Razer Blade 14 late 2016 EC Downgrade (due to Weak Fans), possible?
The thing is that I've upgraded my BIOS to v02.02 & EC 4.0 ...Because of the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, TPM thing etc.
Now my Blade refuses to blow the hot air out of it. I can hear the Fans barely spinning, even if I set the synapse to "Cool mode" and trow some games or benchmarks on it.
My temps are 100C on the CPU and 90C on the GPU...
Things I've tried so far to resolve the issue:
- Contact "Support" - absolutely ridiculous (they even doesn't keep the old BIOS-es in hand) - since it is out of warranty, they can't do anything... They stopped to reply to my emails....
- I've flashed the BIOS a couple of times, even unlocked the Overclocking Features (set to -170) and Thermal Features (the Critical Trip Point set to 119C, WTF). No use...
- Tried to set NoteBookFanControl. Can't set it...
- Repasted it with Kryonaut paste and Fujipoly pads. Even bought new heatsink. Same temps...
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pensaraUff da. What are you using to monitor your temperatures? I had a similar issue with my 2017 Blade 14. I was going to support, asking all around forums/reddit, and could not figure why my temps were so high. Then I realized that I was looking at CPU and GPU usage, not temperature. So as silly as it sounds, make sure you're reading the right thing. I was using MSI Afterburner and the UI threw me off. Have you inspected the fans themselves to make sure they're clean, that the wiring is in good shape, etc.?
The thing is that I've upgraded my BIOS to v02.02 & EC 4.0 ...Because of the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, TPM thing etc. Now my Blade refuses to blow the hot air out of it. I can hear the Fans barely spinning, even if I set the synapse to "Cool mode" and trow some games or benchmarks on it. My temps are 100C on the CPU and 90C on the GPU... Things I've tried so far to resolve the issue: - Contact "Support" - absolutely ridiculous (they even doesn't keep the old BIOS-es in hand) - since it is out of warranty, they can't do anything... They stopped to reply to my emails.... - I've flashed the BIOS a couple of times, even unlocked the Overclocking Features (set to -170) and Thermal Features (the Critical Trip Point set to 119C, WTF). No use... - Tried to set NoteBookFanControl. Can't set it... - Repasted it with Kryonaut paste and Fujipoly pads. Even bought new heatsink. Same temps...
pensaraTry flash back the default (original) bios maybe your moding has interrupted the bios update or opposite. From there use normal undervolting software like TS or XTU. No that fans control software doesn’t work since Blade 2016 only for older Blade and you can’t backward bios version once updated.
The thing is that I've upgraded my BIOS to v02.02 & EC 4.0 ...Because of the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, TPM thing etc. Now my Blade refuses to blow the hot air out of it. I can hear the Fans barely spinning, even if I set the synapse to "Cool mode" and trow some games or benchmarks on it. My temps are 100C on the CPU and 90C on the GPU... Things I've tried so far to resolve the issue: - Contact "Support" - absolutely ridiculous (they even doesn't keep the old BIOS-es in hand) - since it is out of warranty, they can't do anything... They stopped to reply to my emails.... - I've flashed the BIOS a couple of times, even unlocked the Overclocking Features (set to -170) and Thermal Features (the Critical Trip Point set to 119C, WTF). No use... - Tried to set NoteBookFanControl. Can't set it... - Repasted it with Kryonaut paste and Fujipoly pads. Even bought new heatsink. Same temps...
figrin1I'm using HWMonitor to monitor temperatures :) The fans are clear and fully operational. I can hear them spinning on MAX speed for a second when I launch a game. I'm sure that the Fan Curve is the reason... (I'm on "Cool mode" at synapse)
Uff da. What are you using to monitor your temperatures? I had a similar issue with my 2017 Blade 14. I was going to support, asking all around forums/reddit, and could not figure why my temps were so high. Then I realized that I was looking at CPU and GPU usage, not temperature. So as silly as it sounds, make sure you're reading the right thing. I was using MSI Afterburner and the UI threw me off. Have you inspected the fans themselves to make sure they're clean, that the wiring is in good shape, etc.?
JoikansaiTried those things - no effect... I guess, since I can't downgrade the only hope is Razer to release a new version of the EC firmware, witch is highly doubtful...
Try flash back the default (original) bios maybe your moding has interrupted the bios update or opposite. From there use normal undervolting software like TS or XTU. No that fans control software doesn’t work since Blade 2016 only for older Blade and you can’t backward bios version once updated.
pensaraYou can still try an egpu setting since it sounds like some hardware issue.
I'm using HWMonitor to monitor temperatures :) The fans are clear and fully operational. I can hear them spinning on MAX speed for a second when I launch a game. I'm sure that the Fan Curve is the reason... (I'm on "Cool mode" at synapse) Tried those things - no effect... I guess, since I can't downgrade the only hope is Razer to release a new version of the EC firmware, witch is highly doubtful...
JoikansaiIt's not a hardware but software issue :) (EC firmware). I can hear the fans going on high speed when i start my Blade - just after synapse "syncing with the cloud" message, too. So the fans are running fine but the EC settings are not right - the temps are slowly rising up to 100C (cpu), but the fans are not spinning adequately...
You can still try an egpu setting since it sounds like some hardware issue.
pensaraIt sounds like as soon as Synapse syncs with your cloud settings it turns off the fans. So try closing Synapse and killing its process in the Task manager. Do your fans spin up then?
