Sony VAIO VGN-SZ240P Laptop Fan Control?

Question

I have a VAIO VGN-SZ240P that I'm running WinXP SP3 on. In general it is a fine machine, but the cooling fan is quite loud. Does anybody know of a tool that I can use to view and manage the fan speed? I tried the latest SpeedFan beta, but it doesn't see the fan.

Solution

Does this apply to you?

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/exit-the-sony-vaio-t,review-607-11.html

looks like it may have a power saving option, with fan speed options. icon possibly in control panel.

somebody here mentioned for his VAIO http://www.notebookforums.com/thread99131-2.html "If you open up the VAIO control panel, youll see power management, click on the +, then select power options, when the power options properties opens up click on the

"VAIO POWER MANAGEMENT" tab, look under system, thermal and you can choose "performance" or "quiet".

I have a BZ VAIO and my fan was very loud but since I put it on quiet its hardly noticeable, my temps are around 95f, very cool!!"

Comments

[barlop]

if speedfan can't see it then that should dent your hopes a lot. Is there any option in power management? some laptops like toshiba I think have a special power management like icon in control panel(toshiba power saver or something) with settings for it. I know yours is a Sony though. So maybe it doesn't.

[Daniel R Hicks]

As I alluded to below, this is a mechanical problem (a loose wire banging against the fan shroud) and so there's no software fix.

[Niklas Rosencrantz]

I had a similar problem with a Sony Vaio. It's still banging sounding loud. I switched to an Asus laptop. The solution in out case is probably to leave the computer to a hardware technician OTC than can take an examine the problem and hopefully clean and solve the problem. I tried using cleaning spray and that didn't work.

[barlop]

@NiklasRosencrantz this is a bit late but see daniel hick's answer

[Peter Loron]

I just took the whole thing apart and cleaned it. No issues there.

[Peter Loron]

Either that Control panel is not available for my VAIO or I haven't found where to download it from Sony. It is not on my machine.

[barlop]

@Peter Loron If speedfan can't control the fan then I suspect no software will. 'cos I haven't heard of speedfan failing to change fan speed, and then some other software working.

[barlop]

@Peter Loron maybe rmclock. I read somebody wrote notebookforums.com/thread99131.html "you lower your vcore, your cpu runs cooler, your fan runs less, the only way outside of that i know how to control the fan is linux". I dunno what he's getting at with linux. But maybe rmclock can lower your vcore, and/or processor speed and might cause a difference.

[barlop]

Some Sony's do have software, this is an update from sony for those that do have v1 apparently. esupport.sony.com/US/perl/… "Sony® VAIO® Power Management Utility Update" And it doesn't mention your model of laptop. That doesn't mean there isn't another for your laptop..

[barlop]

I do not think the power management utility exists for your laptop, since you can't see it despite info on where it is.. And also, look at these two links. This laptop has it listed. Yours doesn't esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGNTXN25N esupport.sony.com/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGNSZ240P#div_pos_116

[barlop]

I suppose if desperate and you've tried many things.. you could hack it open and attach a fan controller. i've never done that but it'd work. if you don't break the laptop.

[Moab]

Usually Notebook fan problems are one of 3 things, overheating (heatsink problems, etc), bios issue (only Sony can fix this with an update) or a motherboard is defective.