M14X R2 fan vibration

[kzius]

Hi guys, i have a Alienware M14X R2, my problem is after i repaste my alienware when the fan goes +3000 rpm i can feel it on my keyboard on the left side, its a soft vibration if i put mi hand above the fan ( on the keyboard ) and thats annoying, i don't know what going on, because i dissasembly again and i check everything and looks normal and it still happening, what can i do to check if it every is fine ? Thanks!

[Brian]

If you hear a grinding noise, the fan might need replacement. If you feel a slight vibration, that's normal when a fan spins up.

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Hi Brian, i don't know if it's normal, because the vibration is a little bit more than slight, and if i put my ear on the keyboard can hear not only the air blowing but also a little buzzing sound, here i record a video, this is the sound and fan spin after playing a game two hours, the fan takes hours to stop and the temps of CPU and GPU are fine ( less than 50º). take :

Thanks a lot for replies!

[Brian]

The fan should spin to a slower speed once you exit a game in a short amount of time. If it does not, check to make sure some background applications aren't utilizing the cpu or gpu.

I couldn't really hear anything out of the ordinary in the video but if the buzzing gets worse, call Alienware and they will replace the fan.

Sent from my GT-N7000

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Hi Brian, the fan keep running faster ( like on the video ) before i used intense aplications during long time of use, i restart the laptop and still the same, since i bought the lap was the same, but that not bother me really ( i think is the sensor of the pch temp is high and thats why the fan keep runing ). Well Brian if you think the sound is normal i don't know what to do about the vibration, the lap is in warranty, it doesn't matter if i dissamble before to repaste right ? if the fan looks normal ( without nothing broken ) this keep my warranty valid to replace them ?

Thanks for your assistance Brian!

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

I test another thing today, i take the cover of the back of the lap, i run prime 95 ( to make the fan spin faster ) when the vibration start y push with my finger the fan ( from behind ) and the vibration stop considerably, but don't know to solve it.

Maybe is the vibration between the fan and the heatsink or dont know what.

[Brian]

If the vibration ceased when you pressed your finger on the fan, it might be due to defective bearings. Repasting will not affect your warranty but just in case, don't mention it to them. Just tell them about the vibration/noise and ask for a replacement. They should send over a tech to take care of it for you.

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Ok Brian! i will do that then, thx for all your help

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Hi guys again, well i bought a new cooler from a internet website, today i change the old cooler for the new one ( had the secure stick on the tape ) and the problem persist, i feel the same vibration on the keyboard with my hands when i playing... don't know what is wrong really, that happend the first time that i repaste the laptop...i don't know what to check because the fan is new and secure with the 3 screws... i live in argentina and i don't know how is the support here, because they don't sell alienware in my country...so i do the things by my own...

I have a lot of years repairing computers and i have a certificate ( microsoft ) of that on my college...but i don't know what to do to repair that, i think is something easy but i can't find the solution...

if someone know something about that and want to help me, i appreciate that!

Thx for your time!

[Quix Omega]

You might want to try loosening up the screws slightly, if they're really really tight it can cause problems with vibrations. I don't mean make them loose, just tight enough, not over-tightened. Also, make sure the tape, cable and anything else are not interfering with the fan blades when it's assembled.

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

i will try doing that..another thing is that the back of the keyboard had the mark powder ( circle ) of the cooler , maybe is touching the keyboard ? for the moment im going to untighten the screws a little bit... you mean only the 3 screws of the fan right ? thx for your help

I appreciate that..

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

well i try again untightening the screws but still persisting the vibration...i can only feel it when the fan goes faster...if the fan is on low rpm i don't feel it..maybe the keyboard or the palm rest assembly is a little bit loose but really i don't know..the screws are secure... after a minutes trying the fan i opened again the laptop and completly remove again the fan and put it back again tightening the screws of the fan again but is the same...i dont know if i can try it before assasembly again the whole laptop...or its dangerous doing that...i have al the cloth anti static and everything for the secure of the components of the laptop...

and i dont know if that vibration can harm the components of the laptop...its not a big vibration...but you can feel it and its annoying...

if you know something or someone reply my!

