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Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
HP Recommended

I'm wondering what is it the new BIOS feature "Fan always on" does exactly... It does what it says of course, but does fan speed control work when the feature's enabled, I wonder. Probably yes, but then why add such an option anyway...?

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HP Recommended

Hi:

 

It's possible, but all my HP notebooks have that BIOS setting including my solidly built HP Elitebook business notebooks.

 

The only notebook I have that runs hot is my HP dv6810us with the nVidia chipset and the nVidia GeForce go 7150 video adapter. I don't use that thing for more than reading e-mails and surfing the web. Using it for those tasks, it runs fine.  You start watching internet video or whatever and the fan starts spinning up and that thing will make your thighs hot.

 

My Elitebook 6930p with the Intel 4 chipset and the AMD HD 3450 256 MB video card, is silent and cool as a cucumber.

 

It has the Fan always on setting-A/C power, which I disabled.

 

Paul

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HP Recommended

Hi:

 

It just helps the PC run a little cooler.

 

This feature is only when the notebook is on A/C power, and its power scheme is more like a desktop (where the processor fan is always on).

 

I disable the feature myself. The sensor will turn the fan on and off as needed. 

 

If you tend to do more gaming or graphics intensive stuff on your notebook when it is plugged in, you may want to enable the Fan always on option.  And yes, the fan will speed up and slow down as necessary with this feature enabled too. It just will remain running at idle at all times rather than off until needed with the option disabled.

 

Paul

HP Recommended

All right, I thought as much, but what I don't get is why introduce the feature at all... I can't imagine the notebook would run very hot when at able, and even if it does, the sensor would just turn the fan on. Sure, it makes the notebook A LITTLE cooler at able, but I don't see the point. Might have something to do with HP lowering this model's fan speeds with the previous BIOS update. They might be using a poor-ish heat-sink/fan soulution and are trying to keep temperatures down. The notebook was pretty loud when it first came out, with its original BIOS. What do you think?

HP Recommended

Hi:

 

It's possible, but all my HP notebooks have that BIOS setting including my solidly built HP Elitebook business notebooks.

 

The only notebook I have that runs hot is my HP dv6810us with the nVidia chipset and the nVidia GeForce go 7150 video adapter. I don't use that thing for more than reading e-mails and surfing the web. Using it for those tasks, it runs fine.  You start watching internet video or whatever and the fan starts spinning up and that thing will make your thighs hot.

 

My Elitebook 6930p with the Intel 4 chipset and the AMD HD 3450 256 MB video card, is silent and cool as a cucumber.

 

It has the Fan always on setting-A/C power, which I disabled.

 

Paul

HP Recommended

Guess you're right. I disabled it too, right when I updated the BIOS. What do you think about the other feature HP added, just says "provides support for a new Wireless LAN card" in the download description. Does it mean you can install ANY Mini PCI WLAN adapter? Like this one for example: http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?categoryid=240&model=TL-WN861N.

 

Cheers!

HP Recommended

Hi:

 

The only wireless adapters you can install in your notebooks are those in your service manual WITH the HP part numbers only.  If you attempt to install any other wireless adapter, your notebook won't boot until you remove the unsupported card.

 

The one you provided a link to definitely will not work.

 

Chapter 3, pp18-19 of your service manual lists the supported wireless cards, part numbers and countries the corresponding part number works in.

 

http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02214672/c02214672.pdf

 

Paul

 

 

HP Recommended

Yes, I know about whitelisted (and blacklisted) WLAN cards, but read the section "Fix/Enhancement" from the new BIOS version download page: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-96638-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&...

 

I'm not sure what HP are refering to by "A new Wireless LAN Card"; is it any new card or some specific card that they are selling, I don't know. I'll contact Tech Support to check it.

 

I'll let you know what they said. Bye!

HP Recommended

Hi:

 

It could be for a newer supported WLAN card not originally listed in the service manual.

 

It is definitely not for allowing the use of any WLAN card compatible with the slot.

 

It will be a specific card with a specific HP part number.

 

Definitely let us know what you can find out.

 

Paul

HP Recommended

Hi Paul!

 

You're right, it's just support for WLAN cards shipped with new models of dm1.

 

Cheers, bye!

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