cleaning up dust inside Dell inspiron 1100

[s]

My computer is three years old and recently has been making too much
fan noise. I suspect dust has accumulated inside the processor,hard
disk and other parts which might be causing this. There is no software
issue. I am running XP Pro with SP2 on a 2.2GHz with 512M RAM.

Can anybody advise how to proceed for cleaning this model?

I have not opened a laptop before and the tool kit I got from Staples
cannot open all screws.
I have tinkered quite a bit with desktop CPU's before.

Thanks a lot.

 

[kony]

My computer is three years old and recently has been making too much
fan noise. I suspect dust has accumulated inside the processor,hard
disk and other parts which might be causing this.

It is likely there is a little (or maybe even a lot) dust
that could, even should be cleaned out at this point. It is
not likely to be causing the fan noise unless by noise you
only mean that the dust buildup had resulted in higher temps
and so the fans were kicked up to a higher RPM to
compensate.

More often, the fan is just wearing out and needs replaced.
Could be either, or a little of both.

There is no software
issue. I am running XP Pro with SP2 on a 2.2GHz with 512M RAM.

Can anybody advise how to proceed for cleaning this model?

Depends on what's in it. You could try turning it sideways
and taking a soft bristled brush (like a paint brush) to get
any loose debris out of the keyboard, or in worst case take
the whole keyboard out but I'd not bother so long as it's
still working.

Open up whatever panel is necessary to gain access to fan(s)
and clean 'em with small art paintbrush. Avoid compressed
air if possible, it can damage tiny fan bearings or at a
minimum, stress them more than a gentler cleaning method.

I have not opened a laptop before and the tool kit I got from Staples
cannot open all screws.
I have tinkered quite a bit with desktop CPU's before.

Get the right sized, high quality screwdriver. Some laptop
screws have threadlock on the threads and need a fair bit of
torque to break them loose, you don't want to risk stripping
the screw heads with the wrong screwdriver for the job.

 

[s]

Thanks Kony,

It is likely there is a little (or maybe even a lot) dust
that could, even should be cleaned out at this point. It is
not likely to be causing the fan noise unless by noise you
only mean that the dust buildup had resulted in higher temps
and so the fans were kicked up to a higher RPM to
compensate.

Yes, by noise I meant that the dust buildup had resulted in higher
temps
and so the fans were kicked up to a higher RPM to
compensate.

More often, the fan is just wearing out and needs replaced.
Could be either, or a little of both.

How do I know the fan has worn out? Also, if so where can I get a
replacement fan which will work with my model at an affordable price?
Are the ones which retailers like newegg.com and Tigerdirect.com good
or should I check other sites?

Dell support is clueless and does not want to help me as I am out of
warranty.

Depends on what's in it. You could try turning it sideways
and taking a soft bristled brush (like a paint brush) to get
any loose debris out of the keyboard, or in worst case take
the whole keyboard out but I'd not bother so long as it's
still working.

Open up whatever panel is necessary to gain access to fan(s)
and clean 'em with small art paintbrush. Avoid compressed
air if possible, it can damage tiny fan bearings or at a
minimum, stress them more than a gentler cleaning method.

I turned it upside down,unscrewed all screws except two but still
cannot cannot open any parts(hard disk,processor,RAM)? I am not clear
if I am doing something incorrect or overlooking something.

Get the right sized, high quality screwdriver. Some laptop
screws have threadlock on the threads and need a fair bit of
torque to break them loose, you don't want to risk stripping
the screw heads with the wrong screwdriver for the job

Walmart, CircuitCity do not have one the right sized, high quality
screwdriver and the kit I got from Staples does not have it. Any
suggestions on which stores generally have such the right sized
screwdrivers?

Thanks a lot. I appreciate your help and time.

 

[Rod Speed]

Thanks Kony,


Yes, by noise I meant that the dust buildup had resulted in higher
temps
and so the fans were kicked up to a higher RPM to
compensate.


How do I know the fan has worn out? Also, if so where can I get a
replacement fan which will work with my model at an affordable price?
Are the ones which retailers like newegg.com and Tigerdirect.com good
or should I check other sites?

Dell support is clueless and does not want to help me as I am out of
warranty.


