My X61t has started its fan in snowblower mode..

[aceo07]

for the winter.

I got a bit curious and thought I'd just open up the keyboard and clean out any dust in the fan area, since it was starting to rattle a bit when the fan was on. Now it sounds likes a snowblower or lawnmower constantly when the fan is on.

I think it's because the fan propeller has become a little loose from the shaft. Therefore when it spins, it make a rattling sound. Unfortunately there doesn't seem like an easy why to fix it without taking the fan assembly out. Then, it seems unlikely that it'll be an easy task to open up the fan cage.

At least I set the fan to not spin until it hits 60c, and my cpu is undervolted already. If I do any real work, the fan will come on soon enough.

Anybody have any thoughts or recommendations for a good fan seller?

[IvanAndreevich]

You can try lubing the fan.

Just pick out the right one http://computers.shop.ebay.com/Computer ... 86.c0.m282

[aceo07]

Which part do I lube? Are there any pictures or video tutorials?

I haven't taken the fan heatsink out yet. In fact, I'm typing this on a half open x61t. I want to backup my files before I take it apart more.

[GpsPasSion]

At least I set the fan to not spin until it hits 60c, and my cpu is undervolted already. If I do any real work, the fan will come on soon enough.

Just got an X61T and I'm not impressed by the fan noise compared to my x31 where the fan doesn't come on in normal office use, what are you using to undervolt it?

I just installed TPFC and that seems to have helped stop the fan.

[IvanAndreevich]

Use RMClock. Should keep the fan off almost altogether.

[GpsPasSion]

Thanks, it doesn't seem to run on my X61T with Vista though, once CPU is pretty much always busy (task manager : no activity) and it's not seeing the proper multipliers. The latest version I found is v2.35, is there a better one for the X61s/X61t ? Thanks !

EDIT : ok, the trick was to set the IBM power profile to Max Performance, then RMClock kicks in properly, undervolted from 1.025 to 0.95 at 8x/1600Mhz, running Prime 95 to see how it goes.

[IvanAndreevich]

Thanks, it doesn't seem to run on my X61T with Vista though, once CPU is pretty much always busy (task manager : no activity) and it's not seeing the proper multipliers. The latest version I found is v2.35, is there a better one for the X61s/X61t ? Thanks !

EDIT : ok, the trick was to set the IBM power profile to Max Performance, then RMClock kicks in properly, undervolted from 1.025 to 0.95 at 8x/1600Mhz, running Prime 95 to see how it goes.

Also make sure that in Advanced CPU Options it's set to "Mobile" rather than Desktop.

[GpsPasSion]

Thanks, yes had done that.

Now running at 0.875v at 8x/1600Mhz and it's stable in Prime95 100% on both CPUs, amazing! Guess I will have to try 0.85v, too bad it's the minimum voltage!

[IvanAndreevich]

Thanks, yes had done that.

Now running at 0.875v at 8x/1600Mhz and it's stable in Prime95 100% on both CPUs, amazing! Guess I will have to try 0.85v, too bad it's the minimum voltage!

Actually you are lucky to even have that. I believe that's the lowest possible. Some chips bottom out at 0.9V, which is a real shame.

Surely, at the lowest multiplier most of them could run at 0.6-0.7V easily.

[GpsPasSion]

Well 0.85v was too low, I kept it at 0.875v, not too bad indeed!

The fan has now been replaced and the "gattling" noise is gone. It rarely comes on (XP seems to be running cooler than Vista too) with TPFanControl and RightMarkCPU but when it does it's quite tolerable, much more so than the fan in my x31.

Only remaining problem on my X61T really is the hot palmrest on the right courtesy of the wireless card...I've put power management on lowest and transmit power on lowest (down to 1mW from 25mW!) but it's still too warm. Guess an option would be to turn it off and put a PCMCIA card on the left but then the let might get warm...maybe a USB dongle...now that would look silly!

[IvanAndreevich]

Well 0.85v was too low, I kept it at 0.875v, not too bad indeed!

The fan has now been replaced and the "gattling" noise is gone. It rarely comes on (XP seems to be running cooler than Vista too) with TPFanControl and RightMarkCPU but when it does it's quite tolerable, much more so than the fan in my x31.

