How to Disable a CPU Fan Speed Sensor
By Nathan McGinty
When you're running a small business, computers can help you tackle mundane tasks such as bookkeeping, inventory and document management. Many modern computers have system fans inside for cooling the machine's central processing unit, or CPU, which can become quite hot as the computer performs tasks. These fans are monitored by sensors controlled by the system's Basic Input Output System, or BIOS. There may be times when you want to disable one of these fan speed sensors on your business computers, for example, to check that they are operating properly.
Reboot your system.
Watch the screen for the BIOS menu entry key or key combination. This is displayed on the screen during a reboot. Typical keys include "delete" and the "F2" function key. Press the BIOS key when it is displayed on the screen and hold it down until the BIOS menu appears.
Cycle through the BIOS menus by using the Enter key. In most computer BIOS setups, the fan controls will be found under the Advanced menu. Use the arrow keys to scroll through the menu until the "Advanced" screen is highlighted. Press "Enter" to select it.
Look through the Advanced menu for the System Fan settings. This may be on the parent Advanced page, or it may be on a Fan submenu. If needed, select the appropriate submenu by moving the on-screen cursor with the arrow keys. Press "Enter" when on the Fan menu.
Look for a setting for "Fan control" or "Sensor control." Move the cursor to the setting by using the arrow keys. Highlight the current setting, which should be set at "Enabled" or "On."
Change the Fan sensor settings by using the right and left arrow keys, the "+" and "-" symbols or the other keystrokes used by your system. Press "Enter" to commit the change.
Press the "Esc" or "Back" key to return to the main menu. Choose the menu option at the bottom of the screen to "Save Changes to BIOS and Exit." You may need to highlight the menu option and press "Enter" to make the changes or press a function key, such as "F10."
Allow your system to reboot to commit the changes.
Tips
Look at the bottom of the BIOS screen when you enter. Here it will identify the specific keystrokes or combinations for changing BIOS options, moving to different menus and saving your changes.
Writer Bio
Nathan McGinty started writing in 1995. He has a Bachelor of Science in communications from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in international journalism from City University, London. He has worked in the technology industry for more than 20 years, in positions ranging from tech support to marketing.