Fan "sometimes" doesn't turn on - need tech help, please

Hello,

my Sony Vaio VGN-Z (specs in my signature) sometimes just doesn't turns on the fan and turn off because of overheating. When I turn it on, the fan immediately kick on on max.

It happens for quite a long time, under Vista and W7 as well, using various graphic drivers on both Nvidia and Intel GPU. Originally it was mainly happening when some Flash was on (like YouTube).

If I notice it on time (like the performance starts to be sluggish), I just need to take the nb, move it a bit in the air (turning around etc) and the fan turns on on max.

It didn't happen that often, so I didn't care much, but two day ago it happened many times in a row when I was trying to play some games...everytime when I lunched the game, the fan was running, but after a while just turned off and my notebook turned off due to overheating. Now it's fine again, so I guess the notebook was in "that bad position" again.

So I decided to do something with that. I'm quite sure I lost warranty and I'm fine with opening my notebook, so I'm opened to any suggestions

If I would be sure it's just faulty fan, I would order a new one, but as it's relatively pricey thing ($100 without sending cost), I would like to be sure first.

Does anybody experienced something similar with any notebook and can give me any idea, what could be the problem?

Thank you very much,
eM.


PS:　Please don't move this thread under Sony. I already asked there and it looks like nobody experienced the same thing, that's why I'm asking here people with experiences with other nbs as well.

 

To me , it just sounds like a faulty fan... but to solve ur overheating problem , u might want to try dropping temps by

1. Undervolting your CPU using the undervolting guide...

forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=235824

Since ur P9500 has half multipliers , u need to do the following in the link to make RM clock work... ur max multiplier is actually 9.5X times but RM clock will see it as something more but don't worry...(10x and for me its 16x...)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=411168

2. Get a notebook cooling pad.

3. Apply new thermal paste on CPU and GPU.

4. Get the NVDIA 195.62 drivers and try the following riva tuner tweak...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=456313
all this should solve ur overheating problem... and maybe ur fan problem...

but use windows 7... its way better than vista...

Cheers
Sean473

 

I'm sorry but you are not allowed to cross-post per forum rules. So continue discussion in your other thread as this one is closed.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=6065923#post6065923

If you would like your other thread moved over here, either pm a moderator or report your first post in the thread.

 

Okay you are reopened now.

 

Thank you ma'am

Thank for your answer, but overheating is not the main problem. I did undervolting before (CPUGenie) and I'm planing to change thermal paste soon (it will be very tricky though), but as this is relatively powerful notebook in small package, high temps are quite normal. Even if I undervolt the CPU, Nvidia GPU is idling around 65C and going up to 85-90C while playing. Cooling pad wouldn't help much, as the notebook doesn't have many holes from down anyway.

I can't use random Nvidia drivers, because I'm depending on hybrid functionality with Intel GPU.

Anyway high temps are fine by me as long as the fan can keep it under 100C. The bad thing is that the fan sometimes just doesn't turn on and the strange fact, that it helps if I move the nb. I don't have enough experiences to say if it's some faulty sensor and if so, if this sensor is part of the cooling system....that means if buying a new fan would help me out or not.

 

You mentioned that you move the notebook & the fan then comes on... I think I'm likely not correct, but could it be that the fan's connection to the motherboard is loose or not fully plugged in?

 

Thank you. It was already suggested before and I'll surely look into it next time I'll open my Z. But isn't it a bit odd...most of the connections in this notebook are made in the way, that it works, or it doesn't at all. Also another strange thing is, that it works "most of the time". Anyway with my attempt to change the thermal paste I'll have to completely dissolve the whole notebook, so I'll check all connections...

 

I would say it's reasonable time to bump this thread. Maybe some tech in US who just came to work will read this

So...no other suggestions? No one else experienced the same thing with any other notebook? By now I got badly connected cable or faulty fan. Both possible but just doesn't sound like it, as it doesn't justice its behavior. I guess the only way is to try to order a new fan from Sony. Anybody knows if the parts Sony is selling in US are new or refurbished?

They didn't want to answer me via e-mail and gave me tel. number, but somehow I'm not able to reach that number by international call from Czech rep...