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	Replies: 11 - Pages: 1 - Last Post: 16-Mar-2013 09:58 Last Post By: plankadam	Threads: [ Previous \| Next ]

abjork

Posts: 4
Registered: 18/08/12

Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 18-Aug-2012 20:59

I bought this machine to be used as a media center hooked to stereo and tv for music and movies. While setting it up I noticed that the fan never turn off when the pc is running on ac. While I was updating Windows, BIOS and installing software I didn't mind as it tends to stress the components a bit. I've used it on battery several times and noticed that the fan only came on when needed.

It has come down to this:

On ac the fan always runs on at minimum 50% according the the Toshiba PC health monitor.

The machine can be idle, but the fan will never stop. While writing this post cpu temperature is at 36%. According to the cpu specifications this would translate to 36 degrees, cold enough to not need the fan for a while.

Pulling the cord letting the machine run on battery, makes the fan do a slight increase of speed before it within 15 seconds stops only to start when needed.

I've been through:

Upgraded to BIOS 1.10
Played with BIOS-setting for cpu to always low
I've adjusted the power settings both with or without Toshiba power saving installed to use passive cooling.
I've set other power settings in Windows to optimized for battery to make batterymode and ac-mode equal.

Speedfan 4.46 finds no fan controller and can't be used to control the fan.

Can anoyone confirm my findings?

I encourage Toshiba to make the fan control under ac power based on the same settings as for battery mode.
I'm looking forward to a BIOS update in the not to distant future.

Dr.Lamp

Posts: 1,774
Registered: 25/09/09

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 19-Aug-2012 08:48

in response to: abjork

Let’s see if Toshiba will do anything about that. It is so annoying to use the notebook when the cooling fan is loud and never stops. Maybe new BIOS update will be offered soon.
Only thing that can be done at the moment is change of cooling method option for the used power profile.
Using “Battery optimized” option notebook will run a bit quieter.

abjork

Posts: 4
Registered: 18/08/12

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 19-Aug-2012 09:22

in response to: Dr.Lamp

Using Battery optimization doesn't help for me. This issue seems to be rooted in the way BIOS controls the fan. I've done testing with Parted Magic 2012_08_09 running kernel 3.4.6 which confirm my findings.

Whenever the computer is running on ac the fan kicks in at 50% and never stops. It's loud and annoying
Pulling the plug letting it run on battery make the fan stop and it only kicks in when needed.

There is no issues with the cpu throttling as it switches between 850 and 1700 mhz both during ac and battery mode. Since I'm leaving it just sit there it stays at 850 mhz most of the time. Cpu usage is at about 3%.

I'm wondering if there is an error in the threshold settings for turning off the fan when ac is connected. Can it be that the temperature set as the threshold is so low that the fan will never go under 50%?

abjork

Posts: 4
Registered: 18/08/12

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 19-Aug-2012 10:50

in response to: abjork

Using CPUID Hardware Monitor I've found the thresholds for fan control under battery mode. By reading the temperatures listed as AMD Renmore or AMD Radeon HD 7340M the behavior is:

At 64 degrees Celsius the fan starts.
At 52 degrees Celsius the fan stops.

Plugging in ac the fan starts even if the temperature is between these levels. After a couple of minutes the temperature is down to the mid 40s and decreasing while the fan is still running at 50%.

PauPau

Posts: 4,295
Registered: 21/09/09

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 20-Aug-2012 14:42

in response to: abjork

Plugging in ac the fan starts even if the temperature is between these levels.

These means that the cooling mode for plugged-in mode is set for max performance.
If you want to change this you have to choose the power plant configured for plugged-in mode and there you can change the cooling method and CPU performance settings.

abjork

Posts: 4
Registered: 18/08/12

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 21-Aug-2012 06:07

in response to: PauPau

I've done all that. I've tried battery optimized. I've tried setting Windows power management to the same for running on ac or battery. Active or passive cooling have no effect. I've tried settings with or without Toshiba Power Management installed incase it was the culprit. I've adjusted BIOS to set the cpu to always low. The behaviour is the same:

Plugging in ac, the fan kicks in.
Running on battery the fan adheres to the temperature thresholds.

The same happens under current Parted Magic (Linux). This means that the Windows installation isn't causing this issue..

I'm convinced this issue is rooted in the firmware/BIOS since absolute no settings in software or BIOS have any effect on the fan in ac mode.

PauPau

Posts: 4,295
Registered: 21/09/09

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 21-Aug-2012 08:58

in response to: abjork

Hi

I found a nice FAQ about the Windows Power Management and the settings:

How to handle the power managment features of Windows 7
http://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/kb0/HTD12017W0001R01.htm

Very interesting is the point “Toshiba Power Saver”.
Here you can see the “Cooling method” which I described above.

But of course the main fan activity is stored in the fan table. Fan table is stored in the BIOS… so if an certain temperature level would be reached, the fan starts to rotate faster and this is controlled by fan table

plankadam

Posts: 3
Registered: 08/03/13

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 08-Mar-2013 16:48

in response to: abjork

Hello!
Could you tell me, how did you solve this problem?
Unfortunately I have exactly the same problem.
Thanks,
Adam

RandyRoberts

Posts: 299
Registered: 21/08/12

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 13-Mar-2013 09:30

in response to: plankadam

Hi

You could try to change the settings in Processor power management like mentioned in the FAQ above.
You could lower the Maximum processor state. This specifies the upper limit of CPU performance.
Higher values promote higher performance (depending on CPU utilization), at the expense of greater power consumption. The minimum and maximum processor state values are essentially percentage of the maximum clock rate for the CPU.

If the CPU runs slower, the heat dissipation would be smaller and the cooling fans activity should be reduced to.

plankadam

Posts: 3
Registered: 08/03/13

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 13-Mar-2013 12:43

in response to: RandyRoberts

Hello,

Thanks for the answer. I brought my notebook to the service, they will change the colling system to a new one. I hope it will solve the problem.

RandyRoberts

Posts: 299
Registered: 21/08/12

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 13-Mar-2013 12:50

in response to: plankadam

Thanks for feedback

plankadam

Posts: 3
Registered: 08/03/13

Re: Satellite C850D-109 - fan issue to be solved
Posted: 16-Mar-2013 09:58

in response to: RandyRoberts

I got back my notebook from the service. They replaced the colling system to a new one, BUT the problem still exists. I just cant stop the fan when used from AC. Any ideas? I tried everything you advised before.

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