It's not a hardware but software issue :) (EC firmware). I can hear the fans going on high speed when i start my Blade - just after synapse "syncing with the cloud" message, too. So the fans are running fine but the EC settings are not right - the temps are slowly rising up to 100C (cpu), but the fans are not spinning adequately...
pensaraThen uninstall Synapse, and reinstall it again...or did you already try that? Or before reinstall it again see if the fans runs better, I think without it it’s also sensor working to detect temperature. I’ve had your model short time btw, the fans should behave extremely active on original bios which I didn’t like and ec bios Update address it, Skylake chip lets the fans work more active than kabylake, maybe you can try run it without Synapse 2.
It's not a hardware but software issue :) (EC firmware). I can hear the fans going on high speed when i start my Blade - just after synapse "syncing with the cloud" message, too. So the fans are running fine but the EC settings are not right - the temps are slowly rising up to 100C (cpu), but the fans are not spinning adequately...
JoikansaiTried with and without synapse already... The fans are spinning all the time but slowly - they don't spin adequately on the temperatures... The point is that the fans can spin faster but the EC firmware has bad fan curve. The thing is that I liked how it runs with the original BIOS (EC 2.0) - loud and cool :) on both Windows and Linux...
Then uninstall Synapse, and reinstall it again...or did you already try that? Or before reinstall it again see if the fans runs better, I think without it it’s also sensor working to detect temperature. I’ve had your model short time btw, the fans should behave extremely active on original bios which I didn’t like and ec bios Update address it, Skylake chip lets the fans work more active than kabylake, maybe you can try run it without Synapse 2.
pensaraThe original isn’t 2.0, I think 1.xx, however since you’re out of warranty and want to try backward bios, you may want to see owner lounge of your model on notebook review forum. There’re owners of your model and may know better the issue last time I saw there fans are controlled by EC and there is also early adopter user from insider who may help you with tweaking.
Tried with and without synapse already... The fans are spinning all the time but slowly - they don't spin adequately on the temperatures... The point is that the fans can spin faster but the EC firmware has bad fan curve. The thing is that I liked how it runs with the original BIOS (EC 2.0) - loud and cool :) on both Windows and Linux...
JoikansaiSo, no warranty - no help from Razer... :( I mean no further support for Blade 14 late 2016... But they actually are selling this model right now ?!? And the synapse thing - synapse 2.0 is Legacy (no further development?), but synapse 3.0 is in Beta... As for notebook review - apparently I'm banned from there (not sure why), I can't register with my e-mail...
The original isn’t 2.0, I think 1.xx, however since you’re out of warranty and want to try backward bios, you may want to see owner lounge of your model on notebook review forum. There’re owners of your model and may know better the issue last time I saw there fans are controlled by EC and there is also early adopter user from insider who may help you with tweaking.
pensaraYes on some region like here last time they have it on refurbished store. And unfortunately apparently Blade 14 would only be supported by Synapse 2. At this point I would try contact support again and maybe ask to system support to solve the problem, if that doesn’t work well there’s 2 options safety using your Blade, I mean by that temperature it’s only time matter until the hardware is knocked out, first using egpu solution for sharing temperature and second repasting it with additional pad for better spraying heat to the sink or if you want go crazy go with liquid metal solution (not recommended) but seems not view users doing that with their own risk, there’s also thread about that there on NBR forum.
So, no warranty - no help from Razer... :slightly_sad: I mean no further support for Blade 14 late 2016... But they actually are selling this model right now ?!? And the synapse thing - synapse 2.0 is Legacy (no further development?), but synapse 3.0 is in Beta... As for notebook review - apparently I'm banned from there (not sure why), I can't register with my e-mail...
JoikansaiRepasted it with Kryonaut again, yesterday - same temps. Liquid metal is not an option for me :) As for the e-gpu solution - I bought the Blade with the idea to be portable and powerful... That's a shame... I mean, I've spent so much money for the system itself and now...
there’s 2 options safety using your Blade, I mean by that temperature it’s only time matter until the hardware is knocked out, first using egpu solution for sharing temperature and second repasting it with additional pad for better spraying heat to the sink
pensaraHow is your ambient temperature? Since repasting didn’t solve your issue there’s no other way beside cripple your Blade performance for better temperature for the good of your Blade, like disabling turbo boost, cpu clock amplifier limitation, for gpu nvidia whispers mode, limiting FPS etc until you found the solution.
Repasted it with Kryonaut again, yesterday - same temps. Liquid metal is not an option for me :) As for the e-gpu solution - I bought the Blade with the idea to be portable and powerful... That's a shame... I mean, I've spent so much money for the system itself and now...
Hi, I have same problem here..... the fan is stuck at 100% its really annoyingly loud do you have any idea ? or someone can dump they EC firmware ? thanks.
johndavidsonWhat have you done to troubleshoot this? Is Synapse set to 100% fan power?
Hi, I have same problem here..... the fan is stuck at 100% its really annoyingly loud do you have any idea ? or someone can dump they EC firmware ? thanks.
figrin1I haven't done anything, even I put synapse on low fan speed its still on 100 % do you have any idea ?
What have you done to troubleshoot this? Is Synapse set to 100% fan power?
johndavidsonThe first thing I would do is check the temperature of your CPU and GPU to see if the fans are spinning up due to overheating (a hardware issue) or because of some software/firmware issue. My hunch is it's probably software related. In which case, I might try uninstalling and reinstalling Razer Synapse and seeing if that does anything.
I haven't done anything, even I put synapse on low fan speed its still on 100 % do you have any idea ?
figrin1well my temps are fine its 30-40 celcius, and I am agree with you its software related.
The first thing I would do is check the temperature of your CPU and GPU to see if the fans are spinning up due to overheating (a hardware issue) or because of some software/firmware issue. My hunch is it's probably software related. In which case, I might try uninstalling and reinstalling Razer Synapse and seeing if that does anything.
johndavidsonand uninstalling synapse don't works
well my temps are fine its 30-40 celcius, and I am agree with you its software related.
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