The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M17x Fan Noise

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by lewdvig, Jan 23, 2010.

  1. lewdvig

    lewdvig Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,049
    Messages:
    2,319
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    66
    My wife is laughing at me as my M17x has suddenly starting making loud VHS tape rewinding fan noise from the right side GPU.

    Has anyone experienced this? I would guess 60 decibels.
     
    lewdvig, Jan 23, 2010
    #1
  2. cpaqf1

    cpaqf1 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    63
    Messages:
    310
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    turn it off, then turn it on again. should be gone
     
    cpaqf1, Jan 23, 2010
    #2
  3. lewdvig

    lewdvig Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,049
    Messages:
    2,319
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Any idea what causes it? Bearing or bushing wear?
     
    lewdvig, Jan 23, 2010
    #3
  4. cpaqf1

    cpaqf1 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    63
    Messages:
    310
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    no idea sorry
     
    cpaqf1, Jan 23, 2010
    #4
  5. BatBoy

    BatBoy Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,395
    Messages:
    7,964
    Likes Received:
    25
    Trophy Points:
    206
    We must have the same fans (same vendor). I notice that when I angle or pick up the laptop I also have this - left GPU fan on my system. Not causing any thermal issues but its annoying. I just haven't bothered calling for replacement fans. Yes, I'm being lazy about it. ;)

    If you set the laptop flat, sleep it or power down and then power up again, it should clear it.
     
    BatBoy, Jan 23, 2010
    #5
  6. cookinwitdiesel

    cookinwitdiesel Retired Bencher

    Reputations:
    4,365
    Messages:
    11,264
    Likes Received:
    263
    Trophy Points:
    501
    I also experienced this when picking up the laptop

    think it has to do with the fan getting out of balance on the bearing or something. Have to do a restart to get it straight again but no apparent harm done
     
    cookinwitdiesel, Jan 23, 2010
    #6
  7. lewdvig

    lewdvig Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,049
    Messages:
    2,319
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    66

    bingo! that is exactly the behavior on mine
     
    lewdvig, Jan 23, 2010
    #7
  8. Aikimox

    Aikimox Weihenstephaner!

    Reputations:
    5,955
    Messages:
    10,196
    Likes Received:
    91
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Yep, had the same issue and even though it didn't affect the temps I requested a replacement, so the right GPU fan was replaced (4 months ago) and the issue never returned. You might want to replace the fan along with the cards ;)
     
    Aikimox, Jan 23, 2010
    #8
  9. cookinwitdiesel

    cookinwitdiesel Retired Bencher

    Reputations:
    4,365
    Messages:
    11,264
    Likes Received:
    263
    Trophy Points:
    501
    I did notice that I have different brand fans on each side when they were putting in my 4870s
     
    cookinwitdiesel, Jan 23, 2010
    #9
  10. Aikimox

    Aikimox Weihenstephaner!

    Reputations:
    5,955
    Messages:
    10,196
    Likes Received:
    91
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Did they look different or did you see different stickers?
    Mine look identical, though never paid attention to the labels...
     
    Aikimox, Jan 23, 2010
    #10
  11. cookinwitdiesel

    cookinwitdiesel Retired Bencher

    Reputations:
    4,365
    Messages:
    11,264
    Likes Received:
    263
    Trophy Points:
    501
    just different stickers
     
    cookinwitdiesel, Jan 23, 2010
    #11
  12. lewdvig

    lewdvig Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,049
    Messages:
    2,319
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Switching to stealth and back fixes it too
     
    lewdvig, Jan 23, 2010
    #12
  13. woolf2k

    woolf2k Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    darn, mine started doing the same thing recently. Like when you put a warped cd into a cd drive. (no there was no cd in the drive I checked :) )... very loud RRRrrrrr... oh well... guess I gotta get it replaced...this post helped. thanks.
     
    woolf2k, Mar 5, 2010
    #13
  14. Darkreapers

    Darkreapers Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    161
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    my m17x have some clicking sound on the left side of the fan, looks to be the far left one ( smaller one )
    Its very annoying, is there any way to open up the M17x and reposition the fan myself? can anyone link me a video guide or text guide. thx
     
    Darkreapers, Mar 5, 2010
    #14
  15. BatBoy

    BatBoy Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,395
    Messages:
    7,964
    Likes Received:
    25
    Trophy Points:
    206
    The M17xR2 service manual is not up on the Dell Support site. You can use the M17xR1 as a reference. Most of it is the same.

    http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/M17x/

    Have you contacted support yet? I have had 1 GPU fan replaced due to rattling. You may want to contact support so they can have a tech replace it for you on-site.
     
    BatBoy, Mar 5, 2010
    #15
  16. lewdvig

    lewdvig Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,049
    Messages:
    2,319
    Likes Received:
    26
    Trophy Points:
    66
    The new one is AVC brand.

    With 4870 cards the fan replacement was a must - its going all the time.
     
    lewdvig, Mar 5, 2010
    #16
  17. Darkreapers

    Darkreapers Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    161
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    tyvm i will give them a call
     
    Darkreapers, Mar 5, 2010
    #17