ryguy5

I have been having this problem for a while now, but its only when watching video's online. I like watching Hulu and renting movies from iTunes & Amazon, but I'm afraid to since my dv8000 will shut down. The fan almost constantly runs loud all the time, I can hear it from other rooms even. I have a cooling pad underneath with fans that help circulate air, but this doesn't seem to help that much.

My next thing is to get a can of air and blow out the vent on the bottom and rear of the computer. I would kind of like to take it apart to get the dust out, but I don't really know where to even start. I'm also a little weary of taking it apart since I need my computer for school. I can run a lot of various programs fine (fan just runs really loud) such as, Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, ArchiCAD and a lot of other programs that are tough to run. The problem seems to occur when watching movies or online videos.

If anyone can direct me where to start or any tips besides blowing air, I would appreciate it. I also saw about replacing the heat sink, but I have no idea what heat sink even looks like or where its found. Thanks.

Seejay89

I'm in the exact same boat as you, humming noise is like a freezer, very warm beside the battery/fan, cuts out as though you have just removed the battery pack. I'm going to source and replace the fan to see if that does the trick. I'll keep in touch and let you know

beut

The fan is not a problem, that the way the new bios keeps the fan run constantly
http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/08/02...r-type-of-fix/
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...-failures.html
http://www.uberpulse.com/us/2008/08/...essy_video.php

Seejay89

so the NVIDIA chip is the source to the problem?

I'd be aswell just taking out the two hard drives and getting rid of the laptop then, I've had it for nearly 3 years so the warranty is well out of the question.

John20082

The S-video port on my laptop is not working with vidoe camera. What can I do? Is there anyone who can help me in the case?

beut

S-video port works as VGA port, you need to use Fn+F4 to toggle between lcd and external display. It won't switch automatically.

beut

Select your model, then choose FRU Remove/Replace. Clean the fan and heatsink may help, no need to replace.
http://h20181.www2.hp.com/plmcontent/NACSC/SML/

StartingOver

I have a DV8000 laptop and I have a similar problem. The fan is running all the time and making lots of noise.

This is what I have done:

- I cleaned the fan and the heat sink.
- I replaced the thermal paste.
- I downgraded to a very old BIOS version.

I still have the same problem. The fun is running all the time no matter if there are processes running or not.

Please, can anybody help me with that. I don't want to replace my laptop, it would be a waste but this fan noise is going to force me to do that eventually.

beut

Why don't you try to replace the fan, it's not expensive

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

Joe2Shoe

I just replaced the HeatSink/Fan Assembly on my dv9000z last week.
The fan was roaring. Caused by the lubricant prematurely drying out because of the excessive heat from the nVidia video chipset on the motherboard.
I bought a NEW HeatSink/Fan Assembly for $29.00 and I also took the fan apart and put a generous drop of 3-in-One Oil into the bearing hole where the fan shaft goes.
I also noticed that there was NO thermal paste between the CPU and the HeatSink. That was not good, as it was causing the CPU to retain all that excessive heat. Is HP crazy? I put some Arctic Silver Ceramic Thermal Paste on the CPU/HeatSink connection and installed the new lubed HeatSink/Fan assembly.
Now, the laptop runs quieter than before. I also use a 17" dual-fan laptop cooler pad.
Actually all I needed to do was to relube the old fan, as it now works fine. I am keeping it for a backup.
It took 4 hours to take the laptop apart, and 4 hours to put it back together. Download the Service Manual from HP's site for the instructions.

Halaster

hey all

I have had problems with my zd 8000 overheating, I don't use a cooling pad - but I gotta clean it out every year or so - I created this guide for cleaning it - I hope it will help other people who have heating problems. Also there is a link for the maintenance manual needed. takes about 5 hours or so in total.

link is:

http://www.realsancristobal.com/mygu...lion_zd_80.htm

this is a complete guide for cleaning my HP computer - its a HP Pavilion ZD 8000 - P4 3.2 ghz bought in dec 2005. It still runs smooth and I have had no other problems than the overheating when too much dust have accumulated.

hope this helps someone out there...

/Halaster

Joe2Shoe

Halaster,
That is a mighty fine tutorial you made. It will help a lot of people.
I would recommend that you add one step. This step will further increase the life of the CPU and laptop, by dissipating even more heat inside the laptop, especially away from the CPU, which is critical.
After taking all that time to take the laptop apart, clean it out, then reassemble it, why not remove the Heatsink/Fan Assembly from the motherboard (mainboard) and apply new thermal paste to the Heatsink/CPU connection? After a couple of years, the thermal paste will dry out, and loose its heat-dissipating capabilities, and cause excessive heat build-up in the CPU area, shortening the life of the CPU.

Usually all you have to do is remove the 4 screws that attach the Heatsink/Fan Assembly to the CPU. There may be several other screws attaching the assembly to the motherboard, also.

After removing the assembly, remove the old, dried out thermal paste with alcohol applied to a cotton swab or Q-tip. Thoroughly remove all thermal paste from the CPU and the Heatsink. Allow the alcohol to evaporate completely.

Then reapply a thin film of Arctic Silver Ceramic Thermal Paste to the CPU. Do not apply any thermal paste to the Heatsink, as too much thermal paste is not good, and will block the airflow around the connection of the CPU/Heatsink.

I use the Ceramic Thermal Paste as it is not conductive to electricity. The thermal paste with silver particles is slightly conductive to electricity, and if you apply too much of this one, it may short out some component on the motherboard. And, if it eventually dried out to the point where it became "crumbly", some particles may break off and fall onto the mainboard's electrical components, shorting them out.

