# cpu fan error



## andyxeno (May 9, 2008)

Hi, i'm having a devil of a problem with my cpu fan and in need of guidance.
I have a arctic cpu fan that has run fine for a number of years and visually continues to do so. Except when i boot up i am receiving a cpu fan error and have to go into bios and find the cpu fan is now showing n/a even though it is running. i have tried different speeds settings and qfan control methods but still get the error message upon boot. the only way i have found past this is to set the cpu fan at full speed. It is connected on my asus motherboard to the cpu fan connector and physically checking my case everything seems to be connected fine. I admit i am puzzled and would welcome any thoughts.
thanks in advance.:sad:

(running windows 10 )


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

My "guess" is the fan bearings are wearing and/or the bearing lubricant is getting stiff with age. This is causing the fan to take too long to spin up and the BIOS is reporting the error. 

Does this happen every time you boot, or only when you boot after the system has been off for a few hours (or overnight) and cooled down? 

You probably can disable that error warning your BIOS Setup Menu, but that would be like covering up the "Check Engine" or "Low Oil Pressure" light on your car's dashboard - not a good idea. You probably need to replace your CPU cooler. 

You might be able to replace just the fan, but finding the correct replacement may be more of a challenge than replacing the whole heatsink fan assembly.


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## andyxeno (May 9, 2008)

Hi bill ,thanks for the reply i guess you could be right as i have had the fan around 4 years.
That said, it is a arctic freezer 7 pro never failed before and should be groovy for a while yet. It is giving the error 8 out of ten times of booting and with the side of the case off i can see it spins up the same every time i power on. I have set in the bios that the monitor 'ignore' so it now boots ok for now which as you rightly say is not solving and after xmas i'll try reseating the heatsink etc to see if that makes a difference. (the only thing i neglected to mention was that i updated the bios but i can't see how that relates).
Anyhoo dude thank you for your input and have a great Christmas. cheers n beers


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## SpareChange (Mar 7, 2019)

Try a CMOS reset (clear CMOS) and then set the specific bios settings you had before. It's a good idea when updating a BIOS to clear cmos. Not always but usually, and then enter any specific settings you might have had. If you have visually verified that your CPU fan is running/spinning fine yet you seem to have error messages and the only thing that had changed was that you updated the BIOS I would definitely clear CMOS.


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## Bill_Bright (Dec 17, 2004)

> It is giving the error 8 out of ten times


That's not good but I'm still curious if that was when the computer was cold or after it has warmed up. Note it only takes a few clock cycles for a CPU to go from cool to over-heated and there typically are 2 - 3 *b*illion clock cycles in 1 second! 

I recommend you check your BIOS again. There typically are at least 2 temperature related alarm settings in there. One is for CPU fan speed being too low, and the other is for CPU temps being too high. You should not disable the temp alarm. 


> That said, it is a arctic freezer 7 pro never failed before and should be groovy for a while yet.


Yes, it "should" still be fine. But until Man can create perfection 100% of the time, even the best products from the best makers will occasionally have a unit that fails prematurely. 



> (the only thing i neglected to mention was that i updated the bios but i can't see how that relates).


That depends on the timing. Did the problem start right after you updated the BIOS? 

If so, then I agree with SpareChange and I would clear the BIOS. Check your motherboard/computer user manual for instructions. Just remember to unplug the computer from the wall and touch bare metal of the case interior to discharge any static in your body BEFORE reaching in to short the pins, move the jumper, or pulling the battery (which ever procedure you use - any one will work). After resetting, restore power and boot directly into the BIOS Setup Menu. Check/reset your date and time and make sure your boot order is correct (if you previously changed that). Then "Save and Exit" to [hopefully] boot normally. 

FTR, except when a motherboard is brand new right out of the box, I never update the BIOS just because a new update is out there or because it has been awhile. Most BIOS updates simply add support for new CPUs or RAM that came out after the motherboard left the factory. So unless the Change Log says the BIOS update affects me, I leave it alone. 

"_If it ain't broke, don't fix it! _"

If your temps are fine, I do NOT recommend reseating the heatsink fan (HSF) assembly. Contrary to what many think or want us to think, TIM (thermal interface material) does NOT need to be replaced just because it is X number of years old. TIM will easily last 10 or 15 years or longer AS LONG AS the cured bond between the mating surfaces is not broken. 

If anyone tells you otherwise, ask them to show you one, just one CPU maker, GPU maker, cooler maker, computer maker, motherboard maker, white paper or even TIM maker who says their TIM needs to be replaced every X number of years or hours of use. Just one! 

Even if it dries out, it does not need to be replaced. Remember, the purpose of TIM is to fill the microscopic pits and valleys in the mating surfaces, pushing out any trapped, insulating air. The only reason TIM comes in a liquid, pliable form is to make it easy to squeeze out of the tube and spread evenly across the processor die. If the liquid component in TIM evaporates away, the solids that are left behind are still occupying those pits and valleys, doing their jobs by preventing insulating air from getting in. 

So, if your temps are fine when you computer is running, your heatsink and the TIM are fine and do not need to be replaced. Needlessly reseating a heatsink needlessly creates the potential for bent pins, ESD destruction, and/or TIM contamination either between the mounting surfaces, on the socket or nearby components.

If your temps are excessive now when running your system, then a fresh application of new TIM could help. Again remember to unplug and properly discharge any static before and while working inside the computer. And note one of the most common TIM application mistakes is applying too much TIM. The most efficient transfer of heat occurs with direct metal-to-metal contact. You only need to fill those microscopic pits and valleys. Any excess TIM is actually in the way and counterproductive to the most efficient transfer of heat.

It is true when TIM gets old, it loses a few (typically <5) degrees efficiency. But it important to note if a processor "needs" those 5°C of extra cooling to keep from crossing over thermal protection thresholds, then something else is wrong or inadequate - like case cooling. It is absolutely essential to keep our CPUs properly cooled. But it is not necessary to keep them as cool as possible. 

A processor running at 35°C will NOT have better performance, be more stable, or have a longer life expectancy than a processor running at 55°C. 

As seen by the last line in my sig, I take heat in electronics very seriously. But as a tech, I have seen too many systems damaged by accidental mishandling when it wasn't necessary.

So if your temps don't indicate you have a heat problem, then they don't indicate you need to reseat the HSF assembly either.


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