[SOLVED] Fan on Video Card

bmyers4321 · 06-25-2008, 04:38 PM

ok my problem is my main video card(i have 2 8600GT's) the fan keeps going on and off. it will run for about 5 seconds and then stop stay off for a little then do it again. and when i play COD4 it will run for like 30sec-1 min and do the same thing. i dunno why never did it before till about this past weekend. could it just be dust maybe or is the fan shot. any help appreciated

Brad

JohnthePilot · 06-25-2008, 04:40 PM

This sounds more like a bad connection. When fans are starting to fail they normally just get noisy.

bmyers4321 · 06-25-2008, 04:45 PM

hmmm. maybe ill try cleaning it out and checking all the connections and see if that changes anything. it is a little dusty in there.

**lazareth1** · 06-26-2008, 01:30 AM

Try uninstalling and then reinstalling your drivers as thses are used to regulate fan speeds on the cards.

JohnthePilot · 06-26-2008, 01:42 AM

Also, make sure you've got the latest drivers.

bmyers4321 · 06-26-2008, 05:37 AM

alright cool thanks alot. i will do both of those.

bmyers4321 · 06-26-2008, 05:54 PM

ok i did the unistall/install and have the latest drivers and it is still doing it. it is starting to make some noise now. it will spin smoothly sounding like a normal fan and then it sounds like it is loose/vibrating in there. makes me think my fan is starting to fail. i almost just wanna go out and buy a new GC but dont wanna spend $300+ on one right now.

**lazareth1** · 06-26-2008, 07:17 PM

you dont need to fork out for a new card just cause the fan is bust. If anything, this would be a goodtime to get a decent 3rd party heatsink/fan. Just type into google: 8600GT coolers and you should get a few to look at. Any1 out there with a good recommendation?

bmyers4321 · 06-26-2008, 07:27 PM

you are probly right. it was making the noise and i quick grabed my flashlight and it looks as though the fan is binding on something. it is better now that i have run it for a little after uninstall/installed drivers but when it does it the fan just turns really slow instead of fast and freely.

**lazareth1** · 06-26-2008, 07:30 PM

Did you clean the dust etc? A nold toothbrush is perfect for getting into those tough fan spots!

bmyers4321 · 06-26-2008, 07:38 PM

i havent had a chance to ill probably do that this weekend.

**lazareth1** · 06-26-2008, 07:40 PM

Kl let us know how u get on!

PS watch you dont touch any PCBs with the toothbrush or anything you use to clean your comp as this may damage it.

bmyers4321 · 06-26-2008, 07:44 PM

one more question. what should i use to hold the fan still when cleaning it?

**lazareth1** · 06-26-2008, 07:45 PM

Just press down on it with a finger or something. Just dont touch any PCBs and you'll be fine

JohnthePilot · 06-27-2008, 12:20 PM

This is the content of a pending article by Nork and Done_Fishin.

This is not a short-term fix but a fix that will last for a long, long time.

Buy some graphite powder and some oil at an auto or hardware store. They come in different packages. For oil, the best is the pen-type as they are easy to handle and only give a small amount at a time. Just about any oil in a pen format will work fine. The graphite powder comes in small plastic tubes. But make sure you get graphite powder, not graphite oil, its too thin and runny for this job! So you need graphite powder in a small tube and oil in a round "pen" that can be squeezed out and placed just where you need it. Also, when the oil is used up in the "pen" you can open it and add your own oil.

First, clean the fan blades off real well. If you have a heatsink with the fan then clean the heatsink off as well. You can even use a bit of your oil and some q-tips for cleaning if needed. There is usually a small label in the middle of the fan. It will have a name and other info on it. Peel one edge up carefully and put a very small amount of oil in where you lifted the label up. Now add some graphite powder in the same place where you put the oil, add a fair amount more of the graphite powder than the oil. Clean off excess oil and graphite with a q-tip and push the label back where it was. You may need a very small amount of duct tape to hold the label in position and to prevent leakage. This is important if the fan is going to "sit up" as opposed to lying flat.

