This article explains how to resolve a System Fan (90B) error from appearing when you start up your HP Pavilion G6 Laptop. The full error reads:
The system detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly
And looks like this:
HP Pavilion G6 System Fan 90B
The error is caused by the system cooling fan not spinning. Notice I said “Not spinning”. The most likely cause is that the fan is stuck or has fell off its spindle. Rarely are any new parts required for this fix but you will need thermal compound paste as you have to remove the heat sink from the processor.
In this example I have used a HP Pavilion G6 but this article is also applicable to many other laptop models as well as the CQ series from HP Compaq.
This procedure should take less than one hour. You do risk damaging the fan but it may be all that is required. More likely you are going to have to take the laptop apart which is described as follows:
Remove battery
Remove memory and memory compartment cover
Disconnect hard drive and remove
Undo screw that secures DVD writer. This makes opening the case easier later
Remove DVD drive. Careful so that plastic does not break on DVD drawer
Pull both cables off wifi card and undo screw. Remove WiFi card
Undo all remaining screws on base of laptop
Turn laptop over and remove keyboard. The arrows point to small clips that hold in keyboard which need pushing back
Undo screws and release ribbon cables
Undo circled screw and disconnect power cable (top right) and other ribbon cables
Remove motherboard from laptop case
Fan is top right of motherboard. Here you can see there is dust. This dust will not be causing the problem though
Turn motherboard over and undo 4 screws that are holding the heat sink and fan to the CPU
Clean thermal paste from heat sink and CPU using paper towel and cleaning solution. Undo two screws to open up fan
Here we can see the build up of dust that stopped the fan from spinning
Clean out all dust using a vacuum cleaner and paint brush. Apply thermal paste to CPU and reassemble in reverse.
All original photos are here please feel free to use them as you wish.
Thank u for this , also there was a problem such as this in my laptop and i resolved it .
Simple Enough. $12 for thermal compound and 1-2 hours of work. A lot better then getting taken to the bank by some computer dudes.
Thanks,
1droidmod
Thank you for your great help.
I can’t undo the 4 screws that are holding the heat sink and fan to the CPU. Is there any trick?
Hi Sara, they should only be hand tight. Sorry but force maybe required. Be careful though
Great help thanks. Very clear & concise.
Excellent, clear and concise. Thanks, I was dreading taking my daughter’s laptop to pieces. Why do they make things so awkward?! Amazingly, it works again.
I found that I did not need to remove the heak sink\fan – I could pull the fluff out from between the blades. Cheers, again.
Thanks, your help, Clear advise.
My PC’s fan did not spinning, Or heat air was stream out from PC.
I took my PC apart which is described as HP maintenance manual.
I did not remove the heat sink/fan.
I could pull something out from between the blades.
My PC’s fan is running now!
Thanks, your help, Clear advise.
My PC’s fan did not spinning, Or heat air was stream out from PC.
I took my PC apart which is described as HP maintenance manual.
I did not remove the heat sink/fan.
I could pull something out from between the blades.
My PC’s fan is running now!
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I recently cleaned out the fan. it worked fine for a month and again it stopped. i dont think its the dust or debris as it was cleaned recently, how else could the fan stop working?
I cant get take of the keyboard, Any advice or help world be great
Would*
Thanks you very very much for this, this helped a lot.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HOW-TO!!! Your instructions enabled me to take apart, fix, and reassemble a computer for the first time in my life….. AND IT WORKS!!!
I thought my HP laptop was dead/dying when it gave me that 90B fan warning. My own fault for no dusting it since 2011! I finally did a little simple maintenance with spray-duster, and the next time I used the computer I got the 90B/15 sec shutdown notice. Figured my late duster maintenance blew an oversized dust-bunny into the fan and was blocking it (sure enough – that is exactly what the prob was)
Also, my laptop is g7 pavilion, which luckily is almost exactly the same (component-wise) as the g6 so your instructions were 98% correct for the newer model. The g7 has a couple less screws in some places, but otherwise it is constructed almost identical to g6.
Repair shop quoted me $150 for labor alone and thanks to you all I had to buy was a $5 tube of thermal paste.
Again thank you so much for the tutorial and taking all that time to photograph each step and show where all screws/connections were. A huge money-saver and fixing my own pc hardware problem was a fascinating (and frustrating!) experience.
I replaced my fan after my G6 gave me the same error. The new fan isn’t working for some reason. I took my laptop apart TN again to double check, and everything iscorrectly connect and wired in place.
Could my motherboard electronic connection go bad?
Hi, I was having my screen replaced and he said that the computer started throwing a 90b error and needed a fan. He changed the fan and I can clearing hear the fan running but I still get the 90b error message? I have tried the hard reset but still get the error. Any ideas?
hi . i have do all those steps but the problem still. what im soposed to do please :'(
This is a little left-field but it seems to have worked for me. Had the fan warning daily but no problem since doing the following two months ago:
Place the open end of the pipe on a vacuum cleaner flat against the fan vent in the laptop casing. Wrap a cloth around the end of the pipe to cover the parts of the vent still showing. Switch on the vacuum cleaner. I let it suck away for about five minutes, moving the pipe around on the vent. As I say, I haven’t had the fan warning since. This may be a lucky fluke and it may not work for everyone but it’s worth a try – it may save all that dismantling. You do it, of course, at your own risk.
Excellent post, thanks for that! I’d already had my laptop apart once and was about to order a new fan when I read this and was able to fix it as you described. I managed to do this without taking the heatsink off, which some people might find easier, I just undid the one small fan cover screw visible without taking the heat sink off and was able to the lift the fan cover enough to pull the fluff out with tweezers. Cheers!
I was given a laptop with occasional thermal errors. I had replaced the fan about one year ago and figured it was needed again. The fan was quite noisy so I ordered a new fan. It arrived so I replaced it and started getting this 90B error. I assumed I did not install it correctly or missed some connection but could not see a missed step. I figured I would reinstall the old fan but this error stays. I tested the fans with a 9V battery and both worked so I assume the fans are actually fine. I tested voltage at the fan plug on the mobo and did not get anything like 5V, which is what the fan shows. I tested the power adapter and it shows 19 volts, as does a second adapter I had so I am ruling out that part. I figured the mobo was bad so I ordered a used replacement but the error stays. That mobo had BIOS version F.33 and I updated it to F.66 to no avail. I am at a loss now and greatly need assistance.
actually i have done the cleaning procedure but the same error perists so what is the further procedure for this error
it’s good but thanks, i cleaned my laptop fan but again its not working any suggestion?
I did cleaning for the old fan in my g6 as recommended,but it didn’t work better.So I purchased one one through amazon and installed it,but it didn’t work well too because it was a little bit different.I succeeded in installing it but it started and still giving notification about the error (90B).
hey, this is happening to my laptop but I’m not experienced with computers at all, and my parents won’t let me take it open, is there another way, like how much would it cost for me to get it done by a computer guy?
Thanks a ton ! you are a star !
Hi,
I do had the same error of system cooling fan, i used a safety pin needle and rotated the fan through the backside air vents below the fan and it worked.
Excellent advice, thanks for taking the time to publish this,
Thanks very much for the help – I watched a youtube video on how to open the case, and the guy there must’ve been working on a laptop with the screws under the keyboard already removed, because he just popped it open…
It was super useful in accessing the fan, as it was so clogged with dust bunnies that the machine was being uber-noisy and hot and slowing right down.
The fan is held together by a few clips with a tiny screw next to the main board. But it is not necessary to open the fan housing to remove the bunnies, if you get can get the mainboard out.
There are a few push points on the inside to save you having to pull out the CD drive and you can push the keyboard out from underneath too.
I broke the keyboard ZIF fastener, but I managed to wedge some paper in to hold the ribbon in.
The colour of the ZIF fastener changes in the machine… from white to black in a few places… it’s a little confusing, but generally – if it isn’t easy to undo, you’re on the wrong bit 😛
Except one of the power cables… that was pretty stiff with dirt.
Thanks again – you saved me a headache and being ripped off by the tech monkey at my local computer store (who always tries to rip me off).
Thank you so much for publishing such a useful guide. I have just successfully replaced the fan on our G6, thanks to this guide. As per other posters, I was dreading doing this, but it wasn’t that difficult. The hardest bit was the tiny screws on the fan itself.
Thanks again
Walshie
hp 2000 laptop cpu fan not working ,i try new fan but thire is same issue
I solved this problem by simply uninstalling a program I had recently downloaded of the internet. I was greatly relieved.
I went to CONTROL PANEL / PROGRAMS and checked the list for the last program/s I had installed, and uninstalled it.
And lucky for me, it solved the problem!
The devious program happened to be some audio recording software – a simple free application. I can’t remember the name of it.
Hi
My laptop showing error is same but my laptop fan is spinning very fast so what I do for this please suggest me.
Hello!
Could you provide me with trade names for thermal paste and cleaning solution suitable for use with a laptop?
Philippe
Hi please help me, my laptop (hp paviion g6) cooling fan stops working when it is plugged in at first i thought it’s a fan minor problem but it affects the performance of my laptop maybe because it’s heating. But when i remove it from charging, the fan suddenly works and the laptop performace turns to be okay. how can i fix this? I’m defenitely sure it is a big problem coz even in the sart up when i opened it while it’s plugged HP ERROR SYSTEM FAN (90b) occured but when i opened on just the battery power it’s fine.
WHAT WILL I DO PLS HELP THANKS!!!
This is one of the best set of instructions I have ever seen. Excellent.
I thought I was going to have to do this but in my case I had seen that sometimes it’s just the fan bearings getting stiff. What I did was spray a little “Super Grease” – bought from a pound shop – through the grill onto the fan and left the laptop upside down for about 1/2 hour then used a paper clip to turn the fan blades quite a lot. That worked and now I see that the laptop runs much cooler than it has for some time.