CPU fan error at boot up

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

You can do some serious damage to a CPU by running it at such high temperatures for extended periods of time. Yes, they have overheating protection, but that only kicks in at a certain temperature (let's say 90°C, or around 190F). This doesn't mean that you can run the processor at 85°C for extended periods of time without risking permanent damage to the processor. If you have to use the computer, try to avoid stressing it in any way. So no games, no video or image rendering, no compiling of software code, no video transcoding.

[Usako]

You can do some serious damage to a CPU by running it at such high temperatures for extended periods of time. Yes, they have overheating protection, but that only kicks in at a certain temperature (let's say 90°C, or around 190F). This doesn't mean that you can run the processor at 85°C for extended periods of time without risking permanent damage to the processor. If you have to use the computer, try to avoid stressing it in any way. So no games, no video or image rendering, no compiling of software code, no video transcoding.

Okay ty! The temps seem to be running around 70c alot better than 85c. The big fan really helped

[chazus]

70c is still.... hotter than I would ever want my cpu to run. Just keep in mind you're running a risk by doing that, and that it CAN jump from 70c to 'on fire' in a fraction of a second. It's basically like driving a car with a dry radiator. Yes, it will run. It will probably also cost you a ton of money when stuff explodes.

[Dannoson]

Next time you clean out the heatsink, I would recommend not even removing it. As you are now aware, you have to reapply the thermal paste, and I'm generally too lazy to do that. I recommend Arctic Silver, probably any variety will do.

Also, in reapplying the paste, make sure you clean the processor and heatsink thoroughly before reapplying it. (I use rubbing alcohol and cotton balls or pads) Use a small bead of paste (about 2-3mm) on the processor, and don't spread it out before putting the heatsink back on.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

I prefer noctua NT-H1 because it is non-conductive, so if a bit goes somewhere it shouldn't it isn't the end of the world.

[Vober]

I prefer noctua NT-H1 because it is non-conductive, so if a bit goes somewhere it shouldn't it isn't the end of the world.

I agree, Good point. Always worth putting out a few extra bucks for something like that.

[Usako]

Next time you clean out the heatsink, I would recommend not even removing it. As you are now aware, you have to reapply the thermal paste, and I'm generally too lazy to do that. I recommend Arctic Silver, probably any variety will do.

Also, in reapplying the paste, make sure you clean the processor and heatsink thoroughly before reapplying it. (I use rubbing alcohol and cotton balls or pads) Use a small bead of paste (about 2-3mm) on the processor, and don't spread it out before putting the heatsink back on.

I had to take it out in order to clean it. Its an old CPU heat sink and its designed weird. I wish I could tell you what it is, but it doesn't have anywhere on it what its called. It did have Arctic Cooling 64 on it. It has two small fans on each side of the fins, with the heat contact tubes in the middle.

I do plan to purchase this, which it turns out I can buy it tomorrow. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007

---------- Post added 2012-07-10 at 10:10 PM ----------

I prefer noctua NT-H1 because it is non-conductive, so if a bit goes somewhere it shouldn't it isn't the end of the world.

can you link it?

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

I had to take it out in order to clean it. Its an old CPU heat sink and its designed weird. I wish I could tell you what it is, but it doesn't have anywhere on it what its called. It did have Arctic Cooling 64 on it. It has two small fans on each side of the fins, with the heat contact tubes in the middle.

I do plan to purchase this, which it turns out I can buy it tomorrow. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007

---------- Post added 2012-07-10 at 10:10 PM ----------



can you link it?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835608008

[Usako]

I went out and brought arctic silver 5, which was all that radio shack had. I cleaned off the old thermal paste with 91% alcohol and coffee filters, put a grain of rice sized amount of paste onto the CPU and put my heat sink back on it. Booted it and I'm still getting the CPU Fan error and boot up.

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/di...zer-64-lp.html

I finally found the model of the heat sink however, if it helps.

[Ryann]

I got that error some when I set up my current pc, I thought I had it plugged in but it kept giving me errors, but I had it plugged into the chassis fan header thats right next to the cpu fan header, should just double check.

[ComputerNerd]

I would check what speed the fans are operating at on the heatsink.
According to that link they should be operating at upto 3300rpm, so I would try in either the BIOS or through windows with a utility such as Speccy (Portable/No Install Version)to determine if they are running properly.
A visual check wouldn't hurt either to see if they seem to be spinning right.

The thermal grease/paste/compound is designed to fill gaps between the heatsink and top of the CPU which otherwise would be filled with air and hamper conduction of heat from one to the other.
Removing and refitting the heatsink without applying one again would likely leave air bubbles.

I myself had a similar issue at least with the temperature, where mine as a Phenom II X4 810 was running at about 84-86 degreees.
Buying some paste and reapplying the stock heatsink took it down to 46 which while not being ideal, is at least a considerable improvement from what it was.

