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High Skin Temperatures, Heat, or Loud Fan Noise (Inspiron)

Summary: The following article deals with resolving perceptions of high skin temperatures, excessive heat, or loud fan noise issues on the following computers. Inspiron 5301, 5402, 5406 2-in-1, 5409, 5502, 5509, 7306 2-in-1, 7506 2-in-1 (Non-Black Edition), 7706 2-in-1, and Vostro 5402 laptops. High Skin Temperatures, Heat, or Loud Fan Noise on the Inspiron 5301, 5402, 5406 2-in-1, 5409, 5502, 5509, 7306 2-in-1, 7506 2-in-1, 7706 2-in-1, and Vostro 5402 ...

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

Heat or Fan Speed Issues on an Inspiron or Vostro Laptop

Inspiron and Vostro laptop owners have reported the following heat-related symptoms:

  • High skin temperatures
  • Excessive heat
  • Thermal Events
  • Loud fan noise

Computers specific to this Issue:

  • Inspiron 5301, 5402, 5406 2-in-1, 5409, 5502, and 5509
  • Inspiron 7306 2-in-1, 7506 2-in-1 (Non-Black Edition), and 7706 2-in-1
  • Vostro 5402


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Cause

The BIOS is the most common point of failure for heating and fan speed issues on a laptop. The BIOS controls the supported temperature range and fan speed range of your computer.

Note: One of Dell's recommended best practices is to keep your computer up to date. Ensure you update regularly with the latest versions of your computers drivers and software from the Dell support site.


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Resolution

Updating the latest BIOS version on the computer will help resolve the issue. To download and install the latest BIOS:

WARNING: Dell recommends disconnecting devices such as external hard drives, printers, scanners, and so on, before updating the BIOS.
WARNING: Dell laptops must have the battery installed and charged to at least 10% before you begin the BIOS update. Dell recommends connecting the laptop to AC power before proceeding with the update process.
NOTE: To learn more about updating the BIOS on a Dell computer, see the Dell knowledge base article Dell BIOS Updates.
NOTE: To install the BIOS, your user account must have administrator privileges.
  1. Browse to https://www.dell.com/support/drivers.
  2. Identify your Dell computer.
    1. Click Download and Install SupportAssist to auto-detect your Dell computer. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Dell SupportAssist. For more information, see the Dell knowledge base article Dell SupportAssist (formerly Dell System Detect): Overview and Common Questions.
    2. Enter the Service Tag of the laptop and click Search.
    3. Or, click Browse all products and select your Dell computer from the catalog.
  3. Select the Operating System that is installed on the Dell computer.
  4. Under Category, select BIOS.
  5. Locate the latest System BIOS.
  6. Click Download and save the file to your computer.
  7. Open File Explorer and browse to the location where the downloaded file is saved.
  8. Double-click the BIOS setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
  9. The computer will restart as part of the installation process.


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Affected Products

Inspiron 5301, Inspiron 7306 2-in-1, Inspiron 5402/5409, Inspiron 5406 2-in-1, Inspiron 5502/5509, Inspiron 7506 2-in-1, Inspiron 7706 2-in-1, Vostro 5402
Article Properties
Article Number: 000184256
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 04 Oct 2024
Version:  3
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