Fan is RELENTLESS on my 6400!

Have you measured the GPU temperature while running un-docked? It would be really interesting to see if the fan is running at lower speed at the same GPU temperature when not in the docking station.

Örjan

 

Orjan-

So ive been using my lappy for the past two hours undocked (mind you for the hour before that, my fan would simply not turn off even when sleeping!)

My temps are about the same now as they were when docked:
THM at 48
Quadro ranges from 61-64

However, the fan is running at a much lower and more quiet speed.

This issue is definitively dock related.

Its either a driver/update issue that DELL has to just figure out or, its a heat dissipation issue with the dock where heat is building and the fans go haywire at high temps. Although when I think about it, that doesnt make much sense since the machine is running at virtually identical temps when undocked and the fan is super quiet.

I checked the download center but couldnt find anything for the e-series docks. Have there been a recent driver updates?

Regardless-im calling tomorrow cuz I have to get to the bottom of this already.

 

Just for grins, would a notebook cooler while it is docked help any? Of course, it would have to quieter than the fan when the fan is on LOW

I think the above post is correct, that it IS dock related. But the cooler would rule out a heat dissipation issue when docked if it brought the temps down and the fan was still LOUD. I have a big stake in this as I have both of these items on order and will be using it well over 75% docked, and as my main computer no less. And I MUST have a quiet computer or it goes back. Dave

 

Dave-I am not kidding when I tell you that this fan as been the bane of my existence over the past three months. I spent a small fortune on my setup (loaded 6400, dock with monitor and an additional external monitor) and I never expected this type of problem.
Couple that with all the tweaks and driver updates that ive had to stay on top of by buying a brand new model-and its been endless.
Had I known all of this prior to my purchase, I would have never bought this computer.

 

All my friends think I am wacko becasue I have been a insane fanboy of silent computing since LONG before it was fashionable. So, I will be relentless, saving all box items etc so if it has to go back, it will go RIGHT back and I shall begin the somewhat painful process again.

I recommend Dell to clients as for 99.9% of them, Dell is what they need and want. I thought it would be good for sales if I had Dell laptop as well, and I actually thought the E6400 had been out long enough to shake out the bugs.

I do feel your pain. I am hoping they will come and put a new fan in and all will be good.

 

Contact Dell support. Something is wrong. Most comments on M6400 say it is quiet. I would guess many users have docking stations.

I have high end M6400 on order with two docking stations.

 

Very helpful info. The key feature that I have noticed on my E6400 is that when the fan comes on (I8kFanGUI says 3000rpm) then the fan will stay on for 10 minutes. This is shown clearly on the attached Mobilemeter graph. The vertical lines are every 2 minutes.

It can't be a heat dissipation problem since the sensors are reading the same temperatures inside or outside of the dock. And you should be reading the same sensors as the BIOS.

This looks to be another bit of flawed logic in the BIOS: If computer = docked then minimum fan speed = fast. Someone thought it was a good idea, but it obviously isn't necessary.

It's a bit like crippling the CPU performance when using a 65W PSU. Someone thought it was a good idea but it was technically unjustified. Fortunately, Dell fixed that bug/feature in BIOS A09.

John

 

John-

Ever since I updated with AO9 I actually have been having more fan issues.
Now my fan stays on even after going to sleep or hibernation.
It used to shut off a minute or two after, now it stays on for at least ten minutes after.
My quadro hit 70 yesterday as well; is that normal?

 

I'm sure I noticed the 10 minute rule in one of the early BIOS versions, maybe they eased it for a while and have now put it back.

Was your 70C under any sort of load? If so, fine. It would be interesting to see what 3DMark06 does to the temperatures. I wouldn't be too worried about 80C max. I've read of people with GPUs getting up into the 90s under full load, but that type of temperature definitely helps the nVidia GPUs to an early grave.

BTW, I don't see much evidence of Dell folk on the forum since I bought my E6400, but I hope they are lurking in the background and taking note of all the research we are doing for them.

John

 

I have now reported the problem with the lacking medium fan speed (3600 RPM) when using the docking station. I also wrote that I believe the fans seem to be used more aggressively than needed even in un-docked state.

Örjan