| JP Vossen on 2 Dec 2015 09:21:20 -0800 |
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| Re: [PLUG] fans |
Yeah, I can't argue with you. As you say, "it depends." My case was a bit different, and I know the WD-40 thing is...sub-optimal, we'll say. :) I will stress what we all know anyway though, re-seating (and perhaps cleaning contacts) is certainly worth trying for a "fan sensor that is not reading reliably"... Re-seating things often solves a multitude of sins, especially on devices that power cycle and thus heat and cool and expand and contract. This is less of a problem now, with so much more integrated than it used to be, but it's still a useful reminder. And there's always percussive maintenance! ;-) On 12/02/2015 12:06 PM, Rich Mingin (PLUG) wrote: > I respectfully disagree. A failing fan due to bearings going, or crud > near the hub will work harder, get hot, get louder, and move less > air/spin slower, but will generally have a steady RPM. > > The "sawtooth" RPM cycle (start low, increase to high RPM, reset to low) > indicates a fan that is working normally (or at least isn't the main > problem), and a fan sensor that is not reading reliably or at all. > > Fan controllers start the RPM low, at a level known to spin the fan at > low speed, and increase the voltage/speed until they sense RPM from the > fan sensor. If they reach full RPM w/o sensing RPM, they will generally > reset and start over, for at least a few tries, and will then trigger a > warning or alarm via the BMC. > > So while cleaning the fan is always a good idea, and lubing the bearings > every year or two is also great (though I don't think I like your > method), the symptoms here indicate a problem with the sensor/BMC, not a > problem with the fan itself. > > OP/Jeff: Can you clarify if this is what you meant by "revving noises"? > Speed ramping up and dropping back? If you meant it was just way louder > than usual, JP's advice may be better, though a replacement fan would > work for either problem. > > On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 10:39 AM, JP Vossen <jp@jpsdomain.org > <mailto:jp@jpsdomain.org>> wrote: > > Short version: > 1) Clean it out with compressed air, etc > 2) Re-seat the fan & connectors > 3) Possibly hit the fan with WD-40 > > Long version: > I had a similar problem recently on a System76 Pangolin laptop running > Mint 17. It was not complaining about the fan sensor, it was just that > the fan was revving up too often and was much too loud. I was very > pleasantly surprised to find out that on this laptop the fan is attached > to a "trap-door" panel held on by 3 screws and was insanely easy to pop > right off and clean. > > So I first recommend taking a look at that and just blasting out all the > built up dust and re-seating the connector(s). > > Some may disagree with this, but I also hit the fan motor/bearing with a > couple of good squirts of WD-40. For me, that seems to flush out more > dust and loosen things up again. I did it over the garbage can, and > blotted up as much as I could before reinstalling it, for hopefully > obvious reasons. :-) > > That all helped but did not fix the problem, so I started hunting. It > turns out that somehow it was using the Nouveau driver which (I think) > was causing the graphics card not to idle. I'm not sure if this laptop > was always using that driver or if it somehow switched, but I am > sure that: > a) switching from nouveau (1:1.0.10-1ubuntu-2) to nvidia-340 > (340.96-0ubuntu0.14.04.1) solved the fan too often/too loud problem and > that > b) that fan problem has only been happening for a few months and that it > got much worse in the last week. > > > On 12/02/2015 07:36 AM, Rich Mingin (PLUG) wrote: > > So for some elaboration/reassurance, its likely the fan itself is > > mechanically fine, its the rpm sensing that is failing. This matches up > > with the rpm sawtooth pattern, the warning on startup, and clearing on a > > full power cycle. While there is a small possibility that it's the > > system hardware controller failing and not the fan/sensor/wire, I always > > blame the 5-20$ parts for failing before worrying about the 200-500$ ones. > > > > Let me know how it goes. > > > > On Dec 2, 2015 12:21 AM, "jeff" <jeffv@op.net <mailto:jeffv@op.net> <mailto:jeffv@op.net > <mailto:jeffv@op.net>>> wrote: > > > > I'm good, thanks! > > Had to replace the kbd already, which was surprisingly easy. Just > > hoping it's only the fan. > > > > > > On 12/02/2015 12:13 AM, Rich Mingin (PLUG) wrote: > > > > It's a simple enough repair, I've done it on a few different models, > > 15-20 minutes if you take your time and do it right. Need > > assistance or > > support? > > > > On Dec 2, 2015 00:01, "jeff" <jeffv@op.net <mailto:jeffv@op.net> <mailto:jeffv@op.net > <mailto:jeffv@op.net>> > > <mailto:jeffv@op.net <mailto:jeffv@op.net> <mailto:jeffv@op.net > <mailto:jeffv@op.net>>>> wrote: > > > > My laptop's fan started making revving noises yesterday. > > Today when > > booted, I got a BIOS warning about not being able to detect > > the fan. > > Rebooting fixed it. > > > > I'm looking for somebody to tell me it's simply a > > replacement fan fix. > > The fan is attached to a long cooling heatsink, complete with a > > copper tube. The fan is sold by itself or with the entire > > assembly. > > > > HP Elitebook 8760w running Xubuntu (for topicality). > > > > > > http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-EliteBook-8760w-Cooling-Heatsink-and-Fan-652543-001-/221895023619?hash=item33a9f95c03:g:DaYAAOSwFnFWA~wB > > > > > > Thanks for the benefit of your experience. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- JP Vossen, CISSP | http://www.jpsdomain.org/ | http://bashcookbook.com/ ___________________________________________________________________________ Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug