Geforce overheat - Auto-Fan not working

[Fly]

Hey there

Hope somebody here has some suggestions for my little problem.

Main Problem was: My pc occassionally stops working during gaming sessions. No Error Messages, just a blank screen and a loud working/fan noise from the pc.
This happened occasionally. Earlier it only happened like once a week. Now it only takes from several minutes up to a few hours.
After restart everything worked again.

From what i found out:
The Fan of my Nvidia Geforce GTX 660 isn't working properly.
Usually it should looks like this: http://img.techpowerup.org/150821/nvidia_20150821_143642.png
*Fan: 30% power -> Speed ~800 rpm -> if i open the tower i can confirm. Fan Running

But now more often it looks like this: http://img.techpowerup.org/150821/nvidia_20150821_142415.png
*Fan: 33% power -> Speed (blank) --> if i open the tower i can confirm. Not running.

The first screenshot was taken fresh after a error-induced-restart. i Assume the graphic card checks if the graphic card needs cooling and starts cooling as expected.
The second Screenshot is a few moments later.After the graphic card cooled down to around ~35 degrees it turns of the fan. (as expected)

BUT the problem is the fan doesnt restart if the temperature rises again.

After around 100 degrees (Fan still not working) the error above can be perceived. Pc turns blank. And then the fan kicks in.


I've tried:

• Disabling the auto-function and manually assigning more % http://img.techpowerup.org/150821/nvidia_20150821_145426.png
• Installing the newest Nvidia Driver
• Complete re-install of windows and all drivers.
  
• Checking the bios for some fan-Settings. But they don't change anything
• Cleaning the Graphic card (outside the tower) and re-assemble again.
  
• Checking if the fan is blocked - but it can be turned manually without any problem (on every restart the fan spinns on it's own - if the temperature is low enough stopping after a few spins)
• (and a few other things i can't remember right now ^^)

Do you have any other suggestions?

Or is the Graphic card just broken?

Thx for reading and your help

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

if the fans broken you can get by using another fan and just strapping it to the GPU via some zip ties as a quick fix.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

Hey there

Hope somebody here has some suggestions for my little problem.

Main Problem was: My pc occassionally stops working during gaming sessions. No Error Messages, just a blank screen and a loud working/fan noise from the pc.
This happened occasionally. Earlier it only happened like once a week. Now it only takes from several minutes up to a few hours.
After restart everything worked again.

From what i found out:
The Fan of my Nvidia Geforce GTX 660 isn't working properly.
Usually it should looks like this: http://img.techpowerup.org/150821/nvidia_20150821_143642.png
*Fan: 30% power -> Speed ~800 rpm -> if i open the tower i can confirm. Fan Running

But now more often it looks like this: http://img.techpowerup.org/150821/nvidia_20150821_142415.png
*Fan: 33% power -> Speed (blank) --> if i open the tower i can confirm. Not running.

The first screenshot was taken fresh after a error-induced-restart. i Assume the graphic card checks if the graphic card needs cooling and starts cooling as expected.
The second Screenshot is a few moments later.After the graphic card cooled down to around ~35 degrees it turns of the fan. (as expected)

BUT the problem is the fan doesnt restart if the temperature rises again.

After around 100 degrees (Fan still not working) the error above can be perceived. Pc turns blank. And then the fan kicks in.


I've tried:

• Disabling the auto-function and manually assigning more % http://img.techpowerup.org/150821/nvidia_20150821_145426.png
• Installing the newest Nvidia Driver
• Complete re-install of windows and all drivers.
  
• Checking the bios for some fan-Settings. But they don't change anything
• Cleaning the Graphic card (outside the tower) and re-assemble again.
  
• Checking if the fan is blocked - but it can be turned manually without any problem (on every restart the fan spinns on it's own - if the temperature is low enough stopping after a few spins)
• (and a few other things i can't remember right now ^^)

Do you have any other suggestions?

Or is the Graphic card just broken?

Thx for reading and your help

Simple answer, it seems like the fan is crap. Once it heats past a certain point it locks up. Whether this is mechanical (bearings toast), or electrical (PWM wire nearly gone), it doesn't matter. Pull the card, extract the heat sink, clean the contact points, inspect for any damage (toss the card if there is any), reapply thermal paste, and rebuild the card with a new fan. Beyond being about an hour of work to do right, the cost is minimal. Once everything is back together, with the new fan, try to do it again.


If the card has been baked beyond reason, it'll continue to black screen. If it just overheated, then the problem should go away.



The big question is overclocking or not? It's rare, in my experience, to have a card fail so spectacularly without some help.

 

[newtekie1]

My guess is the bearings are starting to go dry on the fan, so it now requires more power to start. That is why it spins up, finally, when the signal for full speed is given.

If you are comfortable with taking the cooler apart to get at the fan, you can peel back the little sticker and put a drop of oil in the bearing. You can't just use any type of oil though, either use 3-in-1 mechanical oil(from your local hardware store) or a drop of vehicle motor oil. The 3-in-1 oil is easy to apply, it has a nozzle so you can put in just a drop. The motor oil is a little harder, I dip a Q-Tip in the motor oil, then press the Q-Tip in the bearing hole to squeeze a little oil out into the hole. Then you just put it all back together.

 

[peche]

card cooler may be screwed... which card is it, model, brand ?
look for the cooler on eBay, amazon, etc...
Regards,

 

[thebluebumblebee]

Is there any warranty left? Might want to check on that before doing anything that might void the warranty. Asus, Gigabyte and MSI all have 3 year warranties.....

