8
tokumei
6y

My 2009 ThinkStation has been running loud for a couple of years now, reaching temps in the 70s-80s at max load (40s idle) with stock settings, fans spinning like jet engines to try to cool it. Only recently (today) did I consider that maybe there's dust stuck somewhere, so I took the fan off my cooler and began the hunt there.

IT WAS FUCKING COVERED. Half of the fin intake area behind the fan was completely clogged up with dust. I was starving the poor thing and I never figured out why until now.

I deep-cleaned the entire system, and now it's running a gentoo install with all cores maxed running compiler tasks... Fans are much quieter, barely above idle noise, the main difference is just pitch of the noise because of the higher RPMs.

I dont have the firmware installed to measure temps, but I will update once I get that data.

Specs, in case anybody is curious:

> Xeon W3520 4c/8t 2.67Ghz
> 8GB DDR3 1066MHz
> RX 460 2GB (my student-budget upgrade)
> Dual 500/750GB HDD

Comments
  • 3
    Had some similar problem with my old laptop.
    I used it for about 4 years without ever cleaning it, to the point where I couldn't even play games anymore.
    One day, I just opened it clean it, and I quickly found the root of the problems.
    Between the fan and the heatsink was a 1cm thick layer of dust.
    After removing that, it ran smoothly again.
  • 1
    Currently watching the kernel compile, marvelling at how it doesnt scream in agony anymore.
  • 1
    Thanks for the thread. Now I got the clue why fan is screaming on my Dell 9400 Ubuntu, a 14 yr old laptop. Need to open n clean.
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