fan runs full speed at start up

[mpw101]

HP Pavilion p6-2037cb purchased 1/19/12.  Windows 7.  There is no error message. 

When I turn the computer on after it has been off all night the fan runs full speed.  This happened a few times in the first month.  The first time it stopped itself after a few minutes.  Then I learned to stop it by simply restarting the computer.  This still works, but what used to happen a couple times a month, has happened twice in two days so I worry the problem is getting worse.

It never happens when I am using the computer because I do nothing that requires a lot of cpu's or causes heating.  I just surf the web and do email.  No games or videos or TV.

If it is a fan connection problem I would like to know the nearest repair service.  I would rather bring it in than ship it.  But I can't find a list of authorized warranty repair service centers.  I followed links on HP Support Assistant but got sent to a site that does not list Pavilions.

I need to know why the fan runs full speed at start up and where to get it fixed near where I live.

[TheOldMan]

Please clarify - "I need to know why the fan runs full speed at start up" may be OK.  Does the fan speed then back off to reasonable levels after a short period?

[mpw101]

I don't know why this is happening.  It just runs loud sometimes when I start the computer.  It holds steady.  I no longer wait for it to stop by itself.  I don't know how long it would take.  I just click START select Restart and when it restarts the fan is not running loud anymore.  The orange light next to the power button does not appear busy but the fan is running loud until I restart the computer.

[mpw101]

Update

Tech had me make a HP Vision Diagnostics Disc, everything passed 100% except for some reason the ping failed but this is non issue, internet connection is fine and this has nothing to do with the fan per tech. 

Tech walked me thru resetting the “bios” to default.  I clicked f-10 rapidly and contiuously as computer restarted and then used down arrow to select “reset bios to default and exit”.  Then I clicked enter.

Tech does not believe there is a hardware problem.  He thinks this took care of the problem. 

HP called a week later and fan was still quiet on Start Up.

However it has started again.  I will contact again as there is an update for the bios on this computer and the next step is to do that if the problem returned.

[mpw101]

On 8/3/2012 after several times that the fan came on loud at start up, I called HP again.  With the help of a tech I downloaded a BIOS update.  I hope this fix works.  It has so far but it is  too soon to tell because the fan would only come on loud a handful of times a month.  I finally called when it happened three days in a row which was unusual. 

[mpw101]

Update

Fan came on loud when I turned the computer on this morning.  Tech (Alex) in India says I have to open up computer tower with him on the phone to identify the problem.   This may take anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours.

He says the extended service contract which I was told upgraded my warranty to in home service does not cover troubleshooting.  The service only pays for the technician to come to my home to fix the problem.  I have to find it first.  If I want a technician to come and take the computer apart and find the problem it will cost $200.

Called 1-866-234-1377 for information on HP On-site Service.  No help.  But the women I spoke to said I was given wrong information.  A tech would come to my house but that is all she could tell me and she sent me back to the call center but did give me someone located in US.His name was Cal.  He says that in home service does not cover troubleshooting.  But he does not think it is a hardware problem.  We did remove the side panel and blow out the dust.

Then he took over computer and looked around.  He also went to the Event Viewer and looked at what I told him I found at start up this morning when the fan came on loud. (Alex was not interested in pursuing this.  He thinks it is a hardware problem, probably related to the video card fan.)

Event Viewer  (This is a partial list of many events at start up)

Level             Date and time                     Source           Event ID  Task Catagory

Information    8/22/2012 6:43:58 AM          MEIx64               2               None

Information    8/22/2012 6:43:52 AM          FilterManager     6               None

Information    8/22/2012 6:43:52 AM          FilterManager     6               None

Information    8/22/2012 6:43:52 AM          Kernel-General  12              None

Information    8/21/2012 10:43:16 PM        Kernel-General  13              None ***

Information    8/22/2012 6:44:05 AM          EventLog          6013           None

Information    8/22/2012 6:44:05 AM          EventLog          6005           None

Information    8/22/2012 6:44:05 AM          EventLog          6009           None

*** The event General tab says: The operating system is shutting down at system time ‎2012‎-‎08‎-‎22T03:43:16.872216900Z.

Just as the computer was starting up, the Source Kernel-General tried to shut the system down.  An event from last night when I turned off the computer jumped into the start up this morning.

Cal thinks it is a software problem and not a hardware problem.  His suggestion is to return the computer to its factory condition. 

There seems to be a problem with Kernel-General.

Error   8/22/2012 7:06:30 AM          Kernel-General          5        None***

***There are 330 instances of this error since May 5, 2012.  There are probably more, but old instances are falling off the list. This is what the event General tab says:

 {Registry Hive Recovered} Registry hive (file): '\??\C:\Windows\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\SCHEMA.DAT' was corrupted and it has been recovered. Some data might have been lost.

This error appears 3 or more times a day.  It recovers itself.  I have noticed no loss of data ever. Cal thinks returning computer to factory state will fix Kernel-General so it does not have to keep recovering itself. And that in turn will fix the fan.

My problem is the fan started coming on loud almost from the beginning when I bought this computer.  It only happens a few times a month. This Kernel-General error is more recent and happens daily. 

Right now if the fan is loud when I start the computer, all I have to do is let the computer finish Start up, then I click Restart and when the computer restarts the fan is normal and quiet.  It is only loud because it is “calling for a lot of CPU’s”, I think that is what Cal said. Whatever causes it disappears on restart.

I don’t have $200 to pay for a tech to trouble shoot a hardware problem in my home.  I really don’t want to go back to day one and start all over removing bloat ware and fixing the settings the way I want.  And I really don’t want to take the tower apart looking for a hardware problem over the phone with a tech.  And I have already been on the phone 4-5 hours today about this problem.

I may just do nothing at all and simply restart the computer if the fan is loud when I turn it on.

[TheOldMan]

Wow, what a terrible experience and still not repaired.  I would be disappointed with the "In Home Service" that expects the customer to find the problem or "Tech support" to find the trouble with customer help, before they come out.

[mpw101]

I would never have bought the Total Care service contract with in home upgrade if they had explained that it only covered fixing it and would not cover in home troubleshooting.  I am very disappointed and angry.

[HardBeatZ · Accepted solution]

Hello mpw101,

Seems like there was some confusion on the products your received and how it was explained. I have forwarded your thread to the appropriate team for review. Someone should be in contact with you shortly so you can discuss your HP customer care experience.

[mpw101]

HP replaced a defective motherboard which was causing the fan problem. No cost to me, computer still under warranty. Shipped on Monday and returned with new motherboard on Thursday. HP provided box and shipping labels too. Impressive.

Thank you so very much for your efforts in my behalf.  An HP case manager called me the same day as your email.  He solved the problem and was very helpful and professional as were you.

Thanx again.

Almost forgot to mention. The software problem was a corrupted registry that wasn't really repairing itself.  Must have been copying the corrupted code or whatever.  Anyway only solution was to save files and go back to factory condition.  Then reload and restore files and clean off bloatware again.  Spent the weekend getting it all back in order and no fan noise and no error's in the System event log.  I think this is the end of the trouble.  Keeping my fingers crossed.