Poll: Sony FZ series "ocean wave" fan cycling

A number of early Sony FZ owners mentioned hearing a cycling fan noise in their laptops that was described as sounding like "ocean waves" (continually accelerating and decelerating, throttling or cycling) This was also mentioned in a review.
http://vaio-g.blogspot.com/ (nearly at the bottom of the page)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2077424#post2077424
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2105324#post2105324

However, I have not seen posts about this lately. So, I was wondering if this has been fixed in current models. To reduce the traffic on the FZ owners thread, I am starting this poll.

So, if you received a Sony FZ series laptop in December 2007 or later, please complete the poll, and then create a post saying how you answered the poll and detailing your FZ model number (eg VGNFZ290) and whether it has the Intel X3100 integrated GPU or the 8400M Nvidia discrete GPU.

Thanks for participating.

EDIT: Sorry, the 3rd option should read "It has 'ocean wave' fan cycling AND it IS bothersome."

 

Mine made a low whirl sound and didn't bother me. I hope the new FZ4000 replacement is a quite or quiter.

 

I think you made the third vote option incorrect... Didn't you mean to ask and it IS bothersome?

 

I still have yet to figure out how to stop my fz from whirlwinding when im surfing the internet in bed. I make sure not to cover all the vents and it still starts to make the loud fan noise sound.

In this situation i've come to start up media player and listen to music to wash out the sound.

HERES THE REAL CATCH. im sitting at work right now, chopping up a wedding video. I'm talking some really intense work for the system.... and the laptop is super quiet.

I only hear the sound when im surfing the internet at night in bed, even when not covering the vents.

I honestly dont get it!

 

I had a high pitch noise from my previous FZ which was bothersome. Now the fan cycling noise is not so bothersome. Other notebooks like HP, Lenovo thinkpads make even more fan noise.

 

I could think of two explanations for this, maybe you've rulled them out already but i couldn't tell from your post so here they are.

-our senses sharpen up a bit in the dark or at night, plus there is probably less background noise around you why it seems like you here 'more' thus it seems like you notebook makes more noise. The only way to make sure thats it is getting a DB meter really.

-when you use the notebook in your bed (i do it all the time to before i go to sleep) and it does sit on your bed there's no way to prevent the main vent opening on the bottom from blocking. The rubber feet simply aren't high enough to keep the notebook from 'sinking' in the mattress or blankets a little and blocking the openings on the bottom. You really should put it on a hard and flat surface like a piece of hardboard or something (i use a small service tray that has the same size of the notebook for that myself).

Another thing that does affect the working temperature of computers a lot is the room temperature btw, if it's really warm in your bedroom this would also be of influence.



I didn't fill out the poll btw, i'm still not sure what people mean by 'crashing waves' or 'ocean wave' sound. It might be the language difference, i don't know. I think it's a different noise then a 'high pitch noise' (i do understand that one, lol) though.

My FZ is the quietest notebook i ever owned or tested, that i do know.

 

It means the fan continually accelerating and decelerating, i.e throttling or cycling. It is not a high-pitched noise. See:

http://vaio-g.blogspot.com/ (nearly at the bottom of the page)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2077424#post2077424
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2105324#post2105324

 

Ah, in that case i think i've got it.

As far as i know all Santa Rosa notebook that run on Vista have that kind of fan behavior, so it's not something limited to the the Sony brand or FZ models but an Intel thing. Some fans are louder than others though, witch would make it more noticeable. No real way to get around it i'm afraid, unless you modify the cooling system in some way. The fan and it's casing are relatively easy to remove, but i don't think anyone makes any (quieter) replacements for it. But then again, that still wouldn't change the behavior of the thing.

Some notebooks (at least Asus i believe) have the ability to change the fan speeds manually with some kind of software tool. This way you can set the idle speed a little higher so that it won't turn on as often anymore, but i can't seem to do that with my FZ, anyone else succeeded at that perhaps?

 

If you have a Sony FZ series laptop, please check the first post in this thread and answer the poll as to whether your fan is continually accelerating and decelerating (i.e. cycling, pulsing, throtling) like an "ocean wave."

Please note an error in the third choice in the poll; it should say "it has "ocean wave" fan cycling, AND it IS bothersome"

Thanks

 

i have vaio nr 160e/t and suffering from the same problem.Fan acts like ocean wave sometimes.Other time normaly does its job at stable rpm.i tried rmclock settings described for high whining sounds.it dosen't work.
Any ideas for this situation??

 

I have an FZ340E and I have also been suffering from the same problem. Although it is obviously not noticeable when your in a noisy place or have music playing or whatever (due to the background noise), but you can hear it if you are in a quiet room and is extremely annoying. I thought I was the only one with this problem. But the fact is that it is continuous and not every now and then, which may be considered appropriate. I might give up my FZ for an SZ or another laptop because of this issue. Im assuming this is a Sony only issue..

 

On Linux, fan seems to work continuous - sometimes it kicks in for a while, then it will stay quiet for a while. But it never is a busy "ocean-wave" as mentioned here. I think it was like that on Vista too, although I don't remember well - nowadays, I only use Vista for gamings.

 

I have a FZ230 that I purchased in mid-January. Sometimes when I close the lid and it goes into standby, opening it back up and pressing enter will kick the fan on quickly until it gets me back to the laptop. After a few seconds its back to normal. It's extremely rare for the fan to make any sound on this laptop. I hope it doesn't begin to. If it does, hopefully its not as bad as my old sony laptop. It's sitting in the the other room and I hear it loud and clear.

 

I have the same issue. High-pitch whining noise. It also sounds like it is grinding on to something. When I press the silver metalic top (speaker area) it reduces a bit.
My system is T7250 1GB 8400M 160GB hybrid.