It can be very frustrating if the GPU fan is not spinning, and it could be a signal that there is a potential problem with the GPU. But, do not panic just yet, the solution may be quite simple, and it fixes the problem. In this guide, we will be going through some of the reasons why your GPU fan is not spinning and how you can fix it.
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Contents
1.Install Video Drivers
Step 1:
If you don’t have the latest GPU drivers installed on your system, you will need to install them to fix the problem, and your GPU fans might start working.
Step 2:
If you already have the latest drivers installed on your system, then you should try reinstalling them, as it will ensure that everything works properly, including the fans.
Step 3:
Go to your GPU manufacturer’s official website to get the latest drivers for your GPU and download them. Once the GPU drivers have been downloaded, install them and restart your system.
Step 4:
Now, start a graphics-intensive game and let it run for a while so that your GPU’s core temperatures rise and reach the temperature at which the GPU fans start spinning. You could also run a benchmark test for the same purpose. If your GPU fans don’t start spinning, then you might be facing a different problem.
2.Fan Stop in GPU idle mode
Step 1:
Make sure that you are getting an output display on your monitor. If you are getting an output display, then your GPU will probably be idle. Most of the time, when the GPU is idle and not doing much, the fans won’t start spinning until the GPU hits a specific temperature. Graphics cards use passive cooling hardware, such as a heat sink, to keep the core temperatures from rising when performing basic tasks like browsing the web.
Normally, for Nvidia GPUs, the fans won’t start spinning until the GPU hits 58°C, and for AMD GPUs, the fans won’t start spinning until the GPU hits 60°C. It mainly depends on the vendor, and different models have different temperatures at which the fans start spinning.
Step 2:
To really check if your GPU fans are working or not, you will need to fire up a game or a benchmark test. When you run a graphics-intensive game or run a benchmark, the GPU core temperature will rise. If your GPU fan doesn’t start spinning after running the game for a while, then you probably have a different kind of problem.
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3. Check Power Connectors
Step 1:
Make sure that every cable is properly plugged in the places it is supposed to be plugged in. A common mistake that PC builders make is that they forget to connect one component to another and trust me, most of us have been there.
Step 2:
As you may know that the GPUs require a lot of power, and most of the GPUs nowadays require PCIe power connectors from the power supply unit to be plugged into the GPU, so the reason why your fans are not working could be that the PCIe power cables coming from your power supply unit may not be plugged into your GPU. Make sure that the PCIe power cables are plugged into your GPU all the way. The fans can stop working to their full potential or may not work if the PCIe power connectors are not pushed in all the way.
Some GPUs like the GTX 1050 Ti don’t have the PCIe power connectors as it draws power from the PCIe slot, so if the fans are not working even now, you probably have a different problem.
Step 3:
As mentioned earlier, start a graphics-intensive game and let it run for a while so that your GPU’s core temperatures rise and reach the temperature at which the GPU fans start spinning. You could also run a benchmark test for the same purpose. If your GPU fans don’t start spinning, then you might be facing a different problem.
4.Clean the Fan
Step 1:
One of the reasons behind many tech failures is the dust, and cleaning your hardware and getting rid of the dust often fix the problem. If the PC you’re trying to use is old or you haven’t cleaned it in a while, then the build-up of dust may be preventing the GPU fans from spinning. So, it would be best if you tried cleaning the GPU.
Step 2:
Get yourself familiar with electrostatic discharge and be careful when handling the computer components because the component may get damaged. Pull the GPU out of your system, but make sure you unscrew the GPU from the expansion slot on the rear side of your PC case if it is screwed in. Also, unplug the GPU’s PCIe power connectors, if it has any before you start pulling the GPU.
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Step 3:
Now, use a dust cloth to clean up the dust, and a few blows should do it, but we recommend that you use a canister of compressed air. Get rid of any dust from the blades.
Note: If you want to go further than that by removing the fans and cleaning them, follow the following steps. But, keep in mind that if you remove or replace the GPU fan yourself, you void the video card’s warranty.