Put a small "pea-sized" blob in the middle of the CPU - and refit the heatsink as straight as possible trying to minimise shifting or rocking of it in the process which might introduce bubbles of air.

[Usako]

I got that error some when I set up my current pc, I thought I had it plugged in but it kept giving me errors, but I had it plugged into the chassis fan header thats right next to the cpu fan header, should just double check.

It is plugged into the CPU fan header. I checked it yesterday and made sure again today when I was putting it back on the motherboard.

---------- Post added 2012-07-11 at 09:14 PM ----------

I would check what speed the fans are operating at on the heatsink.
According to that link they should be operating at upto 3300rpm, so I would try in either the BIOS or through windows with a utility such as Speccy (Portable/No Install Version)to determine if they are running properly.
A visual check wouldn't hurt either to see if they seem to be spinning right.

The thermal grease/paste/compound is designed to fill gaps between the heatsink and top of the CPU which otherwise would be filled with air and hamper conduction of heat from one to the other.
Removing and refitting the heatsink without applying one again would likely leave air bubbles.

I myself had a similar issue at least with the temperature, where mine as a Phenom II X4 810 was running at about 84-86 degreees.
Buying some paste and reapplying the stock heatsink took it down to 46 which while not being ideal, is at least a considerable improvement from what it was.

Put a small "pea-sized" blob in the middle of the CPU - and refit the heatsink as straight as possible trying to minimise shifting or rocking of it in the process which might introduce bubbles of air.

I actually just went into my BIOS to try to figure the problem out, and my RPM is actually going a little bit faster than what the link says, spinning at around 3400 RPM, it goes up and down a little bit give or take.

I can't see per-say about if the fans are spinning or not, but I can feel the air moving from both of them.

I was actually a little bit afraid to put to much thermal paste on it, since its pure sliver I didn't want it to squeeze out around the heat sink and get on the CPU down below or on the motherboard, as I heard its conductive. That's why I only put about the size of grain of rice on it

[ComputerNerd]

Are there 3 or 4 cables on the fan power supply ?

[prankstar]

first off check your fans cable when removing you may have damaged the wire this would cause the cpu fan error. another one is that many motherboards come with several fan headers are you connecting it to the main header. lastly you said this started when you took the heat sink out to clean it check to make sure nothing is clogging the blades of the fan also open up the side of your case to actually see if the fan is spining

[Usako]

first off check your fans cable when removing you may have damaged the wire this would cause the cpu fan error. another one is that many motherboards come with several fan headers are you connecting it to the main header. lastly you said this started when you took the heat sink out to clean it check to make sure nothing is clogging the blades of the fan also open up the side of your case to actually see if the fan is spining

Both fans are spinning. I can't see the fans spinning due to the way the heat sink has to be installed, but I can feel air moving from both fans. Also I plugged the CPU fans back into the exact spot on my motherboard which was labeled, CPU FAN.

---------- Post added 2012-07-12 at 12:38 AM ----------

Are there 3 or 4 cables on the fan power supply ?

I'm not sure I understand this question but I will try my best to answer it. It has two fans, each fan with its own cable and the two cables are made into one, that has a 3 pin connector at the end of it.

[ComputerNerd]

That does answer my question, it being a 3-pin connector.
That would explain why they are running at full speed constantly, due to lack of adjustable speed.
If that is definately connected to the right header on your motherboard, then it sounds like either a dud heatsink or it still not being fitted right.
Did you remove any previous paste/pad before reapplying the new stuff and refitting the heatsink ?
Isopropyl/Rubbing Alcohol is suggested for that, with 90% strength suggested.

[sauna1980]

Go into bios and lower the cpu fan warning to the lowest rpm on mine its 200 rpm

[Usako]

That does answer my question, it being a 3-pin connector.
That would explain why they are running at full speed constantly, due to lack of adjustable speed.
If that is definately connected to the right header on your motherboard, then it sounds like either a dud heatsink or it still not being fitted right.
Did you remove any previous paste/pad before reapplying the new stuff and refitting the heatsink ?
Isopropyl/Rubbing Alcohol is suggested for that, with 90% strength suggested.

Yes, I removed the old thermal paste from the heat sink and cpu with rubbing alcohol 91% strength with coffee filters. I have pushed down on the connection again to make sure it is connected. I just recently rebooted my computer and I am still getting the error.

---------- Post added 2012-07-12 at 02:32 AM ----------

Go into bios and lower the cpu fan warning to the lowest rpm on mine its 200 rpm

I went into BIOS and removed a few options that I don't remember off the top of my head. Anyway I have the heat sink fans set to spin at max speed at all times, as I read in other places that sometimes takes the error away.