Is this fan noise normal for the FZ?

My Sony FZ11S's fan seems noisy to me and it seems to be on pretty much continually, whirring up and down hypnotically while performing even menial tasks. Here's a sound sample.

I've noticed it comes on as soon as the CPU reaches 99˚F and remains until it returns to 84˚ F. When the computer is idle, this is every 3-4 minutes; when active it is pretty much continual.

It wouldn't really bother me expect that the fan noise is accompanied by that kind of up and down "whistling"/whining noise, kind of like what you hear down the side of your house on a windy day.

Is this a problem or is it normal? If it is a problem, is it a problem the CPU? Could it be dust trapped in the fan causing the whining? Should I contact Sony?

 

This sound has been reported by some other folks. You might want to do a quick search for the details they posted. But, it seems to be sporadic. Some folks have heard it, others with identical machines have never heard it at all.

I have heard it, but only one time. The time I did here it was when the laptop was sitting on a soft surface (a bed) and the bottom vent holes (not the side one) were pretty much blocked. As soon as I lifted it off the bed and put it on a hard surface, the noise abated. What sort of surface is your machine on when you are hearing this? Is it sitting on your lap by any chance?

Gary

 

I havent heard it but I have only had mine a few days.

 

Ok I just listened to it and my compaq v2000 does it like Gary says but while only sitting like on my bed or on my lap when a down blanket is under it.

 

I had my FZ for over a month and use it daily and I have never heard the fan on mine at all, but then I have replaced the cooling paste on the cpu and gpu with Arctic Silver cooling paste and also have a targus cooling plate permanently attached to the bottom of the laptop with double sided tape to keep it from overheating.

 

The fan comes on even when the computer is on a hard surface. I installed speedfan to try and fix it, but it had no effect. I can use Speedfan to monitor the temperature though, and I can see a continual pattern of (1) CPU reaching 99 degrees (2) fan coming on (3) temperature dropping to 84 (4) fan going off (5) temperature quickly rising back to 99 and fan back on again. Even when it's just sat doing nothing on a desk it does this. It's really starting to irritate me now.

 

I too hear this sound in my FZ, but not all the time. But it doesn't bother me. The sound is pretty bearable. I think it's perfectly normal. The sound is much lesser than some other laptops do.

 

did you ever figure out a fix for this? ive had my fz for a couple days now and have the issue.

sitting in bed i've come to realize that by unplugging it solves the issue.

so i figure i can stand the noise when im doing high performance aps like video editing, because the video and music will drown it out.

surfing the net a second ago with it plugged in induced the whine and up and down throttle of the fan. now unplugging it, dimmed my screen for power conservation but also kep the fan at a constent lower speed.

so i figured a work around, however finding an actual fix i wont complain about . =)

 

When sitting in bed make sure you do NOT block the vents on the bottom side of the machine. The ONLY time I ever heard this sound was when they wer blocked by the soft blankets, sheets etc. I have a small piece of MDF (medium density fiberboard with a paper coating on both sides) that is the same size as the laptop. If I place that under the machine it allows for a constant air gap under the machine at all times.

Gary

 

It happens sometimes to mine but at the moment, its pretty much constant. Personally think its normal as it did the same on my previous FZ.

Btw, might as well ask my question here, which programs can I use to control my fan speed. And also, is it wise to change the laptops fan speed manually?

 

Great idea! But the sound comes when placed on a hard surface too. I think that this sound is normal. Every laptop makes that sound (even more in HP laptops).

 

i think the problem here is that while all laptops have similarly operating fans, most of the FZ fans are almost silent while "Trumpeting"'s are not. Maybe this is a defect with the specific FZ model that he has?