Step 4:
Remove the plastic top cover, if there is one, by removing the screws holding it.
Step 5:
Remove the screws of the fan/fans from its mounting points and unplug the connector. Now, take out the fan carefully.
Step 6:
Once the fans are removed, clean them properly. Take this opportunity and clean the heat sink as well, if there is any dust on it.
Step 7:
Once you have cleaned it, the fans back in their location from where you removed them and plugged in the connector where it was previously plugged in—screw-in the fans at their mounting points. Put the plastic cover back and screw it in at the proper location from the point you removed the screws.
Make sure that the connector is plugged in correctly and pushed in all the way. If not, then that can also cause the fans not to spin.
Step 8:
Put the GPU back in the system and make sure that you screw it in the expansion slot on the rear, and make sure that you push the PCIe connector all the way in. If the problem continues, then you might have a different problem.
5.Oil the Bearings
Step 1:
The bearings of the fan can be lost their spinning capabilities as they age. So, before you replace the fans, try oiling their bearings using a small amount of machine oil.
Step 2:
Pull out the GPU by following Step 2of “cleaning the fan,” which is mentioned above.
Step 3:
Remove the GPU fans by following Step 4 and Step 5of “cleaning the fan,” which is mentioned above.
Note: Remember that if you remove or replace the fan of your GPU yourself, you void the video card’s warranty.
Step 4:
Peel off the sticker on the back of the fan/fans. Now, apply a couple of drops of the machine oil to the bearings of the fan/fans in the oil cap behind the peeled sticker of the fan/fans.
Step 5:
Follow Step 7 of “cleaning the fan,” mentioned above, to put the fans back into their place.
Step 6:
Follow Step 8 of “cleaning the fan,” mentioned above, to put the GPU back in the system. If the problem continues, then you might have a different problem.
6.Replace the Fan
Step 1:
It would help if you found the right GPU fan for your GPU. Find out the fan size of your GPU fans by using a measuring tape or a ruler to find the fan’s diameter. Also, measure the mounting points of the fan, and the mounting positions should also match the size of the mounting points. Buy a fan that has the same fan size. Otherwise, it won’t fit properly. Some common GPU fan sizes are 75mm, 90mm, and 95mm.
Keep in mind that a GPU with multiple fans may have different fan sizes.
Step 2:
Ensure that the fan design’s design matches as the fan design can affect performance because the heat sink may have been designed for that specific fan design only.
Step 3:
Make sure that the connector included with the fan is the same as your GPU’s original fan. Otherwise, it won’t work. Normally, a GPU with a single fan has a standard 4-pin connector, but a GPU with multiple fans, like two or three fans, comes with multiple connectors with more pins, such as 5-pin and 6-pin. Also, check that the connector is a male type or a female type connector. Original GPU fans come with a male-type fan connector, and in most cases, the GPU fan connector is female type.
Once you have a fan for replacement, then move on to the following steps.
Step 4:
Pull out the GPU by following Step 2 of “cleaning the fan,” mentioned above.
Step 5:
Now, to replace your GPU fans, you don’t have to remove the heat sink. Follow Step 4 and Step 5 of “cleaning the fan,” mentioned above, to remove the GPU fans.
Step 6:
Once you have taken out the fans/fans carefully, put new fans/fans in their place. Follow step 7 of “cleaning the fan” to put the fans back in their place.
Step 7:
Follow Step 8 of “cleaning the fan,” which is mentioned above to put the GPU back in the system.
Step 8:
After replacing the fans, if the system does not boot, either the fan is not compatible, or the GPU temperature is very high. Check the fans while the computer is on and make sure the fans are spinning. Turn off the computer and check fan connections if the fan is not spinning. If the computer does not boot up, but fans are spinning, either the GPU is faulty or not compatible.
7.Replace the GPU
It may be time to replace the GPU if none of the solutions mentioned above work. You may want to replace the GPU instead of wasting your time and effort finding a new fan to replace it with.
Originally posted 2021-04-10 03:36:00.