Can't figure out what's up with this laptop fan.

[pantsaregood]

I'm trying to refurbish an old Gateway laptop to sell. Model is ML6232. I had it running fine yesterday, but now it won't run properly.

The fan attached to the CPU/NB heatsink doesn't spin properly. It begins spinning then stops as soon as the laptop POSTs. It then throws an error at me: "Main fan and second fan error. Please turn off system and check your both fans."

As I said, the CPU fan does begin spinning and stops as soon as the system POSTs. The second fan...doesn't exist. There isn't even a second fan header anywhere on the system.

 

[Scythe5]

Have you tried swapping the fan with a known good one?

I assume the fan message is default message from BIOS, but I could be wrong. It may say that even when there is only one fan present.

 

[Agent-A01]

Maybe oil up the bearings.