HELP - my A21p is overheating - my fan stopped! why??

[wild_bill]

HELP - my A21p (2629-HXU) is overheating - my fan stopped! why??

what is the most likely cause in this machine? bad fan? bad sub board? bad motherboard?

any way to hardwire the fan to always on? (I don't mind fan noise in the interest of peace of mind)

also, the mini PCI slot seems dead (if that could be related?)

PS - everything else about this UXGA machine seems to work great!


HELP!!!!

[Harryc]

The most likely causes for the fan to stop are lack of lubrication or dust/dirt. Try cleaning it with compressed air. Hold the blades still before blasting it. You'll have to remove the keyboard to get at it.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... PER6S.html

[wild_bill]

that is the crazy thing, I haven't taken everything completely apart, but I did look under the keyboard as well as through the vent holes in the back of the computer, and I guess I must be a good housekeeper, because this computer is pristine and dust free inside (also the fan never made any noise hardly when it was working, so I don't think there is an obstruction or lack of lubrication.

I work on laptops for a living (believe it or not) so I know what a dusty or dirty computer looks like, and this one, which is my own personal system, is a real mystery as to why the fan stopped!

what are the next most common reasons for no fan on an A21p UXGA?

PS - (the inverter area also seems to be running on the hot side, but the screen looks great)

another mystery is (I am not the original owner) why is this computer running at 1000Mhz (according to cpu-z) when the original specs say 850Mhz - I didn't know you could overclock a laptop!

and CPU-Z states it is a Pentium III E Coppermine (is that the same as a mobile Pentium III?)

[Harryc]

If it's not dust or lubrication, then it is a bad fan motor, bad connection to the motherboard, or a blown fuse. You should be able to measure 3v to 5v at the fan header with a multimeter if there is power going to it, with the fan plugged in.

[wild_bill]

@Harryc - Is there some type of thermo-sensor that could be defective or at least out of calibration where the fan is not coming on in time?

where is the fuse located to which you refer and what does it look like?

PS - I find no evidence of that Intel SpeedStep technology is doing much of anything to the speed of this strange CPU (see above comments about it running 1000 Mhz rather than 850Mhz and listed as a Pentium III E (a desktop processor) rather than a mobile Pentium III in CPU-Z)

[rkawakami]

Download a copy of PC Doctor for DOS for the A21p from here: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-4JRMNE

You'll need three diskettes to create the bootable set. Under the "Other Devices" or "Thinkpad Devices" menu there should be two tests for the thermal sensor and fan.

[AMATX]

As old as the A21p series is, I'd not be surprised at all that parts are crumbling. Rubber parts, metal contacts, fan motors don't last forever.

If you don't wanna mess with -anything-, try a laptop chiller/cooling pad under the A21p($30 at Best Buy), get TPfan control, turn off the laptop fan and rely on the chilller to keep it moderately cool. Not a good long term fix, but if you need sumpin' in a hurry, this might just get you by.