Fan speed goes very high when notebook sits idle

Hi alｌ,

I am facing an annoying problem with my Panasonic CF-S9 notebook and I am reporting the problem with the hope that someone help me out.

This started several weeks ago and I don't remember how and why but the fan spins very high and the temperature reaches around 100 degree Celsius while no process is running on the foreground. This continues till I do something or the notebook shuts down on high CPU temperature. Just when I open the task manager to catch the culprit, the problem disappear so it is not clear which process was running in the background. However, the high CPU usage is evident from the graphs. Before some of you blame malwares or Windows for the problem, I should add that even before booting ( when I enter boot setup), the problem rises. This seems to be a hardware problem.

Now I somehow get on with the persistent problem by leaving the task manager open all the time but I am looking for a real solution.

Your help is highly appreciated.

Thanks.

Hassan

 

run a couple different virus scans,,,

 

Did you install any new program since it started. If you remember the approximate date it started happening, it should be fairly easy to see within the time spawn if anything was installed using Programs and Features and looking at the dates.

Do you use ANY utility/tool like a cleaner/PC optimizer? ANYthing? What is your antivirus? Are you sure you only have ONE antivirus running?

Did you install willingly or inadvertently any kind of toolbar or downloaders or such crap on your browser? If you're using another browser than Internet Explorer, then make sure to also open IE and check if any kind of toolbar/downloader was installed.

Go into Event Viewer, and check it you had warnings or critical failures anywhere, using a couple of dates/times you're SURE the problem happened, and crosschecking if any of the warnings/critical failures happened at the same time.

Just to be sure, go into CMD as admin and type in ''powercfg -energy'' without the quotes. The system will monitor itself for 60 seconds before creating a report you'll find following the path listed in CMD when the task will be done. Go there, cut/paste the energy-report.html file on your desktop, and double click it to open in your browser. Check out each section carefully searching for warnings about CPU/GPU/system power config.

Now, about the problem's specifics... When you say no process in the foreground, does that mean that you can't see no activity on the CPU or graphics neither? Or does one or both of them start to show crazy loads? Do you have an application to monitor load and core voltage of both components? CPU-Z and GPU-Z will do it. You should have them running with Windows at all times so when it happens you can readily check out if one or both components are showing insane loads or voltage rises. That of course means you should also monitor to see what voltages your system is usually running when idling and performing heavy tasks over both components.

If there's no load to see, or no voltage rises, flash the BIOS and continue monitoring. If there's anything going on with the CPU, try searching for a newer chipset driver. If anything's going on with the GPU, same things with the drivers.

If all this fails/doesn't show anything suspicious, you have a very serious hardware problem. But before throwing the system to the trash I would as a last resort do a totally clean install of Windows 7. Just find an ISO to download that fits your version if you don't have the media. Then, if you do not have the activation key for your OS, use Belarc Advisor tool to fetch your system's specifics; somewhere by the end of the report you will see your actual windows version, with your activation key to the right. Be sure to note it on a paper, and also save it on a thumbdrive. Enter it when Windows Installer prompts you to; if the system still shows that it is not Activated after installation (Start - right click on ''Computer" - "Properties" - check at the bottom of the window that will open) then call Microsoft with your key and computer ready to have them activate it for you.

 

can you easily remove the hard drive and or optical drive? If so, pull them and boot to bios and see what happens. Is it possible the fan is running the same speed as always, but the bearings are going bad, so it makes more noise?

 

Run several virus scans like others said, sounds like you got a bitcoin mining virus/trojan on board.
Other than that try a different hard disk with a clean install of windows. That is a time consuming solution.

 

Thanks all and thank you ModRQC for the detailed reply.

Before I do anything, I would like to ask a basic question.

Well, I started noticing the problem after a friend complained of high fan speed on his own laptop and by then we had exchanged dozens of emails and documents. At first, I thought my laptop was infected with the same virus as his. But when I enter boot setup, the fan starts speeding up too and the exit air gets hot although I can not find any field in the setup to read the CPU temperature . Given that in the setup stage, there is no load on CPUs, I think the high fan speed is the same problem as I face after Windows starts. If that's the case, I think the problem is not due to any software or virus. Am I wrong?

Another hint. When I am in Windows and the fan speed just is high, immediately after I open Task Manager, the problem disappears but from the graphs I can see that all 4 cores ( of 2 CPUs) were 100% busy just before opening Task Manager . What kind of malware or even driver can make all cores 100% busy almost instantly?

 

there is no power-saving during boot-up/bios, the CPU runs full-throttle (@max frequency), so it should be normal to have the fan spin higher and the vented air to be hotter.

also, I can give a perfectly legitimate scenario, where, when idle, the laptop starts doing intensive CPU work: Bitdefender Antivirus is configured by default to do auto scans only when the system is idle.

however, it shouldn't use ALL the available cores at 100%.
More than that, your S9 shouldn't go into thermal protection shutdown, even when using all cores at 100% - you may have a cooling system issue: dirt/dust on radiator fins, partially blocked intake/out vents, failing fan, improper thermal pads contact.

 

I understand your thoughts that it's not a virus,BUT, Virus software is FREE. You can download several different packages and run each of them in one evening. It's just an easy place to start and eliminate one possibility. Then proceed forward with cooling system maintenance.

Buy the program called "the ultimate troubleshooter" It will show you EVERY service and process that is running. Task manager does not show everything.

THE ULTIMATE TROUBLESHOOTER

 

I agree with Gear6 that it is a cooling system issue. If the unit has very few hours on it, then there was probably a thermal pad installed incorrect. If the unit has lots of hours, then the fan/heatsink is plugged with dust and/or the thermal pad needs to be changed out. Pop the unit open and check it out.

 

from the wilds of the internets...

 

Nice pics! Did you get your search engine ninja training in North America, or did you have to go to Asia for it? Didn't happen to find a service manual with those pictures, did ya?

Now I have a better idea how my S10...no..not the Chevy...comes apart. Thank Shawn.

 

Thank you very much Shawn,

Fortunately there was no need to check the cooling system. You saved my soul by recommending "The Ultimate Troubleshooter";

Using The Ultimate Troubleshooter, I fond the trouble making process and simply threw it into the recycle bin and everything seems fine so far!
Unprofessional? ! It was a program called cpu.exe in "...\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\ApplicationManager\cpu'" folder. Even if not a virus, I don't think I will one day miss the process.

I would like to hear you comments on the process and the its removal.

Thanks.

 

Check this out www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/Microsoft_CPU_Over_Heat_Manager-22044.html

Looks like a virus to me

 

I have never personally used that troubleshooter, I have always used process explorer. It's free and even shows you what folder the processes are in.

 

It does a lot more than just show the processes. Try it sometime. I think you'll like it.

 

I was out the door to work when I posted that, off for lunch brake right now. I will check it out when I get off work tonight.