Grpahics card fan getting noisy

[davejonesbkk]

Just noticed recently that whenever I play a game the PC starts to hum quite loud so Im guessing this is the gfx card fan? What would be the most likely problem? Dust clogged up? I havent opened up the PC to take a look yet but intend to do so this weekend.

Tips on how to clean it would be welcome!

[dave_boo]

The bearing could be going dry on you.

If you open it up, you should be looking at one screw that holds it on to the chassis. Back that out to just the point where it's loose with a screwdriver and then use your fingers to take it out the rest of the way...trust me you don't want to hunt after that screw down in the bowels of your computer. There maybe be one or two 6 (or 8) pin power connectors. Push on the tabs and pull them straight out of the socket on the card. In fact, do that before you undo the screw.

You then should have to worry about the back latch. It's located down on the motherboard, built into the PCI-E slot. Some are a simple lever arrangement. Simply push on the knurled side of the plastic lever towards your card. This will release the latch and allow you to pull the card straight up from the motherboard. Some motherboards (fairly rarely now) use a push-pin style clamp. You'll see it because it will be differently coloured from the slot. Push it one way, and if it doesn't work, push it the other way. Will give fairly easily and then...yep you guessed it, pick the card straight out of the slot.

One final word of advice. Use a can of compressed air on either your front porch or balcony. STICK A PEN OR PENCIL IN THE FAN BLADES. Sorry for yelling, but that's extremely important. Blowing into the fan blades can overspeed the fan resulting in failure. Personally I like blowing from the exhaust end back towards the fan. I assume that since that is in reverse direction of the way the crap gets deposited it should come off easier. That and it's easier than navigating around the immobilised fan blades.

If your case/card is filthy inside, perhaps you should look into some case fan filtres. They go a long way towards preventing this issue.

[DogNo1]

Also use compressed air to blow out your case while it is open. As with the fan blades on the gpu, be sure to hold the cpu cooler fan blades when you blow out the area around the cpu. The same goes for the case fans. If you have never opened your case, you may find a lot of dust inside. If you need to, you can clean the fan blades and other surfaces on which dust is caked with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol - never water. Clean machines run smoothly and quietly.

[thedemon]

Hopefully cleaning will work but if it doesn't there are a couple of cheap fixes that have worked for me in the past.

The fans on higher end graphics cards are usually sealed units but you can remove the sticker over the bearings and there may be a tiny hole there. If not, you can drill one. Then put a drop of sewing machine oil in there and replace the sticker. From my experience silicon lubricant doesn't work.

Failing that, buy a cheap fan similar to the old style CPU fans and glue it on top of the case containing the old one. The fan will now run all the time rather than switching on/off as required but as long as it's quiet that doesn't matter much.

[davejonesbkk]

OK, where can I get sewing machine oil and a can of compressed air?

[ezzra]

Nothing that a good shpritz of WD-40 can't fix, and if it can't, time to visit the IT mall....

[Iamemjay]

No don't use WD40 - It lubricates initially but in the end is is drying agent. Use a TINY drop of sewing machine oil as previously described after cleaning your machine of course.. Buy it from the odds and end stall at your local market, or your nearest Singer shop.

[davejonesbkk]

OK so I need to do the following?

Remove gfx card

Clean gfx card with compressed air holding the fan in place while I do this

Squirt a small amount of sewing machine oil into the section where the bearings are

Clean rest of computer with compressed air holding any fans in place.

[davejonesbkk]

I guess this is what Im doing but with the gfx card fan right?

http://www.overclockers.com/em-spinning-lubricate-pc-fans/

[keeniau96]

Friend here had a dead computer with problem that we could not find. WOulld run for a minute then shut down. Took it all apart, did all the usual tests of system, PSU, memory sticks, fans. Concluded it was a dead mobo, he went to computer shop to see about warranty. The dude there did check of all including the graphics card. Turned out the graphics card fan would lock up after spinning a few moments, card shut down, computer shut down. Got new fan for card and all was ok. Those little fans have the lifespan of a fruit fly.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

pull the graphics card out, take the fan off and discard, tie wrap any 50bht fan to the top of the heat sink.

Done it with loads of gfx cards, you always end up with a handful of shaped plastic to throw in the bin.

Don't worry it's only decorative. 80mm case fan usually does a much better job than the original 'pretty' fan.

[WhizBang]

No don't use WD40 - It lubricates initially but in the end is is drying agent. Use a TINY drop of sewing machine oil as previously described after cleaning your machine of course.. Buy it from the odds and end stall at your local market, or your nearest Singer shop.

Not only that, but WD40 is likely hazardous to the plastics in the fan and on the card.

[WhizBang]

No don't use WD40 - It lubricates initially but in the end is is drying agent. Use a TINY drop of sewing machine oil as previously described after cleaning your machine of course.. Buy it from the odds and end stall at your local market, or your nearest Singer shop.

Not only that, but WD40 is likely hazardous to the plastics in the fan and on the card.

[davejonesbkk]

No compressed air at the IT shops I went to so I got one of these in the image attached, will it do? Not sure if to blows or sucks air, does it matter what I use to power it? I have an external USB battery I could try

[innerspace]

Those mini hoovers are not very effective. Maybe 1% of the air pressure from compressed air cans.

[davejonesbkk]

Yes you were right totally useless with zero power so I just binned it!

So taken the gfx card out, didn't seem to be that dusty at all but given it a blow myself anyway. I don't see how or where I can put this seeing machine oil into the fans though as they appear to be totally sealed...

[dave_boo]

Don't forget to check your PSU and CPU. As your videocard spins up, it puts a higher strain on the CPU for information. Also draws more energy from your PSU. Either of those can be producing more noise in response to your videocard being used.

[russ1]

Firstly i would put the card back in and leave the side panel off the case. Then run a heavy intensive game so it stresses your computer, then listen to your open case to see where the noise is coming from. As it may not even be you graphics card fan.

[davejonesbkk]

Yeah so I ran some tests yesterday and overall it is quieter but there are some sporadic humming noises at certain times on *some* games but when getting closer it appears that this is coming from one of the main fans on the back of the case, it only does this everyone and then for short bursts I guess when extra strain is being put on.