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Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

W500/W510/W520 and W700/W701 Series
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ThinkaPado
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Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#1 Post by ThinkaPado » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:52 am

Hi guys.
Recently I started doing less advanced tasks on my computer, so I switched my W520 to normal mode (without turbo boost).
And its all started ... From the slight fan noise, the annoying squeaking began to break through.

Its drive me nuts.

What is the most common cause of such a sounf? I suspect that replacing the cooling system with the new one will not help at all?
Is more CPU, motherboard? My w520 is equipped with q2000m. In windows login window when we can select users, this sound is even more agressive and annoying!
Fortunately, there are just a few moments in the day. Will changing CPU help something? Cooling system? It is comes from the CPU/GPU area...

Help! I was thinking about change computer, but Im affraid new one could have the same issue and I'm going to waste lots of money (W520 is enough for me).
Sorry for my sill questions, Im not a computer geek/programmer etc.

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:21 am

I suggest you clean up the CPU, GPU and fan thoroughly, then apply fresh thermal paste properly.
And if need be, discrete fans (04W0437, 04W1574 or 04W1575) are available for ca. $20 on eBay.
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WXGA+T61isLIT
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#3 Post by WXGA+T61isLIT » Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:31 am

Does it only happen on battery, bc it may be similar to what user "kishy" on the lenovo forums said here. I quote
"My W520 makes a somewhat whiny noise (not really a whine, just a...noise...) from the CPU area of the machine, but it is not the fan. Only happens on battery, not on AC. Make the machine busy doing things, enough that the CPU speed ramps up a bit, and the noise is gone. If it's in any sort of lower power state such as idling at the low end of SpeedStep, it will make the noise if you try to make it do something which isn't intensive enough to ramp up the CPU again.

Disabling assorted power management configuration will make the noise go away, but it will also burn your lap and get 14 seconds of battery life :D (that's an exaggeration, of course)

I've had two motherboards, by the way - identical on both."
this was from the lenovo forums, hope it helps. Need to read up on the rules on links, so I'm just going to put the title of the thread for now.
Lenovo Support Forums
Name: W520 Noise
Page 2, 2nd to last post.

Lastly, all credit to kishy for his explaination.
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ThinkaPado
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Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#4 Post by ThinkaPado » Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:45 am

My computer is from 2012 and since then nothing was changed (I added some ram but it was like 2 years ago) since then (beside cleaning fans and internals). It hit the ground a couple of times (only crack in the plastic at the bottom). Dunno. Maybe fan bearing is somehow damaged? But as I said and read in Internet, this sound is more likely comming from the CPU/GPU mother borad area. HDD is not a problem (SSD).

Im using my unit on the docking station (with battery in). Iv tried two different PSU (i have one for the docking and one for travel). No change. I believe 2 months ago i cleaned everything and put some arctic cooling silver on it. Will try soultion with the battery later... Thanks for input.

WXGA+T61isLIT
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#5 Post by WXGA+T61isLIT » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:59 pm

Now tht you mention having removed the cooler and stuff...
I have a crazy idea but who knows.
When I took apart my t61, i managed to pinch the speaker cable between the frame and the plastic. It partially severed the cable.
This resulted in a really high pitched noise that happened sporadically. Test if it depends on speaker volume.. Seriously though it might just be it.
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TankPad
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#6 Post by TankPad » Sat Aug 19, 2017 4:47 am

Does it happen constantly?
Might it be coil whine?
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ThinkaPado
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Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:43 am
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#7 Post by ThinkaPado » Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:22 am

I damaged a little bit heatsink during cleaning (part which holds cables). I doubt it is a speaker failure. As I said. In starting menu (login) of Windows pitch is very aggressive then after log in it is a little bit calmer.

MikalE
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#8 Post by MikalE » Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:15 am

I've never experienced that with my T520. I have a quad-core processor in mine that I swapped for a dual core some months ago. So, fresh paste on mine and a thorough cleaning was performed while the unit was apart.

But even before that I experienced no abnormal fan noise, or even any noise at all.
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ThinkaPado
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#9 Post by ThinkaPado » Sun Aug 20, 2017 5:34 am

What reliable source you recommend for buying a fan or heatsink for the W520 with quadro 2000m (I mean the best system, mouted in Intel Extreme CPU configuration)?

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Lenovo W520 - annoying low sound

#10 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sun Aug 20, 2017 10:27 am

04W1574 is what you want most (or the proper fan alone).
Try a want-to-buy in the Marketforum, or the feeBays in Europe.

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