GPU fan issue/wear

Got an SLI setup. I was having some problems before - one GPU was heating up much more than the other.

Opened up my laptop to clean the intakes, and fins on the GPU. The 2nd GPU's fan has almost packed up. I wanted to put some lubricant on the fan since it seems to be the cause...but I couldn't find a way to access the bearings, even after removing the fan.

I tried turning both fans and the first one still has the 'spring' action when I stop spinning it. The 2nd one just wouldn't move freely. Only when I turn it and no 'free wheeling'. I ran furmark (SLI enabled) - 1st GPU maxed at 60 C, 2nd one went to 107 C. So no change in 2nd fan's performance/speed after cleaning.

(I'm still under warranty. But I'm not going to go laptop-less for weeks if they want to take it to replace the GPU/fan.)

 

I don't think that you will go without your laptop. Just call Alienware and let them know about the fan. They will either send you a fan and let you replace it, or send a fan to the tech who will come out and replace it. So you do not have to send in your laptop. I am assuming that you have the inhome warranty repair, maybe you don't. But you definitely need to get that fan replaced or you may damage your video adapter.

 

I just had a GPU fan replaced two weeks ago. Dell will overnight the part, and a technician will come out to replace it. Dell will not let you replace your own GPU fan, unfortunately. The sooner you call them though, the sooner your stuff will get fixed. If the bad fan is on the daughter card, you could just use one GPU until the tech shows up. You obviously know how to pull the GPU if you got to the fan. Or just shut it off until it gets fixed. But that's how the process goes. Unless you know your tech, and he knows what he's doing, I would have it ready to go when he/she gets there. That's what I did because I live in a very rural area, and my Dell tech had never even worked on an Alienware. He didn't care. He was actually appreciative.

 

@Ronaldlf7850: Yes, I do have in-home warranty. But...

Same concern here - I don't know if they will have worked on an alienware before. Will keep it ready to swap when he's coming.

I wasn't sure about how to disconnect the SLI cable (which made cleaning a bit awkward).
To replace the fan-connection to the mobo, the plug is placed a bit under palmrest. Could you access it easily to unplug/re-plug? Looked like plugging it back in would be a bit harder than unplugging it.

 

Yeh I agree chiefs, The techs can try to rush the job and be quite rough on our systems. I remember when they changed my fans a few weeks ago. The tech guy was like in a 100m sprint or something lol. He was unscrewing the screws like there was no a moment of time to be lost. Then he didn't know whether or not to take this or that off next so i hint hint nudged him in the right direction and all he did was say I know what I'm doing okay.

Anyway when he got to the fans all he did was yank them out by the wires. Just ripped them out lol. Stuck in the replacement fans and TADA he was done in like 5 mins lol. Very very rough. Just glad nothing got broken.

So i guess you can get away without removing the palm rest cover chiefs and just yank out the fan cables. It is easier to put them back in then take them out though, unless of course you do what my tech did and just yank them out by the cables.

For the SLi cable that is easy to take off. Just pull up on the left hand side and on the right it is under the heatsink so you will need to take that off 1st. However you can just leave it in on one side if you are lazy and just lift the ribbon accross the mobo.

Cheers.

 

I'll probably do that if they don't give me a date early enough. I don't think I'll remove the palm rest. Will try pushing it back in from the side (top).

Was thinking of telling them to just get me two new fans. If one's already got a problem, I think the other is soon to follow (coz of dust, etc.)

Might also get my dvd drive changed coz it doesn't read many dvds/cds. The Orange box setup disk and the Alienware rescue disk both never read, from the 1st week I got it. Yeah, should've changed it back then

 

Ah yups. Yeh no worries chiefs. Changing out the fans is really quick easy and simple. Very fast job. I got mine changed out last time. Had a rattling sound in my right GPU fan, the other 2 fans were fine. However dell decided to send 3 new fans just to be on the safe side so all of them got changed.

Just tell dell all your troubles and then make sure they send what you need. Just double check with them which parts they will be sending. Act a bit dumb if you know what I mean lol ehehehe. praise them and thank them for their great help afterwards It should all be good though and sorted out by a tech coming over to your place to replace the fans and dvd rom.

Cheers.