When your laptop overheats, it is usually a problem with the fan or an issue with power management.
If a Dell laptop fan is not working, then check the air vents for dust or other items that may be clogging them. The fan may have worn out, have broken blades, or not be mounted securely. Resource-hungry software or a software update can also cause your laptop to overheat.
If you use your laptop while balancing it on your lap or top of a pillow or duvet, the air vents may be covered up. This prevents the hot air from escaping.
It is important not to ignore fan problems as you could damage your laptop. An overheated CPU could fail or damage the motherboard and result in an expensive repair or replacement.
Dell Laptop Fan Not Running/Spinning
If your Dell laptop fan isn’t running, then your laptop will overheat and shut down.
Hopefully, it will do so before any damage is caused to your CPU, motherboard, or any of the other components.
When a Dell laptop fan is not running it is important to find the cause as quickly as possible. Failure to fix the problem will cause damage to your laptop. Check that the fan is turning freely and that no dust or debris is clogging the vents. If the fan is faulty, it can be easily replaced.
You may also find that the BIOS requires a reset.
Some motherboards will send a message to the BIOS to prevent it from trying to send power to the fan. This occurs if the fan has not been working for a while.
To reset the BIOS, press F2 during startup and then select the option to reset to factory defaults.
It is safe to reset the BIOS, as it does not affect the hard drive or your files.
You may find that some hardware will not work if you have installed new components. Or, if the BIOS resets to a factory default version that is older than the one that you are currently using, you may need to update your BIOS.
Dell Laptop Fan Failure/Error
Fan failures are not a common problem, as modern fans are usually very reliable.
However, any fan failure or error is a cause for concern and must be resolved quickly.
If you have a Dell laptop fan failure, then check to see if your laptop is still under warranty. The fan can be replaced under warranty if it is found to be faulty. The fan controller can also fail. Before replacing the fan, check that the BIOS and device drivers have been updated.
You can run a diagnostic test to see if the fan returns any error codes. Dell laptops come with built-in diagnostic tests that you can run to see if anything is wrong with your machine.
To run a diagnostic test, boot your laptop and press F2. Wait for the boot screen to appear and then select the diagnostics option from the menu. Remember that the mouse will not function during the diagnostic test, so you will have to use your arrow and Enter keys to navigate through the menu.
After selecting the diagnostic menu option, you will have a selection of hardware that you can test. Select the processor fan as well as any other hardware you wish to test. Then run the diagnostic test and make a note of any error codes that may come up.
Dell Laptop Fan Pulsing
One of the more irritating fan problems is that of pulsing. This occurs when the fan speeds up and slows down in a never-ending cycle.
If a Dell laptop fan is pulsing, then reinstalling Windows 10 is a workable fix. You will have to wait for 15-30 minutes after the install is completed to allow Windows to install any additional drivers it needs. Check for and install any missing device drivers and the problem should be solved.
To reinstall Windows 10, follow these steps:
- In Windows, click “Start” and then select “Settings”.
- In Settings, select “Update & Security”.
- Then select “Recovery”, followed by “Get started” under “Reset this PC”.
- Select “Keep my files” or “Remove Everything”.
Windows will then reinstall and you will have a clean system installation.
Be very careful that you make the right decision regarding keeping or removing your files, as once the reinstallation has been completed your data will be gone.
Dell Laptop Fan Not Starting
It is quite disconcerting to see a “fan not working” error message on your screen.
However, it may not be too difficult to diagnose the problem and fix it.
Cooling system error messages are commonly caused by cooling fans that have malfunctioned. If you use your laptop for some time and it becomes clogged with dust or other debris, then your fan can stop turning. If the laptop suffers damage from being dropped, then that can also cause the fan to stop.
You may have a corrupted BIOS which causes the fan to stop spinning.
To fix it, disconnect your charger, open the laptop and remove the main battery. Your battery may be an external model, in which case you can remove it before opening up the laptop.
Locate the BIOS battery on the motherboard and remove it carefully. The battery is usually a watch-type battery, but you also find BIOS batteries with leads attached.
Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds. Reinstall the BIOS battery and the main battery and close the laptop.
Finally, connect to the charger and turn on the laptop.
You will have to reset the date and time and allow the battery to fully recharge. The fan will then return to normal service as long as it is not broken.
While the laptop is open, it is a good idea to clean both the fan and the air vents. Removing dust and dirt helps to keep the laptop cool and puts less strain on the fan.
Dell Laptop Fan Keeps Turning On And Off
One of the more annoying problems you’ll experience with laptop fans is that they sometimes turn on and off for hours on end.
Should your Dell laptop fan keep turning on and off, you must clean out the cooling system. Open the laptop and remove any dust and dirt that you find on the fan blades, the heatsink, and the air vents. You can also try reinstalling or updating your device drivers.
You may also find that the bond between your heatsink and the CPU is faulty. To fix it, remove the heatsink and clean both the CPU and the heatsink surfaces.
When everything is clean, apply heat paste to the CPU and attach the heatsink. Using monitoring software, you should see that the CPU temperature will drop to around 50°C (120°F).
Your fan should now only come on when you are using resource-heavy applications.
Dell Laptop Fan Loud When Charging
It is not uncommon for the fan to come on when charging. The higher internal temperatures will cause the fan to operate to remove the hot air.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on May 4, 2022.
Dell laptop fans are loud when charging due to the higher temperatures experienced while charging the battery. This may be caused by dust accumulating in the air vents or on the fan blades. There may also be an out-of-date BIOS version or you may have old device drivers that need an upgrade.
Dell Laptop Fan Making Grinding Noise
Any time you hear odd noises coming from your laptop, it is a cause for concern.
If your Dell laptop fan is making grinding noises, then it is most probably worn out. You may notice that it has accumulated a lot of dust too. Clean and see if that improves the sound. If not, then you must replace the fan to ensure that the cooling system operates efficiently.
Dell Laptop Fan Noise When Docked
Docking stations are a useful addition to improve productivity, but they can sometimes cause problems with your laptop.
Should you hear loud fan noises when your Dell laptop is docked, it is an indication that the dock is hot. If a vent is blocked or the ambient temperature is high, the fans will activate to keep the components cool and prevent damage to your equipment.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on May 4, 2022.
If you work in an environment that is hotter than 35°C (95°F), you should move to a cooler spot. Otherwise, the docking station will shut down automatically.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on May 4, 2022.