Downgrading E6500 for less fan noise...?

Bought an E6500 a few days ago. Best notebook/PC I've ever had, VERY satisfied overall. My first notebook btw... BUT: the fan-noise drives me nuts. The fan starts after a few minutes when the machine has booted. The fan will start even if I only run simple HTML-webpages etc. Afterwards it never stops but keeps running relatively fast (and noisy).

My current config is:

* P8600(2.40,1066MHz,3MB)
* NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M
* 250GB serial ATA HDD 7200RPM (Free Fall Sensor) (Seagate ST9250421ASG)
* Intel WiFi Link 5300 (802.11 a/b/g/n 3X3) 1/2 MiniCard
* Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth
* Primary 6-cell 54W/HR LI-ION
* 15.4in Wide Screen WXGA+ (1440x900) with LED backlit
* Windows Vista Ultimate to XP Pro SP3 Downgrade SP1 with XP SP3
(Running XP currently on the machine)

Since I don't play games much and generally don't run 3D-software it was maybe a mistake to buy the E6500 with the dedicated NVIDIA-card, but I figured it was a nice feature to have in the future if I needed it.

I've tried various software to reduce the fan noise without much luck. Currently I'm considering returning the E6500 for a downgraded version without the NVIDIA-card, a lower clocked CPU and a slower HDD.

I'm considering:

* P8400(2.26,1066MHz,3MB)
* 250GB serial ATA HDD 5400RPM
* Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD

1) Does anyone for sure know if the fan will run slower or maybe not at all if the E6500 is equiped with the Intel X4500HD instead of the Quadro NVS 160M when I surf webpages etc. and don't run GPU-intense software?

2) Will the fan run slower with a 2.26 GHz P8400 instead of a 2.40 GHz P8600?

3) Will a 5200 RPM HDD generally generate less heat in the system vs. a 7200 RPM HDD? (and hence generate less fan noise?)

4) I would really like to know how the BIOS determines how fast the fan should run? Is it dertermined from the overall system-temperature? The CPU-temp? or the GPU-temp? HDD-temp? Maybe an average of these?

Right now the fan has run relatively fast (docked) for about an hour. According to PC Wizard 2008 the temperatures are:

- ACPI Thermal Zone: 31.5 Celcius
- Core 1: 25 C
- Core 2: 26 C
- GPU: 49 C
- HDD: 38 C
- Processor(s) activity: 1-3%

I have the fan-noise issue whenever the machine is docked or not. I like the E-port Plus very much, a digital S/PDIF-audio out would have been nice though. I hope I can use the E-port Plus with the integrated Intel X4500HD if I decide to downgrade. Dual-view is a must for me.

5) I'm not sure if DELL at all will exchange my E6500 for a downgraded version. Does anyone have experience returning DELLs when asking for a downgrade? My argument is to much noise from the fan to my taste, but I don't think DELL will buy this if there's no problem with the machine, so I probably will have to pay for the return of the first machine as well as freight for the new machine. It's quite expensive here in Denmark. Returns cost about $125 and Dell will pick up the machine, the only way to return here afaik. I have 3 year International Next Business Day On-site Response, but probably of not much use if the machine isn't broken or don't need repair.

I nice side-effect from downgrading to a slower system though, will be longer battery-life, but my ultimate goal is less noise.

BTW: I think the supplied 7200 RPM 2.5" Seagate is a bit noisy as well, I'm considering a Western Digital Scorpion instead. My desktop PC has a WD (which is very silent) which was also exchanged from an quite noisy Seagate.

BTW2: I've experienced a strange issue with the fan as well, everytime the HDD seeks I can hear the airflow-pitch change from the fan. It's an annoying "unstable" sound! It's easy to hear within the couple of minutes after boot, when the fan runs relatively slowly before it starts to run faster.

Thanks for any help!

 

First off, your temperatures are very, very low. Double check them with HWMonitor too.

Downgrading the hard drive will reduce some heat, but not enough to be noticeable. It could be that it is not securely mounted too. The WD drives are a bit quieter, but will cost $100 more. Having a dedicated GPU will assist you when you resell the laptop, so I would keep your config. Your CPU temp will not drop much, if any, from downgrading. If the fan is that much of an issue, try using a fan utility (the name for the Dell version escapes me, but a quick search will yield you it) or another notebook control program to tweak the fan setting to turn on at a hotter temp. The downside is that the temps will get a bit hotter, but the components do have fairly high thresholds. Check to make sure you are running the latest BIOS, as this could fix the issue as well.

Finally, it could be you have a faulty fan unit. Call Dell to see what they can do.

 

Thanks, generald.

I've just downloaded HWMonitor. The temperatures are still very low, except for the GPU-temp which has risen to 55 degrees celcius.