I turned it upside down,unscrewed all screws except two but still
cannot cannot open any parts(hard disk,processor,RAM)? I am
not clear if I am doing something incorrect or overlooking something.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/index.htm

Walmart, CircuitCity do not have one the right sized, high quality screwdriver

Thats unlikely given
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/beginb.htm#1084976

and the kit I got from Staples does not have it.

That too.

Any suggestions on which stores generally
have such the right sized screwdrivers?

Any decent one should have what is listed in
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/beginb.htm#1084976

 

[s]

Thanks Rod,

Thats unlikely given
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/beginb.htm#1084976

I called Walmart, CircuitCity and both stores said they did not have
it. Could be possible that the store associate did not check properly.

That too.

I went and purchased the only type of tool kit available at my local
staples store but the screwdriver in that toolkit could not open two
screws. Maybe the screws are jammed or too small. Or maybe my local
staples store does not have that kind of screwdriver in its toolkit.

Any decent one should have what is listed in
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/beginb.htm#1084976

It should have but it seems I am having issues getting it.

Thanks a lot for your time and help.

 

[Rod Speed]

Thanks Rod,

I called Walmart, CircuitCity and both stores said they did not have it.

Didnt have what ?

Could be possible that the store associate did not check properly.

Or you asked in a way that confused them.

I went and purchased the only type of tool kit available at my
local staples store but the screwdriver in that toolkit could not
open two screws. Maybe the screws are jammed or too small.

Or maybe those two screws have thread lock on them.

Or maybe my local staples store does not have that kind of screwdriver in its toolkit.

Impossible given how common those two screws are.

It should have but it seems I am having issues getting it.

I doubt it. The #1 philips is very common indeed, the
¼-inch flat-blade screwdriver in spades. The hex nuts too.

Thanks a lot for your time and help.

No problem, thats what these technical newsgroups are for.

 

[kony]

Yes, by noise I meant that the dust buildup had resulted in higher
temps
and so the fans were kicked up to a higher RPM to
compensate.

We can ignore the possiblity of the fan failing then, until
after you have cleaned out the dust.

How do I know the fan has worn out? Also, if so where can I get a
replacement fan which will work with my model at an affordable price?
Are the ones which retailers like newegg.com and Tigerdirect.com good
or should I check other sites?

Worn out fan will be louder at max speed (under high load)
than it used to be, and the sound can be a rattling or
different pitch.

Dell support is clueless and does not want to help me as I am out of
warranty.

If you needed a fan, Dell would be the first place to look
though they might charge more. Wait on checking around for
fans until you'd cleaned it.

I turned it upside down,unscrewed all screws except two but still
cannot cannot open any parts(hard disk,processor,RAM)? I am not clear
if I am doing something incorrect or overlooking something.

I'm not familiar with that model, on some you have to take
the keyboard out, others a bottom panel, if it's really
small maybe take the whole half shell off but I doubt it.

Walmart, CircuitCity do not have one the right sized, high quality
screwdriver and the kit I got from Staples does not have it. Any
suggestions on which stores generally have such the right sized
screwdrivers?

I don't know what you have locally but I'd look more towards
a hardware store, perhaps you have a Sears nearby? Are they
phillips screws? The page Rod linked lists a #1 phillips
which is typical. To get more torque and downward force I
advise not using one of the small all chromed jeweler's
screwdrivers, rather one longer and with a larger plastic
handle (larger than the chrome ones, it need not be a large
handle relative to a larger # screwdriver. I mean _NOT_
this type,
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Hand+Tools,+General+Purpose&pid=00930448000
but if you were careful, applied enough downward force, a
set like that "could" still do the job.

Here's a whole set, handy if you'll do a lot more small jobs
but a bit expensive until you consider that tools are a
lifetime investment.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Hand+Tools,+General+Purpose&pid=00941711000
That set (or what it replaced) used to be higher quality, a
good miniature screwdriver will tend to have a ground black
tip that's a separate piece from the shaft... but if you're
only doing the one job maybe you don't need to be that
picky, but at least look in a hardware type store rather
than office supply or general goods (walmart and circuitcity
are not places so likely to have decent screwdrivers).

 

[s]

Thanks folks,

I finally managed to open it. It seems my laptop screws had a
threadlock on the threads and needed a fair bit of torque to break them
loose. Intially, I was not putting proper pressure lest I may break
anything due to excess force.

I removed the keyboard panel. There was a lot of dust beneath the
keyboard and in the CPU fan which I cleaned. I also opened and cleaned
the RAM panel. But, still the noise is persistent. Could it mean that
harddisk fan or some other component's fan could be the reason?

