Strange noise: Alienware 15

Hi all,

I recently bought an Alienware 15 with i7 and 980m.
I noticed a strange noise before the right fan start to spin (at the beginning I though it was the mechanical hard disk, but then I changed it with an SSD). During the spinning it's all OK.
Yesterday a technician went and changed the fan module, but this noise is still present.
The notebook is running fine, but I would like to know if this noise is normal or not.

 

Me and some other people we have the same noise, i think it's normal..but what did the technician say about this noise?

 

Believe it or not, the technician saw the Alienware 15 model for the first time.
I helped him to dismantle it, because he didn't know how to open it...
By the way, he said at the end that this noise should be "normal", because also the new fan module installed does the same.

 

This is the expected behavior. It's the fan starting.

 

It can't be normal. Mine doesn't make any noise!

 

Can you explain or tell the sound of the noise?

 

This noise
Alienware 15 2015 fan noise:

 

Is the sound the hissing sound throughout the entire video or the sound between 4-5 sec of the video? Or the "Starting sound" of the fan near the end?

All of these sound normal to me...

The first hiss is probably the video camera noise while you were capturing the video

The second sound between 4-5 sec is kind of a normal sound in computers, I heard many of these in many laptops before fans start to kick in. Mine does the same, but it's really... minor. I could only hear this from your video with max volume as well. I mean, the sound intensity comparable to the hiss sound of the video recording!

 

Can't hear much there, bad recording.

However I think I know what might mean. My fan came on for the first time, the air whooshing sound was fine, but the amount of vibration sound is very loud! I can hear it resonating through my table or desk very loudly

 

That's a good description of the noise mine made.

 

Yea my first one made the same noise but my replacement doesn't

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Really disappointed with this, it was the first thing I noticed. Both fans appear identical. The offending fan is on the right-hand side of the unit looking from the front.

I noticed if you pick it up the unit the fan vibration noise isn't so bad, but soon as it sitting on table or desk then resonating is very prominent. I never had any other laptops make such a crude sound like this.

Also I noticed if turn the unit upside down, then fan vibration goes away, then turn it around again, fan vibration comes back.

What a POS, wish didn't order it, now will have to go though the trouble of trying to send it back!

 

Yep, we had the exact same problem. Everything you described was true for me too.

That's why I sent mine back and got a refund.

 

I had two options when calling, replacement or refund. I took the refund, as bit concerned as there are a few people with same/similar fan issues already, is bit more common than I thought. There are likely some people that don't know what it is, and haven't identified it correctly, and are stuck with it. With that put the refund first before replacement.

Pretty sad, as only created a backup of the drive before going to restore to SSD, didn't even make it into windows.

Worse thing was, I had Pro Support on the phone somehow, they were making me run through all the diagnostics. I was telling them, how is your software going to fix a physical problem with one of the fans. I said that would be like trying to repair a scratched LCD panel with a piece of software.

 

I haven't had any fan problems on my desk or anything. They keep mine cool with no issues or vibrations.

 

Full understand that and lucky for you. Most people will not have this issue, would be uncommon. I have one perfect fan and one faulty fan. Entering the diagnostics will spin each fan independently of each other a couple of times, then can really hear the difference between the two. Would a replacement unit be fine, probably yes, is there risk that could have other issues possible yes, is there a risk getting a refund no none at all.

 

The noise is the one of the video posted.
So, I didn't fully understand if it's a normal behaviour or not.
Should I ask for a replacement?
The notebook is one month old.

 

I think there is a misunderstanding. In the video I posted the noise I noticed is the click noise when the fan starts, but it's only for half than a second. (the same noise appears also when you power on your laptop or every other computer with a fan) and after that there is absolutely no vibrating or something like that.

 

Is that "click noise" normal?
I had other computers (laptops as well), an no one did that noise.

 

If I was you, I wouldnt put up with being pushed around. Although a month has been awhile, you maybe over the cooling down period and stuck with it.

 

Yes, Mine also have that click sound. It is quiet and infrequent, but very noticeable in a quiet environment. Can someone advise how to deal with it? It just bothers me a little when thinking it indicates something is wrong.

 

I understood that this "click noise" affect only some laptops and it's related to the fan module, which is composed by two fans and various heatpipes (I saw it when the technician came here to replace it).
To be precise, the right fan is the noisy one (i.e. the VGA cooling fan).
It could be interenting to know which percentage of laptopts is affectred by this problem.
By the way, I organized another visit by a tecnician, to replace (again) the fan module; probably I'll be lucky this time

 

are you talking about the click noise only when the fan starts to rotate, or a noise that persists also when fan is rotating? (as someone said also moving with the hands)

 

Click noise when the fan starts to rotate

 

ok so let us know if the technician will resolve the issue of fan noise

 

has the tech resolved your issue with the fan?

 

I was away for work these days, the technician will come most probably next week

 

Any updates here? I just received my Alienware 15 this week, and I've noticed the click noise on fan startup as well, as in the video posted earlier. Not sure if this is normal.

 

My CPU fan makes another noise (like a trrr) besides the click noise.

It has already been replaced twice, and the click noise has been present on the 3 fans (original and 2 replacements).

Also a few keys from the keyboard stopped working today, isn't it great... sigh

 

Still waiting for the technician to come. Spare parts are not arrived yet.
This time, it seems they are going to replace the fans module and the moterboard, as well.

 

UPDATE:
Technician came today and changed motherboard+fan module.
The noise is still present so I guess it's normal.

 

Huh, I've had two units so far and that have not heard that kind of noise. Very strange.

 

Mine makes the same noise. It sounds like someone using the pump action on a shotgun (obviously not as loud but similar sound. It also reminds me of the noise that a 56k modem makes when connecting. Anyways it does it right before the fan starts. I don't think it's a big deal really. I have 3 kids running around my house screaming all the time so this little noise is rarely ever heard.

 

Ahah exactly is the same noise