Question [SOLVED] Alienware 14 - CPU/GPU fan running at full speed constantly

[Tutoh1]

Hello,
I have an Alienware 14 laptop that I use mainly for web browsing that developed an issue a couple of days ago where the fan would be spinning at full speed regardless of how much load the CPU was under.
I have the laptop set to use the integrated GPU instead of the dedicated GPU so the GPU is usually a 0% usage.
Using Open Hardware Monitor, I can see the 4 CPU cores are at 43 - 53 degrees C, so this isn't due to overheating.
When I shut down, the fans stay spinning at full speed right under the laptop powers off, where they immediately stop.

When I boot up, the fans are running normally at first. I can open Task Manager -> Processes and watch all the start-up processes raise the CPU load and the fans will speed up to the expected level.
At 1 minutes and 54 seconds, a process called "Dell Instrumentation" will start using about 27% of the CPU and the fans will speed up to full and stay there, even after this dell instrumentation process goes down to 0% about 10 seconds later.
I've updated all drivers and installed all updates on Windows Update.

Does anyone know what might be causing this?

 

[KyaraM]

Apparently, this process can cause issues in Dell and Alienware laptops in general:

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/ttrs6u/dellinstrumentationsys_is_causing_bsods_en_masse/

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/comments/tsbjg3/help_my_pc_wont_stop_crashing/


Thankfully, your machine isn't crashing. But in these topics, people recommend to deactivate Dell processes in safemode essentially preventing them from starting. Maybe worth a try?

Another option, probably should try this first. See if you got the FN key next to left Ctrl, and if there on one of you F#-keys there is an image of a spinning fan. For me, that's F5 on my TUF Gaming laptop. Try to hold down FN and then press the F# key once or twice. See if that changes anything. It might be that the internal hardware fan control got set to maximum, or that you hit that key comvo on accident somehow. From how you describe the issue, it really sounds like the fan control is messed up somehow.

 

[nate12]

Apparently, this process can cause issues in Dell and Alienware laptops in general:

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/ttrs6u/dellinstrumentationsys_is_causing_bsods_en_masse/

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/comments/tsbjg3/help_my_pc_wont_stop_crashing/


Thankfully, your machine isn't crashing. But in these topics, people recommend to deactivate Dell processes in safemode essentially preventing them from starting. Maybe worth a try?

Another option, probably should try this first. See if you got the FN key next to left Ctrl, and if there on one of you F#-keys there is an image of a spinning fan. For me, that's F5 on my TUF Gaming laptop. Try to hold down FN and then press the F# key once or twice. See if that changes anything. It might be that the internal hardware fan control got set to maximum, or that you hit that key comvo on accident somehow. From how you describe the issue, it really sounds like the fan control is messed up somehow.

@Tutoh1 did it help? I am having same issue but was sure its because of my old alienware that started doing it. IN the process of getting new PC so didint really check if further.

My laptop is also going on full vent speed and every 30-40 minutes everything stops, vent stops, all operations freeze and display goes off and back on after 2 seconds and its running again

 

[Tutoh1]

Awesome! Thank you! I do not have any time to try out fixes right now, but I'm glad you found a solution so quickly. My laptop isn't crashing but it is freezing for about 2 seconds every 4 minutes or so.

 

[Tutoh1]

I've pressed Windows+R, opened "services.msc", opened the properties on anything with "Dell" in the start of its name and changed it's startup from Automatic (Delayed Startup) to Disabled. The fan is back to normal again and there is no stalling.

 

[KyaraM]

I've pressed Windows+R, opened "services.msc", opened the properties on anything with "Dell" in the start of its name and changed it's startup from Automatic (Delayed Startup) to Disabled. The fan is back to normal again and there is no stalling.

Sounds like it worked, then! That's great to see.

 

[nate12]

Also for those that just had problems with full vent speed but without windows crash - just uninstall dell support assist app. Worked for me. Finally my laptop working normal after 3 week s of going full speed...