Dell support today was saying I may need to upgrade my RAM from 512M to
1G as 512M is too less for Win XP Pro. Hence, my system is getting
overwhelmed and fans are working too much. When I talked to their
support before two years I was informed my motherboard cannot support
more than 512M. I am unclear what is the issue? My Motherboard
Chipset is Intel Brookdale-G i845GL and model name of machine is Dell
Inspiron 1100. I was running Win 2k Pro before a few weeks but the fan
noise was still there.

Some additional info about my model which I got using Everest from
http://www.lavalys.com/
Because I got the trial version of Everest it is saying TRIAL VERSION
in some places and not providing complete information about a specific
component.

Field Value
Motherboard Properties
Motherboard ID <DMI>
Motherboard Name Dell Inspiron 1100

Front Side Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel GTL+
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 100 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 400 MHz
Bandwidth 3200 MB/s

Memory Bus Properties
Bus Type DDR SDRAM
Bus Width 64-bit
DRAM:FSB Ratio 4:3
Real Clock 133 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth [ TRIAL VERSION ] MB/s

Chipset Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel Hub Interface
Bus Width 8-bit
Real Clock 67 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 267 MB/s

Motherboard Manufacturer
Company Name Dell Computer Corporation
Product Information http://www.dell.com
BIOS Download http://support.dell.com

Some CPU info

Field Value
CPU Properties
CPU Type Intel Pentium 4, 2200 MHz (22 x 100)
CPU Alias Northwood
CPU Stepping D1
Instruction Set x86, MMX, SSE, SSE2
Original Clock [ TRIAL VERSION ]
Min / Max CPU Multiplier 22x / 22x
Engineering Sample No
L1 Trace Cache 12K Instructions
L1 Data Cache [ TRIAL VERSION ]
L2 Cache 512 KB (On-Die, ECC, ATC, Full-Speed)

CPU Physical Info
Package Type 478 Pin uPGA
Package Size 3.50 cm x 3.50 cm
Transistors [ TRIAL VERSION ] million
Process Technology 6M, 0.13 um, CMOS, Cu, Low-K
Die Size [ TRIAL VERSION ] mm2
Core Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
I/O Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
Typical Power 38.7 - 89.0 W (depending on clock speed)
Maximum Power 49 - 109 W (depending on clock speed)

CPU Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/processor

CPU Utilization
CPU #1 1 %


The BIOS section note confuses me. I am unclear if it is due to the
fact that I have not updated my BIOS since I purchased it.

Field Value
BIOS Properties
BIOS Type Phoenix
System BIOS Date 08/19/03
Video BIOS Date 05/02/03

BIOS Manufacturer
Company Name Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Product Information http://www.phoenix.com/en/products/default.htm
BIOS Upgrades http://www.esupport.com/biosagent/index.cfm?refererid=40

Problems & Suggestions
Suggestion Are you looking for a BIOS Upgrade? Contact eSupport Today!
Suggestion System BIOS is more than 2 years old. Update it if
necessary.
Suggestion Video BIOS is more than 2 years old. Update it if necessary.


My chipset info

Field Value
North Bridge Properties
North Bridge Intel Brookdale-G i845GL
Supported FSB Speeds FSB400
Supported Memory Types PC100 SDRAM, PC133 SDRAM, DDR-200 SDRAM, DDR-266
SDRAM
Revision 03
Package Type 760 Pin FC-BGA
Package Size 3.75 cm x 3.75 cm
Core Voltage 1.5 V
In-Order Queue Depth 12

Memory Timings
CAS Latency (CL) 2.5T
RAS To CAS Delay (tRCD) 3T
RAS Precharge (tRP) 3T
RAS Active Time (tRAS) 6T
Refresh Period (tREF) 7.8 us
DRAM Idle Timer 16T

Error Correction
ECC Not Supported
ChipKill ECC Not Supported
RAID Not Supported
ECC Scrubbing Not Supported

Memory Slots
DRAM Slot #1 256 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #2 256 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)

Integrated Graphics Controller
Graphics Controller Type Intel Extreme Graphics
Graphics Controller Status Enabled
Shared Memory Size 1 MB

Chipset Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets
Driver Download http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets
Driver Update http://driveragent.com?ref=59

I apologize for the long post but I am not clear what is the reason my
system is making too much fan noise suddenly. So, I thought providing
all details could help in finding out the issue.

