Computer Fan

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Recently I uninstalled Eset Smart Security 5 and subsequently installed Eset Smart Security 7.0.302.26.

 

Ever since then my computer's fan seems to run longer and louder.

 

Has anyone else experienced this?  Does anyone have any thoughts on why this is happening?

 

Thanks.

[Podrska2NORT 5]

Hello Barkupatree2002,

 

ESET programs are recognized for low system footprint, so this your post sound questionable.

 

There may be lot of reasons for higher system load, but with informations availiable in your text it's impossible to tell what is happening on your computer.

 

If you wish some answer, at least give us some informations about your computer:

   - Processor (type, speed, ...)

   - RAM (Memory)

   - Disk space / availiable disk space on system partition

   - Operating system (don't just write Windows, let us know exact version of Windows, is it 32-bit or 64-bit and does it have all necessary service packs and updates - see Windows Update)

   - How many active processes you see in Task manager, and does any of them keep higher percentage of CPU (processor)

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Podrska2NORT

[SCR 195]

Your system may have dust blocking the air flow. 

[SweX 871]

No difference for me, same as the previous versions. I would check the airflow as SCR suggests too and if needed do some canned air cleaning.

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Hello Barkupatree2002,

 

ESET programs are recognized for low system footprint, so this your post sound questionable.

 

There may be lot of reasons for higher system load, but with informations availiable in your text it's impossible to tell what is happening on your computer.

 

If you wish some answer, at least give us some informations about your computer:

   - Processor (type, speed, ...)

   - RAM (Memory)

   - Disk space / availiable disk space on system partition

   - Operating system (don't just write Windows, let us know exact version of Windows, is it 32-bit or 64-bit and does it have all necessary service packs and updates - see Windows Update)

   - How many active processes you see in Task manager, and does any of them keep higher percentage of CPU (processor)

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Podrska2NORT,

 

Here are the specifications for my laptop computer:

 

HP ProBook 4530s

Intel Core i3-2330M CPU @ 2.2 GHz (I have seen this referred to as a "second generation Core i3")

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Service Pack 1

4 GB RAM

Windows is installed on a 443 GB partition that currently has 376 GB free.

All important Windows updates listed by the Windows Update Tool except the following have been installed (including those released today).

1. Bing Bar 7.1 (I don't use it.)

2. Internet Explorer 10 and 11 (I use Internet Explorer 9.)

3. Skype 5.10 for Windows (I don't use it.)

 

I am not sure what I should be looking for in Windows Task Manager.  However, right now at the bottom of Windows Task Manager it indicates the following:  "Processes: 99   CPU Usage: 2%  Physical Memory:  47%"  Although the summary says 99 processes I count about one third that many in the list above the summary.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Your system may have dust blocking the air flow. 

 

 

No difference for me, same as the previous versions. I would check the airflow as SCR suggests too and if needed do some canned air cleaning.

SCR and SweX,

 

I checked the intake air vents on the bottom and the exhaust air vents on the side of my laptop pc.  There was very little dust.  I removed it but nothing changed with respect to the fan's operation.

 

Thanks.

[SweX 871]

Barkupatree2002, great that you checked the airflows out anyway  

 

After that, I would take a look at your auto startup list of programs, (software that start automatically at boot) to see if there are one or several ones that you can set to manual or even delete from the list. Doing this will let more resources free.

 

Also just to check, you don't run any other security software in realtime along ESET? 

[Arakasi 549]

You can also check the User Interface settings of ESET and try disabling the GUI and certain visual aspects that after installing may have caused your GPU or Integrated Graphics to work a little more and increase fan speed to assist with cooling.

 

Someone from staff can maybe confirm graphic changes from 5 to 7

Edited February 12, 2014 by Arakasi

[Marcos 5,074]

Try temporarily disabling Advanced memory scanner in the HIPS setup. If it doesn't make any difference, try disabling real-time protection for a test and let us know about your findings. At times, ekrn may extensively scan certain files by advanced heuristics which migh spike the cpu for a moment and thus increase the fan speed.

[Podrska2NORT 5]

Hello Barkupatree2002,

 

There are many ways to see what is source of high CPU usage on your computer.

I'm here going to mention just couple of them:

 

When you hear your fans running faster and louder, check next:

   a) start Task Manager, where you should set it to "show processes from all users" and sort it by CPU (usage)

   b) Use Sysinternals tool called Process Explorer (see: hxxp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx) - similar to Task Manager, but much better

       (as sysadmin I can't live witouth it)

   c) Any other tool to see all active processes on your computer (but don't use something unknown...)

