m17xr3 fan control

how do i change my fan speed

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/620811-manual-fan-control-m17xr3.html

 

This is UNOFFICIAL Fan Control which can damage your machine if not used properly !
Be sure you know what you're doing !
USE ONLY AT YOUR OWN RISK !

The Alienware Fan Control is divided into two major functional groups:
1. Alienware M11x-R1, R2, R3, M14x, M17x-R3, M18x-R1 (Models based on Compal ODM design)
2. Alienware M15x, M17x-R1 and M17x-R2

Current features for M11x / M14x / M17x-R3 / M18x-R1 Fan Control:
- On systems with 2-3 fans, I don't know how to control the 2nd/3rd fan separately yet, so all fans are controlled at once.
- Not all fan values might be accepted by the EC, you need to determine the valid range.
- M11x-R1 support was introduced in Build 1204.
- M11x-R3 and M14x support was introduced in Build 1240.
- M18x-R1 support was introduced in Build 1253.
- There have been reports of various issues occurring on these models during monitoring/fan control (hangups, shutdown problems). Build 1363 released with EC-ACPI Synchronization feature which is hoped to fix these problems. Your feedback is needed.

Current features for M15x, M17x-R1 and M17x-R2 Fan Control:
- It is currently not possible to turn-off the BIOS automatic fan control, so only a workaround is available: after setting a desired speed, HWiNFO32 constantly overrides the fans to the desired speed (respin). You can change the Respin Period.
- Build 1197 allows to choose any desired fan speed (up-to the controller's limit)

GENERAL UPDATE:
Build 1246 introduces Custom Temperature-based Fan Control. You can define you own Temperature->Fan Lookup Table (4 levels per each fan and choice of source temperature) according to which HWiNFO32 then controls the fans.

How to activate:
1. Download the latest build of HWiNFO32 or HWiNFO64: HWiNFO32 Download or HWiNFO64 Download
2. Run and open Sensors
3. UPDATE: Using Build 1175 and later a new fan icon is displayed on machine supported by fan control. Click this icon to access the Fan Control
4. A new dialog will be opened if you have a supported notebook mode

Set Manual - Switches the fan to the desired speed (slider)
System Auto - Switches the fan to the system default fan control method (BIOS/EC)
Custom Auto - Define your own temperature->fan look-up table to control fans by HWiNFO32 based on actual temperature

download link: HWiNFO64 Download

have fun!!

 

The fan control in the HWINFO program is great, the author is a star, who has single handedly prolonged the life of many systems

However it still has one serious bug that needs to be ironed out before it is perfect. I've been using it for a few weeks now, and the most annoying thing is that it will crash while running (program still stays open). You can't close it either. You'll only know this has occurred because it no longer updates current temps in the table. The crash has two effects for me:

1/ Whatever fan speed it is at when it crashes it stays at that speed. It won't adjust according to temperature in "custom auto" mode.

2/ It causes my system to hang every time I try to shut it down or if the machine goes to sleep, it won't wake up. Essentially I get a black screen, other get BSOD.

The author is aware of this and seems to be working pretty hard to resolve it. He frequents another forum. Once that bug is gone this program will be the bomb

To tell you the truth I'm not sure if it is because the R3's cooling system is not great or the native fan control needs tweaking, or both. But whatever it is the cooling in the R3 for these cards is not optimized.

For example if you look in the Clevo forum, people with a Clevo P170HM (the equivalent of the R3) using a 6990m are reporting approximately 52-54°C at idle (they have better stock paste), but for the R3 I was getting 68-69°C with stock paste at idle. After a repaste I get 62°C. Something is not right with this picture.

 

I agree completely. The fan control/regulation through the EC in the R3 is badly designed, at least for the 6900M Series cards, with resulting high idle temps and even high operating temps when the fans fail to spin up to max RPM's under load. Which is why HWiNFO64 is so important, in spite of a few remaining bugs with the Compal EC.

 

Hi Rev, is there any difference between using the 64bit or 32 bit version of HWINFO? I tried both but it didn't make any difference.

 

I've never been able to tell any difference. I'm also seeing a new issue with the most recent version (3.88-1400) where I'm getting a graphics micro-stutter every few seconds in apps like Furmark and 3dMark06 when HW64 is active. Disappeared in the 3.89-1425 beta, but then I pick up some CPU sensor readout problems there. Left a note for Martin Mumak in his support forum on TechInferno. Maybe we'll get a quick fix.

 

Rev what kind of temps are you getting??? I haven't messed with the fan control thingy yet, since i kinda like it the way it is. i idle around 55-60 but i'm oc'ed and and running dual screens. i bet i can get low 50's if i drop the 2nd monitor. also i;m using the original bottom plate, the one without the extra vent. I have the newer version but don't see a real difference in temps between them.

 

we need to pursue a lower level modification..... the fan control is miserable on the R3. Maybe some genius can figure out the fan values in the bios for teh dGPU.

 

Doesn't Sapphire Trixx let you change fan speed too?

 

The fan GUI in Sapphire Trixx says it is changing the fan speed, but there is no apparent spinning up of the fans. I'm on an R2 though.

You can't really compare an R3's heat sink to that of a Clevo. Have you seen them? They are an all copper design with special indentations for different components. Lots of thermal pads. If Dell would put five more minutes of work into their heat sink designs, we would all see lower temps all around I'll bet.

 

HWiFO32 works well for me. It lowers my CPU idle temps from the low 50's to the low 40's. It did cause some problems before (BSOD and hangs) but the latest beta seems to be very stable so far.

 

If we're just doing basic office tasks, and/or browsing, is there a need to modify fan speeds? How about for gaming? What temps should we be seeking for CPU and GPU? 50s? 40s?