Thanks a lot.

 

[kony]

Thanks folks,

I finally managed to open it. It seems my laptop screws had a
threadlock on the threads and needed a fair bit of torque to break them
loose. Intially, I was not putting proper pressure lest I may break
anything due to excess force.

I removed the keyboard panel. There was a lot of dust beneath the
keyboard and in the CPU fan which I cleaned. I also opened and cleaned
the RAM panel. But, still the noise is persistent. Could it mean that
harddisk fan or some other component's fan could be the reason?

Hard drive does not have a fan, the most likely source of
the noise is the main CPU fan, or a secondary fan if so
equipped.

Dell support today was saying I may need to upgrade my RAM from 512M to
1G as 512M is too less for Win XP Pro. Hence, my system is getting
overwhelmed and fans are working too much.

Unless you had detailed exactly what you're running and had
given them the figures your system reports as amount of
memory used, their suggestion was arbitrary at best. It is
certainly possible that more memory would be of benefit, but
it would not reduce the heat produced by the CPU, which is
the primary cause of fan RPM increase that ultimately
results in fan wearing out faster- but at this point the
issue is irrelevant, the first thing to tackle is the fan.
If you had previously felt the system needed more memory
that would be a better justification to add some, not
because of a fan noise.

Also remember that Dell is looking to SELL you something,
because of their high profit margins. If you were to buy
memory some day, it will cost less from a 3rd party instead
of Dell.

When I talked to their
support before two years I was informed my motherboard cannot support
more than 512M. I am unclear what is the issue? My Motherboard
Chipset is Intel Brookdale-G i845GL and model name of machine is Dell
Inspiron 1100. I was running Win 2k Pro before a few weeks but the fan
noise was still there.

Check your system manual, I'd expect it at least supports
1GB as 2 x 512MB modules, if not more... but I don't have
that laptop, you will have to research it youself... and
check the Dell website for further info.

Some additional info about my model which I got using Everest from
http://www.lavalys.com/
Because I got the trial version of Everest it is saying TRIAL VERSION
in some places and not providing complete information about a specific
component.

Memory Slots
DRAM Slot #1 256 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #2 256 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)

Integrated Graphics Controller
Graphics Controller Type Intel Extreme Graphics
Graphics Controller Status Enabled
Shared Memory Size 1 MB

Chipset Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets
Driver Download http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets
Driver Update http://driveragent.com?ref=59

I apologize for the long post but I am not clear what is the reason my
system is making too much fan noise suddenly. So, I thought providing
all details could help in finding out the issue.

Above suggests it does have two memory slots but this is
easy enough for you to see for yourself, sometimes programs
like Everest or Sisoft Sandra can report things not actually
present in a system because it is only what is technically
possible, whether supported physically on a board or not.

If you feel your system is making a lot more noise even when
supposedly idle, check Event Viewer for new things running
the background as there might be something accounting for
higher CPU utilization, raising heat production.

 

[s]

Thanks Kony,

Hard drive does not have a fan, the most likely source of
the noise is the main CPU fan, or a secondary fan if so
equipped.

I did not see any secondary fan. The fans seemed to produce too much
noise at 59F. It seems I have to open it completely and clean each part
thoroughly.
If even after cleaning the fans produce too much noise does that mean
they might have worn out, are too old or some thing else could be
malfunctioning?

And do generally laptop fans wear out in three years?

I hope my system is not failing just after 3 years.

What is the normal duration of laptops considering the usage of a
person in IT field. I use it mainly for some development and some
reports. Nothing too resource consuming. Is there a chance I used it
too much in three years? I always ensure to carry it and protect it
properly.

Unless you had detailed exactly what you're running and had
given them the figures your system reports as amount of
memory used, their suggestion was arbitrary at best. It is
certainly possible that more memory would be of benefit, but
it would not reduce the heat produced by the CPU, which is
the primary cause of fan RPM increase that ultimately
results in fan wearing out faster- but at this point the
issue is irrelevant, the first thing to tackle is the fan.
If you had previously felt the system needed more memory
that would be a better justification to add some, not
because of a fan noise.

Also remember that Dell is looking to SELL you something,
because of their high profit margins. If you were to buy
memory some day, it will cost less from a 3rd party instead
of Dell.

You are correct. Dell was goading me into buy something rather than
solving the fan issue.

Check your system manual, I'd expect it at least supports
1GB as 2 x 512MB modules, if not more... but I don't have
that laptop, you will have to research it youself... and
check the Dell website for further info.

You are correct. I checked this out before also. But due to what they
told me before two years I was unclear as my machine is 3 years old.
So, I suspected the newer 1100 models could accomodate that much and
mine may not.
The Dell site says so at
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...en&s=dhs&cs=19&category_id=4325&mfgpid=157119

Inspiron
Inspiron 1100 Series
Start New Search
Maximum Memory: 1024
Number Of Slots: 2

Above suggests it does have two memory slots but this is
easy enough for you to see for yourself, sometimes programs
like Everest or Sisoft Sandra can report things not actually
present in a system because it is only what is technically
possible, whether supported physically on a board or not.

Yes, when I opened the RAM panel I saw two slots and two RAM modules.
What factors determine if something is supported physically on a board
or not? I understand bus speed is one factor and it should be
compatible with all parts on a board.

If you feel your system is making a lot more noise even when
supposedly idle, check Event Viewer for new things running
the background as there might be something accounting for
higher CPU utilization, raising heat production.

I checked Event Viewer but did not find anything accounting for higher
CPU utilization. Just the normal firewall,antivirus and standard
windows components.


Thanks a lot.

 

[Rod Speed]

I did not see any secondary fan. The fans

Why are you saying 'the fans' if there is only one fan ?

seemed to produce too much noise at 59F.

That may just be because you can hear it more now
with the fan exposed with the laptop dissembled.

It seems I have to open it completely and clean each part
thoroughly. If even after cleaning the fans produce too
much noise does that mean they might have worn out,

Yes, the fan bearing could have become noisy now.

Bearing noise sounds different to air noise tho.

are too old or some thing else could be malfunctioning?

Its possible that the fan is being run at full speed
because its getting the temperature wrong.

And do generally laptop fans wear out in three years?
Nope.

I hope my system is not failing just after 3 years.

What is the normal duration of laptops
considering the usage of a person in IT field.

It should continue to work fine, with the exception of the
battery which may well need replacing in that sort of time.

 

[s]

Why are you saying 'the fans' if there is only one fan ?

Apologies, I was careless.

That may just be because you can hear it more now
with the fan exposed with the laptop dissembled.

Well, I dissembled it and then assembled it back again. But perhaps,
not as proper as it was initially.

Yes, the fan bearing could have become noisy now.

Bearing noise sounds different to air noise tho.


Its possible that the fan is being run at full speed
because its getting the temperature wrong.

What could be the cause and how can I fix it? Is it something due to
old BIOS or no BIOS updation since I purchased? Also, is BIOS update as
important as the Windows Update? Could something go wrong if BIOS is
not updated?

Nope.

So, could I be a case of somebody who received a less than good
quality product from Dell?

It should continue to work fine, with the exception of the
battery which may well need replacing in that sort of time.

Do laptops generally last for more than 7+ years? Regarding battery, I
very rarely use the battery to run the machine. Could it still fail?

Thanks a lot for your time and help.

 

[kony]

Well, I dissembled it and then assembled it back again. But perhaps,
not as proper as it was initially.

Double-check that if you like, but if all parts seemed to
fit together again seemlessly, if you didn't have any
leftover screws, if all parts of the laptop still work, your
reassembly is probably fine.

What could be the cause and how can I fix it? Is it something due to
old BIOS or no BIOS updation since I purchased? Also, is BIOS update as
important as the Windows Update? Could something go wrong if BIOS is
not updated?

Have you done anything to the laptop (such as update the
bios) which would coincide to the increase in fan RPM or
noise? If not, it is not expected that the temperature is
now wrong, compared to how it was reported in the past.

IF you have some kind of cooling subsystem problem to the
extent that the CPU really IS running hotter now, that would
account for the fan having higher RPM, BUT when the laptop
was new and you did stressful jobs on it, it would have put
the fan at high RPM also... so you need to compare now, what
the fan sounds like at high RPM, to what it used to sound
like at high RPM.

If that sound is different and you have gotten the dust out
of the fan blade area and exhaust ports on the laptop, the
remaining "most likely" problem is that the fan is worn out.



