After BIOS update, fan is intermittently noisy

[BillfromBrighto]

Last weekend, I upgraded the BIOS on my Pavilion p6142p.  After the update, one of the fans, I think the graphics card fan, will periodically start up and run very loudly for about a minute, then shut down.  I tried vacuuming out the case and fans and that didn't resolve the problem.  I also couldn't find any fan settings in the BIOS. 

Is it possible the BIOS update caused this problem?  Does anyone know if there is a way to go back to the previous BIOS version?  I'm running Windows 7 64 bit.

Thanks.

[old_geekster]

Bill, welcome to the forum.

There is no way to revert to the original BIOS.  If you are using the integrated video, there is not a fan for it.  If you have installed a dedicated video card, the driver for the card should be updated.  Most HP BIOS'es don't allow for controlling the fans.

[RickKel]

I had exactly the same problem with my p5260f.  You mentioned that you cleaned out the fan, etc.  You may not have done a good enough job because once I cleaned out the dust inside my computer, the problem vanished.

You need to shut off and unplug your computer.  Take off the side panel and, using the brush attachment, vacuum the inside and outside of the fan vents and edges of the panel - anywhere you see dust.

Then carefully vacuum off the fan blades.  My computer has three of them.  Don't get near any of the silicon circuit boards. Hold the fan blades with one finger if you can and vacuum off all of the dust you can see.

Next get a compressed can of air - the kind designed for this task.  You can get it at office supply places like Staples.  With the nozzle tube attached, blow out around the fan and everywhere else in the computer.  You will blow out a ton of dust, I promise you.  I kept the vacuum on while doing it and got most of it before it billowed everywhere.

Put the panel back on, plug it in and you should no longer have the problem.  As another person commented in another post, I believe the new BIOS has a more sensitive setting for heat and turns the fan on more often.  The dust in your computer is restricting the airflow and thus its ability to keep cool.