Inspiron 9400 Fan Problems

Question

Hi everyone,

My Dell Inspiron 9400 notebook is about a year and a half old now, and for about the past 6 months I've been having problems with the built in fan. When ever I turn on my computer, the fan will start up almost every time, slowing the computer down making it impossible to do anything. It sometimes takes hours of restarting the computer, letting it cool down, etc. for it to work properly, thus forcing me to run the computer constantly for sometimes a week straight, most likely exacerbating the problem.

My question is, what is causing this problem, and how do I solve it? I'm thinking of sending the notebook into Dell, however any help as to what the root of the problem is would be greatly appriciated!

Thanks,
Patt

nugundam93 · Answer

the reason the fan's always spinning up is so that it can cool your system because it's being told that your system is running hot.  however, having a lot of dust buildup on your system's heatsink (which the fan cools) can also trigger the same thing.  have you tried using compressed air to blow out the dust there?  try it out first and if it still doesn't work, chances are that your heatsink and fan assembly will have to be replaced.  in cases where that still won't work, then we can consider adding the motherboard to the items to be replaced.

Mary G · Answer

Make sure the computer is on a hard surface with nothing blocking any vents. Even elevate it on each edge so air can flow underneath. No beds, couches or even in your lap. Check the underside for a dusty vent that can be cleaned. Message Edited by Mary G on 06-25-2008 03:45 PM

PattM · Answer

I've tried a can of compressed air, it seemed to me like it was a quick and temporary fix, though. It worked more than usual after using the compressed air, however went back to normal after about a week.

I've also tried placing the laptop on hard, cool surfaces, however the laptop always seems to turn on the fan even when its not even hot.

What really puzzles me is why it slows the computer down when the fan comes on. My brother has the same model laptop as I do, except his is older than mine, and when the fan does come on its because the computer is extremely hot, and does not affect the performance of the computer.

Thanks for your help guys! I really appriciate it!

Locked Topics – Laptops General

Inspiron 9400 Fan Problems

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