Vaio S2XP fan runs even with lowest performance settings

[sebastianb2]

Hello,

I've got a question concerning my Sony Vaio S2XP Notebook. Since I use it mostly for Office applications I'm really a little bit annoyed that the fan runs steadily. Even with the lowest performance and battery friendly settings the fan keeps running.

Has anybody the same expiriences? Is it maybe supposed to be like that?

Looking forward to your answers

Sebastian

[Kawasaki]

Dear Sebastian

I had the same problem with my S2VP. I am not an expert with these things but I turned off a number of programmes connected with start-up mode (though you need to be careful here about turning off anything important) which I didn't need (including viao launcher) and I have kept the desktop icons to an absolute minimum.

The fan seemed to become a little quieter but I am not sure if I have simply gotten used to the noise.

[kee-lo_]

A bit of fan noise isn't a bad thing, at least you know it's keeping the components cool

[sebastianb2]

Thats right, but why should components be kept cool that are not really used? (Despite tipping some words for an essay...)

[Jay1]

who said tht compontents wont used??

When the laptop is on, most of the compontants are used and the fan is there to keep every compontant cool and the main processors which is on all the time. the cooling is needed due to lack off space inside the laptop and many other factors. But i do agree with the noise and sony should have made a better design on the themal side but to me it looks like they did not.

anyway the bottom line is tht the cooling is keeping the laptop a live so there is nt much u can do and i hate the noise was well

[kee-lo_]

I wouldn't suggest messing around with it as you could damage the computer.

[Fuzzillogic]

With MobileMeter (great tool btw!) I found out that the fan starts when the CPU is 40 degrees celsius. I too was surprised to hear the fan turning on and off when doing nothing with the laptop, but it seems to me that the treshhold for the fan is set quite low, 40 degrees.

Perhaps it's possible to hack somewhere to increase this treshhold a bit, to say 50 degrees, but I wonder if that'll matter. Probably the CPU will reach 50 degrees eventually anyway, when idling.

Be sure however to use power management. Using MobileMeter I discoverd that when disabling power management, the CPU always runs at 1.8GHz instead of 600MHz.

[mickery]

the weird thing is that my fan was extremely quiet for the first few weeks of usage but now suddenly is very loud. I use programmes which don't take up much processing power, and the noise is really irritating. i have been on to Sony about this and suggested what others in this thread have recommended eg. disabling start up items, setting power management to minimum and lowering fan noise from setting 5 to 1 but none has made any difference. any other suggestions.

[kee-lo_]

I would use some compressed air.

I don't mind fan noise, just hate whiny fan noise.

[Foxhound]

Yeah, like always Kee-Lo gives some good advice. Use some compressed air and try to clean out the fan of the laptop. It really does make a difference.
Alot of dust accumilates over time in the machine which is not benificial for it's cooling.
The S series are quite loud, that's for sure. Mine stays on even when running on 600Mhz in the lowest setting. Over time you'll get used to it and hardly notice it. It is louder then my older Vaio. I think it has got to do with the fact the S series are very slim and not much space was left for optimized cooling space between the components.
You should look on the bright side, with your s serie you at least have the best notebook screen available, nice specs in a light pc.