 

In any of this tools you could see what process is using so much of CPU of your computer

 

 

You can also use SysInternals Autoruns to see all about what is active on your computer (also nice tool from Sysinternals).

 

Only if you see anything that is connected with ESET (ekrnl or egui exe files) and high CPU usage, start playing with ESET - disable some ESET features and monitor CPU usage...
 

 

When you made all monitoring and tests, you are going to know what is source of this.

 

 

Kind regards

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Barkupatree2002, great that you checked the airflows out anyway

 

After that, I would take a look at your auto startup list of programs, (software that start automatically at boot) to see if there are one or several ones that you can set to manual or even delete from the list. Doing this will let more resources free.

 

Also just to check, you don't run any other security software in realtime along ESET? 

SweX,

 

I am not running any other security software with ESET.

 

Some of the programs in the list of startup programs that load when the computer boots up may be unnecessary and could therefore be disabled as you mentioned.  However, I did not make any changes to that list either before or after upgrading to ESET 7 so it seems unlikely, at least to me, that those programs are the source of the increased fan activity that I have noticed since upgrading ESET.  After determining why ESET 7 is causing increased fan activity (or alternatively determining that ESET is not the cause) I will again take a look at the list of startup programs to see if I can eliminate one or more of them.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Barkupatree2002 1]

You can also check the User Interface settings of ESET and try disabling the GUI and certain visual aspects that after installing may have caused your GPU or Integrated Graphics to work a little more and increase fan speed to assist with cooling.

 

Someone from staff can maybe confirm graphic changes from 5 to 7

Arakasi,

 

I disabled the ESET GUI, but that did not make any difference.  By the way, the increased fan activity occurs even if I have not opened up ESET.

 

Thanks.

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Try temporarily disabling Advanced memory scanner in the HIPS setup. If it doesn't make any difference, try disabling real-time protection for a test and let us know about your findings. At times, ekrn may extensively scan certain files by advanced heuristics which migh spike the cpu for a moment and thus increase the fan speed.

Marcos,

 

I disabled Advanced Memory Scanner in the HIPS setup.  That did not seem to make any difference.

 

I did not disable the real-time protection.  Doing that seems a little bit unsafe.

 

Thanks.

[Arakasi 549]

Maybe your thermal paste needs changed out ?

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Hello Barkupatree2002,

 

There are many ways to see what is source of high CPU usage on your computer.

I'm here going to mention just couple of them:

 

When you hear your fans running faster and louder, check next:

   a) start Task Manager, where you should set it to "show processes from all users" and sort it by CPU (usage)

   B) Use Sysinternals tool called Process Explorer (see: hxxp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx) - similar to Task Manager, but much better

       (as sysadmin I can't live witouth it)

   c) Any other tool to see all active processes on your computer (but don't use something unknown...)

 

In any of this tools you could see what process is using so much of CPU of your computer

 

 

You can also use SysInternals Autoruns to see all about what is active on your computer (also nice tool from Sysinternals).

 

Only if you see anything that is connected with ESET (ekrnl or egui exe files) and high CPU usage, start playing with ESET - disable some ESET features and monitor CPU usage...

 

 

When you made all monitoring and tests, you are going to know what is source of this.

 

 

Kind regards

 

 

Podrska2NORT,

 

I pinned the Windows Task Manager in the upper corner of the laptop's screen, selected "show processes from all users", selected "processes", and then set the table to sort by CPU usage.  As I used the computer I monitored the activity in the table.  Consistently at the top was "System Idle Process" which I understand to be a process that in effect measures CPU availability.  System  Idle Process was usually in the 90s, slipping lower when I opened an application such as Internet Explorer. ESET's ekrn.exe *32 would sometimes momentarily jump up the list to be within the top 5 processes listed but it would quickly drop back down..  Even when it was within the top five, ekrn.exe *32's usage of the CPU seemed to be 5 or less. When I sort the list by memory, ekrn.exe *32 is consistently high on the list.  As I type this ekrn.exe *32 is using 103,096 K of memory according to the Windows Task Manager.

 

What do you think these readings reveal about ESET 7 and fan activity?

 

Thanks.

