Video card fan possibly going out

[Syxx_Killer]

I was using the computer a few minutes ago and all of a sudden started hearing a buzzing sound. I thought it was a bug because it sounded exactly like one. Started listening and it was coming from the back of the computer. It had to either be the case fan right next to the video card (80mm) or the video card. I popped the panel to find out. Unfortunately it sound like it is coming from the card. I turned off the computer to put the panel back on. Now it doesn't buzz, but I can still hear a faint clicking sound. Is this something to be immediately alarmed about? I had a processor fan start making noise on my old computer. I never did replace it because it still worked. I used it about a year before I built my current computer. I'm hoping the video card fan will hold out, even if a bit noisy. If the fan does go out, will the video card immediately die or will it just run a bit warmer? The fan really isn't that big. The 80mm fan is blowing right on the card, so that should be sufficient if it does go out, shouldn't it? The video card is about a year and half old. It is an Abit Radeon RX700-Pro (256MB; PCI-Ex).

[jumpy]

I would have thought that the graphics card will have a temperature threshold that it will not exceed, at worst you can expect the card to shut down (like some motherboards) or an alarm will sound to inform you of a dangerously hight operating temperature. I guess it depends on what kind of applications you are running at the time to make the card work harder... less graphics intensive programs less heat.:hmm:

[August]

My Geforce 3's fan operated for another 4 months with a fan that sounded like that. Finally i replaced it more because i was sick of hearing the noise and the new games were a bit choppy than because it stopped operating.

From what i understand it's common thing for video card fans to make noise.

[Skybird]

Fans are something gfx-board-manufacturers like to spare money on. On my first two cards I had to replace the default fans, they were worn out after just some months. the replacements very quiter, and far more enduring. On my current one I seem to have a reliable fan, I only have to clean the wire-mesh from dust every 3 months, else the dust particles block the stream of the air so much that the card and the system blacks out. It's a Leadtek 5900XT, and the fan almost cannot be heared. I repeatedly red in gfx card reviews that users pointed out how silent this manufacturer creates his fans.

[DeepSix]

I leave the access panel off my machine specifically because it'll collect dust with or without it, and leaving it off means I blow out the inside more often (I guess that's sort of the computer equivalent of having a pickup truck forever parked in the yard with the hood up). By far, the two most dust-prone areas are the main fain and the card fan. Fans are a two-edged sword; they help keep things a little cooler but with diminishing returns - by pulling air they actually get choked themselves and get less and less effective.

Anyway, that's a roundabout way of suggesting you blow out the fans about once every 2-3 weeks. Use canned air and avoid breathing in the dust, if possible.:)

[JScones]

Mine does the same thing whenever the in-house temperature varies by + or - 5 degrees.

Even after a good dusting (although the first time I dusted it I was amazed it was actually working at all!)

[Terrax]

I had trouble 2 years ago with my computer locking up after 20 minutes of use. The fan on my vid card was locked up tight. I ended up getting a small processor fan, made some modifications, and attatched it to the heat sink of the card as a temporary fix until I could get the correct fan ordered. That temporary fix is still working great. :smug:

[SUBMAN1]

I would have thought that the graphics card will have a temperature threshold that it will not exceed, at worst you can expect the card to shut down (like some motherboards) or an alarm will sound to inform you of a dangerously hight operating temperature. I guess it depends on what kind of applications you are running at the time to make the card work harder... less graphics intensive programs less heat.:hmm:

You hope. Typically ATI's XT Variants will do this since they are designed to be overclocked. An x700 Pro however may not.

-S

[SUBMAN1]

You probably want to get rid of the stock cooler anyway. Check these guys out - these fans don't cost hardly anything, yet they not only cool your board better, but they are also silent.

I have an x1900 XTX and I am running a cooler from these guys on it and talk about a major improvement! Not only does it run cooler, but I can't hear it anymore!!!

http://www.arctic-cooling.com/vga1.php

-S

[jumpy]

You hope. Typically ATI's XT Variants will do this since they are designed to be overclocked. An x700 Pro however may not.

-S

Ah, ok. Well, I'm using a 9600 at work (it has real trouble with rendering some of our CAD drawings) so I figured anything newer would have better firmware or whatever it's called.
At home my nvidia geforce 6800gt card has a temperature threshold alarm, you can set that limit manually or just leave the card to its default settings- 120*c :eek: it's the manufacturers standard setting but the card itself rarely gets above 65*c under load. Ambient temperature perhaps has more effect upon such devices than straightforward loading/running of the card.
Yer, those chaps at arctic cooling know their stuff. BUT if you fit one yourself you may invalidate the cards manufacturers wrranty by doing so.

[SUBMAN1]

Ah, ok. Well, I'm using a 9600 at work (it has real trouble with rendering some of our CAD drawings) so I figured anything newer would have better firmware or whatever it's called.
At home my nvidia geforce 6800gt card has a temperature threshold alarm, you can set that limit manually or just leave the card to its default settings- 120*c :eek: it's the manufacturers standard setting but the card itself rarely gets above 65*c under load. Ambient temperature perhaps has more effect upon such devices than straightforward loading/running of the card.
Yer, those chaps at arctic cooling know their stuff. BUT if you fit one yourself you may invalidate the cards manufacturers wrranty by doing so.

Yeah - the warranty issue is not a problem if you do it properly. Same thing goes with using a custom cooler on a PC - if the chip doesn't look burnt, they don't have a case.

I am RMA'ing an ATI 9800 AIW (Pro model w/ TV tuner) that had an Arctic Cooler on it as we speak. The whole thing you have to remember is to keep the stock cooler around. Put it back into factory condition before you go to RMA it.

My ATI x1900 XTX averages about 90 C if I take the GPU from 648 MHz to 698 MHz and O/C the RAM up to 798 MHz. If I leave it at stock settings, it stays much less. Yes - my max GPU temp is also 120 C before it shuts down, but I've never run it above 90 C. That Arctic Cooler does such a good job that I can get an additional 10% out of the board without raising temps above 90 C!

-S