There are no software temp monitors or any in BIOS on your Dimension. That's because they're generally not needed with a locked BIOS and a system that cannot be overclocked.
If you can leave your finger pressed on the heatsink after it's been running a while, it's not overheated. This assumes however, that the heatsink and compound are mounted properly. Misassembled, heatsink stays cold and CPU overheats quickly and shuts down.
Dell uses as temperature sensor located in the fan assembly which can not be accessed by any software. The fan speed can be increased if temps get high, but this is rare. You can buy units such as Hardcano that mount thermisters wherever needed, and can control fan speeds based of the measured temps.
Dimension 9100
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
Dell uses as temperature sensor located in the fan assembly which can not be accessed by any software. The fan speed can be increased if temps get high, but this is rare.
wrong... the fan speed will change according to ambient temperature within the case... specifically the heat from the cpu.... so there will be a change in fan speed when comparing idle/max cpu useage.. it isn't rare..
Dimension 8300 | P4 2.80GHz | 2x512 PC3200 | Sparkle 6600GT OC | Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS (retail) Sennheiser HD555's | Leadtek DV2000 tv tuner | Seagate SATA 120,160, USB2 external 200GB | NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD, Pioneer 16x DVD+/-RW DL DVR-109 | Dell E152FP 15" LCD | D-link DSL-G604T Router, D-link DWL-G122 wireless adapter | HP deskjet 3550, HP PSC 1310 all in one | Wacom graphire3 4x5 | PCI Cooler | 80mm hdd fan | 3dmark03=8580 | 05=3597 | 06=1888
Yes, the fan speed will change if the temps get too high. That's why Dells do have monitors. But I have never had a CPU fan speed increase under even heavy loads except when running the fan diagnostic. Even under severe gaming conditions and my GPU gets over 85°C and the GPU fan goes to max (usually runs at about 50%), I have never heard the CPU fan increase.
Dimension 9100
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
Thanks for the update! If the fan test does not speed up the CPU fan, then what's making all the fan noise during the test? The power supply fan? If CPU die temp is being measured the normal way, why can't temp programs access the temperature? Does it have something to do with MB idents?
Dimension 9100
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
A small correction: Current Dell desktops command fan speed with a PWM signal proportional to the die temp of the CPU--measured internally, standard Intel feature. Current heatsinks are larger than previous ones, so you seldom if ever hear the fan speed up.
Dell has only used the sensor-in-fan arrangement on past, lower-power desktops like D-2400 and O-170L. Dell Diag fan test will not alter the speed of these fans, but situating the system in a confined space can make it run fast and generate noise complaints.
(It was my job to test cooling and noise in 2400, 4700, 5100 and a few others.)
So higher end models could use something like Hardcano for temp measurment and fan speed control, but the lower ends (2400 etc) could probably not control the fan speed.
It sounds like the temp monitoring software gets temps through the BIOS and not directly from the CPU sensor. I can see Dell wanting to disable fan control speed, but what harm does it do to inhibit temp monitoring. Could sure help spot dirty boxes.
Thanks
Dimension 9100
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
PWM fans (all current ones)
do speed up during fan test. 2400 fans do not. Part (or all) of fan test for the sensor-in-fan models is grayed-out.
For the purpose of fan control, CPU temp is translated into (reverse) conductivity of a diode internal to the CPU. BIOS
could translate that (roughly) to degrees and display it, but Dells do not.
Power supply fans are fixed speed, 2-wire fans. 2400 (sensor) fan has 3 wires, power, ground, tach. Current fans have 4 wires, the 4th is PWM.
I have not tried software means to get Dell motherboards to report CPU temp. I've 'heard' it's problematic. Dell BIOS only does the temperature calculation to control the fan--it doesn't port that data (that I know of) anywhere else.
Also unknown, whether aftermarket software can control Dell fans. Dell Diags does, so that function
is ported, though not necessarily in a 'standard' way.
Quote: "There are no software temp monitors or any [sic] in BIOS on your Dimension. That's because they're generally not needed with a locked BIOS and a system that cannot be overclocked."
Wow. "Not Needed". Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. No fan can ever quit. No fan can ever quit. No fan can ever quit.
What are they thinking. What kind of dell "engineering" "wisdom" is this - no usable hardware monitors. I'm sorry, but such a lack of design consideration deserves pointed criticism.
Quote: "If you can leave your finger pressed on the heatsink after it's been running a while, it's not overheated."
True, any temperature above about 55 C (or 130 F) will "hurt" after touching the surface for about 5 seconds. I suppose you'll just have to type with one hand and keep the other hand on your cpu so you'll know when a fan fails and therefore prevent cpu damage (not recommended). No native fan or temperature monitoring/reporting. What are the "engineers" at Dell smoking.
