[SOLVED] "CPU Fan Error!" On new pc build.

Jan 19, 2021
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Hello everyone, upon booting up my pc which I have just built yesterday I get a message which states "CPU Fan Error" in all red. I connected my CPU fan into the correct port on the motherboard and my fan does work. Im using the stock fan which came with my CPU. The only time that my fan doesnt spin is when the PC is starting which I think is normal but this is my first build so I am unsure. I also pressed the fan into the board, it is not loose at all.
When using Core Temp 1.16 at idle my pc is apparently at about 50 degrees C tops and when downloading games it is apparently at 98-100 degrees C after about 5-10 minutes. When using speed fan to read my CPU temps however, my temperatures are much cooler at about 85 degrees C when gaming tops (it reads 15 degrees lower) which is probably more accurate since it doesnt seem like my PC is struggling.
Is there really anything to be concerned about? Im going to be applying new thermal paste to the fan tomorrow because I accidently touched a little bit when grabbing the fan out of the box (noob mistake) but would that even cause the error? I barely took any off.
My specs are:
Motherboard - MSI B460M
Ram - T Force Delta 16 GB DDR4
GPU - Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti
CPU - Intel i-5 10400 (with stock fan)
Power Supply - Corsair VS500w
 
Solution
Can't see lower right push pin of the cpu cooler. Rest of them seem to be in correct orientation.

It's possible cpu cooler had plastic film over thermal paste pad.
Did you check it? Film had to be removed before installing cpu cooler.

If there was no film, then you just have to press push pins harder into motherboard for them to make better contact.
Watch the video.

View: https://youtu.be/5qczGR4KMnY?t=65
When using Core Temp 1.16 at idle my pc is apparently at about 50 degrees C tops and when downloading games it is apparently at 98-100 degrees C after about 5-10 minutes.
That means - cpu cooler is not installed properly (not enough contact for cpu with cpu cooler).
Cpu cooler fan has to be connected to fan header CPU_FAN1 (not SYS_FAN1).

Can you chow photo of top view of your motherboard, to see, how everything is connected?
(upload photo to imgur.com and post link)
 
Jan 19, 2021
3
0
10
That means - cpu cooler is not installed properly (not enough contact for cpu with cpu cooler).
Cpu cooler fan has to be connected to fan header CPU_FAN1 (not SYS_FAN1).

Can you chow photo of top view of your motherboard, to see, how everything is connected?
(upload photo to imgur.com and post link)
View: https://imgur.com/gallery/3A1ONYs

View: https://imgur.com/gallery/TcZMxFg

I hope these are good. The first two are of the fan and the second is to show that it is indeed plugged into CPU Fan 1.
 
Can't see lower right push pin of the cpu cooler. Rest of them seem to be in correct orientation.

It's possible cpu cooler had plastic film over thermal paste pad.
Did you check it? Film had to be removed before installing cpu cooler.

If there was no film, then you just have to press push pins harder into motherboard for them to make better contact.
Watch the video.

View: https://youtu.be/5qczGR4KMnY?t=65
 
Solution
Jan 19, 2021
3
0
10
Can't see lower right push pin of the cpu cooler. Rest of them seem to be in correct orientation.

It's possible cpu cooler had plastic film over thermal paste pad.
Did you check it? Film had to be removed before installing cpu cooler.

If there was no film, then you just have to press push pins harder into motherboard for them to make better contact.
Watch the video.

View: https://youtu.be/5qczGR4KMnY?t=65
Thanks I think I figured it out. I bought some thermal paste and when I went to reapply it all of the paste was still on the fan and it was all dried up leaving nothing on the cpu. I replaced the thermal paste and now everything is running fine. Nothing is close to overheating, however, i do still get the error and I believe it is because one of the pins on the fan wont fully go down. Three of them fully clicked while one of them made a very quiet/half click sound. I plan on upgrading it anyways so this will do for now. Thanks.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
There appears to be a problem in the contacts of the fan connector with the pins of the CPU_FAN header. Look at those two closely. On the header with pins, there is a plastic tongue sticking up beside Pins 1 to 3, and Pin #4 is beyond the tongue space. Of those pins, #3 (closest to #4) is the fan speed signal pin. You can see on the fan cable female (with holes) connector how that fits onto the header, with the ridges on one side slipping around the header tongue.

You say this fit is poor and one does not go "fully down". Is that the one for Pin #3? With your system off, unplug the fan from the header so you can examine the female connector carefully. For each of the holes, the wire for it enters from the back of the connector. Inside, the wire is crimped into a small metal connection tube, and that little tube also has tiny springy metal "barbs" on its sides. When it is being assembled, the metal tube on the end of the wire is pushed into the hole from the back of the connector body, and then the litttle "barbs" prevent it from being pushed back out again when you plug it into the header. Is sounds like that is not really working, and that wire and metal connector tube on its end is slipping backwards out of its hole. Does it look like that? if so, can you gently pull the entire wire and metal tube right out of its hole? If you can, that certainly confirms the problem. Even if you cannot pull it out at first try, you still can push it further in if it seems out of place. But if you can pull it out, then you can examine those little barbs. If they are not sticking out to the sides far enough, just bend them out a little farther. While you're dong this, check that the tube is open, not crushed so it can't fit over the header pin. Re-insert the wire and tube back into the hole and push it all the way in. Then try gently to pull it out, and confirm that you can't pull it. When you have the things all re-done, plug that connector back into the CPU_FAN header and see if it works smoothly. Turn on your system and see if the CPU Fan failure warning is gone.