N6220 cpu heat/fan cycling issue

Recently noticed fan cycling on my Fuji laptop, 1.86 Pentium M. Speedfan shows "Temp1" which I assume is the CPU cycling between 51-55degC. 2 Hard drives both stable at 45degC. Cycling occurs with laptop mostly at idle (95%), only NOD32 and wireless working in background. Fan seems to be triggered at ~55 every couple minutes, then stops at ~51. Call to Fuji help got me a "take it to repair center"

Interestingly the heat profile/fan cycling doesn't change much under load. This behavior just started today, not noticed during past 3 wks I've had the laptop.

Ideas/suggestions? Would clean restore possibly help?

 

More info...after turning the computer off for over 3hrs, at startup the CPU temp showed 51degC while the hard drives were at 22degC, ambient temp 21degC.

For you guys with N6220s, what is your CPU temp at startup?

I'm beginning to think bad sensor...

 

you might wanna check if you have dust collecting in your vents / heatsink. My temps go up a bit once mine needs a cleanup

Ambient temp also plays an important role, in case you are using it in a warmer place than before.

The sensor is within the CPU's core, that's why I doubt it is a bad sensor!

 

Vents clean, ambient remains at about 20C. At startup this morning, both hard drives at ambient, CPU at 51C. Thats just not right.

 

Which program you use to see temperatures of your Cpu and Gpu on N6220?
And...anyway...I see only one fan exhaust on N6220 compared to Dell 9300 which has plenty. And I keep wonder why...because it's a big laptop. Maybe undervolting can solve this issue...

 

I'm using speedfan. I get 3 readings, 2 identified for each hard drive and a third named "Temp1". I'm assuming this to be the CPU.

Today, CPU actually showed ambient temp (21C) when I booted up this morning, and again this evening. No fan cycling. Hmmmm.....

 

hey waynet i wanted to ask you if your GPU was listed to have 256mb of memory in display properties settings/advanced/adapter.

your x600 should have hypermemory that allows 256mb of memory (128/128shared).

the reason i ask is because with mine it says i have 128mb in the adapter tab, but when i run 3dmark05 it tells me i have a total of 256mb.

hope your temp problem worked itselt out

 

Chip Type: ATI display adapter(0x3150)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400Mhz)
Memory Size: 256 MB
Adapter String: ATI MOBILITY RADEON X600
Bios Information: BK-ATI VER008.036M.005.000

 

i wonder why mine won't display that i'm using 256mb? maybe the GPU bios?

It is possible to flash the bios from another card isn't it?

 

Yes but if the videocard is different ( hardware part) it won't help.

 

Anyway, for CPU temperature Mobilemeter shows higher temperatures (with 15 degrees Celsius) than Speedfan. I believe that mobilemeter reading is more accurate, or maybe speedfan reading (ISA bus?)is not CPU....Anybody's opinion?

 

And there is the confirmation:
Mobilemeter shows the CPU temperature. God knows what Speedfan shows.
I opened both programs. Mobilemeter shows 52 degrees Celsius, Speedfan 36 degrees Celsius ( the other temperature than HDD )
I started Prime 95 benchmark. At the end, Mobilemeter shows 64 degrees Celsius, Speedfan still 36 degrees.After the test ended, Mobilemeter showed temperature dropped till 51-52 degrees again.
Although, I noticed that the temperature showed by Speedfan sometimes is 54 degrees. I will test to see what increases this temperature...maybe I discover its origin.

 

Tataia...thx for your input, appreciated. Just for clarification how do you know Mobilemeter shows the CPU temp?

I decided I couldn't trust the speedfan indicator for the CPU (or whatever it was monitoring on Temp1), tho speedfans temp readings for the 2 hard drives seemed reasonable.

The fan stopped the frequent cycling, but I decided to take my 6220 in to local service center for full checkup anyway. When I get it back I'll install mobilemeter and see how that goes.

Have you been able to determine CPU temps when the fan activates/deactivates? I asked Fuji support about this and they said they didn't know what the specs are.

