# CPU Fan Running Excessively



## mapste (Feb 5, 2012)

I have a Dell Studio 540s, about 5 years old, running Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP2. For the past couple of months, the CPU fan is running at high speed more and more frequently. It is the sound you normally hear when shutting down, but it can last for 2-3 minutes or more while the system is running apps. Then it stops for a while and starts back up again. I think it is doing it more when I run CPU-intensive tasks like Internet Explorer, virus scans, and some games. I've cleaned it and have been running with the case open to see if that made any difference, in case it was overheating. It hasn't made a difference. It is blowing cool air out, not hot.

I don't know if this is at all related, but I've been having overall problems with my computer running slowly, and have noticed my CPU meter never goes down to idle anymore (it's normally about 2%.) Tonight I tested it by pushing it by running a virus scan at the same time as a game -- the CPU meter was in the red zone (about 75%) and the fan was running almost constantly. After I closed both programs, the CPU only slowed down to 25%, but the fan stopped.

I have changed nothing hardware or software, in months. I put in a new power supply a while ago, but this problem is more recent than that and seems to be getting worse.

Thoughts? Thank you.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

first running with the case door off doesn't keep a system cool infact it can create a vortex which makes things worse.

second blow out any dust with compressed air.

third download CPUID hardware monitor and post a screenshot.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

> first running with the case door off doesn't keep a system cool infact it can create a vortex which makes things worse.


Absolutely true with the first part, but I don't know about a vortex because that is a mass of spinning air that moves in a curved or straight line - much like a tornado. Perhaps one may form right in front of a fan but then sits there because of no "flow" through the case to move it through. Still, a bad thing, IMO. 

With the side panel on, the air from the fans is channeled to flow through the case - a good thing! With the side panel off, the air more or less just sits there which can create pockets of stagnant and heated air. Not good. 

That said, running with the side panel off is a valid troubleshooting method when looking for possible heat problems, but only when you blast a desk fan into the open side while monitoring your temps. *Speccy* from the makers of CCleaner is good for system information, including your temps. 

I agree 100% to make sure the interior, fans and vents are all free of heat trapping dust. 



> I run CPU-intensive tasks like Internet Explorer, virus scans, and some games.


IE is not CPU intensive, but some virus scanners can be, and some games too. What are you using for anti-malware? Did it find any? I recommend supplemental scanning with *Malwarebytes's Anti-Malware* to make sure your primary scanner, or you, did not let something by.

Beyond that, while 5 years is not "old", it is not still new, by any means.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

it depends, if the system has a proper gpu and a cpu cooler amd having the door off the air just spins around inside but if its just a bog standard pc then as you say there air sits there.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

Either way, with the door off, you don't get the desired "flow" of air moving through the case - and that is essential for heat removal, but also to ensure there is some air movement for the devices that don't have their own fans.


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## mapste (Feb 5, 2012)

Thank you for your assistance. I originally took the cover off because of this fan problem (in its early days) to clean the fan and all the insides. I just hadn't put it back on again until I saw if cleaning made a difference -- didn't realize that I was defeating the purpose of the cooling system! Duh.. 

I'll clean again and close up and see what happens. I went to the Speccy site, but I don't understand what I am supposed to do with it re. my fan. It just says it give you detailed system specs? I'll need some further assistance there, please.

I mentioned IE as CPU-intensive, meaning when I load it. Just now when I started it up to come here, my CPU meter shot up from 2% to 50% and the fan went on. Once up and running, both calmed back down. Before I take your time with an "idle" CPU monitor screenshot -- I discovered when I tried to go into Sleep mode after posting here last night that there was a Windows Update running in the background! (I don't see a smiley that quite expresses my embarassment.) Idle CPU is back to 2%.

I ran malwarebytes. Unfortunately it didn't create a log file -- well it created one, but it was empty. I wrote down the results before I quarantined everything. This is probably a discussion for a different forum -- it found 97 non-malware registry entries, most of which were PUP.Conduit, Pricegong, Opencandy and Mindspike. It also found 2 malware threats -- a Registry Key for Adware.Trymedia, and in the Recycle Bin, a file called (gulp) Password Stealer! I assume this means that now all have been quarantined that I should reset all my important financial and personal website passwords? 

Thanks again!

Marlene


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

download speccy install it and run it then post a screenshot.

when you quarantine a virus you have not got it out of your system, you need to delete it.


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## mapste (Feb 5, 2012)

I finally managed to get a Speccy screen shot while my CPU was running high and the fan was running loud and constant. 

First file is the Summary page of Speccy -- you can see my CPU monitor on the upper right. (Ignore the Disk monitor -- it hasn't worked since I installed the last Vista Service Pack.) I selected the Speccy CPU option and captured those results also, second file. 

Then when things settled down, I took another CPU screenshot, third file.

Thank you.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

have you tried blowing any dust out yet with compressed air?

if you have try taking the cpu cooler off, cleaning the cooler and cpu with 90% isopropyl alcohol and apply fresh thermal paste.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

Your second SS shows 78°C - definitely too high. 

TIM (thermal interface materials) will last many years (decades even), don't wear out, go bad, or need regular replacement - AS LONG AS - the cured bond is never broken. And as long as the computer is not physically abused (kicked or dropped on the floor) or the CPU's heat sink is not removed (or twisted too hard to see if loose) that bond should not be broken. 

But if you have removed the heatsink and didn't thoroughly clean the mating surfaces or didn't apply a fresh new layer of TIM, or if you suspect the bond has been broken, then you might consider replacing the TIM. Just make sure you unplug from the wall and observe the necessary ESD precautions by touching bare metal of the case interior BEFORE reaching in to touch anything.


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