That is not necessarily true. These small high RPM fans can
easily wear out in a couple years, particularly if system
was ran at higher load (resulting in higher fan RPM) a
larger % of the time.

Even in best low load uses, a fan like that can be
progressively failing to the extent that it makes a lot more
noise when 3 years old... and it might continue running
(albeit noisily) for the next 3 years, or it could fail in a
week, or even sieze violently right now. Odds are, it'll
keep running awhile longer, but presuming it is a matter of
the fan bearing worn out, you should seek a replacement
sooner rather than later.

So, could I be a case of somebody who received a less than good
quality product from Dell?

Maybe, too many variables involved to draw that conclusion.
It's quite possible any laptop with similar fan and similar
usage pattern would have a certain percent fan failure rate
at the 3 year point... fans do tend to be the shortest lived
parts, barring physical abuse (like dropping whole laptop)
or known diminishing parts like the battery.

Do laptops generally last for more than 7+ years?

No, if you hardly use it then it might, but otherwise a
laptop lifespan is significantly shorter than a desktop...
but it also depends on availability of replacement parts and
cost... when a 5 year old laptop has a HDD failure, and
factoring for it's old battery//optical_drive//OS//limited
memory//slow_CPU, too, it may make more sense to replace it
with a brand new laptop rather than buying a battery, HDD,
etc. This is often the case with a laptop, if it works they
aren't often thrown away like an old desktop, "somebody"
will want it for use until a failure makes it cost
prohibitive or at least a bad value to fix it.

This can even happen to a 1 year old laptop these days,
suppose you bought one greatly discounted or with a rebate
for around $400. Suppose the motherboard or screen failed.
It's probably not worth the cost of parts and repair shop
time to fix it.

Regarding battery, I
very rarely use the battery to run the machine. Could it still fail?

Yes, even if you never use the battery it will degrade in
performance (though more slowly) slowly from the moment it
was manufactured. Generally it's time to think about a new
battery after 4 years, even sooner if it was frequently used
or utmost runtime is important.

 

[s]

Double-check that if you like, but if all parts seemed to
fit together again seemlessly, if you didn't have any
leftover screws, if all parts of the laptop still work, your
reassembly is probably fine.

The part where power switch is present is bit higher than it was
before.That made me think I assembled something incorrectly.

Have you done anything to the laptop (such as update the
bios) which would coincide to the increase in fan RPM or
noise? If not, it is not expected that the temperature is
now wrong, compared to how it was reported in the past.

I did not do anything to BIOS at all since I purchased the laptop.

IF you have some kind of cooling subsystem problem to the
extent that the CPU really IS running hotter now, that would
account for the fan having higher RPM, BUT when the laptop
was new and you did stressful jobs on it, it would have put
the fan at high RPM also... so you need to compare now, what
the fan sounds like at high RPM, to what it used to sound
like at high RPM.

If that sound is different and you have gotten the dust out
of the fan blade area and exhaust ports on the laptop, the
remaining "most likely" problem is that the fan is worn out.

Now it is lot more louder. And the main thing is it is high even when
just two browser windows are open. This never occured in the past. My
machine came with XP home. The hard drive failed in 17 months. Dell
buffered some of the cost and gave me a new one. Then I loaded Win 2K
thinking it would consume less resources. But Win 2k was being
outphased so I had to upgrade it to Win XP Pro. But, the noise was
still there with Win 2k.

That is not necessarily true. These small high RPM fans can
easily wear out in a couple years, particularly if system
was ran at higher load (resulting in higher fan RPM) a
larger % of the time.

Even in best low load uses, a fan like that can be
progressively failing to the extent that it makes a lot more
noise when 3 years old... and it might continue running
(albeit noisily) for the next 3 years, or it could fail in a
week, or even sieze violently right now. Odds are, it'll
keep running awhile longer, but presuming it is a matter of
the fan bearing worn out, you should seek a replacement
sooner rather than later.

I think so. Is Dell is the good one as I was initially suggested even
though it is bit expensive?

Maybe, too many variables involved to draw that conclusion.
It's quite possible any laptop with similar fan and similar
usage pattern would have a certain percent fan failure rate
at the 3 year point... fans do tend to be the shortest lived
parts, barring physical abuse (like dropping whole laptop)
or known diminishing parts like the battery.

