Dell Fan Monitoring

[mdavison]

For the last month I have been running down reasons why my fan is very active.  
After Malwarebytes, virus checks & Dell Diagnostics.  Windows now updates, a virus/trojan has been eliminated.  Now the fan is much better behaved, mostly idling.  
My last 'rundown' is Chrome Browser which seems to suck up cpu to 75%, keeps MsMpSvc also at a high level and the fan intermittently works hard.
I googled HwInfo and, I understand there is a Dell fan monitoring problem that may be enabled by using the Dell interface.  I haven't been able to work out if my Dell will report fan speeds (I don't want to control them).
Please can I be advised if HwInfo will report my Dell fan speeds?
I report; enabling EC in HwInfo results in BSOD, on earlier version HwInfo, wakeup after hibernate, HwInfo kept 50% cpu and could only be stopped by reboot.

Thank you and regards

Dell Vostro 1720, BIOS A04, W7 Pro 32, [font='Trebuchet MS', 'Meiryo UI Reg', 'メイリオ Reg', 'MS UI Gothic Reg', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Reg', 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3 Reg', 'Microsoft YaHei', 微软雅黑, 'Hiragino Sans GB', 'Microsoft JhengHei', 微軟正黑體, 'Malgun Gothic', '맑은 고딕', Gulim, Roboto, 'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Tahoma, 'Arial Unicode', sans-serif]Intel Core2 Duo CPU P8700 @ 2.53GHz, 4MB, [font='Trebuchet MS', 'Meiryo UI Reg', 'メイリオ Reg', 'MS UI Gothic Reg', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Reg', 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3 Reg', 'Microsoft YaHei', 微软雅黑, 'Hiragino Sans GB', 'Microsoft JhengHei', 微軟正黑體, 'Malgun Gothic', '맑은 고딕', Gulim, Roboto, 'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Tahoma, 'Arial Unicode', sans-serif]NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GS, [font='Trebuchet MS', 'Meiryo UI Reg', 'メイリオ Reg', 'MS UI Gothic Reg', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Reg', 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3 Reg', 'Microsoft YaHei', 微软雅黑, 'Hiragino Sans GB', 'Microsoft JhengHei', 微軟正黑體, 'Malgun Gothic', '맑은 고딕', Gulim, Roboto, 'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Tahoma, 'Arial Unicode', sans-serif]TOSHIBA MK3256GSYF ATA Device 320GB.[/font][/font][/font]

 

[Martin]

You will need to enable EC Support in HWiNFO in order to see if it's possible to report fan speeds on your machine.
If there are problems with this mode, please attach the HWiNFO Debug File from the crash for analysis.

 

[mdavison]

I re-enabled EC; CPU & GPU temperature was reported (different from the main body of the sensor report) then a report of the fan displayed at 3,300 rpm, even though I did not notice any change in fan speed. Then mouse froze (AltTab as well). Powered off, held for 20secs for leak, powered up.
Launched HwInfo, enabled EC, displayed sensors with EC; CPU, GPU, fan with red cross. Right click enable all. Displayed '-' all three for approx 5 secs, then displayed the 2 temps and fan speed 3,100 rpm, no audible change in fan speed, maybe 15 secs, screen flickered a couple of times, then BSOD and restarted.
Not sure about the timestamp on the file.
Thank you and regards

 

[Martin]

Please try to remove the battery from notebook if possible and see if then you can run with EC Support enabled.
Another option might be to try to disable the battery sensor in HWiNFO sensors list.

 

[mdavison]

1. Disabled all battery monitoring.  Enabled EC monitoring, three red crosses enabled.  BSOD, restarted.

 

[mdavison]

1. Launched HwInfo, disabled 3 battery traces, 3 red crosses changed to enabled, CPU, GPU & fan trace '-' for about 5 secs and then displayed temps & speed maybe 15 secs, BSOD.
2. Removed battery, launched HwInfo, enabled EC, 3 red crosses changed to enabled, CPU, GPU & fan trace '-' for about 5 secs and then displayed temps & speed maybe 15 secs, BSOD.

