CPU Fan

About 4 months ago I purchased 2 Dell 530 systems.

Intel(R)Core(TM)2 DUO CPU E4600 @2.40 GHz with 2 GB ram w/800
Recently one of my systems fans is continuously running. If I use a warm start or cold start the system fans comes on and runs at 100% all the time. Even If I go to standby and then return to Windows the fan again comes on and stays on until I either shut it down or go to Standby again. I have contacted Dell and they suggested that I Flash my BIOS with ver 1.0.12 and that would cure the problem. I informed them that I already had BIOS 1.0.12 installed. I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows would not allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed. I have written them back several more times but no reply. I have also checked my "Windows Processes Task manager and it shows the system at 99% IDOL. Have run all Virus and Spyware proggy's with nothing found. Being somewhat ignorant of puter tech I was wondering if anyone hear could give me some direction of where to start in solving this problem. Is it a bad BIOS?, Heat sync? If BIOS how do I flash my BIOS with the same version already installed?

I would definitely appreciate so guidance in this matter.

Cheers,
Greg

Failed to mention that the OS is XP Home w/SP2


"Kitten" Kitten@No Spam.com wrote in message news:%gz%j.185302$yE1.60248@attbi_s21...
About 4 months ago I purchased 2 Dell 530 systems.

Intel(R)Core(TM)2 DUO CPU E4600 @2.40 GHz with 2 GB ram w/800
Recently one of my systems fans is continuously running. If I use a warm start or cold start the system fans comes on and runs at 100% all the time. Even If I go to standby and then return to Windows the fan again comes on and stays on until I either shut it down or go to Standby again. I have contacted Dell and they suggested that I Flash my BIOS with ver 1.0.12 and that would cure the problem. I informed them that I already had BIOS 1.0.12 installed. I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows would not allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed. I have written them back several more times but no reply. I have also checked my "Windows Processes Task manager and it shows the system at 99% IDOL. Have run all Virus and Spyware proggy's with nothing found. Being somewhat ignorant of puter tech I was wondering if anyone hear could give me some direction of where to start in solving this problem. Is it a bad BIOS?, Heat sync? If BIOS how do I flash my BIOS with the same version already installed?

I would definitely appreciate so guidance in this matter.

Cheers,
Greg

Hi!

I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows would not
allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed.

I have written them back several more times but no reply.

At this point, I would definitely pick up the phone and give Dell a
call. Start out by telling them that you have the latest BIOS
installed. It wouldn't hurt to mention that you've checked for
malicious software and reasonably believe there to be none present.

If you want to do a quick check, pop the cover off of the system and
take a look at the fans and airflow paths. See if there is any dust or
debris that would cause problems.

I have also checked my "Windows Processes Task manager
and it shows the system at 99% IDOL.

Surely you mean "idle"? If that's the case, you definitely don't have
anything sitting in the background and keeping the CPU busy, which
could definitely cause things to heat up.

It is most likely that you have a defective fan. The fans are supposed
to have tachometer leads so the system can monitor their speed. If for
some reason a fan was not reporting a proper reading, the system might
just command it to run at full power.

But I would call Dell and tell them exactly what has taken place. Your
system should still be under some kind of warranty.

William

Hi William,

Thanks for the info.. I have pulled the case and checked for any obstruction or dust. Did blow out the fan while I was in there. Rebooted still the same.

Sorry about the "Idol" vs. "Idle". LOL (Old age I guess or at least I can use that as and excuse.)

Will try and give Dell a call today.

Appreciate your quick response.

Cheers,
Greg


wrote in message ...
Hi!

I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows would not
allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed.

I have written them back several more times but no reply.

At this point, I would definitely pick up the phone and give Dell a
call. Start out by telling them that you have the latest BIOS
installed. It wouldn't hurt to mention that you've checked for
malicious software and reasonably believe there to be none present.

If you want to do a quick check, pop the cover off of the system and
take a look at the fans and airflow paths. See if there is any dust or
debris that would cause problems.

