ZBook Power 16 G11 fan bursts

[MDusek]

Hi,

yesterday I purchased brand new ZBook Power 16 G11 (8T0Q3EA). I browse internet and watch videos, hence CPU is at max. 5-10% (checked with Windows Task Manager), hence cooling fan is mainly off. Unfortunately when the fan turns on it is short burst when the fan goes to high power and after 1 second it again turns off. In quiet environment, this sudden noise is very disturbing. I understand the fan must cool the laptop but why the fan is managed in such a stupid way and it runs for 1 second in short burst every 5 minutes? Sometimes there are even 2 or 3 bursts shortly after each other in 5 seconds. Can it be fixed somehow?

You can hear the burst here: https://youtube.com/shorts/xAH2ku66vw8?feature=share I'm sorry for the background noise, my phone camera can't record it better.

[resistencia]

Hi @MDusek 

This may not be normal, as there are many programs that work in the background so when they are activated they require a lot of processor, then it normalizes but this causes the fans to be activated to prevent the processor from heating up,

If you want you can see if you have updates using the HPIA.

HP Image Assistant | HP Client Management Solutions

This program updates the drivers and especially the BIOS which can improve the use of the fans.

[MDusek]

No, that 1 second bursts when the CPU is almost idle are not normal. I"m not sure whether I described my problem well, so here is an image:

For CPU load 0 - 10%, fan is mostly off, but random bursts (spikes) are coming which is annoying and disturbing. For higher CPU load, when the fan is constantly on, there is a constant (low) noise. I also want for CPU load 0 -10% to have a constant (or no) noise without any sudden changes in noise.

I installed HPIA and updated everything, nothing changed.

[resistencia]

I have a Zbook Power G7 model and the behavior is the same. You will even notice that sometimes the fans continue to work when the notebook is in sleep mode because they still need to dissipate some heat.

[MDusek]

Really? HP is not able to properly control a stupid motor (fan) at low CPU load in 2000 - 3000 USD laptops? And there is no solutuion for that other than running a dummy PC software that will load CPU at e.g. 15% when there is no other load for CPU to make fans constantly spinning without turning off to avoid the spikes?

[resistencia]

You can enable the fans to run constantly in the BIOS if you want, but that consumes a lot of battery.

These issues are not only attributable to HP, in many cases it is the modern standby mode in Windows in power options that causes this and only Microsoft can fix this with its constant updates.

[MDusek]

I don't run my latop often on battery, so that's not an issue for me. What should I set in BIOS to enable fan? I can't see any setting related to that.

[resistencia]

Enter the BIOs in advanced and follow the route

Fan Always on while on AC Power

\Advanced\Built in Device

Disable

[MDusek]

Thank you, I found it.

FYI there is still one burst/spike just after the laptop is turned on (before HP logo and HP Wolf Security logo), at the moment fan is turned on. I think this perfectly ilustrates that this is not Windows issue, this is just pure HP inability to properly control a fan. Basically, everytime the fan transits from being turned off to being turned on, there is a spike/burst, even without Windows booted.

[resistencia]

when you are in this logo the windows drivers are being loaded. I do not want to convince you of anything, you decide, but the internet forums are full of this problem, you can see an example here

Installed 23H2 and the FAN turns on everytime!! : r/Windows11

as I said before, see what programs in the background you have active, and deactivate those programs and you will see that there are improvements.