[SweX 871]

 

Barkupatree2002, great that you checked the airflows out anyway

 

After that, I would take a look at your auto startup list of programs, (software that start automatically at boot) to see if there are one or several ones that you can set to manual or even delete from the list. Doing this will let more resources free.

 

Also just to check, you don't run any other security software in realtime along ESET? 

SweX,

 

I am not running any other security software with ESET.

 

Some of the programs in the list of startup programs that load when the computer boots up may be unnecessary and could therefore be disabled as you mentioned.  However, I did not make any changes to that list either before or after upgrading to ESET 7 so it seems unlikely, at least to me, that those programs are the source of the increased fan activity that I have noticed since upgrading ESET.  After determining why ESET 7 is causing increased fan activity (or alternatively determining that ESET is not the cause) I will again take a look at the list of startup programs to see if I can eliminate one or more of them.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Good to know that you don't run anything else along ESET.

 

Yes that's true, though they will still use resources some worse than the other even if you don't use those programs since they are started automatically, and the more activity that goes on in the RAM whether it's from auto startup programs or anything else the more there is for ESET to scan too.

 

You're welcome.

[SCR 195]

You could download and install a program to monitor your actual fan RPM and compare it to activity monitored by Task Manager.

 

hxxp://www.hwinfo.com/

 

Be sure to download the correct version for your system, 32 or 64 bit. It will also report your temperatures.

 

On Edit:

My fan speeds are 1798 RPM on the case and 860 RPM on the CPU. All temperatures are in the upper 70's F. at idle. This is for a desktop and I am not familiar with laptops at all.

Edited February 15, 2014 by SCR

[Podrska2NORT 5]

Podrska2NORT,

 

 

 

I pinned the Windows Task Manager in the upper corner of the laptop's screen, selected "show processes from all users", selected "processes", and then set the table to sort by CPU usage.  As I used the computer I monitored the activity in the table.  Consistently at the top was "System Idle Process" which I understand to be a process that in effect measures CPU availability.  System  Idle Process was usually in the 90s, slipping lower when I opened an application such as Internet Explorer. ESET's ekrn.exe *32 would sometimes momentarily jump up the list to be within the top 5 processes listed but it would quickly drop back down..  Even when it was within the top five, ekrn.exe *32's usage of the CPU seemed to be 5 or less. When I sort the list by memory, ekrn.exe *32 is consistently high on the list.  As I type this ekrn.exe *32 is using 103,096 K of memory according to the Windows Task Manager.

 

What do you think these readings reveal about ESET 7 and fan activity?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Hi Barkupatree2002,

 

For me, this your message clearly shows that ESET is not connected to your fan sppeding and increased noise.

 

Memory usage is not source of heat, and does not increase speed of your computer fan. If you open let's say IE or Firefox or Chrome and open more than one page, you'll see lot of used memory ...

Only processes using more PCU  are source of greater heating of your processor...

 

So, if you want to find source of your "problem" - monitor your PC (Use Taks Manager, Process Explorer, ProcMon, or something simmilar) or log your PC activity and try to find process or service that is source of this activiy.

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Maybe your thermal paste needs changed out ?

After reading your post, I read the procedure for removing the heatsink from my computer in order to apply new thermal paste and I viewed a few videos on the internet demonstrating how to do this with other laptops.  This looks like a fairly complex procedure that I am not prepared to tackle, at least not yet.

 

Thanks.

[Barkupatree2002 1]

You could download and install a program to monitor your actual fan RPM and compare it to activity monitored by Task Manager.

 

hxxp://www.hwinfo.com/

 

Be sure to download the correct version for your system, 32 or 64 bit. It will also report your temperatures.

 

On Edit:

My fan speeds are 1798 RPM on the case and 860 RPM on the CPU. All temperatures are in the upper 70's F. at idle. This is for a desktop and I am not familiar with laptops at all.

 

 

SCR,

 

I will check out the program you suggested.

 

Thanks.

[SweX 871]

 

Maybe your thermal paste needs changed out ?

After reading your post, I read the procedure for removing the heatsink from my computer in order to apply new thermal paste and I viewed a few videos on the internet demonstrating how to do this with other laptops.  This looks like a fairly complex procedure that I am not prepared to tackle, at least not yet.

 

Thanks.