I have also checked my "Windows Processes Task manager
and it shows the system at 99% IDOL.

Surely you mean "idle"? If that's the case, you definitely don't have
anything sitting in the background and keeping the CPU busy, which
could definitely cause things to heat up.

It is most likely that you have a defective fan. The fans are supposed
to have tachometer leads so the system can monitor their speed. If for
some reason a fan was not reporting a proper reading, the system might
just command it to run at full power.

But I would call Dell and tell them exactly what has taken place. Your
system should still be under some kind of warranty.

William

Hi!

Sorry about the "Idol" vs. "Idle". LOL

Oh, I wasn't trying to be picky or anything like that--no need to be
sorry. I just wanted to make sure that I understood what you were
saying correctly, hence the ? at the end of the sentence where I
asked.

Will try and give Dell a call today.

I think you'll find it's harder for them to ignore you if you give
them a call. At least it should be. ;-) You can get a better feeling
of the tech actually knows what they're up to.

Good luck with your computer. I hope that Dell will fix it with a
minimum of hassle.

William

Kitten wrote:
About 4 months ago I purchased 2 Dell 530 systems.

Intel(R)Core(TM)2 DUO CPU E4600 @2.40 GHz with 2 GB ram w/800
Recently one of my systems fans is continuously running. If I use a warm start or cold start the system fans comes on and runs at 100% all the time. Even If I go to standby and then return to Windows the fan again comes on and stays on until I either shut it down or go to Standby again. I have contacted Dell and they suggested that I Flash my BIOS with ver 1.0.12 and that would cure the problem. I informed them that I already had BIOS 1.0.12 installed. I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows would not allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed. I have written them back several more times but no reply. I have also checked my "Windows Processes Task manager and it shows the system at 99% IDOL. Have run all Virus and Spyware proggy's with nothing found. Being somewhat ignorant of puter tech I was wondering if anyone hear could give me some direction of where to start in solving this problem. Is it a bad BIOS?, Heat sync? If BIOS how d
o I flash my BIOS with the same version already installed?

I would definitely appreciate so guidance in this matter.

Cheers,
Greg
What you describe is exactly the problem I experienced several years
back with a then new Optiplex GX280 system. The system sounded like a
business jet taxing by. I have been working with and on PC's since the
Early 80s and had already spend some time getting to know the issue.
Never the less, the Dell support line tried to convince me that the
problem was poor air circulation and then a bad fan. On the 3rd support
call they agreed to send out a tech to resolve the problem.

The tech brought out a new fan which he swapped out. But the new fan
had no influence on the problem. Next he phoned Dell himself and got to
talk to the people I should have been talking to the week before. They
had him run some diagnostic program he had on a CD. It was able to look
into the hardware and to take control of the fan speeds directly. Even
his slick utility had no effect on the Fan.

After a few more minutes discussing the problem with the Dell tech, it
was determined that I would need a new motherboard which he would bring
out in a couple days. He did and made the swap. Problem solved and its
been working good every since.

It appears to be that what ever that Diagnostic utility was, it allowed
the fault to be located promptly. Hopefully Dell can get your fan
working normally.

"G.Strait" G.Strait@No Spam.com wrote in message
news:8rA%j.185384$yE1.155606@attbi_s21...
Hi William,

Thanks for the info.. I have pulled the case and checked for any
obstruction or dust. Did blow out the fan while I was in there. Rebooted
still the same.

Sorry about the "Idol" vs. "Idle". LOL (Old age I guess or at least I can
use that as and excuse.)

Will try and give Dell a call today.

Appreciate your quick response.

Cheers,
Greg





Is this the chassis/case fan, or the active heatsink fan directly mounted on
the processor?

I'd get the fan replaced under warranty for starters.


Stew

"Columbotrek" wrote in message
...
Kitten wrote:
About 4 months ago I purchased 2 Dell 530 systems.