Quote "a probe willn't [sic] give you a very reliable number anyway..." Depends on the "probe", placement, and expectation.
Not only should all fans and all temperatures be monitored on all computers and all servers, there should be threshold alert and reporting mechanisms in place.
For anyone else that's interested I found a couple great products, you can google-search the phrase "LCD Temperature Controller Panel".
NVRambo
1.9K Posts
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December 4th, 2006 09:00
fireberd
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December 4th, 2006 10:00
klbf
2.7K Posts
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December 4th, 2006 11:00
Dimension 8300 | P4 2.80GHz | 2x512 PC3200 | Sparkle 6600GT OC | Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS (retail) Sennheiser HD555's | Leadtek DV2000 tv tuner | Seagate SATA 120,160, USB2 external 200GB | NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD, Pioneer 16x DVD+/-RW DL DVR-109 | Dell E152FP 15" LCD | D-link DSL-G604T Router, D-link DWL-G122 wireless adapter | HP deskjet 3550, HP PSC 1310 all in one | Wacom graphire3 4x5 | PCI Cooler | 80mm hdd fan | 3dmark03=8580 | 05=3597 | 06=1888
x_lab rat
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December 4th, 2006 14:00
kirkd
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December 5th, 2006 01:00
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
klbf
2.7K Posts
0
December 5th, 2006 02:00
wrong... the fan speed will change according to ambient temperature within the case... specifically the heat from the cpu.... so there will be a change in fan speed when comparing idle/max cpu useage.. it isn't rare..
Dimension 8300 | P4 2.80GHz | 2x512 PC3200 | Sparkle 6600GT OC | Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS (retail) Sennheiser HD555's | Leadtek DV2000 tv tuner | Seagate SATA 120,160, USB2 external 200GB | NEC DVD+RW ND-2100AD, Pioneer 16x DVD+/-RW DL DVR-109 | Dell E152FP 15" LCD | D-link DSL-G604T Router, D-link DWL-G122 wireless adapter | HP deskjet 3550, HP PSC 1310 all in one | Wacom graphire3 4x5 | PCI Cooler | 80mm hdd fan | 3dmark03=8580 | 05=3597 | 06=1888
kirkd
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5.2K Posts
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December 5th, 2006 02:00
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
kirkd
4 Operator
4 Operator
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5.2K Posts
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December 5th, 2006 15:00
Thanks for the update! If the fan test does not speed up the CPU fan, then what's making all the fan noise during the test? The power supply fan? If CPU die temp is being measured the normal way, why can't temp programs access the temperature? Does it have something to do with MB idents?
Dimension 9100
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
x_lab rat
2K Posts
0
December 5th, 2006 15:00
kirkd
4 Operator
4 Operator
•
5.2K Posts
0
December 5th, 2006 16:00
Windows XP SP2 Home
Intel 630 - 3.0 GHz P4/HT
2.0 GHz DDR 4300 RAM
Nvidia GeForce 6800 – O’Clocked to 425/800 MHz
160 GB Samsung SATA II HD
300 GB Seagate SATA II HD
250 GB SimpleTech External HD (WD Drive)
Sony DVD-ROM, Phillips DVD +/- RW
Dell 1901 FP Monitor
x_lab rat
2K Posts
0
December 5th, 2006 16:00
x_lab rat
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December 5th, 2006 21:00
Rob in Texas
341 Posts
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November 19th, 2008 21:00
Not silly at all and a question that I still have. Did you ever get answer?
Spytalk
2 Posts
0
April 7th, 2010 18:00
Quote: "There are no software temp monitors or any [sic] in BIOS on your Dimension. That's because they're generally not needed with a locked BIOS and a system that cannot be overclocked."
Wow. "Not Needed". Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. No fan can ever quit. No fan can ever quit. No fan can ever quit.
What are they thinking. What kind of dell "engineering" "wisdom" is this - no usable hardware monitors. I'm sorry, but such a lack of design consideration deserves pointed criticism.
Quote: "If you can leave your finger pressed on the heatsink after it's been running a while, it's not overheated."
True, any temperature above about 55 C (or 130 F) will "hurt" after touching the surface for about 5 seconds. I suppose you'll just have to type with one hand and keep the other hand on your cpu so you'll know when a fan fails and therefore prevent cpu damage (not recommended). No native fan or temperature monitoring/reporting. What are the "engineers" at Dell smoking.
Quote "a probe willn't [sic] give you a very reliable number anyway..."
Depends on the "probe", placement, and expectation.
Not only should all fans and all temperatures be monitored on all computers and all servers, there should be threshold alert and reporting mechanisms in place.
For anyone else that's interested I found a couple great products, you can google-search the phrase "LCD Temperature Controller Panel".