We replaced our EliteBook G1i laptops with five new HP EliteBook 8 G2i systems (DJ9V8UT#ABA). On every unit, the fans ramp up to 100% as soon as Windows finishes booting and only slow down briefly during a reboot. The behavior returns when Windows loads again.
The installed firmware is newer than the version currently available from HP, and updating all HP drivers made no difference. We also tested a couple of systems with our SCCM image using the latest available drivers, with the same result. The laptops are running Windows 11 25H2, both the factory Pro installation and our Enterprise image.
HP support walked us through their troubleshooting process and now wants all five laptops shipped in for evaluation at our expense. Before sending away equipment needed for new hires, has anyone seen this issue on the EliteBook 8 G2i? Could it be a BIOS or firmware problem, incorrect temperature reporting, or something specific to the Windows installation?
3 Answers
Try narrowing down whether this is Windows-related before shipping everything back. Check the fan behavior in the BIOS setup, with a clean Microsoft Windows installation, and—if available—a temporary Linux or bootable diagnostic environment. Also check CPU and GPU utilization and temperatures. If the fans run at full speed in BIOS while the machine is cool, that points strongly toward firmware, sensor reporting, or the embedded controller rather than drivers or your image.
This sounds more like a firmware or system-management issue than five bad fans. I had an older HP desktop whose fan ran like a jet until a firmware update corrected it, so a BIOS or embedded-controller fix may eventually be needed. It would also be worth checking whether the firmware can safely be rolled back to the version HP currently publishes, although HP support specifically advised against trying that in your case.
We asked HP about rolling back the firmware, but they told us not to. I don't know what specific risk or reason they had in mind.
I would sacrifice one unit for a clean Windows 11 25H2 installation created from standard Microsoft media, then install only the necessary HP drivers and utilities. That separates an image or management-agent problem from a hardware or firmware problem and is a relatively quick test. If the fan still stays at 100% on a clean system and in BIOS, document that clearly for HP and request an exchange or firmware escalation rather than simply replacing the fans.
The fans do appear to run at full speed when rebooting into the BIOS menu as well, which makes me doubt this is caused by our Windows image. The chassis is only mildly warm compared with our other EliteBooks.