topic Re: TX1 fan noise in PCs & Accessories

TX1 fan noise

McMagnus — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 16:13:26 GMT

Hi

I upgraded from a T1XP to a TX1XP last week and the new fan is starting to bother me. I've heard (at Tom's hardware I think) that the new Centrino chipset runs a bit hotter than the old, but I thought the BIOS would be able to keep it slow enough at the lowest performance setting to not bother me.

However, when at the lowest possible performance (CPU Control on "Battery Life" and the "System Idle Process" toggles between 98-99% and the My Computer->Properties says the CPU is running at 299MHz), the fan is still spinning up and down every 6 seconds or so. The old T1XP was dead silent until I at least started compiling or something. And then the fan spun up only after running at 100% CPU for almost a minute.

Also, the fan itself has a noise of its own in the new TX1XP. In the old T1XP, all I heard was the sound of the air flowing out, nothing else.

So, the problem is two-fold.

1. The fan spins up and down constantly. It runs *much* more than the old T1XP.

2. The fan sounds more than necessary. The old T1XP proves that it's possible to make them really silent, why isn't the new as silent? Did I get a bad one? Should I switch?

Re: TX1 fan noise

dj_Eddie88 — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 03:26:56 GMT

I have the same noise on my Vgna397xp. How hot does the cpu get, have u checked It with mobilmeter- just wondering.

Re: TX1 fan noise

tonybeard — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 16:20:27 GMT

go to adjust power properties and switch your CPU setting from performance to adaptive. I guess each unit especially that small has its own assembly characteristics

Re: TX1 fan noise

McMagnus — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 16:52:52 GMT

MobilMeter reports 61 when the fan switches on, but "Notebook Hardware Control" says 60. Then it's one degree lower when the fan goes off. A little "itchy" regulator if you ask me. I'll check the old T1 later.

Can the fan be controlled in finer steps?

Re: TX1 fan noise

McMagnus — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 18:41:50 GMT

Thanks for the tip, but as I wrote in the initial post that setting is already at minimum, i.e. "Battery Life" which is lower than "Adaptive".

By "assembly characteristics", do you mean mine might be a bad unit? Causing the resonating fan?

Re: TX1 fan noise

tonybeard — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 19:16:15 GMT

Anything that small working that hard would have to either get louder or settle with use. I think the latter more than the former so give it some time.

Re: TX1 fan noise

Pagemakers — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 01:05:23 GMT

Hi

I upgraded from a T1XP to a TX1XP last week and the new fan is starting to bother me. I've heard (at Tom's hardware I think) that the new Centrino chipset runs a bit hotter than the old, but I thought the BIOS would be able to keep it slow enough at the lowest performance setting to not bother me.

However, when at the lowest possible performance (CPU Control on "Battery Life" and the "System Idle Process" toggles between 98-99% and the My Computer->Properties says the CPU is running at 299MHz), the fan is still spinning up and down every 6 seconds or so. The old T1XP was dead silent until I at least started compiling or something. And then the fan spun up only after running at 100% CPU for almost a minute.

Also, the fan itself has a noise of its own in the new TX1XP. In the old T1XP, all I heard was the sound of the air flowing out, nothing else.

So, the problem is two-fold.

1. The fan spins up and down constantly. It runs *much* more than the old T1XP.

2. The fan sounds more than necessary. The old T1XP proves that it's possible to make them really silent, why isn't the new as silent? Did I get a bad one? Should I switch?

I have just upgraded from a TR5MP to a TX1HP.

My old machine was silent and the fan noise you talk about on the TX1 is driving me mad on mine also. Even the case has a small unconfortable vibration.

If I can't find a fix in the next day or so I ill just return the unit and stick with my old machine.

Re: TX1 fan noise

McMagnus — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:46:48 GMT

My dealer will get another TX1 soon and I'll compare mine with that one. I'll let you know if there's any difference.

I wouldn't want to return mine if I wasn't sure I could get a silent one. I'd rather find a silent fan, or open it up and find a way to stop the resonance.

Can't feel the vibration in the case though.

I also give it some time as TonyBeard suggested to see if it gets better.

Re: TX1 fan noise

Pagemakers — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 16:15:33 GMT

Only problem if you keep it you can't take it back later. I don't think time will cure this problem at all.

Just called Sony and they couldn't help. They said it was too new!

I'm running an app called MobileMeter to monitor the laptop (free tiny download).

What's interesting is with the laptop power settings at adaptive and performance, the machine runs at 600mhz. If I change the settings to adaptive and quiet, the machine runs at 800mhz - Why could quiet make it run faster??

The only way I can get the machine to run at 1.1ghz is to make the settings performance and performance.

Sitting next to me is my old TR5MP which I upgraded from. With the same settings it runs at 1.1ghz while the TX1 is at 600mhz. Indeed, the old laptop feels faster than the TX1.

The TR5MP is at 49degrees and the TX1 at 61degrees.

I'm going to watch the forums for another few days and if there is no solution I will return it. The fan noise is just too unconfortable for me to work with.

BTW have a look at this review and note his comments about the fan noise about 2/3rds down the page...

http://laptop-notebook.blogspot.com/2005/10/sony-vaio-tx1xp.html

Re: TX1 fan noise

lantek — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 02:09:37 GMT

Hi

I upgraded from a T1XP to a TX1XP last week and the new fan is starting to bother me. I've heard (at Tom's hardware I think) that the new Centrino chipset runs a bit hotter than the old, but I thought the BIOS would be able to keep it slow enough at the lowest performance setting to not bother me.