 

The fan activates when CPU temp, acording to Mobilemeter, reaches 55 degrees and stops when CPU temp is 51 degrees. Very often, in fact . I will try to undervolt it to see if the fan will start rarely.
And I know that is CPU temp in Mobilemeter because it raises when I begeen a CPU stress test.
I wonder what temperature is measured by speedfan on ISA slot.

 

When you say "very often" does your fan cycle even when the computer is idling? or under load?

 

Sometimes even when is idling...but when is idling with wireless and lcd on.

 

aren't the X600's in the N6210 and N6220 identicle?

 

No they arent. I have a N6220-608 with Upgraded 7200RPM and 1GB of Ram +512Mb.

I havent noticed any heat/fan prob's at all. Its on all day too.

 

are you speaking to me when you say no they aren't???? garifox?

why would the hardware of the X600 be different on the N6220? they two computers are identical.

 

and to maybe help you out waynet, if my N6210 has been off for awhile and i startup the CPU temp is at about 45 degree range and then after it is on for awhile will make it's way up to 51 degrees and stay around that area while idling with screen on, etc.

what is abnormal about what is going on with your N6220, you are saying that the fan is turning on and off? or that 51 degrees is too hot?

I use NHC (notebook hardware control for the temps) which is a very nice program btw.

 

circa...per recommendation from Fuji I had a service center check my 6220. They replaced the cpu fan and heatsink. The fan cycling, however, remains unchanged. So just a few minutes ago I had another session with fuji chat. This guy said that fan cycling on this model is not abnormal given "all the desktop components, confined space et al". I went round and round with him but all he could offer was the DMA service which I would have to pay for ($100) if no problems are found.

What a deal.

My fan cycles even when I'm just surfing or as I write this response. Nothing else going on except for some minor cpu time with anti-spyware proggies. Does your 6210 fan cycle while the computer is basically idling, with no real load?

 

I have a 6220 and my fan is cycling too. I already mentioned it. It doesn't bother me too much.

 

yes my fan turns on when it needs too, doesn't at all bother me. not loud at all.

why is this a problem?

 

just not used to it; my previous laptop used the fan only under duress...heavy cpu activity

from you/tataia, sounds like this may not be unusual so I guess I'll just have to get used to it, though the engineer in me would like to better understand the cpu temp vs fan behavior - maybe give that NHC program a try

 

My fan starts when CPU temp exceeds 56 degrees and stops when CPU temp is 51 degrees. Kind of unpleasant. I would preffered to stay ON all the time then to fluctuate like that. I will try to undervolt cpu to see what happens.

 

Does your fan cycle-heat increase, while the cpu is idling?

 

I didn't notice that.
I noticed though when cpu idling, and screen is closed, the fan still cycles. This is not the best thing.
I still don't understand why it has only one cooling opening and Inspiron 9300 has so many.
I talked to a Fujitsu representant in other matters. I asked him if I can replace my wi-fi card with a wi-fi+bluetooth card. NO. And if I can purchase their internal tuner after i bought my laptop. NO. Anyway who needs their tuner?Avermedia will release a dual digital/anolog expresscard tuner very very soon. It will be about 150 dollars. And their tuner is 300, and it's analog.
"Their"...it comes to me that their tuner is an avermedia mini pci which Sager sells for 55 $. Well overpriced this option.
I asked them if the slot for tuner is mini-pci and for videocard is mxm. No answer. He was put into difficulty.
I asked him if I can add a mini-pci bluetooth insted of tuner, if it is a mini-pci slot. No answer.
I asked him if the CPU it is upgradeable. He didin't know.
That was my discussion.

