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Alienware 15R4 and 17R5 Fan Keeps Running When Quiet Mode Selected in Alienware Command Center Along With an Overclock Profile

Summary: This article talks about continuous fan spinning when Quiet mode is set in Alienware Command Centre (AWCC) and an Overclocker profile set in the BIOS on Alienware 15 R4 and Alienware 17 R5. ...

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

Fan spinning noise even though Quiet mode enabled in AWCC

You may experience that the fan continues to spin when you set Quiet Mode in Alienware Command Centre (AWCC). Cooling fan may keep running even when the temperature of the laptop is low.

Affected products:

  • Alienware 15 R4
  • Alienware 17 R5

Cause

You may experience the issue when setting the thermal mode to Quiet mode in the Alienware Command Center is set and then applying the overclock profile Over-Clock 1 (OC1) or Over-Clock 2 (OC2) setting in the BIOS.

AWCC Quiet Mode
Figure 1: AWCC Quiet Mode

Resolution

Install System BIOS 1.1.6 or newer

There is no hardware failure within the laptop. Applying the overclock profile in the BIOS automatically changes the thermal mode to Performance mode. However, the BIOS is not updating the Alienware Command Center user Interface (UI) appropriately to reflect this.

Install the latest BIOS update to resolve this issue. To download and install the latest BIOS:

Warning: Dell recommends disconnecting any external devices like external hard disk drives, printers, scanners 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 knowledgebase article Dell BIOS Updates.
  1. Browse to the Dell Drivers & downloads page:
  2. Click Find drivers.
  3. Select the Operating System.
  4. Under Category, select BIOS.
  5. Locate the System BIOS version 1.1.6 or newer.
  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.

Affected Products

Alienware 15 R4, Alienware 17 R5
Article Properties
Article Number: 000178065
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 20 Dec 2022
Version:  7
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