So I think the fan on my 9600XT is dying...

okay player · 01-29-2007, 08:02 PM

Hey guys... title says it all.

The fan has always been quite loud and lately it sounds sick. The level of audible whining will vary quite a bit and very frequently, even if I am just surfing the web. I've fired up Everest and when it sounds "sick", the RPM drops from ~6000 to ~5500 or even ~5000... usually not much lower, though, and will gradually speed back up again. The card is an Asus Radeon 9600XT which I've had for a few years now, so does it seem reasonable the fan might be on its last legs--err, blades? :)

Also, if it does die before I build a new computer (hopefully next month), can anyone recommend a cheap, but preferably quiet fan to replace it?

Thanks for any input!

edit: 100th post, w00t w00t

**TheMatt** · 01-29-2007, 08:47 PM

You should download ATI tray tools and check your temps to see if they are OK.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/atitraytools/189/

okay player · 01-30-2007, 05:29 PM

Both ATI Tray tools and Everest report the GPU at 40 degrees.

ebackhus · 01-30-2007, 05:50 PM

40C? That's not too bad for a GPU. If you like what the card can do you can likely give it a new lease on life with a little 3-in-1 oil.

**carsey** · 01-30-2007, 05:51 PM

Yes, oil it up and clean the blades to free them of dust.

okay player · 01-30-2007, 06:11 PM

Sweet, so a new fan likely won't even be necessary? That's great news!

I'm not sure what kind of oil I should use... I have some bicycle lubricant, might that do the trick?

ebackhus · 01-30-2007, 07:44 PM

So long as it's not a grease type, then yes. I said the 3-in-1 oil because it's easy to get at most hardware stores and does a fantastic job. I used it on the fans on my 6800GT when they got noisy and it worked perfectly.

okay player · 02-03-2007, 08:04 AM

Hi guys,

little update for you: I finally had some time this morning to power down and do some spring cleaning... and...holy dust bunnies! With some tweezers I was able to extract a good deal of crud from the GPU fan... while I was at it, I also tackled the intake and exhaust fans (nothing new) as well as the processor fan. I hadn't taken the fan off the heatsink on the processor before so I was a little nervous, but it was very simple and went pretty smoothly. The top of the heatsink on the CPU was an asbolute disaster as you could barely see the fins, but I managed to get 95% of the stuff out of there. Definitely a good learning experience, and something I clearly need to do more often.

Anyway, when I fired everything back up again, my initial thought was "aw crap - it sounds WORSE!".. and it did... I checked Everest and the GPU temps were each up 2 degrees respectively. Looked a little further down, and there was the culprit...the fan speed had actualy dropped about to ~2000 RPM! Then, just as I was preparing the screenshot for you guys, the fan stopped entirely, and I was sorta like "...I see." A couple seconds later, it fired back up again, this time at closer to 5000 RPM. So it seems all is well now.

I didn't bother with the lubricant as I wanted to see how much an effect the dust-removal would make.. I sitll think it's a bit odd that the fan doesn't rev up to ~6000 rpm like it used to, but the temps now are pretty much the same as they were and so far it's more quiet and consistent-sounding, so I'll chalk it up as a win in my books.

Thanks for the help guys!

okay player · 02-03-2007, 09:20 AM

damn, where is the edit button?

Temps remain constant at around 40 (GPU) and 44-45 (GPU Mem), but the varying pitch is back.. think I might try some lube now.

okay player · 02-03-2007, 10:40 AM

Couldn't see anywhere to apply oil/lube, so ensured that all the dust was removed and started'er back up again.

it seems I'm worse off now than I was originally...

see attachment of screenshot taken after 15 minutes of FEAR.

Not sure, but I don't think the fan can be replaced as it seems to be integrated pretty tightly with the heatsink/card itself. http://www.3dnews.ru/documents/6782/asus-radeon9600xt-3d.jpg

I really don't want to buy a new AGP card as I was planning a whole new system for next month. Should I advance my plans or is there anything I can do to keep gaming for the next 30 days?

ebackhus · 02-03-2007, 12:15 PM

If you COMPLETELY remove the fan you'll find a sticker on the underside. Remove it, carefully, and you can see the center sindle of the fan. Apply s small amount of oil and give it a minute to seep in. Wipe any excess oil off the center and replace the sticker.

okay player · 02-03-2007, 02:05 PM

hi ebackhus,

thanks for the tip... any tips for completely removing the fan? It's pretty tightly recessed in the heatsink. The only real way for me to grab a hold of it is by the blades, and it comes up a mm or two one I do this, but if I really pull, it feels like the blades will break.

I tried prying the base of the fan up using a nail file and got the same feeling... it just feels like something's gonna crack or break.

sorry for the image quality...

ebackhus · 02-03-2007, 02:26 PM

There are likely 4 tiny screws that hold the fan assembly in place. A jewelry driver will likely be necessary from here on. The sticker is located on the opposide side of the part of the fan you can see now.

**Done_Fishin** · 02-03-2007, 03:12 PM

The fan blade is on a spindle that will either be held in place (from the other end to the blades) by a small plastic washer with a cut in it or a metal clip. If its a metal clip don't go any further. Use the oil to let it seep down the axle.
If it's a plastic type gently prise the washer out then you'll be able to carefuilly remove the blade structure. NOTE that there are likely to be other washers too! remove all bits carefully so that you can rebuild the way you took it apart. There will be other washers inside as well as outside. take care .
use a cotton bud to clean out the inside and the axle. use a small amount of oil to loob the axle and the shaft it fits into. Rebuild , reassemble. It should now run faster cos it won't be clogged up with crud that slows it down.

okay player · 02-03-2007, 03:16 PM

thanks for the walkthrough, eb and done fishin'.

I feel pretty silly about trying to pry it outta there, knowing now that its screwed down.

Unfortunately those little guys are in there pretty tight... I can't move'em, at least not with the current screwdriver I have. It's the right fit, I just can't get a very good grip..

I guess I'll just limit my gameplay from here on in..

its only a month... its only a month...

**Done_Fishin** · 02-03-2007, 03:25 PM

UNfortunately the ol has to go in from the back of the fanblade assembly .. otherwise you're wasting your time..
Good luck and good patience .. if you can get another fan to blow across it to ensure it stays cool, just in case it stops .. oterwies keep your eyes & ears open to make sure that you have no probs considering the state it's in now.

okay player · 02-03-2007, 03:51 PM

will do, thanks for your help!

01-29-2007, 08:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
okay player Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 207 OS: Vista Home Premium	So I think the fan on my 9600XT is dying... Hey guys... title says it all. The fan has always been quite loud and lately it sounds sick. The level of audible whining will vary quite a bit and very frequently, even if I am just surfing the web. I've fired up Everest and when it sounds "sick", the RPM drops from ~6000 to ~5500 or even ~5000... usually not much lower, though, and will gradually speed back up again. The card is an Asus Radeon 9600XT which I've had for a few years now, so does it seem reasonable the fan might be on its last legs--err, blades? :) Also, if it does die before I build a new computer (hopefully next month), can anyone recommend a cheap, but preferably quiet fan to replace it? Thanks for any input! edit: 100th post, w00t w00t Last edited by okay player; 01-29-2007 at 08:04 PM.

01-29-2007, 08:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheMatt TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 13,701 OS: Win 3.1, 98, NT 4.0, XP Debian 4.0, Kubuntu 6.06 My System Blog Entries: 3	You should download ATI tray tools and check your temps to see if they are OK. http://www.guru3d.com/article/atitraytools/189/ __________________ - Matt M - KB1OSC - Folding@Home 85015 [url="http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/"] If TSF has helped you, please consider donating. If I have stopped responding to a thread, feel free to send me a PM with a link to the thread. It is advisable to subscribe to threads so you will receive updates when replies are posted. You can subscribe to threads from the "Thread Tools" Menu. »Memtest86 »Prime95 »UBCD »SpeedFan »NHC Personal »Everest »Sandra »PC Wizard »RivaTuner »ATi Tool Click here for Useful Articles and Guides

01-30-2007, 05:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,335 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	40C? That's not too bad for a GPU. If you like what the card can do you can likely give it a new lease on life with a little 3-in-1 oil. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

01-30-2007, 05:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
carsey Moderator, TSF Articles Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hunwick, Co. Durham England Posts: 10,693 OS: XP Pro SP3 My System	Yes, oil it up and clean the blades to free them of dust. __________________ Submit New Articles Here

01-30-2007, 07:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,335 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	So long as it's not a grease type, then yes. I said the 3-in-1 oil because it's easy to get at most hardware stores and does a fantastic job. I used it on the fans on my 6800GT when they got noisy and it worked perfectly. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

01-30-2007, 05:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
okay player Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 207 OS: Vista Home Premium	Both ATI Tray tools and Everest report the GPU at 40 degrees.

01-30-2007, 06:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
okay player Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 207 OS: Vista Home Premium	Sweet, so a new fan likely won't even be necessary? That's great news! I'm not sure what kind of oil I should use... I have some bicycle lubricant, might that do the trick?

02-03-2007, 09:20 AM	#9 (permalink)
okay player Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 207 OS: Vista Home Premium	damn, where is the edit button? Temps remain constant at around 40 (GPU) and 44-45 (GPU Mem), but the varying pitch is back.. think I might try some lube now.

02-03-2007, 12:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,335 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	If you COMPLETELY remove the fan you'll find a sticker on the underside. Remove it, carefully, and you can see the center sindle of the fan. Apply s small amount of oil and give it a minute to seep in. Wipe any excess oil off the center and replace the sticker. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

02-03-2007, 02:26 PM	#13 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,335 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	There are likely 4 tiny screws that hold the fan assembly in place. A jewelry driver will likely be necessary from here on. The sticker is located on the opposide side of the part of the fan you can see now. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

02-03-2007, 03:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,534 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	The fan blade is on a spindle that will either be held in place (from the other end to the blades) by a small plastic washer with a cut in it or a metal clip. If its a metal clip don't go any further. Use the oil to let it seep down the axle. If it's a plastic type gently prise the washer out then you'll be able to carefuilly remove the blade structure. NOTE that there are likely to be other washers too! remove all bits carefully so that you can rebuild the way you took it apart. There will be other washers inside as well as outside. take care . use a cotton bud to clean out the inside and the axle. use a small amount of oil to loob the axle and the shaft it fits into. Rebuild , reassemble. It should now run faster cos it won't be clogged up with crud that slows it down. __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

02-03-2007, 03:16 PM	#15 (permalink)
okay player Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 207 OS: Vista Home Premium	thanks for the walkthrough, eb and done fishin'. I feel pretty silly about trying to pry it outta there, knowing now that its screwed down. Unfortunately those little guys are in there pretty tight... I can't move'em, at least not with the current screwdriver I have. It's the right fit, I just can't get a very good grip.. I guess I'll just limit my gameplay from here on in.. its only a month... its only a month... Last edited by okay player; 02-03-2007 at 03:18 PM.

02-03-2007, 03:25 PM	#16 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,534 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	UNfortunately the ol has to go in from the back of the fanblade assembly .. otherwise you're wasting your time.. Good luck and good patience .. if you can get another fan to blow across it to ensure it stays cool, just in case it stops .. oterwies keep your eyes & ears open to make sure that you have no probs considering the state it's in now. __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

02-03-2007, 03:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
okay player Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 207 OS: Vista Home Premium	will do, thanks for your help!