GPU Fan Grinding Only When Right-Side-Up

I noticed my right GPU fan making a light grinding sound recently (it's not noticeable at idle, but it immediately starts up whenever anything slightly graphically demanding is going on). I also noticed that it completely vanishes when I turn the laptop upside-down.

So it must be something in the fan, right? Fortified with my experience building desktops I briefly got out my screwdriver and service manual to see if I was up to the task of opening up the M17x but got to the step of "Prying up the control bar," and when it didn't come off easily lost courage from fear of prying too hard.

Is the control bar supposed to be difficult to pry off? Should I just call a service tech? Is 42 really the answer to everything?

 

its most likely the grill where the cpu fan is you can press on it and it will make a grindng noise.

 

well if your afraid to do it, then call dell. you paid for warranty use it. and the answer to everything is 420.

 

Joker I have pulled it off several time in upgrading and replacing parts. It is supposed to be a snug fit. If you put a flat head screwdriver right under your END key on the number pad you should be able to pop it up there. It will be a bit snug to pull off.

Just FYI i had the same problem you did Dell sent me new fans to replace both of the GPU fans. It sounds like they need tobe cleaned or replaced.

 

It sounds like a bad GPU fan, I had one replaced, and it looks like it's going to get replaced again.

Call Dell, have a tech replace it, if your in doubt which fan it is, have them replace all of them, that's what I did.

 

I have an M17x R1 with 280m's in SLI and I had the exact same issue - the right-side GPU fan was making a faint grinding sound unless I turned the laptop upside down. Naturally, upside-down makes the laptop difficult to use, and the noise was slightly annoying as all hell.

A replacement GPU fan did the trick - whisper quiet (unless I play the new Medal of Honor, in which case the cooling fans sound like a jet engine).

P.S. Loving my R1 still. I don't overclock or fiddle with bus speeds or GPU clocks or anything...I just wanted a rock-solid tank of a laptop that would last a few years and play games fairly well, and it has more than delivered.

 

Your fan is dying.
Use warranty to replace.
Happiness achieved.

This is a friendly Haiku from your neighborhood Haiku dealer.... sponsored by your local canned unicorn meat dealer.... now with more sparkles.
ThinkGeek :: Canned Unicorn Meat

D.

 

^^Glad to hear that
and as for the touchstrip it'a little hard to take it off the first times,after a few dissmanteling actions it'll be just fine. but if you have warrenty USE IT that's why you paid i'm sure!

 

I'll probably use my warranty once I move back to NYC in two weeks. I mainly wanted help with the control bar because I'd like to at least look at the fan and see if it's something really obvious like a piece of wire or sticker or something touching the fan blades.

Thanks for the help, guys - much appreciated.