Intel(R)Core(TM)2 DUO CPU E4600 @2.40 GHz with 2 GB ram w/800 Recently
one of my systems fans is continuously running. If I use a warm start or
cold start the system fans comes on and runs at 100% all the time. Even
If I go to standby and then return to Windows the fan again comes on and
stays on until I either shut it down or go to Standby again. I have
contacted Dell and they suggested that I Flash my BIOS with ver 1.0.12
and that would cure the problem. I informed them that I already had BIOS
1.0.12 installed. I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows
would not allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed. I
have written them back several more times but no reply. I have also
checked my "Windows Processes Task manager and it shows the system at 99%
IDOL. Have run all Virus and Spyware proggy's with nothing found.
Being somewhat ignorant of puter tech I was wondering if anyone hear
could give me some direction of where to start in solving this problem.
Is it a bad BIOS?, Heat sync? If BIOS how d
o I flash my BIOS with the same version already installed?

I would definitely appreciate so guidance in this matter.

Cheers,
Greg
What you describe is exactly the problem I experienced several years back
with a then new Optiplex GX280 system. The system sounded like a business
jet taxing by. I have been working with and on PC's since the Early 80s
and had already spend some time getting to know the issue. Never the less,
the Dell support line tried to convince me that the problem was poor air
circulation and then a bad fan. On the 3rd support call they agreed to
send out a tech to resolve the problem.

The tech brought out a new fan which he swapped out. But the new fan had
no influence on the problem. Next he phoned Dell himself and got to talk
to the people I should have been talking to the week before. They had him
run some diagnostic program he had on a CD. It was able to look into the
hardware and to take control of the fan speeds directly. Even his slick
utility had no effect on the Fan.

After a few more minutes discussing the problem with the Dell tech, it was
determined that I would need a new motherboard which he would bring out in
a couple days. He did and made the swap. Problem solved and its been
working good every since.

It appears to be that what ever that Diagnostic utility was, it allowed
the fault to be located promptly. Hopefully Dell can get your fan working
normally.


Your GX280 is a different animal (sister system to the Dimension 8400, which
also had some runaway fan issues), but the problem may be similar.

If he has warranty, he should get the fan replaced first, then consider
motherboard replacement (fan controller) if necessary (and definitely before
warranty expires).


Stew

Don't look now, but Intel and AMD are co-sponsoring a new reality TV show, "CPU
Idol". It will make your head spin... Ben Myers

On Thu, 29 May 2008 16:01:08 GMT, "G.Strait" G.Strait@No Spam.com wrote:

Hi William,

Thanks for the info.. I have pulled the case and checked for any obstruction or dust. Did blow out the fan while I was in there. Rebooted still the same.

Sorry about the "Idol" vs. "Idle". LOL (Old age I guess or at least I can use that as and excuse.)

Will try and give Dell a call today.

Appreciate your quick response.

Cheers,
Greg


wrote in message ...
Hi!

I tried to Flash the systems BIOS again but Windows would not
allow it, saying that version 1.0.12 was already installed.

I have written them back several more times but no reply.

At this point, I would definitely pick up the phone and give Dell a
call. Start out by telling them that you have the latest BIOS
installed. It wouldn't hurt to mention that you've checked for
malicious software and reasonably believe there to be none present.

If you want to do a quick check, pop the cover off of the system and
take a look at the fans and airflow paths. See if there is any dust or
debris that would cause problems.

I have also checked my "Windows Processes Task manager
and it shows the system at 99% IDOL.

Surely you mean "idle"? If that's the case, you definitely don't have
anything sitting in the background and keeping the CPU busy, which
could definitely cause things to heat up.

It is most likely that you have a defective fan. The fans are supposed
to have tachometer leads so the system can monitor their speed. If for
some reason a fan was not reporting a proper reading, the system might
just command it to run at full power.

But I would call Dell and tell them exactly what has taken place. Your
system should still be under some kind of warranty.

William

Hi!

Don't look now, but Intel and AMD are co-sponsoring a new reality TV show,
"CPU Idol". It will make your head spin... Ben Myers

And just wait until you see how SpeedStep shakes things up a little for the
desktop processors!

:-)

William