I repaste with ic diamond 24 when i changed the fan for the new one, so im trying to solve that without taking apart the heatsink...because i read about this paste that cannot remove easly and can damage the diode from the chips...

The laptop i bought it in Mexico and i live in Argentina ( here doesn't sell Alienware ) so i think they have to send my laptop to Mexico and i don't know for how much time and the cost of that.. for that reason i want to do it by myself... :S

Edit : well i take out the fan, and i blow air with compressed air and the vibration i think is the blades spining... i test the new one and the old one and vibrate mildly both...i have a fan of an alienware m14x r1 and i test it too and that one doesn't vibrate or something when i blow it with compressed air...i think my both fan from the r2 are bad...( i don't know why because the new one had the security tape and everything..so is new..) but well..i don't know...i have warranty but i don't know if it gonna cover me...you know what i mean...

i'm frustrated a little bit...

[shiro]

I don't think it should vibrate. I use HWinfo64 to crank up the fan sometimes when I stress the laptop and feel slight vibration when the fan is maxed (~5700rpm). Maybe you need to check the screws again if it's really noticeable when its ~3000rpm

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

yeah is strange...i checked a lot of times...but well..maybe i'm going to check again...

[asallat]

It shouldn't be a problem if it's a small vibration. If it sounds a little chunky, as if it's being touching something else, then you may need to clean it, reposition it, or replace it. That would fix the issue.

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

It shouldn't be a problem if it's a small vibration. If it sounds a little chunky, as if it's being touching something else, then you may need to clean it, reposition it, or replace it. That would fix the issue.

I replaced it with a new fan and heatsink, and the problem persist, i don't know if it a problem of the air flow passing inside the fan thats provoke that vibration, i tryed to adjust the screw and loose of the fan andand still persist the problem, also i tryed to loose the palmrest a little bit, but nothing change, don't know if the position of the keyboard or someting beetween the keyboard and the fan...well nothing works...

[flinte]

be sure, to tighten the screws of heatsink and fan only "over cross" not Clockwise or vice versa.

dont bent the fan during assambly it will damage youre bearing.

check allignment of bottom base and Mainboard, loose all screws of Mainboard a little bit, slightly move the Mainboard and also tighten the screws "over cross".

I apologize for my bad english.

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

i didn't understand the first part " tighten the screws of heatsink and fan only "over cross" not Clockwise or vice versa ", i don't know what do you mean about " Over Cross "my english is bad too, i speak spanish acctually. Im going to do this : take out the fan, and align the holes of the fan to the heatsink and motherboard and paste the tape again, place the screws not to tight, only secure. and then the motherboard the same place the screws not to tight. About the palm rest on the left side is a little bit propped up so maybe something pushing up that im going to see on the next fan " replace ". The rubber from the air flow doesn't have that glue because i take it out a lot of times..doesn't matter that ? thx for your help! any tips are welcome!

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

bump.

Someone who have dissasembly the whole laptop can help me ? M14x R2.

[James Dingle]

Ive listened to your utube clip and it sounds okay to me. Sounds just like mine and this is my second r2. Have you tried running it without the keyboard screwed in?

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Ive listened to your utube clip and it sounds okay to me. Sounds just like mine and this is my second r2. Have you tried running it without the keyboard screwed in?

Im going to try without the keyboard, and i tell you what happend...

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Im going to try without the keyboard, and i tell you what happend...

With the keyboard assembly i think is the problem of the vibration, because i don't feel vibrations around the fan without the keyboard, im going to record a video showing how it looks...also the left side of the palmrest in the coupling is a little bit propped up but i don't think thats the problem.

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

Anyone can tell me if the small rubber piece next to the fan is for the vibration of the fan ? because mine lose the adhesive tape and it moves when i touch it, and if it loose maybe that can be the problem? i didn't test it because i don't want to open the laptop only for that...

[Grayson Adams]

I used to have a problem with that. Replaced it and it started working again!

[Ezequiel Tomas Isola]

I used to have a problem with that. Replaced it and it started working again!