A31 cooling fan never stops

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IhateLG · #1 Post by **IhateLG** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:42 am

My A31 has a 2.0 GHz CPU. The problem is the CPU cooling fan hardly stops. It starts to run 10 or 20 minutes after the startup and then just continues.

I could monitor the CPU temperature and it seems that the threshold is configured to some unrealistic values: the fan starts to run around 40C and stops around 32C. So, virtually it never stops.

Is it a generic problem of this model or just my machine? How are your machines working? Any comment would be helpful.

Thanks.

PS. BIOS is fully updated and the system is in original condition.

scsgoal31 · #2 Post by **scsgoal31** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:15 pm

My 1.6 GHz Mobile P4-m A31 begins running its fan after about 20 minutes of uptime and also will stay on until shutdown

It's definitely annoying, especially since its developing a high pitch squeal while its running..my roommate loves it, lemme tell ya

wredgum · #3 Post by **wredgum** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:03 pm

Try using MobMeter (search google on mobmeter.exe, the web site is in Japanese but there is a english page as well). It is the only utility I've found that can monitor the ACPI api and get the temperature from the motherboard probes. It works a dream ... now to get something that can CHANGE the ACPI critical/passive temps to keep that fan quiet! Does anyone know a utility to monitor the thinkpad fan speeds?

proaudioguy · #4 Post by **proaudioguy** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 12:20 pm

If your fan makes noises it should be replaced. Sooner rather than later it will fail!

Milos · #5 Post by **Milos** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 4:08 pm

I also have an A31 (1.8GHz, 768MB RAM) and have the issue that the CPU fan comes on a few minutes after boot, and stays on forever (under minor processing strain -- word processing, etc). This is very annoying because the fan has a certain amount of noise, perhaps what scsgoal31 means by the high-pitched squeal? (not very loud but constant high-pitch fan motor noise). In comparison, my wife's T41 is quiet all the time (never needs to turn on fan).

Even when I reduce the CPU speed to the "battery saving" mode at 1.2GHz, the fan takes longer to turn on but then still stays on forever. At 1.2GHz (reduced speed), it runs at about 46C.

I posted before for help on how to fix this but no opinions came (more details below):
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=18728
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... &start=300
(if the links are broken search for 'Milos', 'a31' and 'fan')

Is it the Pentium 4-M processor that is not optimized for low power? Is it heat sinking? Note from my other posts above that using the T43 temperature sensor utility works and shows me a non-CPU temperature at 60C or so in steady state. It's not the battery -- perhaps the ATI graphics card?

Thanks for any suggestions. I'll update if I find anything,

Milos

proaudioguy · #6 Post by **proaudioguy** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 5:48 pm

These fans aren't supposed to be noisy. Mine runs all the time, but it's not noisy at all. I can't even hear it unless I put my ear within a couple feet of that side. You guys might want to have replacement fans ready for when yours fail. It will happen, it's just a matter of time.

My wife's Toshiba 5005 fans are loud, and speed up quite a bit when it gets hot (which it does). You can hear them across a room. They don't make any whiney or wistling noises though. It's just the sound of air flow through small vents.

I'd like to upgrade to a 2.6, and I'd be happy to have my quiet fan run all the time at full speed for the increase in performance.

Milos · #7 Post by **Milos** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:15 pm

These fans aren't supposed to be noisy. Mine runs all the time, but it's not noisy at all. I can't even hear it unless I put my ear within a couple feet of that side. You guys might want to have replacement fans ready for when yours fail. It will happen, it's just a matter of time.

A couple of feet is pretty far -- I'm usually within 1 ft of the screen.

But anyway, in a reasonably quiet room, I can easily hear the fan at the other end of the room (6-10 ft away).. And every about 5-6 sec, it sounds like it gets a little upward spike in the speed (so the noise goes slightly higher pitch for a split second).

Do you know what temperature is normal for a P4-M processor to run at when idle, or what yours runs at, and what RPM your fan runs at?

I'm wondering if the problem is my fan being too noisy (or triggered at too low temp), or if it's my processor running too hot and thus requiring the cooling..

BTW, although the fan is loud, putting my hand in front of the grille on the left side (near the CPU?), I barely feel warm air and there's definitely no airflow that I can feel by hand. Is this normal given that the fan is running full on?

Thanks a lot,

Milos

Milos · #8 Post by **Milos** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:54 pm

BTW, regarding above:

My CPU is at 46C.
The highest temperature sensor (don't know for what - not battery, not hard drive) is at 54C.
The fan is running continuously at 3400RPM (I think that's the max).
(All according to ThinkPad Fan Control utility by shimodax.)

Milos

proaudioguy · #9 Post by **proaudioguy** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 3:48 pm

Running at 49C right now. Hard drive at 37C. Fan only has 3 speeds I think. It's either at medium or highest speed right now. I'd have to run the fan utility to find out.

A31guy · #10 Post by **A31guy** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:06 am

Well at least your fans are running. My cpu fan comes on and then turns off soon after its been booted, but the funny thing is, it never comes back on after that. And then I start to get screwy screen images, similar to what you would see when you overclock a desktops video card to high.

#11 Post by **JHEM** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:17 am

A31guy wrote:Well at least your fans are running. My cpu fan comes on and then turns off soon after its been booted, but the funny thing is, it never comes back on after that. And then I start to get screwy screen images, similar to what you would see when you overclock a desktops video card to high.

Time for a new fan!

Regards,

James

cbcb3 · #12 Post by **cbcb3** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:07 am

the fan in my a31p idles at 36 degree(C). ocassionally it would come to that point and stop, but just for one or two minutes. Normally it runs above the idle point, never stops. The noise level is acceptable to me. one of my friends had to lower the frequency and voltage of cpu in his t41 to reduce the noise level.

a31pguy · #13 Post by **a31pguy** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:54 pm

Here's what I would do...

Remove and clean the fan assembly with compressed air and put a small amount of artic silver thermal compound on the CPU. Reassemble and set the performance settings to adaptive - instead of high. This will give you the best of both worlds with a high clock rate when you need it and thermal managment when you don't.

The P4Ms are a bit (understated) undercooled - especially the northbridge and GPU.