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I recently upgraded my laptop to Windows 7 from XP. On XP, when nothing major was happening, the fan would be idle.

Now, on Windows 7, the computer speed is no different, and in some cases faster. But when I do nothing on the computer, the fan continues running. _However, watching the CPU usage shows that it is less than 5%.

I should also mention that I run Ubuntu 16.04 on my PC in dualboot and it idles the fan whenever nothing happens.

I've been able to use RMClock to reduce my CPU speed. This does reduce the fan volume significantly, but it still does not get as quiet as Ubuntu on the same machine.

What can I do to force Windows 7 to be quiet? I have no problem with further reducing the CPU performance as I'm not running any high-intensity games.

The air coming out of the machine is not very hot.

Specs:

  • Toshiba Satellite A70
  • 1.5 GB RAM
  • Windows 7 SP1
  • Pentium 4 538 (Prescott), with EIST (SpeedStep, previous generation) and HT
  • latest drivers (which are from XP, BTW)
  • ATI Radeon Mobility 9000
  • No antivirus running, but I have one installed

4 Answers4

3

I would update the bios first and than have a look in the bios for fan speed. You can find the latest bios here.

musbach
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It could be caused by Windows 7's Aero Glass user interface making the graphics processor (GPU) work harder than in Windows XP. Try disabling it and see if it makes a difference:

  • Right-click on the desktop
  • Choose Personalize
  • Scroll down through the themes to the section heading Basic and High Contrast Themes and choose something like Windows 7 Basic or Windows Classic
User5910
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Given the fact that above methods did not work at all for you, I would suggest this software to solve the issue.

This program shows the core temperatures of all the cores along-with the fan speeds. You can automate these settings or manually choose temperature limits when to switch on fans and how fast. The only problem is if this program is compatible with your hardware (it works fine on my system). You should give it a try. Also, if this does not work, there are many other such fan controlling software that enable you to even permanently switch off your fan (highly dangerous). For more details please visit this site.

MSM
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First, check the BIOS for fan settings. You might find what you need.

But consider that it could be a loose or broken wire connecting your fan. Hardware problems are common, lol.

fl1ppy
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