Hi [NAME]  welcome to this free user to user Alienware laptop discussion forum. This is not Dell Support.  The CPU and GPU fans operate independently and in response to the Alienware Command Center (AWCC) FUSION tab performance settings. These cooling fans have thermistors that provide their local temperature so that their speed can be automatically controlled by the AWCC to remove excessive heat. The cooling system is reliant on the copper cooling pads being in thermal contact with their respective processing unit, and this potential air gap is filled with a thermal paste. The thermal paste requires frequent renewal.  If a fan constantly runs at high speed, repasting is usually required. The fan will need replacement when their thermistor has failed. There are many YouTube videos that show how to undertake system maintenance.  Please ask the Dell Community for any additional information. 
Hi,  I'm hoping this forum can answer my question. There are 2 cooling fans on my friends Alienware 17 R1. I understand one if for the GPU and one for the CPU. The CPU fan basically runs constantly and is rather loud. The GPU fan does not run at the same time. Is this normal? My friend had taken the laptop into a computer repair shop for a "tune-up" and they basically fouled things up. I can't find an adjustment for the fan speed on this laptop.  Should the GPU and CPU fans run at the same time?      Thanks for any information you can provide.
17 R1, cooling fans question