ConceptD 3 Ezel excessive random fan noise with low load

clayh123

Hello,

Ever since my first day with the 3 Ezel, it has experienced prolonged periods of heavy fan noise with seemingly no cause. Sometimes it will just start up when I wake up the computer, or in the middle of basic browsing, continue for minutes at a time (even dozens of minutes), and then randomly stop with seemingly no change in processing load, temperature, or ventilation. The RAM is usually at no more than 40% usage when this happens, and can be unplugged, plugged in, on my desk, on my lap, hot or relatively cool. After the noise stops, my computer can go through long periods without it, handling all kinds of processing without getting too hot or loud.

I've noticed that there are usually some processes using the GPU when this happens: yourphone.exe, textinputhost.exe, and one other I don't remember (my laptop is quiet right now, and they are not currently using the GPU). None of them are processes I particularly WANT to be using the GPU, they just seem to be basic background things. I went through the steps to disable yourphone.exe, but it seems textinputhost.exe is system critical. I'm obviously not sure if these are causing the fan noise or not, but there seems to be a correlation. In any case, the fan noise hasn't stopped yet.

I'm on BIOS v1.08 and Windows 10 Home. Am I forgetting anything?

This reddit poster seems to have the exact same issue (except for the Discord thing): https://www.reddit.com/r/AcerOfficial/comments/tvgj2b/conceptd_3_fan_noise/

Thanks for any help.

Clay

StevenGen

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/672909/conceptd-3-ezel-excessive-random-fan-noise-with-low-load

What exact ConceptD 3 Ezel model do you have and is your ConceptD still under Acer warranty? As what you have said above, you should look first at the basics like your cpu/gpu fans (if they are not faulty in any way) paste condition or even repaste the cpu/gpu with a high-end paste, as high rpm and auditable fans only increase from higher cpu/gpu temps or faulty sensors (which very rarely go wrong). On the ConceptD if the cpu gets past 55c 2420rpm and gpu to 2420 rpm the fan speed jumps into the high 3k which is auditable. to its max of 6k which is bellowing airplane mode.

Make sure that you have all the windows updates, latest bios (v1.10 which is an update to the Support ConceptD Performance Control Mode Switch function) Intel drivers and NVidia drivers installed as all this is very important and has a big bearing on how this laptop functions. If your ConceptD 3 Ezel is under warranty, then don't open it and/or do anything that will void your laptops warranty.

JackE

Go to this link. Enter your ConceptD's full series model number. For example. CC314-72G. Then download and install the latest BIOS firmware update.

https://www.acer.com/gb-en/support?internal_source=agw::gb-en&internal_campaign=main_navigation&internal_medium=home::4&internal_content=

clayh123

Hi, sorry this is so late. The issue seemingly resolved itself, and I don't think I even updated the firmware before it happened. However, I have recently updated the firmware to the latest version and now the problem is back on Windows 10, worse than ever. I also dual-boot with Linux (Pop!_OS 22.04) now, and have no issues when using Linux. I did at first, when using GPU-heavy power profiles, but I switched to one that only uses the GPU for user-specified tasks, and that fixed the issue on the Linux side. I wonder if its a similar problem on Windows?

JackE

>have no issues when using Linux. > I wonder if its a similar problem on Windows?>

Probably means the integrated GPU was carrying most of the graphics load before. Doesn't take much to heat up CPU with louder resulting CPU fan noise under those circumstances. If you can do it in Linux, should certainly be able to shift the graphics load to the discrete GPU in Windows as well.

beebop1983

Despite the fact that the NVIDIA control panel (NCP) says Windows OS settings controls the GPU selection, I have found that if I leave my RTX3080 card as my default in the NCP and then manually assign all the graphical settings for each app in Windows (at system/display/graphics), the NCP settings take precedent and override the settings in Windows. This then means that quite a lot of programs shift to the RTX3080 even though they are specifically set to run on the intergrated system. Also, it seems that these programs also adopt the same performance/power settings of those set to run from the RTX3080 (which I always have at max performance).

With these programs running in the background, the GPU draws considerably more power, even if the GPU utilisation is listed as 0%. I notice even in idle its using between 35-45 watts of power, which pushes the GPU temp up to the 50-60s range, and at which point the fan kicks in.

The solution I found is changing the preferred GPU in the NCP to auto or intergrated graphics. At this point the NCP settings no longer override Windows, and the programs running on the GPU default to the intergrated card again. You can use the NCP or Windows to then allocate your exceptions (its better in the NCP because its easier to find all the apps you use).

With those settings, the GPU actually properly goes into an idle state, and draws significantly less power (absolute max is 14 watts), which results in a GPU temperature in the high 30s-low 40s. The machine will surf the internet in total silence.

beebop1983

I am no expert, so I don't know if its a problem with optimisation in some programs, but in general I do find that these NVIDIA cards love to throw insane amounts of performance at the most basic of programs. Sometimes it feels like you are running something within a minute percentage of its top capacity, but the GPU will crank at 100% performance, and be drawing its maximum power. If you have all the windows, GPU and concept palette settings to max, the GPU cranking at that rate kicks in the top fan, at which point the computer sounds like it will take off. All to run a program that a low range card from 10 years ago would handle without difficulty.

I think its necessary to switch the performance settings tailored for each app you use. The GPU draws less power, it doesn't get as hot, and most of the time is working insanely harder than it needs to anyway, so the performance drop isn't noticeable.