Time is ticking by, so call tech support, and if they do not come up with a solution real fast, ask them to either exchange the notebook or you will ask for a complete return.  Your 21 day return policy period started on the original invoice date ( Date of shippment ), so don't let anyone stall you.  Good luck....

Thanks for the advice... I'll be on the phone in the morning. However, seeing as I'll more than likely be getting a new one or this one fixed, I still think its worth investigating so I can make sure this problem doesn't re-occur.

There are two grills on either side of the keyboard of my inspiron 6000.

Its been on for about 3 hours now. During this time I've been trying to stress the processor and video card so as to make lots of heat.

I can hear (very softly compared to the jets on my old 8200), and feel, a fan working on the left hand side. The right hand side is getting warm, but there isn't any breeze / noise.

If anyone has got a new inspiron 6000, can they confirm whether or not there should be fan working on the right hand side?

Also, is there a Dell utility to measure CPU temp and fan speed control?

Message Edited by hdotnet on 03-01-2005 03:12 PM

I recall reading a recent post of someone complaining that the Inspiron 6000 fans were "always on" and audible.  Don't like that ! -- they should come on as needed.

So maybe it is a fan / heating problem ?

Comments please from folks with new 6000's.

I have the Inspiron 6000, and there are indeed two fans. The one on the left is for the CPU, and constantly runs on slow. There is also one on the right, which runs at a much lower rpm. I cannot confirm whether that is for the X300 video, or is designed to cool the hard drive, which is also in that area.

I've run the i8kfangui utility, and it's able to control the CPU fan, but not the second fan. On low, the processor (1.86GHz Sonoma) sits around the 30C mark, and the HD (Toshiba 5400RPM, 60GB) around the 40C mark. I'm disappointed in the fan noise out overall, as I've seen Centrino laptops at least have no fans running at all until needed.

Somewhat suspiciously, I was watching a DVD through the Dell Media Experience, and about an hour through, the system suddenly went into standby. The fans did not kick in to HIGH before that, so I don't know whether that's a heat issue or a software issue.

Thanks for the reply and information.  I must say that I consider this -- CPU fan running all the time, even at low -- a major limitation. 

I almost always use my computer for tasks that do not tax the processor -- viewing web sites such as this one, with minimal multi-media content ; typing a word document ; listening to music on Windows Media Player or Real One Player -- and the fan on my Inspiron 8100 never comes on when doing these things.  When it does come on at high setting, it makes A LOT of noise and is very irritating, when it is running at low speed it's not as bad but still annoying.

Another question :  How do you find the trackpad on your new I 6000 ; I understand Dell is now using the Alps trackpads ; mine is a Synaptics, which works great, and the Alps ones I've tried seem inferior in terms of their function (ease and precision of use), which I think is the hardware and not their software.

Thanks again for your input, White Tiger.                        Chris

using the I8kfangui program I get a CPU temp of max 42c. I can't remember the exact settings, as the laptop has gone back to Dell now, but I can confirm the left hand fan was on all the time. I was testing by running DVD's and visualisations in itunes...

The right hand fan possibly never kicked in. So this could've been my problem, Dell say they will replace all relevant cooling systems with it. Fingers crossed that should do the trick. However someone mentioned here that the right hand fan remains at low speed, so perhaps I couldn't hear it /feel it over the left hand one.

The design of the air vents with the 6000 concerns me. The vents are on the bottom and the side, so to work effectively I'd imagine the bottom would need an air gap to work as designed. When placed on a desk this would be ok, but it doesn't really make it much a laptop. More of a thigh cooker if you see what I mean.

Re Centrino, I've yet to see one with a fan, but they do get pretty hot. I've had the same problem with ibooks and powerbooks. The quest for quietness isn't always such a good idea, especially when in a hot train/plane/car.

As I know, 6000 has only one cooling fan left upper corner of the keyboard.  It cools both CPU & Graphic Card off.  The spinning object on the right hand side is hard drive, not another fan.  Refer to the service manual for 6000.