X31 and fan error

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sherpa · #1 Post by **sherpa** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:50 pm

Hello,
X31 type 2672 CEG
I started my TP today eve, and first sounds of fan told me something was strange. after 2 seconds of strange noise an error line appeared left above in corner of LCD> FAN ERROR
nothing else no further booting. afer some 3 seconds TP turned off.

I waited some 5 seconds and started again> now old known sounds came, and system was awaken from hibernation. fine. fan is working now.

just to mention: my TP is 3,5 years of age, and various types of sounds of fan, depending on position of my TP { horizontal, vertical etc} tell me that its golden age might be already over.
with today's error I can presume that I soon will be changing fan for a new one. I seems my fan has loose bearings/axe.

had anyone similar symptoms and how was the next near future? fan crash by boot?

thx for info.

#2 Post by **gator** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:12 pm

I think I hve a spare X31 fan. Contact me if you want it.

sherpa · #3 Post by **sherpa** » Thu May 24, 2007 1:18 am

Hello Gator,
thanks for offer.
Do you think the fan is replacable by a single user operation or it needs a HI TECH person with all the gadgets?
And what about the price and condition?

thx.

normanrich · #4 Post by **normanrich** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:01 pm

Replacing the fan is very do-able.
You do have to remove the keyboard to get to the motherboard.
After that, if i remember, four screws.
Take the time to 'clean out' the dirt.
After replacement, have not received the 'fan error' again.
hope this helps.

ragefury32 · #5 Post by **ragefury32** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:42 am

IBM/Lenovo hardware Maintenance manual. Know it, use it.
Here's the one for the X31. Look at the section entitled "Removing and Replacing a FRU" and then look at section 1080.

I think all you need is a good Phillips head screwdriver, an air-can, an ice-cube tray (for placing screws removed) and some thermal paste (Arctic Silver 5 sold in your local computer parts vendor will do). It's not amazingly technical but some patience and TLC is required.

smokefly · #6 Post by **smokefly** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:44 am

My 4-yr old X31 gave me the fan error message yesterday morning. I took it apart and cleaned the cpu fan last night. I used the canned air to clean the fan. It was working fine after that and the fan was quiet. This morning I turned on the machine and got the fan error message again. I repeated everything, unpluged the fan connector and put it back on. Then it started working again. I don't know if it means the fan is close to the end of its life or I didn't do a great job on cleaning.

sherpa, you haven't said any thing. Have you fixed your laptop after blowing canned air to the fan?

gator, do you still have that spare fan available? If I see this error message one more time, I'll probably replace the cooling fan.

BTW, here is what I read on the cooling fan:
DC5V 0.2A
MCF-204PAM05
IBM P/N 46P3026
FRU P/N 67P1443

sherpa · #7 Post by **sherpa** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 3:52 pm

hello,

the fan error has not happened anymore.
so it looks fine now.
no need for any repair attempt.

and when using the adaptive CPU mode fan is not used so often so the run is quiet and smooth.

but cleaning might help a bit, though. but replacement is the final fix in this case if total fan error happens.

good luck!

ragefury32 · #8 Post by **ragefury32** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:21 am

Install tpfancontrol and look at the fan RPM readouts. If the RPM is below 2500 when the machine is maxed out on a task, then you have a problem with a dirty/stuck fan.

X31 and fan error

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