Only remaining problem on my X61T really is the hot palmrest on the right courtesy of the wireless card...I've put power management on lowest and transmit power on lowest (down to 1mW from 25mW!) but it's still too warm. Guess an option would be to turn it off and put a PCMCIA card on the left but then the let might get warm...maybe a USB dongle...now that would look silly!

What card do you have there?

I was actually checking out an X60T today with a Core 2 Duo CPU, and that thing bottoms out at 0.95V Worst case scenario.

[GpsPasSion]

Do you mean you can't select lower than 0.95v? I had that too yesterday but after selecting "mobile" CPU Type in "Advanced CPU Settings" and rebooting (at least that's when I noticed the change) the minimum dropped to 0.85v.

The WiFi card is the Intel 3945 card...but after running for a few hours with the WiFi USB dongle plugged in (on the other side, that seems warmer now...) and the card turned off, the palmrest is still warm on the right...so maybe it's not the card's fault after all!

Upon closer comparison the palmrest is warm too on the x31, maybe just a bit less, but since it's shorter there is less contact with the wrist, at least on the right side.

[IvanAndreevich]

Do you mean you can't select lower than 0.95v? I had that too yesterday but after selecting "mobile" CPU Type in "Advanced CPU Settings" and rebooting (at least that's when I noticed the change) the minimum dropped to 0.85v.

The WiFi card is the Intel 3945 card...but after running for a few hours with the WiFi USB dongle plugged in (on the other side, that seems warmer now...) and the card turned off, the palmrest is still warm on the right...so maybe it's not the card's fault after all!

Upon closer comparison the palmrest is warm too on the x31, maybe just a bit less, but since it's shorter there is less contact with the wrist, at least on the right side.

On some chips you genuinely can't select less than 0.95V in the proper Mobile mode.

[micah]

My T60 has recently started making a similar noise. I am not sure if it is the fan coming off the bearings, or if there is a ribbon cable being hit by the blades. It seems to change a bit if I rotate the machine while its making the noise. Its not always making the noise either. I guess I need to open it up and see. My keyboard is not working right regularly either, so I guess I'm due to open it up and clean it.

[GpsPasSion]

Sounds like the exact same problem I was having, unfortunately there was nothing stuck, something had apparently gone wrong with the bearings. If it's still under warranty they will change it for you.

[IvanAndreevich]

My T60 has recently started making a similar noise. I am not sure if it is the fan coming off the bearings, or if there is a ribbon cable being hit by the blades. It seems to change a bit if I rotate the machine while its making the noise. Its not always making the noise either. I guess I need to open it up and see. My keyboard is not working right regularly either, so I guess I'm due to open it up and clean it.

You can try lubing the fan, but it's not guaranteed to help. Better thing to do would be to order a new fan, and replace it.

[aceo07]

I finally fixed the fan today. Nice and quiet again, even with the fan on.

I had ordered a new fan+heatsink on ebay a couple of days after the OP. Then when I was in the process of disassembling the laptop, I stripped a screw on the wifi board. I wrongfully thought it needed to be removed before I could unmount the motherboard. So the project was put on hold since I couldn't remove the screw.

Tonight, I realized that that particular screw did not need to be removed since it was not link to the case itself. I noticed this since I had the laptop case mostly open (and powered on). The wifi board was screwed into the motherboard and did not go through to the case. So I finally did it after carefully watching the videos on the lenovo site.

[IvanAndreevich]

I finally fixed the fan today. Nice and quiet again, even with the fan on.

I had ordered a new fan+heatsink on ebay a couple of days after the OP. Then when I was in the process of disassembling the laptop, I stripped a screw on the wifi board. I wrongfully thought it needed to be removed before I could unmount the motherboard. So the project was put on hold since I couldn't remove the screw.

Tonight, I realized that that particular screw did not need to be removed since it was not link to the case itself. I noticed this since I had the laptop case mostly open (and powered on). The wifi board was screwed into the motherboard and did not go through to the case. So I finally did it after carefully watching the videos on the lenovo site.

Those wifi screws are HORRIBLE. I hate them so much, don't even get me started

[aceo07]

Those wifi screws are HORRIBLE. I hate them so much, don't even get me started

Yes, they are! You need the perfect fitting screwdriver AND extra down force to make sure it doesn't slip, else it will strip the screw head. Those screws must be made with the cheapest and lowest grade metal..

Looking at the x60/61t videos for dis-assembly, there seems to be a model that uses clips (like to hold memory sticks down) instead of screw.