But, some of my friends have machines which are 5+ years old but still
run fine. My hard drive failed in 17 months and for most people it
works fine for 4-5 years. So, it made me think I received a less than
good. And those people were heavy users(lot of movies, peer to peer
downloads).

No, if you hardly use it then it might, but otherwise a
laptop lifespan is significantly shorter than a desktop...
but it also depends on availability of replacement parts and
cost... when a 5 year old laptop has a HDD failure, and
factoring for it's old battery//optical_drive//OS//limited
memory//slow_CPU, too, it may make more sense to replace it
with a brand new laptop rather than buying a battery, HDD,
etc. This is often the case with a laptop, if it works they
aren't often thrown away like an old desktop, "somebody"
will want it for use until a failure makes it cost
prohibitive or at least a bad value to fix it.

Yes, but a new laptop is around 700+ these days. So, getting a new one
is currently out of budget.

This can even happen to a 1 year old laptop these days,
suppose you bought one greatly discounted or with a rebate
for around $400. Suppose the motherboard or screen failed.
It's probably not worth the cost of parts and repair shop
time to fix it.

If I get a laptop from Dell at regular price for say 850 and somebody
else gets the same model for 650 if he made the purchase in holiday
season,applied few coupons or things like that the product quality
should be the same for both. Is my understanding right? Or because
somebody is getting something discounted do companies try to give less
than good product to them?

Thanks for your help and time.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

Apologies, I was careless.

Well, I dissembled it and then assembled it back again.

OK, then it wont be that.

But perhaps, not as proper as it was initially.

Its unlikely to be different enough to be significant on that.

What could be the cause

Either sensor failure or failure of the connection to the sensor.

and how can I fix it?

Work out if that is the problem. See if Speedfan can see the fan speed.

Is it something due to old BIOS or no BIOS updation since I purchased?

No, shouldnt be.

Also, is BIOS update as important as the Windows Update?

No, in fact its best not to update the bios unless you have a known problem.

Could something go wrong if BIOS is not updated?

No, it should perform the way it always did.

So, could I be a case of somebody who received
a less than good quality product from Dell?

Yes, its quite possible its developed noisy bearings.

You've never been very clear about whether the problem is bearing
noise or just air noise due to the speed the fan is rotating at.

Do laptops generally last for more than 7+ years?

Yes, with the exception of the battery.

Regarding battery, I very rarely use the battery to run the machine.

Do you mean you have it physically unplugged, or do you mean
that you normally have the battery installed, but use mains power ?

Could it still fail?

Yes, if you normally leave the battery in the laptop it can do.

Thanks a lot for your time and help.

No problem, thats what these technical newsgroups are about.

 

[Rod Speed]

The part where power switch is present is bit higher than it was
before.That made me think I assembled something incorrectly.



I did not do anything to BIOS at all since I purchased the laptop.

Now it is lot more louder.

Is it just more air noise or is it a growling type noise, bearing going bad ?

And the main thing is it is high even when just two browser
windows are open. This never occured in the past.

That does make it sound like the temperature sensing has failed.

My machine came with XP home. The hard drive failed in 17
months. Dell buffered some of the cost and gave me a new one.

They should have paid all the cost, its their design problem.

Then I loaded Win 2K thinking it would consume less resources.

Not as far as the hard drive is concerned.

But Win 2k was being outphased so I had to upgrade it
to Win XP Pro. But, the noise was still there with Win 2k.

Are you saying that the fan noise showed up with the use of 2K
and wasnt a problem when you were running the original XP Home ?
Dell may have chosen to implement the fan speed control in software
and that got lost when you over wrote the original XP Home install.

I'd personally image the current XP Pro install, reinstall
the original XP Home system from the Dell backup CD
and see if the fan speed problem goes away. If it does,
I'd hunt up the appropriate fan speed driver for XP Pro.

I think so. Is Dell is the good one as I was initially suggested even
though it is bit expensive?
But, some of my friends have machines which are 5+ years old but still
run fine. My hard drive failed in 17 months and for most people it
works fine for 4-5 years.

Yeah, some of the Dells ran the hard drive MUCH too hot, right at the
extreme hot end of what the hard drive manufacturer allows and that
did see a dramatically higher hard drive failure rate in those laptops.

So, it made me think I received a less than good.

Yes, that was a real design problem with those Dells.

And those people were heavy users(lot of movies, peer to peer downloads).

It didnt really make much difference how it was used, the
problem was just the very high hard drive temperature.

