topic Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane in PCs & Accessories

grt715m fan sound like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 20:31:09 GMT

hey all,
i've had my vaio for about 2 years now but it sounds like my fan has been substituted for that of a 747 engine. does anyone have the same problem/solutions?
also does anyone have any problems with the machine shutting down because of hot temperature? the temp in my house is a maximum 23degrees, not really maximum temperature to shut down now. i'm thinking of sending it back to sony (still under warranty), any ideas before i do so?
cheers
scotty

Re: grt715m fan sound like an aeroplane

rich912 — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 20:56:57 GMT

It may be that your cooling vents need a clean.
Download MobileMeter and check the CPU temperature.

Re: grt715m fan sound like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 10:34:50 GMT

thanks mate, but cooling the vents is a "technical job" or can i do it myself?

Re: grt715m fan sound like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 10:36:04 GMT

sorry mate got the flu and just got up hence the bad english!!! i meant to say that cleaning the cooling vents is a "technical job" or pretty straightforward?

Re: grt715m fan sound like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 10:39:55 GMT

downloaded mobile meter and cpu is sitting at 80degrees. now i know that isn't good. what's next?

Re: grt715m fan sound like an aeroplane

rich912 — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 11:11:36 GMT

No, that doesn’t sound good at all!

Disassembly is the best method of cleaning, but not a wise choice unless you really know what you are doing, and especially if it is still in warranty.
The usual way is to get yourself a can of compressed air and holding it upright direct it at the vents, but not too close as you could over spin the fan and cause damage. This usually does the trick.
Best of luck.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 11:23:39 GMT

thanx for the help mate. next thing is... does the fan automatically come on at start up or does it only come on when needed? cause my fan ain't spinning.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

rich912 — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 12:17:24 GMT

The fan should cut in and out as required, but if it is not spinning at that temperature then there is a problem.
In your initial post you said that the fan was noisy, do I take it that since then it has stopped working? If so I would open a case with Sony asap.

Btw I have just come across this Sony document on cleaning the cooling fan on GRT series. Your model is not listed but the chances are that it is the same architecture. It may help you to discover whether there is anything preventing the fan from turning.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 13:29:32 GMT

thanx again rich, i was looking at mobilemeter while using an application and watching the temperature go up and up to an even 92degrees without the fan kicking in. i think the problem is faulty thermostat in computer or broken fan.
now, i've realised that my computer warranty has recently expired so i'll have to pay out of my pocket. do you recommend sending it back to sony or trying an independent place?

the noise is still there (only when i am using 2 or 3 applications at the same time).
i mistakingly took it to be the fan. i don't know where the hell it's coming from but it's like an aeroplane engine.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

seb21__ — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 15:07:58 GMT

fan sounds like an aeroplane

whoohoo, I'm not alone,

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

rich912 — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 18:53:32 GMT

I would definitely try an independent repairer as Sony charge suitcases full of money to repair anything.

The noise that you are hearing, is it a high pitched squeal? If so it is probably the notebook warning you that it is about to melt. Running at the temperatures that you have reported could cause long term damage to your machine!

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 21:20:48 GMT

no, the noise isn't a high pitch squeal, more like a noisy low hum, maybe from the hard-drive. i don't know.
it doesn't sound like it's about to melt but now i'm keeping tabs on temp. with mobilemeter. i've put a fan at the side too which keeps it down to about 60degrees while i'm working.
now it looks like i have to find a reputable repair shop, i'm working / living in milan at the moment so i'll have to be careful.
thanx for all the help rich!! i'll let you know how i get on.
scotty

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

rich912 — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 21:34:41 GMT

Hi Scotty,

The fan sounds like a good idea and is obviously doing the bizz.
Best of luck with the repair – let us know how it goes and at what cost.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

William — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 00:10:53 GMT

If the GRT is like the GRX the heat exchanger developes a big wad of fluff which is difficult to dislodge even with compressed air.

Assuming your laptop is out of warranty and the GRT physically resembles the GRX look through the pictures in this thread:

http://p200.ezboard.com/funofficialsonyfrm8.showMessage?topicID=1420.topic

And then if you feel confident clean your fans and heat exchanger.

I have a second hand (working) GRX CPU fan if anyone needs one.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:35:26 GMT

thanx for the pics william.
i didn't realise there were two fans in the vaio. i assumed only one (where the vent is under the on off switch). this is the fan i was refering to as "not working" but i think now it functions only when the particular part it is meant to cool overheats.

as for the fan over the cpu i think it's working fine because that appears to be where the aeroplane noise is coming from which increases and decreases depending on cpu use.

i think now i'm going to clean the heatsink, vents and put new heatsink compound between the cpu and cpu heat element (as shown in diagrams from william).
thanx again for the help guys, i think this could work!!
i'll let you know by the end of the day how it went.
scotty

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 07:35:46 GMT

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:36:43 GMT

hey lads.
well i took the beast apart and found it not too dissimilar to the grx version. if anything the grt is easier to get around. immediately on opening the case i found to my disappointment very little dust so i inspected the fans and heatsink with little hope and enthusiasm, and then it happened...... there was a large ball of fixed dust about 2cm cubed hinged in the area of the vents and the secondary fan, i mean it was like the sweepings off a barber's floor. so i plucked it out and gave the guts of the machine a go over with compressed air and managed to blow out (i hope) all 2 years of dust.
i put the machine back together and now it's sitting comfortably and might i add quietly for the first time in 5 months!!!!
i guess my ears just got used to the noise (and a little ignorance), the only thing i am grateful and lucky for is that my machine didn't fry anything (well, for the time being).
once agin i thank you guys rich and william for giving me help, direction and the balls to open up the machine.
you boys did good!
so, the moral of the story is when you hear the aeroplane arriving in the distance open up your vaio and clean the ba**ard!

scotty

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

rich912 — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 12:49:23 GMT

That’s great news scottie!

Trying to remove that sort of dust ball with compressed air (from the outside) would have been fruitless, so fair play to you for having the guts to open it up.

What average temperature do you have now?

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

shabaranx — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 14:16:20 GMT

i'm getting between 54 and 58 degrees c, depending on cpu usage.
please tell me this is ok.
cause i'll go crazy if it isn't.

Re: grt715m fan sounds like an aeroplane

rich912 — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 14:41:00 GMT

Yeah that’s fine – exactly the same as my notebook.:smileyhappy: