HP Elitebook Folio 9480m BIOS update made CPU fan stop

[AN101]

Hello,

I've this laptop which is dual boot (Windows-7 (64-bit) and Ubuntu 16.04). It was Ok except continuous CPU fan working whcih was a nuisance. I checked laptop drivers and found that the BIOS version was old and the latest BIOS version was highly recommended to be updated, which I did. The version that I downloaded is http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp77501-78000/sp77813.exe. (ver 01.38 Rev.A dated Nov 8, 2016)

After BIOS upgade the CPU fan has completely stopped to work on its own. For windows I have installed a 3rd party tool "TPFanControl" to explicitly run the fan at full speed only. While in Ubuntu I'm unable to fix the problem so far. Funny thing is that this BIOS update says that now we can not revert to earlier versions. After encountering this problem, I checked on forums and found that many HP laptops have somewhat related issues. This was my first interaction with HP laptops in over 15 years and HP has done a wonderfull job to make me disgust it even more.

Can someone suggest how to turn this crap into a working machine ?

[savvy2]

error one, flashing bios blind, it told you no regression path but you did that. (read the details link on that HP BIOS page)

the BIOS IS  now as you, made it., rigth or wrong.!

the fans are controlled at both levels. (if the OS does it at all)

BIOS and the OS

so which end is problematic, is the end to work.

if you run enough HP PCs'  some start the fan no matter what temp. first boot, via BIOS decision.... even dead cold PC.

others PCs , run the fan  only if MEASURED temps are too hot. at first boot, power on, .. BIOS again.''

HP does not document this at all or poorly, just like flash (beeps) codes are done poorly and never specific to one model.

when you upgrade, this can change to.. (flashing newer bios)  exact rules change.  (read the details in the Bios pages to  see if they mention fan , changes,,,,, always read the BIOS details first, before any FLASH, or leave it alone , IMO)

The OS then runs the fan, but the BIOS many overide, that, after all there are VAST OS sold.  (windows,linux. ps2, dos, and Citrix? and others,  some dont to fans at all, so the BIOS,  is the FALL BACK inteligence here.

DOS does not run fans,  on other OS, its and OPTION , after all each MOBO uses different sensors and ports to do that,

So that takes special drivers to pull that off. in call cases. If at all or even attempted.

overheating is complex in lap tops.

consider, the fan radiator is packed in lent?  (as it loves to do)

or the CPU heat sink compound is now brick hard (fixed many) and now fractured and when you turn the beast on

the CPU quickly goes roasting hot at the get GO.  THE BIOS must handle all this. (it tries, and most times fails)

Remember the 2008 GPU solder ball failures,  they revised fan actions THEN, to lower the chances.. of causing the low temp, solder from meltling. (cracking)

This is why most folks avoid fan answers..  but here is a glimps. (from my life time experience on topic and IMO)

[AN101 · Accepted solution]

I understand what you are saying, but please re-read my original post. CPU cooling fan does not run at all even in BIOS or in Windows. So does not have to do anything with the Linux.

However, I managed to solve the issue after endless searching on forums (both Windows and Linux) and testing / trials. Here is the link for others to be benefitted from.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2364549

Cheers.

[savvy2]

i revised my post

no, ! it has to do with both.

see why,!

The PC can run OS that does not use any OS fan controls, by design.

The BIOS does all that.

consider this, you boot the PC, to the BIOS info page. (stuck there, and you go mow the lawn,,,  )

it will not over heat.

no words in any HP book tell you that you can only run BIOS pages for 5 min max or the PC overheats. (no)

That is BECAUSE BIOS runs fans in all modes, if it must, and is thermal loop controlled..

You can boot to CD ,run any LIVE OS you want and not overheat the PC. or boot to Flash memory stick and run it all day.

BIOS protects you from that. (even with the most dumb, OS of all FREEDOS, or some old Linux, or Unix, or Xenix, or even vastly complex VIRTUAL box setup PC,  even multiple Virtual boxs.

What you use your PC  for is your business, but in all cased the FAN must keep the 2 main chips cool, or there will be pain.

on my PC (8540s) i run w10 with advanced fan control appl, it that has vast features, i can run any rpm in stages.

of heat , on all 4 cores.  

It works great and shows the core temps full time in the task bar, the faster i7 tends to run hot.

I had to upgrade to special thermal compound on the heat sinks, to get the temps in a reasonable range. 60c.

SHIN-ETSU MICROSI THERMAL COMPOUND

thermal issues are complex with hot fast CPUs in a thin case. and always will be.

the Linux , can all run the same advanced, fan control APPS,  and there are many to choose from.

On mine it has 3 sensors, cpu/gpu/mobo,   that can be used to control the fan.

if you join your linux forum all this and more is commonly discussed,  endless for 25 years...