Now put the fan back where you want it and when it starts spinning it may be noisy for a few seconds until the graphite\oil works its way in. Then it will stop and it will stay stopped for many years and you may very well not need to buy a new fan after all! Just adding oil will only work for a while.

I experimented a lot with this and this is the very best way to quiet all those fans and have them work well. I have always been a big fan of those removable ide hard drive trays that you can buy. But the fans are the pits, they get noisy real fast. So i had to find a way to fix them as they are very expensive and hard to replace. Now i dont have to. Combo of oil and graphite is the very best solution by far. One caution, graphite stains worse than oil, so be careful! Im talking about staining your clothes and hands.

You can use this oil and graphite powder system with all cpu fans, video card fans, system fans, and even fans inside power supplies. But one word of caution, its easy to open a power supply and take out the fan, but do be careful as there are voltages there can can hurt you badly. If you dont know what you are doing then wear rubber gloves to get the fan out and to put the fan back in after the oil and graphite repair!

It doesn't matter whether the fan uses a ball bearing or a sleeve bearing, long as you can find a way to get some oil and graphite powder inside it.

Trust me, this will work. If the fan spins my method will work for years and I have even fixed fans that were stuck and wouldnt spin! This is better done with the fan on the table but in those cases where you cant or dont want to take the fan out of the system, thats where the "pen" with the needle comes in again, but i still find a way to get some graphite in as well, graphite is what makes the oil last a long time! And graphite is also an oil, but you need both together for maximum effectiveness. Oil by itself will only last a few weeks or so and then evaporate, and the fan will get noisy again. Its the graphite powder that does the long term job. The oil really only helps to spread the graphite powder around really well so the graphite can do the job!

Graphite, i imagine is conductive, but i have never run into a problem. I imagine its because its not conductive enough to cause any problems in that area.

Another thing it does. If you cant get a part to fit in, instead of using vaseline or some other lubricant, use graphite powder. Graphite powder can withstand heat better than vaseline. The only thing, as i said above, it does stain, so you have to be careful with it, wipe up any spills, etc. And, in some cases, you might want to use it with a touch of oil, just enuf to help spread the graphite powder around a bit better and faster.

You can pick up a tube of graphite powder for about $3 or so and theres enough to fix maybe 100 fans or more. Course it works on noisy and sticky doors in the house, anything that needs to slide like windows in wood and aluminum frames. I got an email from a person who used it to fix a sticky key on an old favorite keyboard. It works on just about anything, but, again, be careful as it does stain so its hard to get it out of clothes.

Hope you do as well as i have with this info!

Thanks

© 2007 techsupportforum.com

Emergency Fan Repair
..

This is a complementary article to a previous article (by another TSF Member) about repairing your fan. Basically it's a simple guide to making an emergency repair to a fan that is stiff and refuses to run at proper speed.

It could be a case fan, a VGA fan, even a POWER supply or a CPU fan,
When you realise that a fan isn't functioning properly, that it's stiff to turn or making lots of noise and there is no way to get an immediate replacement, this might get your fan working until a replacement is purchased or delivered.

This is not a long term cure for ailing fans even though you might find that your fan could work for several months or even years afterwards but sometimes they will fail again within weeks or even days!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Whatever you do though never run your system without a proper working CPU FAN, especially if you have an AMD Processor.

This also applies to your VGA FAN!
If the fan stops blowing or is missing, you only have so long before your VGA stops working too. If you play games it will fail a lot quicker than if you don't.

Don't risk your PC for the sake of the small amount that it costs to replace it.

Tools required.
see photographs for clarification but you will need:

Phillips screwdrivers (to remove fan retaining screws)
Jewelers screwdriver set (in the event tat you are repairing a VGA fan)
Fine point tweezers that don't bend easily.
Thin flat blade screwdriver.
graphite Oil or Oil based spray
cotton buds
Blue or White Spirit.

WITH YOUR PC POWERED OFF AND UNPLUGGED

Remove the fan. To do this you will probably need a medium size Phillips or cross head screwdriver. Sometimes though on "quiet" fans there are no screws but black inserts pushed into rubber shock absorbers. Remove the inserts then pull the shock absorbers slowly but carefully to release the fan.

Make sure you use the right size to avoid damaging either the screwdriver or the screw.
(Remember that you turn anticlockwise to loosen and clockwise to tighten)
If it's a VGA fan, remove the card and then search for screws or retainers that hold the fan & heatsink assembly flush against the chip set that it is trying to keep cool.
You will need to release the fastenings and/or screws and remove the assembly from the card before possibly requiring to find more screws that hold the fan assembly to the heatsink. For this you will find a set of jewelers' screwdrivers extremely helpful.

Once you have the fan in front of you, remove the label that will uncover the retaining clips on the propeller spindle.

The spindle will have a retainer to stop the propeller blades from falling out. This might be a metal clip with beetle type jaws (see photo) or it could just be a cut plastic washer, which will fit inside a groove on the spindle.
Care and patience are required to remove these items.

(Note: - Sometimes metal washers have no "jaws" to help removal. If yours is one of those, DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE PROPELLER, but try to add some oil and graphite down the shaft using the method described below.) ( A link will go in here when the article is moved to vivvo)

Using tweezers and a narrow flat blade screwdriver, carefully unclip the metal circlip and manoeuver it from one side up and over the end of the spindle. If it is a plastic cut washer use a bit of pressure on the circlip to hold and locate the split. Using tweezers carefully unhook it whilst clamping down the opposite end, until it is free.

Remove the retainer and then any other washers that might be underneath. Make a mental note of what you remove and the order in which you removed it, ready for the reassembly later. It is a good idea to put them in a line showing the position of removal.

The fan propeller is now ready to be pulled away from the casing. Take care because there could be other washers inside on the same spindle. Normally they will stay with the spindle but sometimes they fall out after it has been removed.
Using oil or oil based spray on a cotton bud, carefully clean and lubricate the spindle.

Also apply some oil or spray to the bearing or shaft that the spindle fitted in to. Use the cotton bud to soak up any extra whilst also cleaning out any dirt and dust at both ends of the spindle shaft.

It is also a good idea to give the inner area of the propeller magnet a good clean up plus the blades, getting rid of accumulated dust & grime. Also clean the surface inside the frame where the propeller sits.

When everything is cleaned and oiled, replace the propeller in the shaft, making sure not to forget or lose any washers, finally replacing the retaining clip. This again requires a steady hand and patience. Make sure it doesn't jump away from and get lost. Make sure it clips firmly back into place.

Once all is back in place, add a drop of oil into the shaft where the retaining clip sits. Check the label to see if there is a dust cover that sits inside the opening. Sometimes this remains inside the hole and requires removal before finding the retaining clip but most times it stays stuck to the sticker. Remove it and place it inside the hole.

Using some spirit on a clean piece of tissue or another cotton bud, clean off the surface where the sticker was sitting. It will have traces of oil and nothing will stick there while oil is present.

It is highly unlikely that the original sticker will want to return to its old position and stay there. So find some labels or some sellotape that you can cut and stick over the dust cover or open hole. This is to help stop dust and dirt from getting inside and causing resistance to the propeller when spinning.
Do not replace the fan into your PC without having covered the opening.

Once all this is done you can re-assemble into your PC and give it a try to see if it works.

( An anchor will go here when the article is moved to vivvo) IF YOU CANNOT REMOVE THE PROPELLER THEN FOLLOW THESE STEPS

This is not a short-term fix but a fix that will last for a long, long time.

You will need some graphite powder and some machine oil. For the oil, the best is the pen-type as they are easy to handle and only give a small amount at a time. Just about any oil in a pen format will work fine. The graphite powder comes in small plastic tubes but make sure you get graphite powder, not graphite oil as it is too thin and runny for this job! If you have difficulty finding graphite powder, you can use a small file (a nail file is ideal) and produce your own from a lead pencil.

First, clean the fan blades off realy well. If you have a heatsink with the fan then clean the heatsink off as well. Cotton buds soaked in white spirit are ideal for this. There is usually a small label in the middle of the fan. It will have a name and other info on it. Remove the label being careful to retain the dust cover that may be stuck to it. Now put a small heap of the graphite powder over the spindle hole and add a small quantity of oil to wash the graphite into the hole. Clean off excess oil and graphite with a cotton bud soaked in white spirit and replace the dust cover if one was fitted. Now cover the hole with sticky paper or sellotape cut to size. (See photographs above.)

Now put the fan back where you want it and when it starts spinning it may be noisy for a few seconds until the graphite\oil works its way in. Then it will stop and it will stay stopped for many years and you may very well not need to buy a new fan after all! Just adding oil will only work for a while.

You can use this oil and graphite powder system with all cpu fans, video card fans, system fans, and even fans inside power supplies. But one word of caution, it is easy to open a power supply and take out the fan, but do be careful as there are voltages there can can hurt you badly. If you dont know what you are doing then wear rubber gloves to get the fan out and to put the fan back in after the oil and graphite repair!

It doesn't matter whether the fan uses a ball bearing or a sleeve bearing, as long as you can find a way to get some oil and graphite powder inside it.

©2007 techsupportforum.com

bmyers4321 · 06-27-2008, 03:08 PM

wow that is really helpfull. ill go out this weekend and pick a couple of those things up and get to work.

bmyers4321 · 06-28-2008, 04:58 PM

ok so today i took out my GC and took the fan off and it is def the blade wobbling in there. now i am at the decision of

A)replace the fan

B)suck it up and buy a better GC that the two i have now.

i was planning to upgrad my GC in the future anyways so it almost seems like the route i might go even though i did not plan on it.

bmyers4321 · 06-28-2008, 05:29 PM

id also like to add that if i do end up with a new GC it will be a 9800 GTX. now if that is the route i take what kind power supply would i need? i have a 420w right now.

**lazareth1** · 06-28-2008, 08:52 PM

Well If your gonna go the single card way then your probably actually gonna need less power. If your goin for the 9800GTX, then you might want to hold off a little and wait for the GTX260. Its just come out and at high res, it out plays the 9800GTX in almost twice the frames!! (This would probably require a better PSU though)

bmyers4321 · 06-28-2008, 09:14 PM

actually i have been thinking about it for a few hours now and im am just gonna replace my 8600 with another one for a temporary fix. since it is only $70 brand new. im just gonna wait till winter to upgrade.

but to run a 9800GTX i wouldnt need to upgrade my psu? i figured i would need a 800 atleast to run it.

06-25-2008, 04:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	[SOLVED] Fan on Video Card ok my problem is my main video card(i have 2 8600GT's) the fan keeps going on and off. it will run for about 5 seconds and then stop stay off for a little then do it again. and when i play COD4 it will run for like 30sec-1 min and do the same thing. i dunno why never did it before till about this past weekend. could it just be dust maybe or is the fan shot. any help appreciated Brad

06-25-2008, 04:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
JohnthePilot Manager, TSF Articles Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cheltenham, near Wales. Posts: 30,851 OS: XP Home SP3, PCLinux, Vista Home Premium SP1 My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Fan on Video Card This sounds more like a bad connection. When fans are starting to fail they normally just get noisy. __________________ Submit New Articles Here If you feel that TSF has helped you please make a donationand help to keep the forum free Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon Folding@Home - Team 85015

06-25-2008, 04:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card hmmm. maybe ill try cleaning it out and checking all the connections and see if that changes anything. it is a little dusty in there.

06-26-2008, 01:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
lazareth1 Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hong Kong, previously Fife in Bonnie Scotland Posts: 1,294 OS: Vista SP1, Ultimate My System	Re: Fan on Video Card Try uninstalling and then reinstalling your drivers as thses are used to regulate fan speeds on the cards. __________________ Prime95\|Everest Ultimate Edition\|How to do a repair install of XP\|Bench Testing "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted"

06-26-2008, 01:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
JohnthePilot Manager, TSF Articles Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cheltenham, near Wales. Posts: 30,851 OS: XP Home SP3, PCLinux, Vista Home Premium SP1 My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Fan on Video Card Also, make sure you've got the latest drivers. __________________ Submit New Articles Here If you feel that TSF has helped you please make a donationand help to keep the forum free Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon Folding@Home - Team 85015

06-26-2008, 05:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card alright cool thanks alot. i will do both of those.

06-26-2008, 05:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card ok i did the unistall/install and have the latest drivers and it is still doing it. it is starting to make some noise now. it will spin smoothly sounding like a normal fan and then it sounds like it is loose/vibrating in there. makes me think my fan is starting to fail. i almost just wanna go out and buy a new GC but dont wanna spend $300+ on one right now.

06-26-2008, 07:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
lazareth1 Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hong Kong, previously Fife in Bonnie Scotland Posts: 1,294 OS: Vista SP1, Ultimate My System	Re: Fan on Video Card you dont need to fork out for a new card just cause the fan is bust. If anything, this would be a goodtime to get a decent 3rd party heatsink/fan. Just type into google: 8600GT coolers and you should get a few to look at. Any1 out there with a good recommendation? __________________ Prime95\|Everest Ultimate Edition\|How to do a repair install of XP\|Bench Testing "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted"

06-26-2008, 07:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card you are probly right. it was making the noise and i quick grabed my flashlight and it looks as though the fan is binding on something. it is better now that i have run it for a little after uninstall/installed drivers but when it does it the fan just turns really slow instead of fast and freely.

06-26-2008, 07:30 PM	#10 (permalink)
lazareth1 Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hong Kong, previously Fife in Bonnie Scotland Posts: 1,294 OS: Vista SP1, Ultimate My System	Re: Fan on Video Card Did you clean the dust etc? A nold toothbrush is perfect for getting into those tough fan spots! __________________ Prime95\|Everest Ultimate Edition\|How to do a repair install of XP\|Bench Testing "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted"

06-26-2008, 07:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card i havent had a chance to ill probably do that this weekend.

06-26-2008, 07:40 PM	#12 (permalink)
lazareth1 Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hong Kong, previously Fife in Bonnie Scotland Posts: 1,294 OS: Vista SP1, Ultimate My System	Re: Fan on Video Card Kl let us know how u get on! PS watch you dont touch any PCBs with the toothbrush or anything you use to clean your comp as this may damage it. __________________ Prime95\|Everest Ultimate Edition\|How to do a repair install of XP\|Bench Testing "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted"

06-26-2008, 07:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card one more question. what should i use to hold the fan still when cleaning it?

06-26-2008, 07:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
lazareth1 Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hong Kong, previously Fife in Bonnie Scotland Posts: 1,294 OS: Vista SP1, Ultimate My System	Re: Fan on Video Card Just press down on it with a finger or something. Just dont touch any PCBs and you'll be fine __________________ Prime95\|Everest Ultimate Edition\|How to do a repair install of XP\|Bench Testing "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted"

06-27-2008, 12:20 PM	#15 (permalink)
JohnthePilot Manager, TSF Articles Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cheltenham, near Wales. Posts: 30,851 OS: XP Home SP3, PCLinux, Vista Home Premium SP1 My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Fan on Video Card This is the content of a pending article by Nork and Done_Fishin. This is not a short-term fix but a fix that will last for a long, long time. Buy some graphite powder and some oil at an auto or hardware store. They come in different packages. For oil, the best is the pen-type as they are easy to handle and only give a small amount at a time. Just about any oil in a pen format will work fine. The graphite powder comes in small plastic tubes. But make sure you get graphite powder, not graphite oil, its too thin and runny for this job! So you need graphite powder in a small tube and oil in a round "pen" that can be squeezed out and placed just where you need it. Also, when the oil is used up in the "pen" you can open it and add your own oil. First, clean the fan blades off real well. If you have a heatsink with the fan then clean the heatsink off as well. You can even use a bit of your oil and some q-tips for cleaning if needed. There is usually a small label in the middle of the fan. It will have a name and other info on it. Peel one edge up carefully and put a very small amount of oil in where you lifted the label up. Now add some graphite powder in the same place where you put the oil, add a fair amount more of the graphite powder than the oil. Clean off excess oil and graphite with a q-tip and push the label back where it was. You may need a very small amount of duct tape to hold the label in position and to prevent leakage. This is important if the fan is going to "sit up" as opposed to lying flat. Now put the fan back where you want it and when it starts spinning it may be noisy for a few seconds until the graphite\oil works its way in. Then it will stop and it will stay stopped for many years and you may very well not need to buy a new fan after all! Just adding oil will only work for a while. I experimented a lot with this and this is the very best way to quiet all those fans and have them work well. I have always been a big fan of those removable ide hard drive trays that you can buy. But the fans are the pits, they get noisy real fast. So i had to find a way to fix them as they are very expensive and hard to replace. Now i dont have to. Combo of oil and graphite is the very best solution by far. One caution, graphite stains worse than oil, so be careful! Im talking about staining your clothes and hands. You can use this oil and graphite powder system with all cpu fans, video card fans, system fans, and even fans inside power supplies. But one word of caution, its easy to open a power supply and take out the fan, but do be careful as there are voltages there can can hurt you badly. If you dont know what you are doing then wear rubber gloves to get the fan out and to put the fan back in after the oil and graphite repair! It doesn't matter whether the fan uses a ball bearing or a sleeve bearing, long as you can find a way to get some oil and graphite powder inside it. Trust me, this will work. If the fan spins my method will work for years and I have even fixed fans that were stuck and wouldnt spin! This is better done with the fan on the table but in those cases where you cant or dont want to take the fan out of the system, thats where the "pen" with the needle comes in again, but i still find a way to get some graphite in as well, graphite is what makes the oil last a long time! And graphite is also an oil, but you need both together for maximum effectiveness. Oil by itself will only last a few weeks or so and then evaporate, and the fan will get noisy again. Its the graphite powder that does the long term job. The oil really only helps to spread the graphite powder around really well so the graphite can do the job! Graphite, i imagine is conductive, but i have never run into a problem. I imagine its because its not conductive enough to cause any problems in that area. Another thing it does. If you cant get a part to fit in, instead of using vaseline or some other lubricant, use graphite powder. Graphite powder can withstand heat better than vaseline. The only thing, as i said above, it does stain, so you have to be careful with it, wipe up any spills, etc. And, in some cases, you might want to use it with a touch of oil, just enuf to help spread the graphite powder around a bit better and faster. You can pick up a tube of graphite powder for about $3 or so and theres enough to fix maybe 100 fans or more. Course it works on noisy and sticky doors in the house, anything that needs to slide like windows in wood and aluminum frames. I got an email from a person who used it to fix a sticky key on an old favorite keyboard. It works on just about anything, but, again, be careful as it does stain so its hard to get it out of clothes. Hope you do as well as i have with this info! Thanks © 2007 techsupportforum.com Emergency Fan Repair .. This is a complementary article to a previous article (by another TSF Member) about repairing your fan. Basically it's a simple guide to making an emergency repair to a fan that is stiff and refuses to run at proper speed. It could be a case fan, a VGA fan, even a POWER supply or a CPU fan, When you realise that a fan isn't functioning properly, that it's stiff to turn or making lots of noise and there is no way to get an immediate replacement, this might get your fan working until a replacement is purchased or delivered. This is not a long term cure for ailing fans even though you might find that your fan could work for several months or even years afterwards but sometimes they will fail again within weeks or even days! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Whatever you do though *never* run your system without a proper working CPU FAN, especially if you have an AMD Processor. This also applies to your VGA FAN! If the fan stops blowing or is missing, you only have so long before your VGA stops working too. If you play games it will fail a lot quicker than if you don't. Don't risk your PC for the sake of the small amount that it costs to replace it. Tools required. see photographs for clarification but you will need: Phillips screwdrivers (to remove fan retaining screws) Jewelers screwdriver set (in the event tat you are repairing a VGA fan) Fine point tweezers that don't bend easily. Thin flat blade screwdriver. graphite Oil or Oil based spray cotton buds Blue or White Spirit. WITH YOUR PC POWERED OFF AND UNPLUGGED Remove the fan. To do this you will probably need a medium size Phillips or cross head screwdriver. Sometimes though on "quiet" fans there are no screws but black inserts pushed into rubber shock absorbers. Remove the inserts then pull the shock absorbers slowly but carefully to release the fan. Make sure you use the right size to avoid damaging either the screwdriver or the screw. (Remember that you turn anticlockwise to loosen and clockwise to tighten) If it's a VGA fan, remove the card and then search for screws or retainers that hold the fan & heatsink assembly flush against the chip set that it is trying to keep cool. You will need to release the fastenings and/or screws and remove the assembly from the card before possibly requiring to find more screws that hold the fan assembly to the heatsink. For this you will find a set of jewelers' screwdrivers extremely helpful. Once you have the fan in front of you, remove the label that will uncover the retaining clips on the propeller spindle. The spindle will have a retainer to stop the propeller blades from falling out. This might be a metal clip with beetle type jaws (see photo) or it could just be a cut plastic washer, which will fit inside a groove on the spindle. Care and patience are required to remove these items. (Note: - Sometimes metal washers have no "jaws" to help removal. If yours is one of those, DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE PROPELLER, but try to add some oil and graphite down the shaft using the method described below.) ( A link will go in here when the article is moved to vivvo) Using tweezers and a narrow flat blade screwdriver, carefully unclip the metal circlip and manoeuver it from one side up and over the end of the spindle. If it is a plastic cut washer use a bit of pressure on the circlip to hold and locate the split. Using tweezers carefully unhook it whilst clamping down the opposite end, until it is free. Remove the retainer and then any other washers that might be underneath. Make a mental note of what you remove and the order in which you removed it, ready for the reassembly later. It is a good idea to put them in a line showing the position of removal. The fan propeller is now ready to be pulled away from the casing. Take care because there could be other washers inside on the same spindle. Normally they will stay with the spindle but sometimes they fall out after it has been removed. Using oil or oil based spray on a cotton bud, carefully clean and lubricate the spindle. Also apply some oil or spray to the bearing or shaft that the spindle fitted in to. Use the cotton bud to soak up any extra whilst also cleaning out any dirt and dust at both ends of the spindle shaft. It is also a good idea to give the inner area of the propeller magnet a good clean up plus the blades, getting rid of accumulated dust & grime. Also clean the surface inside the frame where the propeller sits. When everything is cleaned and oiled, replace the propeller in the shaft, making sure not to forget or lose any washers, finally replacing the retaining clip. This again requires a steady hand and patience. Make sure it doesn't jump away from and get lost. Make sure it clips firmly back into place. Once all is back in place, add a drop of oil into the shaft where the retaining clip sits. Check the label to see if there is a dust cover that sits inside the opening. Sometimes this remains inside the hole and requires removal before finding the retaining clip but most times it stays stuck to the sticker. Remove it and place it inside the hole. Using some spirit on a clean piece of tissue or another cotton bud, clean off the surface where the sticker was sitting. It will have traces of oil and nothing will stick there while oil is present. It is highly unlikely that the original sticker will want to return to its old position and stay there. So find some labels or some sellotape that you can cut and stick over the dust cover or open hole. This is to help stop dust and dirt from getting inside and causing resistance to the propeller when spinning. Do not replace the fan into your PC without having covered the opening. Once all this is done you can re-assemble into your PC and give it a try to see if it works. ( An anchor will go here when the article is moved to vivvo) IF YOU CANNOT REMOVE THE PROPELLER THEN FOLLOW THESE STEPS This is not a short-term fix but a fix that will last for a long, long time. You will need some graphite powder and some machine oil. For the oil, the best is the pen-type as they are easy to handle and only give a small amount at a time. Just about any oil in a pen format will work fine. The graphite powder comes in small plastic tubes but make sure you get graphite powder, not graphite oil as it is too thin and runny for this job! If you have difficulty finding graphite powder, you can use a small file (a nail file is ideal) and produce your own from a lead pencil. First, clean the fan blades off realy well. If you have a heatsink with the fan then clean the heatsink off as well. Cotton buds soaked in white spirit are ideal for this. There is usually a small label in the middle of the fan. It will have a name and other info on it. Remove the label being careful to retain the dust cover that may be stuck to it. Now put a small heap of the graphite powder over the spindle hole and add a small quantity of oil to wash the graphite into the hole. Clean off excess oil and graphite with a cotton bud soaked in white spirit and replace the dust cover if one was fitted. Now cover the hole with sticky paper or sellotape cut to size. (See photographs above.) Now put the fan back where you want it and when it starts spinning it may be noisy for a few seconds until the graphite\oil works its way in. Then it will stop and it will stay stopped for many years and you may very well not need to buy a new fan after all! Just adding oil will only work for a while. You can use this oil and graphite powder system with all cpu fans, video card fans, system fans, and even fans inside power supplies. But one word of caution, it is easy to open a power supply and take out the fan, but do be careful as there are voltages there can can hurt you badly. If you dont know what you are doing then wear rubber gloves to get the fan out and to put the fan back in after the oil and graphite repair! It doesn't matter whether the fan uses a ball bearing or a sleeve bearing, as long as you can find a way to get some oil and graphite powder inside it. ©2007 techsupportforum.com __________________ Submit New Articles Here If you feel that TSF has helped you please make a donationand help to keep the forum free Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon Folding@Home - Team 85015

06-27-2008, 03:08 PM	#16 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card wow that is really helpfull. ill go out this weekend and pick a couple of those things up and get to work.

06-28-2008, 04:58 PM	#17 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card ok so today i took out my GC and took the fan off and it is def the blade wobbling in there. now i am at the decision of A)replace the fan B)suck it up and buy a better GC that the two i have now. i was planning to upgrad my GC in the future anyways so it almost seems like the route i might go even though i did not plan on it.

06-28-2008, 05:29 PM	#18 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card id also like to add that if i do end up with a new GC it will be a 9800 GTX. now if that is the route i take what kind power supply would i need? i have a 420w right now.

06-28-2008, 08:52 PM	#19 (permalink)
lazareth1 Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hong Kong, previously Fife in Bonnie Scotland Posts: 1,294 OS: Vista SP1, Ultimate My System	Re: Fan on Video Card Well If your gonna go the single card way then your probably actually gonna need less power. If your goin for the 9800GTX, then you might want to hold off a little and wait for the GTX260. Its just come out and at high res, it out plays the 9800GTX in almost twice the frames!! (This would probably require a better PSU though) __________________ Prime95\|Everest Ultimate Edition\|How to do a repair install of XP\|Bench Testing "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted"

06-28-2008, 09:14 PM	#20 (permalink)
bmyers4321 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 51 OS: XP	Re: Fan on Video Card actually i have been thinking about it for a few hours now and im am just gonna replace my 8600 with another one for a temporary fix. since it is only $70 brand new. im just gonna wait till winter to upgrade. but to run a 9800GTX i wouldnt need to upgrade my psu? i figured i would need a 800 atleast to run it.