Aspire XC 885 fan comes on and goes off within seconds

akerbeltz
akerbeltz Member Posts: 2 New User
I'm beginning to think there's an inherent problem with Acers and fans. I have an older Acer Aspire 5742 laptop which I'm running on Ubuntu and it has a fan issue where the fan comes on every few seconds, runs like mad for a few seconds, then goes off for a few seconds. I just put that down to the fact that it's older and maybe a driver issue in Ubuntu. But I've just finished setting up a new Aspire XC 885 and to my susprise, am getting a very similar issue. It seems to come on either when I'm running a lot of stuff at the same time or installing stuff - but oddly also when it goes into screensaver (running World Community Grid BOINC client, so that may be causing that).
What I'm annoyed with is not the fact that the fan runs - if it needs cooling, it needs cooling - but it's bizarre for it to run only maybe 2 seconds, go off 4 seconds, run 2 seconds etc etc ad nauseum. I can't imagine that it's supposed to cool in such a stop-and-go manner. Any ideas what needs tweaking? On the new XC 885, not my old laptop.

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,101 Trailblazer
    Likely the chipset drivers aren't quite up to the PID control that regulates fan speed based on CPU temp. The drivers for your flavor of Linux are just doing a simple fuzzy logic control, turn it on at x temp, turn it off at y temp, and the difference between x and y is too low to cycle slowly.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • akerbeltz
    akerbeltz Member Posts: 2 New User
    Hello? I just said I'm not trying to fix my Linux laptop. I am trying to figure out why the new XC 885 running Windows 10 is doing it...
  • lubu
    lubu Member Posts: 29 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    XC-885 CPU Fan is NOT copper base... even 8700 is not using copper one...
    The stock CPU heatsink is NOT enough for 8700....
    I can't believe acer did not have upgrade model as other big  brand.

    Even applied latest BIOS not help.
    when CPU loading and temp is high, the CPU Fan gone crazy... it turn on and off exactly as yours.......

    I think it is manufacturer defect.........

    I won't buy any Acer desktop again....
  • Larryodie
    Larryodie Member Posts: 1,658 Community Aficionado WiFi Icon
    My older (9 years old) HP does the same when running Zynga Poker etc. My new TC-895 is OK. 
  • Larryodie
    Larryodie Member Posts: 1,658 Community Aficionado WiFi Icon
    What I'm saying is that parts age and get slower as people do I'm not promoting ACER but just stating that electronics slow with age. Actually on the TC-895 the fan is very quiet that I don't ever hear it (even with hearing aids) but visibly I can see ii. 
  • lubu
    lubu Member Posts: 29 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Larryodie said:
    What I'm saying is that parts age and get slower as people do I'm not promoting ACER but just stating that electronics slow with age. Actually on the TC-895 the fan is very quiet that I don't ever hear it (even with hearing aids) but visibly I can see ii. 

    TC-895 is OK but TC-885 / XC-885 are not....
    TC885 and XC885 stock heatsink and fan are cheap *****.... not enough for high power consumption CPU e.g. 8700........