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rangerkeeper
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May 22nd, 2006 00:00
Inspiron 8600 Fan/System Slowdown Problem
Hello-
Thanks in advance for any advice/help.
I have an Inspiron 8600 which I purchased about a year ago. I am runing XP and have not upgraded/ changed the hardware since I ordered the computer from Dell.
My problem is this: after about an hour of working on my computer the fan turns on extremely high and is very loud. When the fan is on the system slows down a ton. I basically can't do anything at all. The internet is extremely slow, accessing files is extremely slow, Office applications are extremely slow. The fan does not shut off, and the speed does not return to normal. The only way to solve this is to restart, which only buys me about another hour or two of work time.
This problem started about a month ago.
To try to fix it I backed up my files and did a system restore (no help) and with a Dell guy on the phone updated my BIOS (again, no help). Also, with the Dell guy I ran hardware tests, according to the tests, the processer fan is working fine but the display fan has failed. But I'm not sure this is the problem, since it seems to be more complicated than just a fan (and the fan seems to be working fine, it is making enough noise!)
Thanks again for any help, this is quite a problem because it makes an otherwise great computer almost unusable!
Reply, or e-mail, or IM me if you have any ideas.
-Ben
IM: RangerKeeper
E-mail: bfree@duke.edu
Thanks in advance for any advice/help.
I have an Inspiron 8600 which I purchased about a year ago. I am runing XP and have not upgraded/ changed the hardware since I ordered the computer from Dell.
My problem is this: after about an hour of working on my computer the fan turns on extremely high and is very loud. When the fan is on the system slows down a ton. I basically can't do anything at all. The internet is extremely slow, accessing files is extremely slow, Office applications are extremely slow. The fan does not shut off, and the speed does not return to normal. The only way to solve this is to restart, which only buys me about another hour or two of work time.
This problem started about a month ago.
To try to fix it I backed up my files and did a system restore (no help) and with a Dell guy on the phone updated my BIOS (again, no help). Also, with the Dell guy I ran hardware tests, according to the tests, the processer fan is working fine but the display fan has failed. But I'm not sure this is the problem, since it seems to be more complicated than just a fan (and the fan seems to be working fine, it is making enough noise!)
Thanks again for any help, this is quite a problem because it makes an otherwise great computer almost unusable!
Reply, or e-mail, or IM me if you have any ideas.
-Ben
IM: RangerKeeper
E-mail: bfree@duke.edu
rangerkeeper
4 Posts
460
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Posted May 22nd, 2006 00:00
Right now my fan is blowing like crazy and the system is going incredibly slow...
According to the system icons in the bottome left corner of my screen FanGUI:
1. fan speed = 5465RPM
2. fan speed = 0 RPM
and
CPU: 38C
HD: 43C
CPU load: 17%
-Ben- To All:
I hope you all have already resolved this problem (all posts seem to be several months old), but, just in case you haven't....
My son's 8600 started having these symptoms a few months ago while he was away at college: after about 30 minutes the fan comes on loud and the the pc comes to a crawl.
First I ran the Dell diagnostics. You can access this by either pressing F12 during boot up and selecting the Diagnostic Boot, or hold down the speaker mute button while pressing the power button. The diagnostics will run several tests then boot into a diagnostic screen. I used the Symptom Tree and selected the Fan tests. Results: Fan 2 (Video Fan) failed (don't remember the exact error code but it might have been 3700:1100B)
I tried the FanGUI program suggested by others. This program will give you temps, cpu speed, fan speed and manual control of the fans. I tried commanding Fan 2 on. It would start then stop.
I searched the Dell Service Manual (which is available on-line on this site) for instructions for locating the video fan. The manual is great - gives step by step instructions on opening up the PC. Be careful here, potential for creating a lot more problems if you are not familiar with electronis.
I was able to access the fan and found a large (1/2" diameter) ball of lint inhibiting the fan. After removing the lint, and re-assembling the pc - all is good again! PC passes all tests and I can control the fan via the FANGUI program.
good luck. - I just posted a message earlier today about the same problem. (See Inspiron 8600 fan issue.) Well now that I found this thread, maybe I'm not nuts afterall! 4 contacts with Dell and 2 times sent in the 8600, and they haven't fixed it yet. This thread is suggesting it may just be a matter of dust? Would it be expecting too much forDell's repair depot to have done this when they had the 8600 either or both times? Is it possible they could have missed a dustball big enough to cause this problem? They've
replacedrepaired memory, video card and the fan, and sent it back to me without fixing the problem ... fan kicking on, performance going south.Where do I get the fangui program?Message Edited by beguz on 08-24-200610:41 AM
rocketboy95125
1 Message
460
0
Posted September 27th, 2006 20:00
Thanks for helping me zero in on the problem. My symptoms were exactly the same, but the cause was a fingernail, rather than a dustball, interfering with the fan. After cleanout, the video card fan tested normal and it's all good.As you said, the Dell manual was good for getting into the video card area (by removing the keyboard); the tip on the Bay Wolf site for popping the bezel from behind by removing the main fan (good to clean that one, too) was also helpful.
rangerkeeper
4 Posts
460
0
Posted May 22nd, 2006 00:00
(Thanks for reminding me, should have posted that initially).
-Ben