My heatsink fan is not working.

This is not a software but rather a hardware issue, I guess..
Exact model of you PC?

"When I turn the laptop on the fan doesn't start up I thought it is suppose to start when you first start the laptop up."

Not necessarily. Some computers will vary fan speed from all the way off to all the way maxed out based on the reported temperatures of various sensors (you can even read these temperature sensors from within GNU/Linux) in an attempt to control the amount of power used and noise level.

It is a Dell Inspiron N5050 Laptop.
It doesn't make fan noises anymore like it use to. When it gets hot nothing blows out I don't feel anything coming out with my hands. Is it possible to have a broken fan and not have the computer ever get hot enough to over heat it? I only have my laptop used in a controlled temperature environment so it is generally at a temperature not too cold or hot comfortable for humans. This happened the day I left my computer on my bed for an hour or half hour. But if that was the case that it caused my fan to blow out wouldn't a new fan like I just replaced fix that problem?

sudo dmidecode |grep -B 2 Stat
[sudo] password for tyler:
Max Speed: 2100 MHz
Current Speed: 2100 MHz
Status: Populated, Enabled
--
Handle 0x001E, DMI type 32, 20 bytes
System Boot Information
Status: No errors detected
--
Cooling Device
Type: Fan
Status: OK
--
Description: CPU Internal Temperature
Location: Processor
Status: OK
--
Serial Number: CSXDNT1
Asset Tag: Not Specified
Boot-up State: Safe
Power Supply State: Safe
Thermal State: Safe
Security Status: None
--
On Board Device Information
Type: Video
Status: Enabled

https://askubuntu.com/questions/249157/manually-turn-on-cpu-fan
I tried following this guide and I get this error:

sudo pwmconfig
# pwmconfig revision 6166 (2013-05-01)
This program will search your sensors for pulse width modulation (pwm)
controls, and test each one to see if it controls a fan on
your motherboard. Note that many motherboards do not have pwm
circuitry installed, even if your sensor chip supports pwm.

We will attempt to briefly stop each fan using the pwm controls.
The program will attempt to restore each fan to full speed
after testing. However, it is ** very important ** that you
physically verify that the fans have been to full speed
after the program has completed.

/usr/sbin/pwmconfig: There are no pwm-capable sensor modules installed

This isn't that strange. My fan doesn't turn on when the computer starts
either- it starts churning when things get hot. The fan should vary speed and
power depending on recorded temperatures.

Does your fan *never* turn on? Or just not instantly? If the latter is the
case, it is probably because your system has had time to cool down and the fan
in unneeded.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/63588/how-do-i-get-fan-control-working

I tried setting it to max speed like it says in the above link. ^^
Still no fan sound or feel anything blowing out.

I entered this command in terminal:
sudo i8kfan 2 2
-1 2

No the fan doesn't work at all anymore. I use my laptop 24/7 and I hope I haven't damaged anything since it has gotten broken. I think I will revert to using my old laptop which I will have to use ubuntu sadly because the graphics card doesn't work in trisquel for 3d. Supposedly it has free software drivers for it made specifically by ubuntu for that graphics card not sure why it isn't included in trisquel maybe it has become proprietary. Well anyways thats for another post I will post soon as I get my old laptop back from my mom. Right now I need to fix my fan and I don't know what the problem is.

I followed this video tutorial on how to disassemble my laptop and replace the heatsink fan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlkUMV0cFss

The only thing that seems to be damaged is my hard drive but it could be an error because the bad sectors only happened after I upgraded to windows 10 on my laptop. I use trisquel from a usb flash drive. I will run diagnostics after I fix my fan to see if anything is damaged.

Should I call Dell for help?

I tried using dell software in the repo which has an app to flash the bios with updated software. I used the window version not sure if their is an ubuntu packaged one. I think it did it was pretty quick it has a flash bios in the boot menu and I selected that and it asked for user name and password I did that then it rebooted. I also reset my bios to default settings too. Still have same issue fan not working. :(

Yes. I was to suggest to install windows 7 or 8 (depending on what is recommended on the official DELL website), download the latest BIOS firmware and flash it from Winzkomms.
A friend of mine had this very same issue recently and was able to fix it by flashing the latest BIOS in his lappy.
If you flashed the latest BIOS and have no fan working both on winshlose and GNU then you can be sure it's a hardware issue and all you can do is take it to a repair service or buy a new box. Or study a ton of volumes on the argument and repair it on your own :D
cheers

Try installing Psensor; it shows exactly what's going on inside, namely the temp1, Physical id 0, Core 0, and Core 1 temperatures, fan1 speed and cpu usage.

You should see the huffing and puffing that takes place while panorama is assembling a multi-image photographic montage.

okay I will reinstall winblows 7 and do the bios update thanks.

Unfortunately I can't install windows 7 on my laptop even tho that is what it came with. Because I tried booting from win7 dvd and win10 and both of them finish booting up to a solid blue screen with no text. However I found this guide for dell pcs for ubuntu on how to update bios. :) https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DellBIOS
I found out my bios is A04 so assuming that I should upgrade to A05.

There is two different bios updates for my laptop. Since my version is A04 I am assuming I should take the older one that is labelled as A05 since that would be the next progression from A04. But A03 is newer according to that page. Which one should I install?

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/inspiron-15-intel-n5050/drivers/advanced

nevermoreeaven: be very very careful what BIOS you flash and how (from which OS and the related procedure) you flash it!
If the official DELL site says you need that particular firmware and you need to flash it from say guinblobs 8.1, then do so!
If the flashing procedure goes wrong chances are you'll never again boot that laptop.
At least that is how I understand it.

I flashed it following the guide from freedos usb page on dellbios article for ubuntu
The flash went successfully but still the fan does not work. :(

This command now says A05 instead of A04.

sudo dmidecode -s bios-version
[sudo] password for tyler:
A05

Should I try the other firmware recommended on the dell website?

I just entered my service tag for dell inspiron n5050 and it then only recommends the bios download I just flashed my laptop with. So what else should I do? I don't have the money to buy a whole new laptop. is it possible to replace something? I replaced the fan and that didn't work. Maybe I should try replugging in the fan's plug on the mother board. Idk. :(

I replugged in everything today and turned it on and the fan turns on during startup! :)
But it isn't on now. Is that okay? I haven't had my laptop on for long. Also when it turns on during bios startup it doesn't blow at full blast is that normal?

I fixed it!!!!!!!

How do I test to see if my fan is working properly?
Also how do I control the fan speeds?
I am using a dell inspiron n5050 laptop.

My librebooted x60 switch on the fan after 5-10 min. Not all laptops switch on the fan at start up.

My librebooted x60 switch on the fan after 5-10 min. Not all laptops switch
on the fan at start up.

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Fixed my issue. I replaced the fan didn't work the first time so then I replugged the fan back in then put the computer back together then it works. It is a weak blow. But my older laptop has the same. Is it sucking in new air or blowing out?