 

Yeah one need to get into the intestines of the computer to do that surgery 

[Barkupatree2002 1]

 

Podrska2NORT,

 

 

 

I pinned the Windows Task Manager in the upper corner of the laptop's screen, selected "show processes from all users", selected "processes", and then set the table to sort by CPU usage.  As I used the computer I monitored the activity in the table.  Consistently at the top was "System Idle Process" which I understand to be a process that in effect measures CPU availability.  System  Idle Process was usually in the 90s, slipping lower when I opened an application such as Internet Explorer. ESET's ekrn.exe *32 would sometimes momentarily jump up the list to be within the top 5 processes listed but it would quickly drop back down..  Even when it was within the top five, ekrn.exe *32's usage of the CPU seemed to be 5 or less. When I sort the list by memory, ekrn.exe *32 is consistently high on the list.  As I type this ekrn.exe *32 is using 103,096 K of memory according to the Windows Task Manager.

 

What do you think these readings reveal about ESET 7 and fan activity?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Hi Barkupatree2002,

 

For me, this your message clearly shows that ESET is not connected to your fan sppeding and increased noise.

 

Memory usage is not source of heat, and does not increase speed of your computer fan. If you open let's say IE or Firefox or Chrome and open more than one page, you'll see lot of used memory ...

Only processes using more PCU  are source of greater heating of your processor...

 

So, if you want to find source of your "problem" - monitor your PC (Use Taks Manager, Process Explorer, ProcMon, or something simmilar) or log your PC activity and try to find process or service that is source of this activiy.

 

 

Podrska2NORT,

 

I am beginning to come to the same conclusion, i. e. that ESET Smart Security 7 is not the source of the increased fan activity that I have been experiencing since upgrading from ESS 5.  I am considering uninstalling ESS 7 and reinstalling ESS 5 to see if the fan activity decreases.  If I do so, I will let you know whether I experience a decrease in fan activity.

 

I noticed under "Programs" on the Windows control panel that the following two programs were installed after I installed ESS 7:

 

1. Adobe Flash Player Active X 12.0.0.44  --  This was installed 3 days after ESS 7 as an Adobe recommended update from a prior version.  Oddly, even when I know that Adobe Flash Player is running I can not find it in the Windows Task Manager except for a process described as "Adobe Flash Player Installer/Uninstaller."  This item does not seem to use any CPU.

 

2. Microsoft Power Point View 14.0.7015.1000  -- This was installed 6 days after ESS 7, probably as part of a regular Microsoft update.  I rarely use Power Point.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Arakasi 549]

Let us know the results of the version 5 downgrade please.

 

Thanks

[SweX 871]

If you don't want to spend time to both uninstall V7 and install V5, wouldn't it be enough to just uninstall V7 to see if you notice a difference straight after. And if you decide to uninstall then don't forget to check the fan speed before uninstalling and then again afterwards so you can compare.

 

Afaik that version of Adobe Flash Player will only run when you use an browser using ActiveX, wich I believe is only IE. Other browsers use the plugin version, or built-in like in Chrome. In anycase AFP does not run all the time and uses up resources but it can increase the resource usage in browsers like causing high ram usage, will also depend on how many tabs you have open and which websites you visit.

 

I am not familiar with MS PPV, so I have no idea if it is set to autostart at boot, but if it is then you could take care of that along with other unnecessary startups, if there is any. 

Edited February 22, 2014 by SweX

[Barkupatree2002 1]

Let us know the results of the version 5 downgrade please.

 

Thanks

Arakasi,

 

A few days ago I uninstalled Eset Smart Security 7 and reinstalled ESS 5.2.15.0.  Since then I have not noticed any decrease in the activity of my laptop's fan.  I have to conclude that ESS 7 is not the source of the increased fan activity.

 

Perhaps new thermal paste is needed as you suggested a few weeks ago.

 

Alternatively, I wonder if the fins on the heatsink that fit against the fan housing have become clogged with dust and dirt.  I suspect that this could be the problem because, even though the air intake and exhaust vents appear clean from the outside, there does not seem to much air flowing from the exhaust vent.

 

My laptop has a large easily removable back panel and after removing it  I could see the fan (but not the space between the fins of heatsink and the fan housing).  However, the back panel does not extend all the way to the edge of computer and therefore to remove the fan requires removal of the keyboard and the front panel underneath the keyboard as well as some other steps. That is a task that is probably beyond my capabilities.

 

I would like to thank you and all the Eset forum members who have replied to my posts for your help in determining that ESS 7 is not the problem.