Meandered through Google, found reference to monitoring fan speeds using Intel Extreme Tuning Utility, downloaded and it failed to install.  Meandered Google more... .
Thank you and regards

 

[Martin]

I noticed you're using a bit older version of HWiNFO. Can you try the latest one ?

 

[mdavison]

1. Deleted current HwInfo download zip, program file.
2. Download HWiNFO32 Beta 2830, extract to program files, launched HwInfo.  Battery has been re-installed.  Report; displayed Dell EC red cross, Battery 3 red cross.
3. Closed HwInfo.  Launched HwInfo.  Settings; ticked flag EC.  
Launched Sensors.  Sorry, forgot, fan runs at full speed 2 secs, sensors report displayed. 
Report; displayed Dell EC red cross, Battery 3 red cross.  
EC Red cross, right click, enable monitoring, after approx 2 secs, GPU temp displayed, fan displayed 0.  
Screen flickered at 1 sec intervals approx 4 times, BSOD.

Thank you and regards

 

[Martin]

So with "EC Support" enabled you see the "DELL EC" sensor, not a "Compal EC" ?

 

[mdavison]

Today, testing process:
1. Cold boot, launched WTM & RM.  Launched HWiNFO32-2830, Welcome screen, Settings, Safety, EC Support already ticked.
Clicked Run, HWiNFO displayed 3 screens, CPU at 2,576, checked RM, 
wuauserv at 50% CPU, stopped wuauserv, noticed Speakers was mute, moved volume slide, Speakers un-muted.(previously this indicated virus...)
(All Sensor Status display have 3 battery red cross)
Clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross.  
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC CPU GPU CPU '-' 4 red cross.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Program Settings, Safety, EC is marked, I un-ticked EC.

Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC CPU '-' 2 red cross.  1st time noticed fan button, clicked fan button, fan 1 slider at 2,900, (fan is idling now), couldn't move slider, fan 2 & 3 greyed out, found the button to expand Sensor Status display to 3 pages.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC CPU '-' 2 red cross.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross.  Clicked fan button, fan 1 slider at 0.

Click Program, Click Exit HWiNFO.

2. Cold reboot.
launched WTM & RM.  wuauserv at 50% CPU, stopped wuauserv.
Launched HWiNFO32-2830, Welcome screen, Settings, Safety & EC Support un-marked.

Clicked Run, HWiNFO displayed 3 screens, CPU at 797.
clicked Sensors button, Fan to full speed 2 secs, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Fan to full speed 2 secs, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.

Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Program Settings, Safety & EC is un-marked, ticked EC.
clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Fan to full speed 2 secs, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross. fan button.  clicked fan button, all 3 fans greyed out.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, Fan to full speed 2 secs, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross. fan button. 
Mouse cursor moves freely with mouse & trackpad, right/left buttons do not click, AltTab frozen.

3. Forced power off, held power button down for 20secs for leak, powered up, launched WTM & RM, wuauserv at 50% CPU, stopped wuauserv.
Launched HWiNFO32-2830, Welcome screen, Settings, Safety, EC Support marked, clicked run.
Clicked Sensors button,  Fan to full speed 2 secs, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross. fan button.  clicked fan button, fan 1 at 0, fans 2&3 greyed out.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button,  Fan no change, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross. fan button.  clicked fan button, fan 1 at 0, fans 2&3 greyed out.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.

Click Program, click Settings, Safety, un-tick EC.
Clicked Sensors button,  Fan to full speed 2 secs, Sensor Status displayed, Dell EC '-' 1 red cross. fan button.  clicked fan button, 3 fans greyed out.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, no fan change, Sensor Status displayed, NO EC reading.  No fan button.
Closed Sensor Status with Big Blue X, clicked Sensors button, BSOD.

Last night, I had tried some testing sequence like this and BSOD a couple of times.  Decided I had not been focussed enough so tried harder this am.

Please ask for anything else I can provide and/or, set out test and reporting procedure.
Thank you and regards.
ps Now going to run RKill, Malwarebytes, MS Antimalware, f-Secure & long scan MSE.