 

[Fly]

Thanks for the replies.
I set up a system vent to assist the card. It works kind of.. (a little) but for stressful games this is far too less.
I will try the warranty if theres no easy fix. (or buy a new one ^^ - any suggestions?). (as i'd like to avoid having to send it - while waiting forever for the results or a replacement)

And no i have not overclocked. (as much as i know ^^')

One new development in this strange issue though:

Since i'd like to avoid having my pc force-shutown all the time, I setup "Speedfan". Having my pc warn me when the temperature is too high and force-minimizing all the programs (via batch) once it goes above 95 degrees.
-> Thus resulting in less stress for the Gpu since the games are now no longer visible.
-> resulting in a decline of temperature.
-> Now (since temperature is declining - but still fairly high with 90 degrees) the fan "sees" that it would be needed and activates (?)
(maybe it's just me, but checking for the temperature when the temperature is actually rising would seem like a much better idea.. ^^')

I tested this several time.
It activated only when the temperature actually drops. (whatever floats it's boat - i assume)
If i don't minimize the game the temperature keeps rising (without the fan doing anything) to around 110
-> monitors go black (graphic card shuts down?)
-> And then (since it gets cooler?) the fan kicks in.

If i can keep the fan spinning (by NOT letting it cool down so much that it stops*) i can actually play some games without worrying.


*Does the (2 year old) nvidia geforce gtx 660 actually stops the fan on purpose if the temperature is low enough?

 

[peche]

Thanks for the replies.
I set up a system vent to assist the card. It works kind of.. (a little) but for stressful games this is far too less.
I will try the warranty if theres no easy fix. (or buy a new one ^^ - any suggestions?). (as i'd like to avoid having to send it - while waiting forever for the results or a replacement)

And no i have not overclocked. (as much as i know ^^')

One new development in this strange issue though:

Since i'd like to avoid having my pc force-shutown all the time, I setup "Speedfan". Having my pc warn me when the temperature is too high and force-minimizing all the programs (via batch) once it goes above 95 degrees.
-> Thus resulting in less stress for the Gpu since the games are now no longer visible.
-> resulting in a decline of temperature.
-> Now (since temperature is declining - but still fairly high with 90 degrees) the fan "sees" that it would be needed and activates (?)
(maybe it's just me, but checking for the temperature when the temperature is actually rising would seem like a much better idea.. ^^')

I tested this several time.
It activated only when the temperature actually drops. (whatever floats it's boat - i assume)
If i don't minimize the game the temperature keeps rising (without the fan doing anything) to around 110
-> monitors go black (graphic card shuts down?)
-> And then (since it gets cooler?) the fan kicks in.

If i can keep the fan spinning (by NOT letting it cool down so much that it stops*) i can actually play some games without worrying.


*Does the (2 year old) nvidia geforce gtx 660 actually stops the fan on purpose if the temperature is low enough?

again ... card brand, model may help us out to tell and give you mooarr help ...
actually as far as i know only on 900 Series fan stop when necessary, i do own a GTX 760 which is marginally newer than yours... and it don't stop fan when card is cold....

 

[Ruyki]

*Does the (2 year old) nvidia geforce gtx 660 actually stops the fan on purpose if the temperature is low enough?

No, the fan should run all the time. The fan bearing on your card is probably not working as smoothly as it should. This causes the fan to run slower or even outright stop.

Sometimes this can be fixed by putting a drop of light oil/car motor oil into the bearing as another poster mentioned. Or you can always rig another fan onto your card in place of the one that does not work as it should.

But if that card is still in warranty, sending it back and having them fix or replace it would be the cleanest option.

 

[peche]

No, the fan should run all the time. The fan bearing on your card is probably not working as smoothly as it should. This causes the fan to run slower or even outright stop.

Sometimes this can be fixed by putting a drop of light oil/car motor oil into the bearing as another poster mentioned. Or you can always rig another fan onto your card in place of the one that does not work as it should.

But if that card is still in warranty, sending it back and having them fix or replace it would be the cleanest option.

or getting the replace part.... ebay source for example...
Reference spare fan for 660-670-680 EVGA:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-65mm-fa...HF-12v-1-8A-/252010536256?hash=item3aacff9d40

Twin Frozr III for 660-670-680-amd ...:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/75mm-MSI-GT...al-Fan-52mm-/171092854044?hash=item27d5edc51c

Spare fans for Gigabyte cards:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-fan-for-V...3line-0-35A-/252050793764?hash=item3aaf65e524

Asus spare fans:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/75mm-ASUS-V...0H12S-0-35A-/171577651876?hash=item27f2d332a4
Complete asus cooler:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Desktop-ASU...Dark-Knight-/301706284727?hash=item463f188eb7

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-2-Or...-Video-CARD-/231657475633?hash=item35efdc8e31


You can also try out a new aftermarket cooler from Acrctic cooling:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arctic-Cool...-NEW-IN-BOX-/111402672546?hash=item19f01de1a2

there are plenty of fixes for your troubles lad!

 

[RejZoR]

if the fans broken you can get by using another fan and just strapping it to the GPU via some zip ties as a quick fix.

We used to improve old graphic cards with those faert coolers (Radeon 9000 series or GeForce 6000 series), by removing the shroud, the tiny fan and strapping a 80mm or 120mm fan on it.

It's how I've also pushed my backup passive cooled GeForce 8400GS to insane clocks. It has a massive aluminium cooler and I just strapped a 80mm fan directly on top of it and overclocked the hell out of it. It was still crap, but I was able to play Painkiller and Half-Life 2 on quite high settings on it when my main graphic card died. So yeah, that works well, is cheap and if done with some attention to details, even looks pretty good.

 

[peche]

there are even Aftermarket coolers to replace most of them are generic or universally compatible.... so as i said before, you are full of alternatives to solve your situation, it just depends of you.

Regards,