GA-X58a-UD7 CPU Fan Speed

[Tularis]

Hey,

I've just replaced the CPU cooler with a "Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev 2"

When the PC boots from cold the fan will spin a little bit and then stop.
In the BIOS the CPU temp will go up to 62% and the fan will not kick in.

I have even disabled Auto Fan Control.
Change its from Auto to PWM and Voltage and both have the same result, 0 RPM

Obviously testing is hard as I don't want to cool the CPU. Is this a fault in the BIOS?
If the fan was broken then I would have thought it wouldn't spin for just a few seconds and then stop.

I have just tested this with the fan connected to the "SYS FAN2" header at the bottom of the board and it spins up and stays up.
But connected to the CPU header it spins up and spins down....

WHY!?

[1Day]

Is it possible for you to test with your old cooler? You will not need to change the mount, simply plug the old cooler connector tot he CPU fan header and the Arctic Cooling fan connector to the system fan header.

Make sure you have reset your bios to default or failsafe settings.

That will tell you if the fan header is the problem.

[Dark Mantis]

What BIOS version are yuou running and what settings do you have installed?
It certainly seems like a BIOS issue. Whether it's settings or the BIOS itself we shall have to see.

[Tularis]

BIOS is F7 (Latest)
Have also reset the Fail-Safe Settings and used the Clear Cmos
The Fan Header works perfectly with the stock cooler attached.

I have a feeling its the Heat Sink that is at fault.

So Currently looking at either one of these.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zalman/CNPS_9900_NT/
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Noctua/NH-U9B_SE2/

Its just rather hard to pick when you cant tell if the motherboard heat-sinks will get in the way...

[Dark Mantis]

It does indeed seem quite probable that your problem is the fan itself. If you are going to replace it I prefer the Noctua. They are very quiet and efficient. Absic runs the big brother of this one and is always saying how quiet it is. I have had the Zalman a whilst they work fine they are not the quietest on the market and to my way of thinking they put a lot of leverage on the support bracket. All the weight is high up.

[1Day]

At least we have removed the fan header and the bios as possible cause.

Have a look at the connector of your Artic Cooler and make sure that all the wire are still connected. Some times they do come loose or have a continuity issue, in other words a dry contact due to faulty workmanship.

[Dark Mantis]

What 1Day says is quite right. There isn't that much to go wrong with a fan and usually it is down to broken wires or similar. Its just that if it's still new just exchange it under warranty for a better make/model.

[Tularis]

The fan would seem to work fine as when attached to the bottom SYSFAN header it spins perfectly.

I have now attached the stock cooler with Arctic-Silver 5 and after about 10min uptime in the BIOS have 40oC.

Thanks for the advise I think I will go with a Noctua Cooler but I cant seem to figure out the differences...

NH-D14 ?
NH-U12PSE2 ?
NH-U9B-SE2 ?

They all look the same.. am I missing something obvious?

[Dark Mantis]

I am not 100% sure but I think it is just size. See here: http://www.candccentral.co.uk/Noctua-CPU-Coolers.html

[absic]

Size.
the NH U9B uses 92mm fan and is the smallest cooler
The NH12 is a bigger cooler and uses a 120 CM fan
The NH D14 is the biggest cooler and uses 1x120 MM fan and 1X140MM fan

[Dark Mantis]

Damn you got in there just before me this time absic

[absic]

Knowledge can be a powerful weapon grasshopper. You just need ot know how to use it! 

[Tularis]

you guys are just amazing!
I have no idea what I would do if it wasn't for you!

Thank you!!! 

[absic]

Probably, you'd do the same things we did and spend a lot of money finding out the hard way!   

[Tularis]

Hey,

Just wanna say good call with the Noctua Cooler.

I bought the NH-U12PSE2 and although a bit fiddly it seems to have reduced idle temps from 48 ish to 38 ish. =D
That's with out the "Low Noise Adapters"
Currently building in the server room to Noise is hard to judge. lol.......