Which replacement fan should I order for my HP Pavilion DV7-4110eg?

[BarbaraKK]

I have a Pavilion of the above  model.  When I enter my serial number CNF1024LT9 into HP PartSurfer, it correctly produces the right Product Number of LLB826EA#ABD.   But  Part Surfer shows only 10 parts, none of which are fans, and only one of which can be ordered.  

The fan on the laptop runs all the time, yet does not adequately cool the processor.  When I ran an on-board memory test to see if my RAM had gone bad, the processor shut down due to overheating before completing the test.   

I found two different repair manuals for a Pavilion DV7.  Based on other posts I've seen on this community forum, there may be others.   The first I found had only two replacement part numbers for the fan.  Rather than take a chance on having the wrong one, i ordered both.  Then I discovered that this manual only covered Pavilions with Core Duo and other ancient processors.  My Core Duo  has an i5. 

There there are three different replacement parts possible:
Intel processor with a graphics subsystem and 2.0 GB of discrete memory      653627-001

Intel processor with a graphics subsystem and 2.0 GB of UMA memory            653628-001

Intel processor                                                                                                                     640903-001

I looked at other posts about Pavilion DV7s on this forum, and saw completely different part numbers.

HP Support Assistant (and the Windows device manager) say that there is an AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series system installed, so I suppose I have a graphisc subsystem.   I do not know how much graphics ram is installed, and why 2.0 GB is such a magic figure.   Windows device manager says I also have Intel HD Graphics installed, which led someone with a rank of 'Provost' in another posting to conclude that UMA graphics was not involved, though he never explained his reasoning. 

It would be really nice to know what the right relacement part number was -- my dead husband bought this system, and was not the kind of person to order a custom-configured computer.   It's my only computer.  I have someone here who could take it apart and replace the fan this week, but he won't be around forever.  What I want to avoid is taking the laptop apart to find out what the replacement part number is, waiting many weeks for a replacement to come from China or whereever, and then putting it back together.

It would seem to me that HP would know how they built this system, but they don't make this information available in a public database.  I'm in Austria, by the way.

Any help you could offer would be great.

Thanks,
Barbara

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Barbara:

I looked at the same part surfer listing as you did and according to the parts list, your notebook has an i5-460M processor with the Intel/AMD Radeon HD 5650 graphics.

Chapter 3, page 22, item 7, of the service manual for your notebook's model series indicates that with the above configuration, you need to order this fan/heatsink assembly...

For use only with computer models equipped with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics subsystems with discrete memory
HP Part # 603691-001.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02666747

You can't just order the fan by itself.

I'm thinking if the fan is running, then there is nothing wrong with it, and you just may have to open up the PC and carefully remove any built up dust in the fan/heatsink area.

So you may want to do that first before buying any parts.

If cleaning out the innards doesn't resolve the issue, then most likely the heatsink has gone bad and needs to be replaced.

You will also need to reapply the thermal compound which transfers the heat from the processor and graphics components to the heat sink.

[BarbaraKK]

Hello Paul,

Thanks for replying, and pointing me to the 2010 version of the Repair and Maintenance Manual for the Pavilion DV7.  I have a 2009 manual, a 2011 manual, and now a 2010 manual for the same laptop model.    This is a bit crazy, no?

i don't see how you picked out the right manual, and it's hard to see how you linked my serial number to an AMD Mobility Radeou 5650.  Part Surfer gives me a list of the major assemblies, and one is WW184AV with a description of "HP IDS DSC 5650/1G DUO WF BASE NB PC".  OK, 5650 is in the string, but otherwise it's pretty cryptic.

When I look at the 2010 manual to which you pointed me seems to contradict itself.  On the page you cited, the reference to the part you mentioned is indeed present, but on page 94, where the replacement procedure for the fan/heat sink assembly is detailed, another part number 605363-001, which seems to be just a fan, without any copper heat conductors.

The 2010 manual goes back to the craziness I saw in the 2009 manual, where one has to remove the display to swap the fan.  Unless I'm missing something, it would seem that I would have to disassemble the laptop twice, once to find out the correct part number, and once again once I order the part and it comes from China or whereever. 

I would have hoped to avoid this.  Any advice you might have about all these contradictions and how to get around them to solve my problems would be appreciated.

Best Regards,

Barbara

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome, Barbara.

I still go on my original post that if the fan is working and not making any strange noises, then the overheating problem lies elsewhere...dust buildup, broken heat sink..

If the fan wasn't working, the BIOS would throw a fan failure code.

When I look at the manual I posted...page 94 shows the same part descriptions...but you are correct...page 94 shows a different part number for the fan/heatsink than page 22 has.

When I do a search for the part number on page 94, I get both...some sites show a fan only and some list a fan/heatsink combination.

Anyway, I suggest you look inside the PC first and determine what needs to be done...cleaning the notebook of dust, or replacing a part.

It seems to me the fan is not the issue.

Best Regards,

Paul

[BarbaraKK]

Hello Paul,

I did exactly as you suggested, and had my friend take apart the laptop, to look and see what was there, as well as clean it out.  He stopped before taking off the display, in accordance with a YouTube video he found on the topic.  He said there wasn't much dust accumulated in the fan, but he blew out and vacuumed what was there.  He also tool the attached picture.

He thinks that part he found does look similar to eht 605363-001 documented in the repair procedure, but that this part is but a subassembly in the 603691-001 assembly you cited, which also includes the heatsinks and heat pipes.

After the cleaning, the laptop came together again, and worked with no problem.  He also ran the on-board memory test, which completed (with no memory errors).  So the laptop seems set to go for a while longer, and we know what part to get should it go out.  The market seems to be picked clean of these parts in Europe and China, but there are a few available in North America.

Thanks again for your valued advice.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Barbara.

Glad to have been of assistance, and very happy to know your notebook is running better after being cleaned.

It doesn't take much dust/lint to cause poor airflow.