F1/F12

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bert
  • Start date Start date
B

Bert

Hi,

Any ideas? I had a fan replaced in a Dell Computer using Wxp because the
power supply shut off after 10 to 20 seconds. It never booted sucessfully.
Now there is an alert when I start the computer indicating "Fan Failure hit
F1 or F12 to start. After hitting F1 the computer boots up and functions.
Can I do anything to prevent the prompt and have it start normally?
Thanks.
Bert
 
Bert said:
Hi,

Any ideas? I had a fan replaced in a Dell Computer
using Wxp because the
power supply shut off after 10 to 20 seconds. It
never booted sucessfully.
Now there is an alert when I start the computer
indicating "Fan Failure hit
F1 or F12 to start. After hitting F1 the computer
boots up and functions.
Can I do anything to prevent the prompt and have it
start normally?
Thanks.
Bert
Click to expand...
All that occurs to me:
Sounds like a fan monitor or controller is in trouble;
did you read all the docs for the system and the new
fan? Are they compatible?


Pop
 
Dell uses a proprietary CPU fan with a third wire that tells the BIOS if the
fan is working. Without that third wire, the BIOS doesn't know if the CPU
fan is working, hence your error message. The propietary fan is not
available from third parties, or should I say that no one posting to the
Dell public newsgroup or the Dell Community Forums, where this topic comes
up from time to time, has been able to find one.

Your choices are:
1. Ignore the message. Your computer will still work, but you'll have to pay
attention to the CPU fan on your own. You'll also need to dismiss the error
message every time you boot.
2. Buy the proper part directly from Dell. These fans are pretty cheap,
about $16 IIRC.

Whether or not the tech who installed your fan should have known all this is
a matter for you to discuss with her/him.
 
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