Very noisy fans on Dell desktop after upgrade to 6.14.4

bjourne · 2025-05-02 12:01:05

Hi all,

After upgrading to Linux 6.14.4 my fans are now much more noisy than they were before. They spin fast even when the system is not loaded at all. Here is sensors output:

dell_smm-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
fan1:        1082 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, max = 4050 RPM)
fan2:         731 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, max = 3000 RPM)
fan3:         286 RPM  (min =    0 RPM, max = 4100 RPM)
temp1:        +31.0°C  
temp2:        +14.0°C  
temp5:        +25.0°C  
temp7:        +23.0°C  

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +32.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 0:        +31.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 2:        +29.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 3:        +29.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 4:        +32.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 9:        +30.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 10:       +28.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 11:       +29.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)
Core 12:       +29.0°C  (high = +88.0°C, crit = +98.0°C)

I have fancontrol running with aggressive parameters:

# Configuration file generated by pwmconfig, changes will be lost
INTERVAL=10
DEVPATH=hwmon0=devices/platform/dell_smm_hwmon
DEVNAME=hwmon0=dell_smm
FCTEMPS=hwmon0/pwm1=hwmon0/temp1_input hwmon0/pwm2=hwmon0/temp2_input hwmon0/pwm3=hwmon0/temp5_input
FCFANS=hwmon0/pwm1=hwmon0/fan1_input hwmon0/pwm2=hwmon0/fan2_input hwmon0/pwm3=hwmon0/fan3_input
MINTEMP=hwmon0/pwm1=70 hwmon0/pwm2=70 hwmon0/pwm3=70
MAXTEMP=hwmon0/pwm1=90 hwmon0/pwm2=90 hwmon0/pwm3=90
MINSTART=hwmon0/pwm1=150 hwmon0/pwm2=150 hwmon0/pwm3=150
MINSTOP=hwmon0/pwm1=0 hwmon0/pwm2=0 hwmon0/pwm3=0
MAXPWM=hwmon0/pwm1=255 hwmon0/pwm2=255 hwmon0/pwm3=255

But it doesn't stop the fans. Any idea on how to get back my silent fans? It's almost like fancontrol can't control the fans at all anymore.

bjourne · 2025-05-02 12:31:21

Managed to reduce the fan noise a bit with:

echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/devices/platform/dell_smm_hwmon/hwmon/hwmon0/pwm*

But it's not as quiet as it was before. Also noticed:

cat /sys/devices/platform/dell_smm_hwmon/hwmon/hwmon0/fan*_target                                                                                                                                                          
1050
700
1000

seth · 2025-05-02 22:24:31

After upgrading to Linux 6.14.4

from 6.14.3 or earlier kernels?
Does the problem go away w/ linux-lts (or the previously used kernel) - ie. you didn't also get a BIOS update or so?

It's almost like fancontrol can't control the fans at all anymore.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fan_sp … an_control

bjourne · 2025-05-05 09:20:55

seth wrote:

After upgrading to Linux 6.14.4
from 6.14.3 or earlier kernels?
Does the problem go away w/ linux-lts (or the previously used kernel) - ie. you didn't also get a BIOS update or so?

I don't reboot my machine that often, but I think it was the upgrade from 6.14.3 to 6.14.4 that cause the fans to become noisier. I don't know how to downgrade kernel or switch to linux-lts. How do I check if the BIOS was upgraded?

It's almost like fancontrol can't control the fans at all anymore.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fan_sp … an_control

I don't think that is the issue since I'm on a desktop and not a laptop.

seth · 2025-05-05 13:09:17

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Arch_Linux_Archive
https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86_64/linux-lts/ (you can install this in parallel but will have to update grub-mkconfig)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-05-02 12:01:05

Very noisy fans on Dell desktop after upgrade to 6.14.4

#2 2025-05-02 12:31:21

Re: Very noisy fans on Dell desktop after upgrade to 6.14.4

#3 2025-05-02 22:24:31

Re: Very noisy fans on Dell desktop after upgrade to 6.14.4

#4 2025-05-05 09:20:55

Re: Very noisy fans on Dell desktop after upgrade to 6.14.4

#5 2025-05-05 13:09:17

Re: Very noisy fans on Dell desktop after upgrade to 6.14.4

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