Halaster

added to guide !

StartingOver

Hi again, thanks so much for the information. The thing is that I do not think this is a problem with the fan. I start my dv8000 and it is quite for a couple of minutes, then, i open the browser and the fan starts for no reason (there is no heavy load at all), then i close the browser and the fan keeps running and making noise.

How con it be that the fan is on even though there is nothing running? This does not make sense, I do not think it is a fan problem but something else that is causing my fan to run all the time.

please, any advice? I'm sure im not the only one having this problem. I dont want to throw this very nice laptop away just because of this stupid fan issue.

btw, I have downgraded my bios version to the oldest possible and nothing changes, Also, I have checked my battery and it is in perfect condition

Joe2Shoe

To reiterate, laptop fans usually last for several years, then the lubricant on the bearing/shaft dries out or dissipates and causes excessive noise, then total fan failure, which causes the cpu/motherboard to burn up.
They used to use a porous bearing on the fans and soaked the porous material in oil for several weeks to saturate it with oil, which would last for many, many years. Now, they use a ball-bearing type bearing with several bearings and put a small amount of lubricant on the bearings, which last only maybe 2 years, before it needs to be re-lubricated.

In case of the dv9000z (which I have), it uses the defective nVidia video chipset on the motherboard which overheats and causes the fan to run faster and more often, thereby causing the lube in the fan and the thermal paste to dry out even quicker, which in turn causes fan/cpu/motherboard failure even quicker.
You can blow out the dust from the fan turbines with canned air, but that will not help solve the problem. That's a cosmetic short-term fix which does not really fix the problem at all.
If the fan is salvagable (not permanently damaged), I would remove it and put a generous drop of 3-in-One oil into the bearing hole and around the shaft of the fan, then reassemble it, and spin it for several minutes to spread the lube. Then I would hook up the fan to a 5volt power source and let it run for 4-5 hours to make sure it is working correctly, without failure, and without making any loud 'roaring' noises.
Or I would purchase a new fan/heatsink assembly, then remove the fan and lube it as per the above instructions, and test it for 4-5 hours, also.
The most important step is removing all the old thermal paste, and reapplying new Arctic Silver Ceramic Thermal Paste to the CPU/Heatsink connection to dissipate heat away from the CPU/Heatsink assembly and into the cooling tube and to the cooling fins of the exhaust port.

After doing this to my laptop, it's quieter than when I bought it new, and it runs cooler, and I can sleep at night now, and let it run all night long without it burning up! I installed Core Temp ( a free CPU temperature registering program http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ ) to keep an eye on the internal temperatures.

If you want your laptop to live, this is necessary for it to breath. Otherwise it will die.
Good luck,
Joe2Shoe.

StartingOver

Joe, thanks so much for your advice. You are giving me hope. However I think I must be so naive because there is still something that i don't quite understand, If I'm not running any processes in my computer the fan should not be running at all so I would not need to worry about whether it produces a noise or not when it is running because, again, it should not be running at all. Why do you think my fan is running all the time even when there are no processes running. Note that this happens to me now under both linux and windows and that it did not happen a year ago...

can you shed some light on this please?

thanks so much!!

:)

Joe2Shoe

ditto

Joe2Shoe

I beg to differ. The fan will run 'even when no processes are running'. There are always processes running, otherwise the computer would not be on!
The CPU and the GPU (video) both create heat just by turning the laptop on. As long as there is electricity being used, heat is being produced. Electronics 101. And because both are enclosed inside the laptop's small case, along with heat from the hard drive, it becomes even hotter inside. It is normal for fans to come on and go off as the heat rises and falls inside the case. If the fan runs all the time, this is not normal, as the heat is never dissipated inside the case. There is a thermal diode which controls the fans activity, and if this diode is bad, then the fan may run constantly, or not run at all, as this diode senses heat and controls the fan. But, in my opinion, running constantly is better than not running at all, as in BURN UP!
If the fan is coming on and off, then I'd say that's normal, even running for longer periods of time, longer than when the laptop was new. If the fan is making a 'roaring' noise, and not a fast spinning fan noise, then I'd say the lubricant inside the fan's bearing is dried out and the fan will totally fail shortly, and if you leave the laptop on, it may be destroyed by excessive heat damage.

StartingOver

Thanks again Joe.

I know there are always processes running in the background (I'm not new to computers...) so I guess the reason why my fan is always running is that it can not dissipate the heat properly so it needs to be on all the time and still the heat is there. I guess that the causes of it are the following:

- The fan is not lubricated enough: this should not be the case because it makes a perfect normal fan noise, not a grinding noise.

- The termal paste is in bad condition: this is not possible since I replaced it one month ago or so.

- The diode you talked about is dead. Is that possible? Can I replace it? Sometimes the fan noise goes from loud to louder and then loud so I guess the diode is somehow working.

- What could be the other causes? (I think it is not a SW related cause because it happens both in windows and linux)

Joe, do you recommend me to replace the fan even though it makes a normal noise (although constant and loud) ?

thanks and sorry for going over and over again over the same issue, I just don't want to buy a fan just to realize that it is not the problem.

Halaster

Aye,

I'll say - if the fan is not 'roaring' and goes on/off as normal (maybe abit more than when new)- then you need not to worry. be happy its running and working...

try also turn the computer upside down to see if all fans are running - there might be one fan not working (in my comp. it was the middle one) - and the other 2 have to "catch up" for the one not working...

I dont really see the problem - unless its distracting to your work.

other advise could be to disconnect the fan, and get a cooling pad for your computer. they run about $20-$40 depending on the quality and size.

/Halaster