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    Will laptop run without CPU fan installed?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Adfinite, Mar 12, 2013.

  1. Adfinite

    Adfinite Newbie

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    Hello,

    I have a M17x that has been dead for awhile now, water spilled on the Keyboard which fried the motherboard (allegedly.) I had taken it to a repair shop and they tried to repair it but they could not. When I got it back I noticed the CPU fan had been removed, of course they claimed to know nothing about it. I ended up replacing the motherboard but the system will not turn on, the alien head turns blue for a second and nothing else happens. I took it to another repair shop today and they stated that the machine would not power on if the CPU fan was removed. I had never heard this, can anyone confirm or deny this? I don't want to buy another fan if the machine can't be fixed.

    Thanks!
     
    Adfinite, Mar 12, 2013
    #1
  2. Syncytium

    Syncytium Notebook Enthusiast

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    It isn't likely that the PC will turn out without the CPU fan. When the system's power button is depressed, it will likely post and promptly trip the thermal shut off from the CPU overheating. This is likely what you are seeing when your laptop briefly boots and then shuts down. A new fan shouldn't cost you too much, and can easily be found on ebay ( Alienware M17x R2 CPU Fan | eBay).
     
    Syncytium, Mar 13, 2013
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  3. radji

    radji Farewell, Solenya...

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    No. I've tried it with my own M17x. The system will not turn on without the CPU fan. It sends a signal back to the BIOS that it's spinning so if the BIOS doesn't see the return signal, it won't allow the system to turn on as a safety to prevent the system from overheating.
     
    radji, Mar 13, 2013
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  4. MickyD1234

    MickyD1234 Notebook Prophet

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    Yup, it is usual for a machine not to start if the CPU fan is not running as raji says. It's to protect the CPU. If it fails in use the machine will usually shutdown before it overheats.
     
    MickyD1234, Mar 13, 2013
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  5. CptXabaras

    CptXabaras Overclocked, Overvolted, Liquid Cooled

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    That's also why at start up the fans rev up for few seconds. it is a check for the bios to see if fans are operationals.
     
    CptXabaras, Mar 13, 2013
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  6. MickyD1234

    MickyD1234 Notebook Prophet

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    True but you just hit my biggest bug I have with this this one :mad:

    After about a week the fans stopped spinnin up at full blast at startup. Done loads of tests and they seem to be working fine in use - but I don't get that blast of air that also clears off some dust :rolleyes:

    Don't worry about it now but it does bug me why?
     
    MickyD1234, Mar 13, 2013
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  7. Adfinite

    Adfinite Newbie

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    Thank you all so much! I was about to give up on the machine but going to try to order a fan now. You guys rock =)
     
    Adfinite, Mar 13, 2013
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  8. CptXabaras

    CptXabaras Overclocked, Overvolted, Liquid Cooled

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    It happend to me too when my room temperature is low. They just do a little spin up and actually they stop spinning completely. I can enter windows and hwinfo report 0 RPM's on the fans untill temperature reading is above 40 degrees celsius
     
    CptXabaras, Mar 13, 2013
    #8