Yes, but a new laptop is around 700+ these days.
So, getting a new one is currently out of budget.

If I get a laptop from Dell at regular price for say 850 and somebody
else gets the same model for 650 if he made the purchase in holiday
season,applied few coupons or things like that the product quality
should be the same for both. Is my understanding right?
Yes.

Or because somebody is getting something discounted
do companies try to give less than good product to them?

Not operations like Dell.

 

[Joel]

<sniP

What could be the cause and how can I fix it? Is it something due to
old BIOS or no BIOS updation since I purchased? Also, is BIOS update as
important as the Windows Update? Could something go wrong if BIOS is
not updated?

<snip>

- If the fan making noise and you can hear it (won't be hard to feel it)
then you can just go ahead to replace the noisy fan with a newer one. You
can buy from just about any local computer store, or order some from online
store.

Because I build my own system and often have 3-4 desktops around so
sometime I just order several spare ones.

- BIOS upgrade, for the past 2 decades of computing I upgraded about 2-3
times. Usually when I run out of thing to do so often start looking for
trouble.

- BIOS making noise? well it didn't make noise when you first got it so no
reason it makes noise when the fan gets old. And some fan won't last very
long (before they seem to last forever <g>), and depending on the amount of
dirt in the room the fan can get pretty dirty in few short months.

The current house I live is right on a pretty busy street, and we have
windows opened in cooler months so we have quite a bit of dirt problem.

 

[kony]

- If the fan making noise and you can hear it (won't be hard to feel it)
then you can just go ahead to replace the noisy fan with a newer one. You
can buy from just about any local computer store, or order some from online
store.

Inspiron 1100 is a laptop, it isn't likely a computer shop
will have a suitable replacement and if they had to order
one you'd just end up paying extra for their middleman
markup.

It looks like a fan in the top right corner of this picture
but the picture isn't quite good enough to make out finer
details,
http://www.laptopsetc.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=350

Here's a couple better pictures, it looks like ebay might be
among the lower cost alternatives,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220009773013
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160018702694



6 for $20, a 20 year supply.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170066248475

 

[Joel]

Inspiron 1100 is a laptop, it isn't likely a computer shop
will have a suitable replacement and if they had to order
one you'd just end up paying extra for their middleman
markup.

I see, and thanks for clearing the error. We have 5 notebooks here but
don't pay much attention to them, and never opened any to have any
experience.

It looks like a fan in the top right corner of this picture
but the picture isn't quite good enough to make out finer
details,
http://www.laptopsetc.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=350

Here's a couple better pictures, it looks like ebay might be
among the lower cost alternatives,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220009773013
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160018702694



6 for $20, a 20 year supply.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170066248475

Thanks for the link, this is the first time I have seen CPU fan for
laptop.

 

[s]

Thanks to everybody for the help.

Is it just more air noise or is it a growling type noise, bearing going bad ?

I don't have sufficient experience to distinguish between the three.
All I can make out is fan is running much more faster than it did
before(so I presume it is more air noise).

That does make it sound like the temperature sensing has failed.



They should have paid all the cost, its their design problem.

My hard disk was from Toshiba which had a five year warranty. But since
Dell purchased it from Toshiba and assembled it for me I got just the 1
year warranty of Dell(and I did not purchase the additional years
warranty from them).

Not as far as the hard drive is concerned.

Apologies, I was not careless as I did not explain why I loaded Win 2k.
I loaded Win 2k thinking it would use less RAM,CPU cycles than Xp
generally does.

Are you saying that the fan noise showed up with the use of 2K
and wasnt a problem when you were running the original XP Home ?
Dell may have chosen to implement the fan speed control in software
and that got lost when you over wrote the original XP Home install.

There was no noise in Win XP. When my hard disk failed I loaded Win 2k
and it was also fine till the past 4 months. I thought maybe Win 2k is
being outphased so it could be a cause. So, I loaded Win XP Pro but the
problem aggravated. Also, now I have far more freezes than I had with
Win 2k(But, perhaps the freeze reason is my machine is not powerful
enough for XP Pro)

I'd personally image the current XP Pro install, reinstall
the original XP Home system from the Dell backup CD
and see if the fan speed problem goes away. If it does,
I'd hunt up the appropriate fan speed driver for XP Pro.

I will try this out.

Thanks for your post.