quieter/better fan or a newer BIOS? Design changes are harder to imagine for a minor revision. If its a SW problem, a BIOS fix might do it. So is this is a mere BIOS fix on teh new models?

2. If its a fan issue, can we just order a newer fan for the T43s?

3. For CTO models, is it possible to specify part numbers that you wish to have (eg fan)?

4. For folks buying T43s whats the better strategy other than buyin a T42? Get a newer model? Get a CTO model and hope that they will take care of the fan? Or just assume that Lenovo is becoming like Dell and choose a Dell 600M thats $500 cheaper with the coupons?

I have a 15inch T43p and the fan is on all the time. My friend has a 15inch, T43p 2.26Ghz (August model) and the fan is on all the time too. Right now there is no solid evidence that the new T43s are quieter than the older ones besides different owners and their experiences, which in the end could just be manufacturing variances or randomness.

[monkey243]

I think the noise is nothing with the HW or SW.It's just the quantity of heat form 915,high FSB-533 and PCIE-16X.So it haves to keep the fan on all the time.But when the fan is running on low speed,the noise is acceptable.

[nrj45]

You're completely right ddutta. The chassis is the same, and if the passive cooling was enough to cool the t42's chipsets, it's not enough for the t43.

[Kel Ghu]

I'm tired of hearing people saying there is a problem with the fan... There is no problem with it. It's on because it's needed. Now people have problem with it... That's another story.

As nrj45 said, the chipset is the key to the problem. Ill paste I wrote in another post:

The fan is on not because of the CPU but cause of the chipset and the memory. At least, it is the theory now. There's no temperature sensor on the chipset nor the memory so the temperature you guys looking at is not the temperature that makes the fan turn on.
There is no problem with the fan, because it is required to have it on to cool the chipset/RAM down, because the chipset/RAM runs at 533Mhz for T43 vs 400Mhz for T42. This difference makes the chipset/RAM generate more heat which lead to have the fan always on. It is NOT because of the CPU, because the CPU is the same Dothan as T42 have.

Now, nrj45 and I are working on changing the FSB speed, thus reducing the heat generated by the CPU, chipset and RAM. We want to reduce the internal clock to 100Mhz or lower, which means to the level of the T42. It will reduce the minimum CPU to 600 for the PM750, FSB and RAM to 400Mhz.

We just have to find the PLL brand and type T43s are using. Bu I'm a little lazy right now and busy with studies. I've got exams in a few weeks... So I hope someone will open his computer and find the PLL chipset.

[ddutta]

Well, a 533 FSB should produce more heat and the fan should be on more frequently if the chasis cant handle the heat. Then I wonder why some people with newer T43s have mentioned that there isnt much noise etc. So I guess its a coincidence that these folks operate their laptops in colder environments.

But in any case, Lenovo should have figured out all these issues their own and put in some better cooling (eg use copper plates etc).

[BillMorrow]

this noise issue is way too subjective user to user..
some are very sensitive and must work in libraries..
others, like me, are less so..

the fan is there to do a job..
if the fan itself is making bad noises then THAT is a warranty issue..
and lenovo will notice a bunch of fan complaints and warranty replacements..

[fefland]

I agree that the fan needs to be there. I am not oppsed to tha fan running constanlty as the laptop gets warm to hot as it is. As for noise, I can state as fact that some are quieter than others I have 2 T43's same model. Fan runs on both constantly. one makes low hum while the other is clearly a louder whirring pitch sound and is a lot more noticeable. I think that some get lucky with the quieter fan and some get a louder one.

[GomJabbar]

I've been reading these noisy fan issue posts for a little while now. I have a T42 and I was wondering if maybe you guys were just oversensitive or something, as I can't even hear my fan on the T42. Well, last night I went to my brother's home and saw his Dell Inspiron 5100 with a 2.4 Ghz Pentium processor. It was LOUD! From the time you turned it on it sounded like a window unit air conditioner. If I had a fan like that, I would be complaining too.

[ddutta]

Actually I can hear the fan on my T42 when it is busy crunching numbers. Its quite loud. Maybe we are all nitpickers

[GomJabbar]

Actually I can hear the fan on my T42 when it is busy crunching numbers. Its quite loud. Maybe we are all nitpickers

I'll admit, I don't really tax my CPU. But in the seven months or so that I have had my T42, I don't recall ever hearing the fan (unless I put my ear right to the exhaust air outlet).

[dukajoe]

I just started using my t43p in class and I have not had any problems with it. I agree that the fan issue is subjective, but if your fan is really "loud," yous should have it checked out. I am never in a room, with an AC, water heater, refrigerator, someone talking ect. that is less noisy than the fan. In fact, I can't hear the fan if any of these things are present, and if the room is completely quiet, then I can just barely hear it. It is always blowing air out fairly slowly from the unit and unless I am playing a game, the air is luke warm. Ironically, I had my hearing examined recently due to a little ringing after a concert, and I found out I have above average hearing, just as a note for comparison Although some people claim to hear the whrrr every five minutes, I hear it (and this is the only time i notice it it) once during a 1:15 class, and of course when I first boot up. I have made a habit of deleting startup program initiatives from the registry and such to free up memory with any computer I have had, and as a result, the computer always runs with less strain. I made some comments about people who complain about the fan, but I think that if you have a problem with your fan noise you should a) have it checked out if it really is loud or b) you have ocd (I can say that cause I do have it) and you recognize your subjective problem. Please, Im kidding, but if you take a multitude of steps, including using ibm's power managment utility which never lies to me as far as fan noise level, and free up some memory and processor drain during normal use, you will probably have better results.

[keku]

try this .... next time you turn on yout t43 and feel fan is noisy cover the air vent on left hand side. ......

No noise...... basically there is no machanical noise, it's all wind I talk to IBM technical guyz and they said t43 will be hot in compare to Older models... like T42 T41 etc. because it uses PCI Express chip set (basically 533 MHz). so they are aware of this problem.

They also mentioned that it's just personal feeling and mind set that Aug models are less noisy or colder becasue there are no major changes. HOwever fan is different in faster CPU models. that might have reduced noise, and little bit of heating, but no major difference.