Noisy fan

[Marjoleinihk]

My laptop fan makes a LOT of noise and I have only started using it since a week or two. Sometimes it stops for a while and the silence is deafening after all the noise. Only then it starts again real soon. Never had this with any laptop before this one. Please help!

[Raj_05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Marjoleinihk,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

A noisy fan on your HP 15.6-inch laptop could be caused by a few factors, even if it's new. Here are some troubleshooting steps to help resolve the issue.

Check for Overheating:

• The fan might be working harder if the laptop is getting too hot. Ensure your laptop is on a flat, hard surface to allow proper ventilation. Avoid using it on soft surfaces like a bed or pillow, which can block airflow.
• Try using a cooling pad if you’re doing resource-heavy tasks like gaming or video editing.

Clean the Vents:

• Dust buildup can cause the fan to become noisy. Even a new laptop might have dust inside, especially in the vents. Use compressed air to blow out dust from the fan and cooling vents. Be gentle when doing this to avoid damaging internal components.

Update BIOS and Drivers:

• Sometimes, noisy fans are due to outdated BIOS or hardware drivers. Go to HP's official website and check for the latest BIOS updates or drivers for your laptop model.

Check for Background Processes:

• High CPU usage from background tasks can also cause the fan to spin loudly. Open Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to check if there are any processes consuming excessive CPU. If any unnecessary apps are running, close them to reduce the load.

Adjust Power Settings:

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options and select a power plan that balances performance and cooling (such as the "Balanced" plan). You can also change advanced power settings to lower the maximum processor state, which can help reduce the fan noise.

Fan Speed Control:

• Some laptops have software that allows you to control the fan speed. If your HP laptop has the HP Command Center or another performance management tool, check if you can adjust the fan settings.

Reset the Laptop:

• If the issue persists, perform a soft reset of your laptop (shut it down, then hold the power button for 10-15 seconds). This can sometimes help clear out any software glitches causing the fan to act up.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support 

[Ollsbols]

What did you do?

I have an HP EliteBook the fan of which runs at 100% all the time. I have:

Cleaned the fan and the vents.

Removed the heatsink, cleaned it and the CPU, replaced the thermal paste

Updated drivers and BIOS

Wiped the Laptop and started from scratch

Tried all sorts of Power configurations

None of it makes a difference. It turns out this has been a problem with HP laptops for some time that HP refuse to deal with.

[Marjoleinihk]

I've done all the suggested steps and it is somewhat improved, but the fan still runs on turbo often without any apparent reason. And the laptop really is brand new. I'm dissapointed with the service of HP, I've spent hours in the Whatsapp support call and it was terrible. Never again will I buy a HP laptop, that's for sure.

[Ollsbols]

Thanks for coming back to me. I have an older laptop. This has been going on for years and HP seem unable/unwilling to sort it out. Like you, I am done with HP. 

[RGBLoke]

annoying fan noise fix
======================
open search panel
type "edit power plan"
change advanced power settings
processor power nmanagement
max processor state - drop 2% to 98 (if you experience performance issues put it up to 99% or back to noisy 100%)

[Ollsbols]

Thanks for coming back. Unfortunately this has made no difference. I have tried reducing max power to 98% and then 90%. It has not helped. Fan still at max all the time. CPU temp is 32 degrees. CPU utilisation is 5%.

[RGBLoke]

that's not good, fan shouldn't be coming on until at least 45/50 degC

lucky for me it's helped a little, but like yourselves I'm pretty much done with HP also.

[Ollsbols]

It is a BIOS thing. It kicks off before Windows has booted. It should be an easy fix.