However, when at the lowest possible performance (CPU Control on "Battery Life" and the "System Idle Process" toggles between 98-99% and the My Computer->Properties says the CPU is running at 299MHz), the fan is still spinning up and down every 6 seconds or so. The old T1XP was dead silent until I at least started compiling or something. And then the fan spun up only after running at 100% CPU for almost a minute.

Also, the fan itself has a noise of its own in the new TX1XP. In the old T1XP, all I heard was the sound of the air flowing out, nothing else.

So, the problem is two-fold.

1. The fan spins up and down constantly. It runs *much* more than the old T1XP.

2. The fan sounds more than necessary. The old T1XP proves that it's possible to make them really silent, why isn't the new as silent? Did I get a bad one? Should I switch?

Unfortunately I have the exact same problem on my new TX1XP. In a quiet the room, the fan sounds pretty similar to a rack mount 1U server with the fan noise. For a laptop, its very noisy indeed, and annoying. I am hoping Sony can release some fix for this.

Re: TX1 fan noise

Pagemakers — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 08:39:36 GMT

I have just turned my laptop on to read this topic. My machine has only been on for 5 minutes and already the fan is on and off, on and off every few seconds. The fan only stays on for about 1 or 2 seconds at a time, so I would imaging that's pretty useless as far as cooling is concerned.

I have raised this issue with e-support.

The fan noise is driving me nuts.

My advice - don't by this laptop until Sony fix this.

Re: TX1 fan noise

lantek — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 09:48:07 GMT

I have just turned my laptop on to read this topic. My machine has only been on for 5 minutes and already the fan is on and off, on and off every few seconds.  The fan only stays on for about 1 or 2 seconds at a time, so I would imaging that's pretty useless as far as cooling is concerned.

I have raised this issue with e-support.

The fan noise is driving me nuts.

My advice - don't by this laptop until Sony fix this.

Yup same here. On battery it takes around4 to 5 minutes to reach 60 degrees, and then you are in trouble. Constant on and off fan noise, until it reaches about 63 degrees, and then you get the full constant onslaught of the fan. To make matters worse, its a constantly variable rpm fan, so you get a winding up and winding down sound as it varies its speed. Its even to the point where opening Explorer, or moving the mouse increases the fan RPM audiable.

Re: TX1 fan noise

Pagemakers — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:11:00 GMT

Just had my first totally useless reply from Vaio e-support. They said - run the recovery app to restore the laptop!!!

I suggested they located one of these things and plugged it in and listened to it.

Ooh, better go. The fan's about to launch into outer space. I'll come back and check the forum later after it's cooled down again

Re: TX1 fan noise

lantek — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 21:18:12 GMT

I tried to call Sony about the problem. Spent 25 mins in the queue, spoke to a guy for 2 minutes, he put me on hold, and I then was promptly cut off.

Re: TX1 fan noise

lantek — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 21:20:49 GMT

Just to rule it out, I also bought the Sony port replicator, to see if raising the base of the desk surface would have impact. Unfortunately that makes no difference either.

I also tried one of these http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=PA248U, again no change.

Re: TX1 fan noise

seb21__ — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 21:28:51 GMT

Just to rule it out, I also bought the Sony port replicator, to see if raising the base of the desk surface would have impact. Unfortunately that makes no difference either.

I also tried one of these http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=PA248U, again no change.

Read the features correctly!

Prevent overheating: Two-fan cooling system pulls heat away from the notebook and prevents the CPU from overheating during use

If you can't turn this device at the bottom or change the between blow and suck, then it will work against the fans in your VAIO. Which suck air from the bottom and blow it out at backsite. It can't work then.

Re: TX1 fan noise

lantek — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 22:27:03 GMT

Just to rule it out, I also bought the Sony port replicator, to see if raising the base of the desk surface would have impact. Unfortunately that makes no difference either.

I also tried one of these http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=PA248U, again no change.



Read the features correctly!

Prevent overheating: Two-fan cooling system pulls heat away from the notebook and prevents the CPU from overheating during use 
If you can't turn this device at the bottom or change the between blow and suck, then it will work against the fans in your VAIO. Which suck air from the bottom and blow it out at backsite. It can't work then.

I am just saying the Targus Chill Pad made no difference, it didnt increase the temp and it didnt decrease it. I posted this here incase anyone else was tempted into trying it, which would be a waste of money.

Either way, this doesnt change the fact that the TX1XP has some serious fan problems.

Re: TX1 fan noise

Pagemakers — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 09:13:48 GMT

Do Sony read this? I hope they do. I'm getting to the stage where I have to decide to keep it or take it back.

I want to keep it, but if Sony won't say if there will be a future update to fix the problem then, sadly the laptop will have to go.

I spend more time listening to the fan cycling up and down then I do actually doing work.

PS: If anybody contacts Sony, please point them to this topic.

Re: TX1 fan noise

lantek — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 12:21:58 GMT

Do Sony read this?  I hope they do.  I'm getting to the stage where I have to decide to keep it or take it back.

I want to keep it, but if Sony won't say if there will be a future update to fix the problem then, sadly the laptop will have to go.

I spend more time listening to the fan cycling up and down then I do actually doing work.

PS: If anybody contacts Sony, please point them to this topic.

I have an outstanding support ticket with Sony, which references this thread as an example of other users having problems, and I also referenced the review at trustedreviews.com which indicates the fan problem.

Re: TX1 fan noise

Pagemakers — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 10:08:35 GMT

....and then it's mentioned in this review too..

http://laptop-notebook.blogspot.com/2005/10/sony-vaio-tx1xp.html