This is not a very technical answer and is accumulated knowledge
having suffered a PC that had an overheating motherboard where the
computer would regularly shut down ("crash") due to motherboard
components overheating. Probably to get a better and specific answer
to your question you will need to give more technical details about
your PC. By the way I understand your problem is not "excessive
running" but rather disconcerting periods of fan inactivity that you
have probably only noticed because of the sudden lack of fan noise or
hum. Is the computer otherwise running normally?
The fan may be thermostatically controlled and turns itself on and off
in response to the temperature of, or in, your PC. The temperature of
your PC is going to depend on your environment (hot or cold room,
airconditioned or not, computer in a confined space or plenty of air
flow, etc.) and the amount of material and it's placement inside the
case of the computer. Apparently faster processors generate more heat
as do having several drives running at once. Apparently CD and DVD
'writers' generate more heat than mere 'readers'.
I am told that it is now normal for motherboards to carry on-board
processor fans to assist the fans installed in the computer case. A
relative of mine has a PC with latest processor, RAM, memory, etc.
that he assembled himself. His computer has on-board fans on the
motherboard as well as TWO casement fans (front and rear) to keep the
system cool. He deliberately acquired a large case and spaced the
internal components to increase separation of components and increase
airflow around the interior components.
I am also told that while many casement fans run directly from the
power supply and are therefore constantly 'on' when the power is 'on'
that there are now casement fans that run from the motherboard and
therefore the motherboard can monitor and control the fan speed. I
have watched a technician access information about the performance,
including temperatures of on-board components, of the motherboard of
my computer and have been told that the more modern the motherboard
the more likely that facility is built in. When shown to me the
information was accessed during startup via the BIOS however I believe
that for those seriously interested that programs are available to
constantly show the performance while the computer is running
normally. |