 

you should definitely try NHC, although i think you are a little paranoid, the fan cycles when you start up as the processor is under load, but it takes it awhile to get cool enough for the fan to stop cycling. i think that just having the computer powered on is enough to keep the temp between 51 and 53 or 54, mine usually stays at 51 if it is idle, like right now i am typing this long ass post and it dropped down to 51 again.

i think once it has been on for awhile and you have used it the fan does not cycle at idle, i don't really understand why this is a problem, i honestly wouldn't know if the fan was on unless i stuck my hand by the vent. do you guys sit in dead silence alot?

and tataia i don't think it is unreasonable that a service rep told you that, of course they will say you can't upgrade your computer through Fujitsu unless it is there listed accesories. I am not suprised they didn't know whether tv tuner is mini-pci and gpu mxm. no company has that good of reps.

if you want answers email Ivan at portableone.com he will figure out everything as fast as possible, this guy will always answer your questions very well.

you guys are pretty hard on Fujitsu!!! ^_^ leave them alone and just bother Ivan!! hahaha

 

please tell me you guys are mad because the sound of the fan turning off and on upsets you! hahaha, do you actually notice that? crazy people, crazy crazy people

 

ok didn't read entire page, ^^^^that is what i say, if it really bothers you then just cover your ears and stare at that glorious screen, the screen of screens, the screen is Mother Teresa!, the screen is Elvis!

 

Here is the answer I received mailing Ivan and he forwarded me to somebody who has the answers:

"We can sell you an internal tuner. The cost would be $323. You would be missing the buttons on the laptop that allow direct access to the TV functions. Also you'd be missing the software that comes on a system with the TV tuner pre-installed. The TV tuner is connected to the system with a cable.

The video card is integrated into the system board and is not upgradeable.

CPU is removable, but like Randy said, it would void your warranty."

What buttons on my laptop?

 

if you look at pics of an N6000 series with a tv tuner there are buttons to the left of the wireless switch that control the TV tuner, i think buttons to change channel etc.

why did you buy a laptop and want to upgrade everything in it????????? just enjoy it you crazy guy.

i told you, you would get answers

 

Please post a picture 2 see it with my own eyes.
I already have a 2.13 processor, that's why I asked.

 

here is a pic from tttttada yahoo gallery, his keyboard and HDD install pics.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bostontada/detail?.dir=/bb07&.dnm=bc7f.jpg&.src=ph

just a change channel button and something else. i say if you want a TV tuner just wait for the Expresscard one. kind of seems alot better anyway, why carry arround the little extra weight of the tuner when you will probably never use it on the battery?

what would really rock the house is if Nvidia would make a 7800 go gtx mini-pci or whatever that only worked inplace of the N6000 tv tuner. lets start writing letters to Nvidia.

why do you have another processor? from another notebook?
and if you don't mind if you put that processor in there do some benchmarks.


but is it really worth voiding the warranty? for 300 some megahz???

another thing i wanted to ask you guys, did any of you start getting mad when you thought the little N series lifebook sticker was coming off and then realize it just had a little clear protective sticker over it? that was driving me crazy i kept getting so mad that the sticker come off ^_^ what an idiot i am

 

hahaha, do you actually notice that? crazy people, crazy crazy people; doesn't at all bother me. why is this a problem?

 

I didn't realize it has something protective above it. I just keep wondering why it looks so funny. Thanks for the tip.
About the Cpu replace...I will do it in 10 months when my warranty will expire.
Anyway I am pleased about this laptop. Although cpu could stay much cooler.50 Celsius in idle is much.
I had an Inspiron 9300 for a few days. What can I say...it's lighter but wuxga was killing me. This resolution is an eyes-killer, and believe me, because I work in health. Maybe for a teenager is not, because his eyes are younger, but for a 28-29 guy which never had glasses it was very unpleaseant. That resolution is not proper for a 17" wide laptop screen.
And the reflective colours...Let's be serious, it's a kind of kitch. The only good thing is videocard, but if you are not a gamer...fsssss.
I was asking abot upgrade because I really like it and I hope to use it for long.

 

hahaha, now i don't feel so crazy ^_^.

and yes i am 19 and wuxga+ is way to much for a 17" screen, whenever i saw it it just felt like it should have been on a much larger screen, i could read text fine but it would drive me crazy, don't see the point in wuxga+ on a 17"

i've never seen WSXGA+, that seems like it might be pretty nice but 1440x900 is very very good too. especially when it is a Fujitsu screen.

it seems we learned something from this thread, hallaluah!