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    2013 Alienware 17 - Fan always running?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by gibson00, May 16, 2015.

  1. gibson00

    gibson00 Notebook Evangelist

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    Hi all, I have had my 17 for a couple years now, never an issue, works great. But just in the last week or two, I've noticed the fan is running all the time. I don't currently do any gaming on it. Even when the laptop is sitting on a hard surface, and just surfing the net, like right now, the fan is running fast. I do feel quite warm air coming out the back.
    I haven't made any changes/updates that I am aware of. Why would the laptop be getting too hot all of a sudden, even under normal use?
    I downloaded a utility called core temp, but a little confused as to what it is saying. Under temperature readings, it keeps flashing every couple seconds from black numbers reading in the low 70's, to yellow numbers reading in the mid-high 80's..
     
    gibson00, May 16, 2015
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  2. Flaick

    Flaick Notebook Evangelist

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    Download HWMonitor, try game something and look at CPU/GPU temperature. Maybe, after 2 years, you'll need a repaste.
     
    Flaick, May 16, 2015
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  3. gibson00

    gibson00 Notebook Evangelist

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    After being turned off for a while, then fresh reboot, and running Flight Simulator for about 15 minutes. Fan is running full blast, on a hard coutertop.

    [​IMG]
     
    gibson00, May 16, 2015
    #3
  4. MickyD1234

    MickyD1234 Notebook Prophet

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    Have you looked behind the fans? If not then the chances are that the cooling fins are clogged with dust bunnies. A can of compressed air is best to blow it out.

    Good luck.
     
    MickyD1234, May 16, 2015
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  5. Ramzay

    Ramzay Notebook Connoisseur

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    Those CPU temps are really high.
     
    Ramzay, May 16, 2015
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  6. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    a repaste is in order!
     
    thegh0sts, May 16, 2015
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  7. TomJGX

    TomJGX I HATE BGA!

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    A repaste and cleaning of the fans is in order... Some good Gelid GC Extreme thermal paste will help with those temps...
     
    TomJGX, May 18, 2015
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  8. DaveFromGameaVision

    DaveFromGameaVision Notebook Consultant

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    A repaste will probably help but it also looks like something is using 100% of the CPU. Maybe some background program is using it all? Open up Task Manager (CTRL+Shift+ESC) and go to the processes tab and click on CPU to sort by most used. What is maxing out the CPU?
     
    DaveFromGameaVision, May 18, 2015
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  9. gibson00

    gibson00 Notebook Evangelist

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    So after checking out task manager, it looks like there is a file/process that has the name of my computer with a .exe extension, it was using 99% of the cpu. I managed to kill it. I looked in services under task manager and saw a listing with the name of my computer there too, but if I uncheck it, when I hit apply, the check mark re-appears.
    I wonder if I need to wipe my system...
     
    gibson00, May 24, 2015
    #9
  10. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    malware possibly? might need to clear that out!
     
    thegh0sts, May 24, 2015
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  11. MogRules

    MogRules Notebook Deity

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    Take the fans out and clear out the heatsinks, they get a lot of dust/dirt/hair buildup on these and it clogs the exhaust fins up pretty good. I have a colleague that just recently took his apart due to the same concerns and it looked like someone covered up the exhaust fins with a piece of cardboard it was so thick.

    While your at it as others have stated might as well look at a repaste as it is probably due.

    The image I posted is my machine after only a few months but I have a car and a dog but it gives you an idea about how bad it can get. Also elevating it can really help :) , might want to look at a cooling pad or even just something like http://www.bluelounge.com/us/cool-feet
     

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    MogRules, May 25, 2015
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