topic Re: Problem With Fan in Electronics

Problem With Fan

kismet — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 02:34:14 GMT

My fan is running too long and is noisey. My BIOS is updated, ran my malware, ran updates and did a diagnostic and the only error that showed up is my battery needs to be changed. Not sure where to go from here. Any one suggest what could be causing the problem. I did clean the vent so not sure what to do next. I'm using my computer plugged in.

Re: Problem With Fan

CAcableGirl2 — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 03:18:33 GMT

@kismet Have you tried turning it off completely? Maybe the fan got stuck and just need to shut off and then it will reset itself?

Sorry, I'm not much help, but I would give that a try. Maybe pull the battery out and then re-install?

Re: Problem With Fan

Foxxee — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 04:25:41 GMT

If it's loud longer than 20 seconds, it might be overheating...using too much power. You might hear the fan when the computer is turned on for 5-20 seconds, but then it should be quiet.

Often it is dust, but you said you dusted. Is anything blocking the vents...sitting too close?

You might need to adjust your power settings...energy consumption; although, I'm hesitant to say that's your problem.

Turn it off to let it cool down if you have been using it for awhile.

Then:

Go to Control Panel

Select Power Options

Click Plan Settings

Click Balanced.

If you're not sure how to do it, you can find out by searching how to set power options. There's probably a Youtube video showing how.

If it's already set at balanced, you could set it lower; however, the computer should be able to handle balanced.

If the fan had been working OK, you haven't done anything different, but now the fan is loud, there might be a problem with the fan. How old is your computer?

There is a way to turn off the fan...see how on the internet, but I wouldn't recommend doing that.

Other than those suggestions, maybe, someone else here can offer tips.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 04:32:16 GMT

I have shut it down several times. It started 2 days ago and I did everything I knew to do to find out why. I can't pull out my battery since it's inside the computer. I'm debating on whether to let my grandson do it since he takes apart his computer and cleans it all the time. I didn't like the battery inside the computer when I got it but it was the computer I wanted. My first laptop had the battery on the outside which was easy to replace. Really not concerned about the battery since I always use the computer in the same place plugged in.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 04:37:57 GMT

I checked and my computer is set on Balanced. I did see that when searching but thought it was fine. I think my computer is 4 or 5 years old but can't remember when I got it.

Re: Problem With Fan

SilleeMee — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:34:53 GMT

I would give the fan a shot of compressed air.

Re: Problem With Fan

gardenman — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 14:02:44 GMT

On modern computers, the fan speed is controlled by the motherboard which reads temp sensors built into the board/CPU. There are apps you can get that let you monitor your CPU temp. I use one called Core Temp and right now my CPU is puttering along between 17-18 degrees Celsius (63-65 degrees F). It peaked at 31 degrees Celsius since it's been on today. (Bear in mind my room is about 72 degrees F so the CPU cooler is doing a very good job. It's keeping the CPU cooler than the room.)

When your fan runs louder or longer than normal the first thing to do is to check the CPU workload. Pop open Task Manager and see what your CPU is doing under the Performance tab. (Mine's puttering along a 3%-4% usage as I type this.) If it's running at 100% (or close to it) something's using a whole lot of your CPU and that leads to overheating and the fan spinning up. A click on the Processes tab will then show you what's using the CPU and give you the option to stop that process.

If the CPU is behaving itself then you've probably got an airflow issue and the computer needs a good cleaning. Vacuuming the vents all the way around the computer might help or it could need a deeper cleaning. It's also possible your fan's bearing could be bad and the increased noise is from bad bearings, but that's less likely.

The first thing to check is CPU usage with Task Manager. Weird stuff happens with computers from time to time. I had a browser plug-in that ate 99% of my CPU. Suffice to say that plug-in is no longer on my computer.

Re: Problem With Fan

CAcableGirl2 — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 14:37:08 GMT

@gardenman Wow, I'm impressed! If I ever have computer issues, you are the one to ask.

Lots of good information in your post.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 02:00:07 GMT

gardenman, I did check the CPU and it was high last night. I just turned on my computer and it's about 50 but last night I did see jumps to 100. Malwarebytes seems to be about 25 on it. I'm going to take that out and see if it goes down. When you say to use some of air did you mean just through the vents or open the bottom of the computer.

Re: Problem With Fan

SilleeMee — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 02:25:05 GMT

Both my laptop and desktop don't have fans. They have SDDs, they run fast and they stay cool.

If your device is over 5 yo then it might need replaced.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 08:33:45 GMT

When I got mine I didn't think they had the SSD. I noticed it came out a few months after I got mine or at least when I was shopping I didn't see one. My computer works fine for what I do and won't get another one unless this can't be fixed. I'm going to try the air to see if that helps. I always used a vacuum on it and it's worked for my computers over 10 years. I did update again tonight and it's quieter but it did take out my color on my taskbar and that's strange. I'll deal with that later. Always something.

Re: Problem With Fan

glb613 — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 12:24:36 GMT

@kismet wrote:
gardenman, I did check the CPU and it was high last night. I just turned on my computer and it's about 50 but last night I did see jumps to 100. Malwarebytes seems to be about 25 on it. I'm going to take that out and see if it goes down. When you say to use some of air did you mean just through the vents or open the bottom of the computer.

If you're talking about canned air, don't! all that does is blow the dust and dirt into the case. Get your vacuum and clear any dust from the vents.

This problem is almost always caused by a program or malware. I wouldn't be surprised to find you have 15-20 programs running in the background sucking the life out of your computer's performance. Get CCLeaner and install. Run a scan and delete what it finds. Once that's done, go to tools (found on the left side), startup and either disable or delete everything but your antivirus or antimalware programs. DON'T WORRY, this isn't deleting the programs. It's only removing the programs from starting when your computer starts . Restart and see how the computer runs.

This is something everyone should do whether you have a Windows or a Mac computer. These programs, other than your antivirus/malware, running in the background are not necessary. They drain your resources and decrease the performance.

Re: Problem With Fan

gardenman — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 13:03:43 GMT

@kismet wrote:
gardenman, I did check the CPU and it was high last night. I just turned on my computer and it's about 50 but last night I did see jumps to 100. Malwarebytes seems to be about 25 on it. I'm going to take that out and see if it goes down. When you say to use some of air did you mean just through the vents or open the bottom of the computer.

If in Task Manager your CPU usage is 50% or higher when the computer is essentially idling, then you've got bad stuff hogging your resources. My current build is four or five years old and used an older CPU at the time I built it and on idle it putters along at 3%-4%. The Processes tab in Task Manager is your friend. It'll show you what's using the resources and give you the option to stop that process. It won't remove the program or cause an unfixable issue, it simply stops that process. If the computer should become nonresponsive or crash, a simple reboot will have it back up and running.

I didn't recommend the compressed air for a laptop because like @glb613 mentioned, it just forces the bad stuff farther into the computer. On a desktop, it can be handy but on a laptop, it's not nearly as effective and can make a situation worse. The vacuum is your best bet for a laptop. Just get a strong vacuum (using the crevice tool on a vacuum can help increase suction) and go over every vent holding the vacuum hose over the opening for a few seconds or longer at each opening. If you're using the crevice tool, using your fingers to block the rest of the vent opening on smaller vents you're vacuuming can force the vacuum to pull more gunk out.

In general, when a computer overheats it's because the CPU is being asked to do too much. It can be airflow also, but more often than not it's something hogging the CPU resources that's causing the trouble. Task Manager can help you find that problem and fix it. A good cleaning never hurts anything either though.

Re: Problem With Fan

SilleeMee — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 14:59:23 GMT

You'll need to remove the back cover. There should be some screws (mine has ten screws) holding it in place. After you remove the back cover then use the compressed air and blow it out. @kismet

ETA- If you don't remove the cover then you'll end up just blowing dust and debris around inside the case if you shoot the air through the vents...don't do that.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 10:42:44 GMT

I did get the can of air today but read yesterday that it can make things worse. So far I haven't used it. My daughter says she uses it all the time. I did have ccleaner in my computer but took it out a few years ago. I'm going to put it back in and run it.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 11:22:00 GMT

I went to ccleaner and downloaded and noticed that avg went in with it. I didn't download it and it loaded the same date. I took Avg out. I then went into tools and there are like 2 pages of items listed. There is no disable there. I would feel better disableing rather than deleting. Is there anything else I can put the files in. I didn't run the health check don't know if that's important or not.

By the way I did update microsoft and that new update is what changed the color on my taskbar. I did a search and there are many people angry that the update did that. I just have my taskbar white and the rest is fine. I tried to fix the taskbar but it doesn't work. Maybe it will need a patch. Thanks for telling me about the air. In a search some said it only makes things worse.

Re: Problem With Fan

glb613 — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 11:32:02 GMT

@kismet wrote:
I went to ccleaner and downloaded and noticed that avg went in with it. I didn't download it and it loaded the same date. I took Avg out. I then went into tools and there are like 2 pages of items listed. There is no disable there. I would feel better disableing rather than deleting. Is there anything else I can put the files in. I didn't run the health check don't know if that's important or not.
By the way I did update microsoft and that new update is what changed the color on my taskbar. I did a search and there are many people angry that the update did that. I just have my taskbar white and the rest is fine. I tried to fix the taskbar but it doesn't work. Maybe it will need a patch. Thanks for telling me about the air. In a search some said it only makes things worse.

When you get into CCleaner, tools then startup, you are not deleting the programs! All you are doing is preventing the programs from starting when your computer starts. The only program(s) you need running in the background is your security software such as your anti-virus and anti-malware programs.

CCleaner will uninstall programs so make sure you are in the startup section. Please do yourself and your computer a favor and get these programs out of the startup group.

Re: Problem With Fan

kismet — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 13:14:57 GMT

glb613, i went into the programs that run when i start the computer and don't see any security in there. there are 7 listed and on the left they say yes. so if i want to disable them do I highlight it and then go over to disable? I have to leave in a few minutes so I'll be on later this afternoon. I can send a list of the programs if that helps when I get home.

Re: Problem With Fan

SilleeMee — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 15:38:50 GMT

@kismet

Did you remove the back cover?

Re: Problem With Fan

glb613 — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 21:54:43 GMT

@kismet wrote:
glb613, i went into the programs that run when i start the computer and don't see any security in there. there are 7 listed and on the left they say yes. so if i want to disable them do I highlight it and then go over to disable? I have to leave in a few minutes so I'll be on later this afternoon. I can send a list of the programs if that helps when I get home.

Post what is in your startup group and let's see what mjght be causing you problems.