I've tried the I8kfanGUI version 3.1 (16. Februray 200) I think you refer to, but it doesn't seem to work proplerly on a E6500. When I use it, I'm only able to slow the fan or turn it off for a very short time, it seems that the BIOS takes over and still try to control the fan. Hence the fan turns on and off rapidly. When I do nothing the fan runs at about 2700 rpm according to I8Kfan. I'm able to speed the fan up to about 4800 rpm via "Force fans to high speed".

According to I8KfanGUI the GPU is 44 degrees celcius vs. 55 C in HWMonitor.

Haven't been able to find other tools to control the fan. I'm running the latest BIOS afaik.

Calling Dell for a new fan unit might be a good idea, at least I can try this before returning the notebook. I'm very satisfied with the notebook except for the fan-noise.

Still I would like to know if it's normal for the fan to spin up after a few minutes with a NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M in an E6500 and no heavy CPU or GPU load. Maybe this is normal?

 

The latest BIOS is A09. See the thread about the A09 BIOS. You may find that an older BIOS works better with the nVidia GPU. Dell are probably keeping that GPU very cool in order to reduce the risk of failure due to thermal cycling (a characteristic of the nVidia GPUs that is well-discuseed elsewhere).

Is your fan activity both when docked and undocked. I recall discussion about the fan always being fast when in the dock.

My E6400 (P8600, Intel GPU and (now) WD5000BEVT and no dock) always stays cool and quiet, even when under load. I was observing the temperatures yesterday and when the fan does come on (at temperature around mid 40s C), it stays on for 10 minutes. Full CPU load does not put the fan into fast mode, but I recall that full CPU + full GPU load (eg 3DMark06) does.

John

 

Hi John,

I've now tried A09 A06, A05, A03 and A02. Wasn't able to find A08 and 07 for download. The fan activity seems to to be the same with all the BIOS I've tested.

The fan activity seems equal both when docked and undocked.

Actually I'm considering downgrading to the E6400 you have, since the E6500 isn't very handy when undocked. If I go for the Intel GPU I'm a bit curious about the driver software. Can I controll dual-view, multiple desktops, gamma etc. as good as with the NVIDIA-software? Some screen-shots with the Intel software would be nice!

Thanks so far.

 

Downgrading to a slower processor will not change the heat output. Both procs are 25-35w (forget which) and will produce the same heat since they are on 45nm process. You MAY experience a 1-2c drop, but it's not worth it.

My Vostro 1510 idles at 55c on the CPU (older T5670) and the GPU at 57-60.

Even at these temperatures, everything is running safely.

And yes, my fan comes on every minute or so to drop the temps 3-5c before it turns of and repeats the cycle. That's just how this generation of Dell's is made...

 

Thanks for the clarifications.

What does Task manager show as the CPU utilisation when you are on idle? (should be less than 10% and preferably nearer 5%). My P8600 spends most of its life cruising along at 800MHz, 0.925V (select mobile CPU on the advance settings page to make sure you read the right voltages).

Also, run RMClock in monitoring mode to see the CPU speed and voltages.

See this thread about the E6400 with Intel graphics dual external displays.

The P series are 25W maximum and the T series are 35W maximum. However, the Intel data sheet shows that the P series has lower power requirements in all the operating and sleep modes so the idle power (and heat) is less. There can be a power consumption difference between cores - one core of my P8600 is about 5C hotter than the other even when on idle.

John

 

Hi John,

Sorry for the late reply.

My P8600@E6500 on idle:

1) CPU utilisation is between 1-11%. Mostly around 3-5%.
2) Also crusing along 800MHZ at 0.9000V
3) CPU-speed: ~2394

Current temperatures on idle:

ACPI Thermal Zone: 33.5C
Core #1: 28C
Core #2: 28C
GPU: 51C
HDD: 39C

According to PC Wizard 2008.

The fan has been on for about two hours now and never stops, it doesn't run full speed though, maybe around 3000 rpm. But I can cleary hear it, much loader than my desktop-fan, which is bigger and runs at lower rpm.

 

Now that doesn't sound right.

Maybe you should have Dell check that out.

 

Thanks for the temps. The GPU is the hottest component. Everything else looks fine with the HDD temp where I would expect. In fact the CPU is cold because the fan is continuously running.

I wonder if the heat sink isn't properly connected to the GPU. If this happens the temperature will be enough to make the fan run (but it should still be only on slow speed at that temperature) but the heat doesn't get sucked away from the GPU. or maybe there was short burst of GPU activity which put the temperature high enough to trigger the fan to run fast, but the temperature then doesn't drop far enough to cause the fan to go slower.

You can check the fan speed using I8kfanGUI. Also HWmonitor keeps a record of the maximum temperature during a session so, if you can start both of those soon enough when the computer is hold then you may be able to see what is happening.

John