Computer fan alarm

[Clara]

Hi this is my first posting and I hope someone can advise me.

I am helping my father out with his computer. He keeps getting the fan alarm sounding after the computer has been on for a short while.

A friend of mine who is a computer whizz (but who is on holiday at the moment) usually helps me out. He suggested do the obvious checks to make sure both fans are working and are completely dust free - which we have done and the alarm still goes off.

He then advised me to run the computer with it's side off for a while to see what happens and that if the alarm still goes off it's probably not a fan problem, but something to do with the motherboard not registering the true temperature. He mentioned something about altering the temp settings in bios (I have altered things in bios before).

That is where I am at the moment - the fan alarm still sounds even with the side off.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks
Clara

[HSK]

This may be a silly question - but when you took the side off and started the PC, could you see the fan spinning up/running?

[Clara]

Yes, both fans spinning fine.

[0iD]

Moved to more appropriate area for your problem Clara

[Clara]

Thanks, just realised I had posed thread in Welcome area!

[0iD]

Has the PC been moved or knocked recently, the cooler could have become dislodged.

Do you know what the temp sensor is reading? Either in the BIOS, or by using something like Speedfan.

[lodore]

is the sound continuous?

[Clara]

The computer hasn't been moved or knocked recently, but I can't tell you the temp readings until I can get round to see it tomorrow (even though the temp is displayed on the desktop my Dad can't find it).

As the for alarm, it appear quite random. I've only heard it myself once. On that occasion a dialogue box popped up saying there was a problem with the fan and when I clicked 'OK' the alarm stopped. My Dad says it goes off every day - sometimes he gets the alarm to stop & sometimes he just turns off the computer. Some days the computer is on all day with no problems and other days the alarm sounds within a minute of switching it on in the morning (it's a little hard to understand exactly what is happening as my Dad is not good with computers and can't explain what's going wrong or remember what button he pressed).

[circuitmonkey]

by chance have you been playing around with target CPU temperatures?

my thinking is that if the system or CPU fan has been instructed to spin down beyond the limit of minimal current that is required to get the fan turning it may fail to spin at all and be registered as a fan failure.

also in reference to lodore's question, I think he was inquiring if the sound was consistent, or if it where interrupted as if in a pattern (long beeps, short beeps) or if there is a change in tone.

often different type of sounds will help you diagnose exactly what the problem is

[$aunder$]

The computer hasn't been moved or knocked recently, but I can't tell you the temp readings until I can get round to see it tomorrow (even though the temp is displayed on the desktop my Dad can't find it).

As the for alarm, it appear quite random. I've only heard it myself once. On that occasion a dialogue box popped up saying there was a problem with the fan and when I clicked 'OK' the alarm stopped. My Dad says it goes off every day - sometimes he gets the alarm to stop & sometimes he just turns off the computer. Some days the computer is on all day with no problems and other days the alarm sounds within a minute of switching it on in the morning (it's a little hard to understand exactly what is happening as my Dad is not good with computers and can't explain what's going wrong or remember what button he pressed).

Hi Clara,

Possibly a faulty fan, if you feel confident enough, you could take the side of the case off and power the pc on, take a look at the fans (cpu, northbridge, system etc) and see if any have 1) stopped or 2) look like they are spinning slow (some fans bearings fail for no reason !!).
Another reason maybe dust build up, again take the side of the case off and power the pc on, take a look at the amount of dust in the case, especially near the cpu, if it is a dust buildup, grab the hoover and give it a clean :-)

Hope this helps.

$aunder$

[lodore]

Hi Clara,

Possibly a faulty fan, if you feel confident enough, you could take the side of the case off and power the pc on, take a look at the fans (cpu, northbridge, system etc) and see if any have 1) stopped or 2) look like they are spinning slow (some fans bearings fail for no reason !!).
Another reason maybe dust build up, again take the side of the case off and power the pc on, take a look at the amount of dust in the case, especially near the cpu, if it is a dust buildup, grab the hoover and give it a clean :-)

Hope this helps.

$aunder$

I would reccomend anyone using a hover inside there pc.

The OP should buy some compressed air to dislodge any dust inside the computer. tesco sell compressed air and cheaper than maplins

[Clara]

Many thanks for all trying to help.

With regard to the points raised by Circuitmonkey, no one has touched the target CPU temperatures.
The alarm is an interrupted pattern of short beeps (a little like an engaged tone on a phone).

I have already removed the side of the computer and thoroughly (and carefully) removed any dust from the fans with a combination of hover, compressed air and small soft artists paint brush (although I have read somewhere that the extremely cold temperature of the compressed air expellant can cause problems?)

[lodore]

Many thanks for all trying to help.

With regard to the points raised by Circuitmonkey, no one has touched the target CPU temperatures.
The alarm is an interrupted pattern of short beeps (a little like an engaged tone on a phone).

I have already removed the side of the computer and thoroughly (and carefully) removed any dust from the fans with a combination of hover, compressed air and small soft artists paint brush (although I have read somewhere that the extremely cold temperature of the compressed air expellant can cause problems?)

In that case find out which motherboard the computer has and download the manual for it.
it will tell you what the beep codes mean.

[pchidia]

well am new here either so i dont no how to help i just need a littel help. my Orange SPV M 5000 went off and have refused to come on again i dont know what to don please can any one tell me what to do to it please that cost me some fortune you know please.

Thanks

Chidia

Nigeria

[circuitmonkey]

well am new here either so i dont no how to help i just need a littel help. my Orange SPV M 5000 went off and have refused to come on again i dont know what to don please can any one tell me what to do to it please that cost me some fortune you know please.

Thanks

Chidia

Nigeria

Welcome to the forum Chidia,

Since this post isn't really on topic I think it would benefit from it's own thread, possibly under this section:
http://forums.hexus.net/mobile-phones-accessories/

I would not be surprised if one of the mods moved it

[Clara]

Many thanks to all trying to help. Might have found the problem (sort of).

Someone suggested that it could be something as simple as the temperature settings in the status monitoring program being set too low and that the alarm and warning is being generated by this program. Assuming this to be the case, when the alarm starts, we have just started to click 'OK' in the dialogue box - so far it seems to work.

I haven't worked out how to look at or change these settings yet - the program isn't listed in 'Programs' and if I right click on the 'status monitor' on the desk top it doesn't give me a properties option to look at (or any other option). This monitor appears on the desk top as a group of grey boxes detailing the current temp/speed/status of various cpu functions.

Any suggestions as to what this program is or how I can identify it?

Thanks