Dell Studio 1558 fan not working?

nimrod86

Hey guys,

I got my studio 15 in November 2010, now just over one year later I've noticed the CPU jumping to 100% and slowing right down as well as the fans not making a sound...

I've opened it myself and can't see much wrong with it, but it has been getting very not now for awhile, and I'm wondering could the i5 processor heating up have melted things to bits? I didn't take out the motherboard, only looked at the topside under the keyboard.

Using a program called Core Temp I've seen it go up to and a bit above 100 degree's Celsius...

So anyone have any idea what could cause the fan to just die? and do you think it could be fixed at home or should I send it to someone?

thanks for reading,

nim

kilianmanning

nimrod86 wrote: »

Hey guys,

I got my studio 15 in November 2010, now just over one year later I've noticed the CPU jumping to 100% and slowing right down as well as the fans not making a sound...

I've opened it myself and can't see much wrong with it, but it has been getting very not now for awhile, and I'm wondering could the i5 processor heating up have melted things to bits? I didn't take out the motherboard, only looked at the topside under the keyboard.

Using a program called Core Temp I've seen it go up to and a bit above 100 degree's Celsius...

So anyone have any idea what could cause the fan to just die? and do you think it could be fixed at home or should I send it to someone?

thanks for reading,

nim

Its hardly very badly clogged with dust/fluff is it?Bearing in the fan is probably knackered. If you can open the laptop yourself and fell confident to do it do it yourself. Not a massive job. 100 degree's is too hot. Is this under load? Definitely sounds like your fan isn't functioning at all tbh..

danger_mouse_tm

It can be a frightening thing watching that coretemp going so high. I had a DV6 that could hit 100 and beyond but the i5 was well able for it. So, is the fan coming on at all? AT 100 degrees it should be roaring. It should also give a very quick blast as soon as you press the power button. Here's a question. Have you been using your laptop on your lap? If so, you may have sucked a load of dust and clothes fibres into the fan and caused it to get jammed or even burnt out. I haven't seen a Dell fan burn out yet but I have seen them clogged with fluff to such an extent that they cant move.

Here's what you are up against. If it was a Dell 1525 for example I would say attack it yourself. You just take off the bottom panel and there's the fan. You can then go at it the lazy way and blast it out with a can of compressed air (or bring it to the local topaz and use the air line!) However, You have two problems. Firstly, your laptop doesn't open like that. You have to dig right down and more than likely pull that motherboard out. Secondly, because the fan isn't moving at all, you need to take it out, clean it and probably do the thermal compound on the CPU while you're at it. As a matter of fact, if you are going to the trouble of removing the board, it wouldn't make sense not to redo the whole cooling system. You have a Dell. All the instructions are online http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/studio1558/en/SM/fan.htm

and there's plenty of youtube videos showing you how to do thermal compounding correctly.

What are you saving by doing it yourself? That depends. If you go to a reputable store they should have no problem taking over a hundred euro from you. Problem is, it might not be done right. I have seen the most expensive city centre repair shops leave out screws, pillage memory and hard drives from customers laptops and generally do a rush job because they always have something else to work on. On the other hand, if you find some tech nerd fixing playstations in his bedroom, that's the guy that's going to a great job and take fifty euro from you, plus the cost of getting a fan of ebay (if needed).

kilianmanning

danger_mouse_tm wrote: »

if you find some tech nerd fixing playstations in his bedroom

that bit of your post is a lot of people's description of me:p

nimrod86

danger_mouse_tm wrote: »

It can be a frightening thing watching that coretemp going so high. I had a DV6 that could hit 100 and beyond but the i5 was well able for it. So, is the fan coming on at all? AT 100 degrees it should be roaring. It should also give a very quick blast as soon as you press the power button. Here's a question. Have you been using your laptop on your lap? If so, you may have sucked a load of dust and clothes fibres into the fan and caused it to get jammed or even burnt out. I haven't seen a Dell fan burn out yet but I have seen them clogged with fluff to such an extent that they cant move.

Here's what you are up against. If it was a Dell 1525 for example I would say attack it yourself. You just take off the bottom panel and there's the fan. You can then go at it the lazy way and blast it out with a can of compressed air (or bring it to the local topaz and use the air line!) However, You have two problems. Firstly, your laptop doesn't open like that. You have to dig right down and more than likely pull that motherboard out. Secondly, because the fan isn't moving at all, you need to take it out, clean it and probably do the thermal compound on the CPU while you're at it. As a matter of fact, if you are going to the trouble of removing the board, it wouldn't make sense not to redo the whole cooling system. You have a Dell. All the instructions are online http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/studio1558/en/SM/fan.htm

and there's plenty of youtube videos showing you how to do thermal compounding correctly.

What are you saving by doing it yourself? That depends. If you go to a reputable store they should have no problem taking over a hundred euro from you. Problem is, it might not be done right. I have seen the most expensive city centre repair shops leave out screws, pillage memory and hard drives from customers laptops and generally do a rush job because they always have something else to work on. On the other hand, if you find some tech nerd fixing playstations in his bedroom, that's the guy that's going to a great job and take fifty euro from you, plus the cost of getting a fan of ebay (if needed).

Thanks for the info, no the fan is'nt moving at all

But when I did open it up it didn't seem to bad for dust, now please don't kill me, but it has been left on beds and stuff a fair bit so maybe that might have killed it?

I have a inspiron 1525 at home, It died on me too, the monitor went, but I see what you mean about easy to clean, this ones a pain!

Also, My tech nerd in his room is going to check it out for me tomorrow night and see what he can do... hopefully it just needs a good clean!

thanks for the advice and I'll keep you's updated`:D

nim

Groinshot

danger_mouse_tm wrote: »

If you go to a reputable store they should have no problem taking over a hundred euro from you. Problem is, it might not be done right. I have seen the most expensive city centre repair shops leave out screws, pillage memory and hard drives from customers laptops and generally do a rush job because they always have something else to work on.

Off-Topic, but I work for a reputabe store in a city centre, and I'd rather ring someone and tell them there's going to be a half day delay and spend the time looking for a missing screw than give it back to them without it. Bear in mind, that it's when your tech nerd doesn't fix it, and gives it back to you in pieces, and you pass it on to us, that we usually don't give you back screws.

zenno

disconnect the small fan cable and reconnect it a few times as the connectors could have lint and other junk on them, connect reconnect a few times and see. also take the two or 3 screws out from the fan housing and inspect the plastic flap on the front of the fan as that is usually where you will find a big rectangle block of hardened fluff and all other junk jammed in it as well. if that doesn't make the fan work then you need to purchase a new fan, as the model number and serial should be printed on the underneath of it.

I wouldn't worry too much about it overheating as the cpu has a temp cut-off switch when it does get too hot. also check to see that the fan settings in the graphics card settings are set properly as the driver can malfunction so updating the graphics driver could rule this out.

nimrod86

Hey guys, ment to update this earlier...

Me and my "tech nerd" sat down thursday evening and completely took the laptop apart and cleaned everything. There wasnt much dust in it and everything seemed okay. After fiddling with the fab we couldn't see anything wrong so we put it back together... with no spare screws left over!!! And hey presto, it started up and it worked!!

Our only guess is it stopped in a bad spot/cycle and couldn't get going. But alas, it's back in action and staying cooler than before... Amazing what a clean does! :P

So thanks for all the advice and help, and hopefuly I won't be here again with anymore problems!

Cheers lads,

Nim