"ALL CREDITS TO Chittagong"

So,decided finally to put the issue of the jet engine Fan 2 (behind the graphics card and HDD) to bed today.

It turns out that the Fan 2 is too loud because something (the Alienware A02 BIOS?) is running it way past it's comfort zone, at 6000RPM - fan spec is 4800RPM, at which point it is 33db. Some details below:

First, I identified the fan as a DC Brushless AFB0612VHD: www.jameco.com/.../114682.pdf
The data sheet reveals that it's specced at 4800RPM - while mine peaks at 6000RPM. In fact, I posted earlier that after 4500RPM it starts to sound like a jet engine.

So I decided to attempt and cap the fan speed using Speedfan. I found a static speed of 73% power to be the optimal - as high fan speed as possible with lowest noise (I couldn't figure out how to use the temp curves).

I set all other fans to system default auto mode and 7850 fan to Auto from MSI Afterburner.

Now I was able to run the Furmark torture test remarkably quietly, with GPU max temperature rising to a max of 86C (up from 83C).

I think this is still safe, and given the huge improvement in the noise

Have been playin all evening with my newly silenced X51 & HD 7850. The single fan profile (capping Fan 2 curve at 73%) did it, now my X51 is about as loud as launch Xbox 360.

Battlefield 3 temps were 65-74C and CPU around 68-72C during intense gameplay, very stable overall. So happy that the card is finally in, running cool enough and silent.

How to install a new HD Video card
http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19442269.aspx?PageIndex=14


Used apps

Open Hardware Monitor to look at temps and fan speeds.

Prime95 and Furmark to put CPU and GPU under maximum load

Speedfan to adjust fan speeds.

MSI Afterburner

Excellent information! This will be great for other X51 owners who may run into the same issue.
I am curious...in your research, do you think ALL X51's have that Fan 2 set to over-speed the spec? If so, that would be great info to share with the Dell guys.
Nice job, man

Awesome info. I'm doing this as soon as I get home. Tired of my X51 being so loud when I game!

As for the 7850--- did you see a DRAMATIC increase in performance when you installed it? Is that the fastest card the X51 will support?

Yes
Must pepole get that Jet engine sound when they upgrade but some users complain of that too with the gtx555

The test was made at ones they unplugged the fan next to the GPU here called #2 and after stress test the temps did not rise much and engine sound was gone!

And yes HD7850 is a nice upgrade and some go further with the hd7870 but that last one verly fits so personally I would no go for that but up to you IS ALWAYS A RISK

Are you guys referring to the top CPU fan or the PCIe fan near the video card?

From engineering -
When the graphics card reaches a high temperature threshold, it triggers the system PCI fan run at its full speed - as a safeguard to possibly blocked airflow. Otherwise the PCI fan runs at a speed relative to the ambient temperature within the chassis. This temperature threshold is set by the graphics card supplier, and it varies across different vendors and models. There are some intensive applications and benchmarks that can readily push some graphic cards beyond this threshold. Although we realize that full PCI fan speed is not absolutely necessary for some temperature thresholds, we can't consciously disable this safeguard.

I've used Speedfan and it works. Temp stays around the same too. No worries from me.

well i just bougth one of those computers and im not a genius whit computers so theres no way i can do that... the real solution is that they sell things that work properly whit not errors like this.. thats stupid ... heres is ur new computer but its wrong so u must fix it for us coause we sell things that are !!"# up

Waymule said: well i just bougth one of those computers and im not a genius whit computers so theres no way i can do that... the real solution is that they sell things that work properly whit not errors like this.. thats stupid ... heres is ur new computer but its wrong so u must fix it for us coause we sell things that are !!"# up

I can understand your logic 100%. My best suggestion is copy that post from solrac and forward it in an email to Dell. Let them know you do NOT want to be dealing with this when your beast comes in.
I hope they respond, dude:)

Waymule said: well i just bougth one of those computers and im not a genius whit computers so theres no way i can do that... the real solution is that they sell things that work properly whit not errors like this.. thats stupid ... heres is ur new computer but its wrong so u must fix it for us coause we sell things that are !!"# up

You don't have to be a genius at all, you just have to follow some simple instructions.

i know i dont need to be a genius to do that... but the ones that made the computer ar less than a genius look all the problems u got... they should be geniuses...

Interesting... I will look deeper in this topic later to try to find more.

Waymule,

When you get the PC and hook it all up, test it on some games and let us know how it goes. We are all here to help each other.

ty chris i already read on the dell support forum where u comment about the problem whit the fan and u provide a different kind of fan.. but it seem dell or alienware i dunno keep sending the same fan and the problem keeps there so im now 85 % sure about canceling my order :( so sad, really i thougth alienware was the best option for gaming but now hearing about problems whit bios im not sure anymore about keeping it ... or u tell me what should i do.. wait till i get it and pray for no errors after the 7 days of refound?

DELLChrisM said: Are you guys referring to the top CPU fan or the PCIe fan near the video card?

Late reply sorry!

Yes we are talking only about PCIe fan near the video card here named fan #2

And the solution found by Chitagong was copy and paste here for the benefit of the community, as some times this fan goes mad and makes fill the unit like an airplane ready to take off lol

This has nothing to do with the fan on the CPU that some users have some issues, that is an other story