[SOLVED] CPU Fan error

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Hey all,

So, everything was just fine with my prebuilt PC until I got that CPU Fan error thing.

At first, I used to bypass it by restarting the PC several times until this screen goes away and login normally.

I made a complete hardware cleaning to remove dust and such as this maybe the reason behind this error, but still the problem is there.

My BIOS is updated and I did a "clear CMOS" by removing the battery for 5 mins. and putting it again but nothing happened, problem is still there.

Using AIDA64 I looked into the V12 of my PSU, it's good, 11.9xx.

Also, two times since yesterday, the PC was shutting down immediately after powering up.

My PC specs is as follows,

CPU : AMD FX-9590
Motherboard : Asus Crosshair V Formula-Z
Cooling Unit : Cooler Master Hyper 212X
GPU : AMD Radeon RX 560 4GB
Memory : 32GB, 4x Kingston HyperX 8GB

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
While you may or may not have a heat transfer and cooling problem, the starting point here is the CPU Fan Failure error message and its consequences. So I'll narrow down to that.

All CPU_FAN headers (and CPU_OPT headers, I believe) monitor the fan speed signal they receive back from their fans carefully - more carefully than case ventilation fans in most mobos. That's becasue total failure of the CPU cooling system can allow the CPU to overheat so rapidly that its "normal" protection system (slowing down or shutting down when the CPU's internal TEMPERATURE sensor shows temps getting too high) does not react fast enough, and the excess temperature might damage the CPU permanently. So on some mobos IF the CPU_FAN header gets NO speed...

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Thanks for your quick reply.

Yes, the fan is running well and I can even adjust it's speed from the AI Suite II app.

I've already unplugged and replugged the fan cable into the right CPU FAN pins.
 

my_pc_build

Great
Nov 17, 2019
104
16
95
Some fans don't play nicely with the uefi / bios pwm management - is this the problem your talking about?
Not sure if this would cause the PC to shut down though - maybe you could describe the problem a little.

If it's just the above problem (probably not ..), easiest solution sometimes is to plug them into a case header, though you've then got to think about how you'll manage their speed / CPU temp.
You could also (more expensive) look at some 3rd party bit of hardware for managing fan speed and avoid the header that way whilst linking fan speed to the CPU temperature.

All the best.
 

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Thanks for your reply.

Here are some updates which may help in my case

- The PC barely started working today, always shutdown before that error appears or while booting up/entering the BIOS.

- When the PC booted into Windows once today, the fans were super quiet although they were adjusted to "Standard" and not "Silent", the silence was up-normal and here are some reading from the BIOS,

https://ibb.co/PcSZ9GS

- I've noticed that when I adjust the CPU and Chassis fans to "Turbo" the temperature increases till the PC freezes.

- Was converting some videos for the family, the PC freezes when it reach 65C - 70C although it's set in the BIOS to protect from overheat at 90C- 100C.

- The PC is running smoothly now by putting a large fan in front of the open chassis and setting the fans speed to "Silent".
 

my_pc_build

Great
Nov 17, 2019
104
16
95
Thanks for your reply.

Here are some updates which may help in my case

- The PC barely started working today, always shutdown before that error appears or while booting up/entering the BIOS.

- When the PC booted into Windows once today, the fans were super quiet although they were adjusted to "Standard" and not "Silent", the silence was up-normal and here are some reading from the BIOS,

https://ibb.co/PcSZ9GS

- I've noticed that when I adjust the CPU and Chassis fans to "Turbo" the temperature increases till the PC freezes.

- Was converting some videos for the family, the PC freezes when it reach 65C - 70C although it's set in the BIOS to protect from overheat at 90C- 100C.

- The PC is running smoothly now by putting a large fan in front of the open chassis and setting the fans speed to "Silent".
Hi Hesham_3del,
Not sure what's going on there.
When you adjust the fans to Turbo, does the temperature increase even if you're not putting a heavy load on the PC?
When you set the fans to silent, does the PC continue to run smoothly when you put the PC under load, e.g. video editing?
How long since you changed the thermal paste?
If a high fan speed itself, independently of PC load, is causing the PC to crash I would suspect that the motherboard is starting to fail.
'shutdown before that error appears' - so previously you've had an error reported? Was that an error on booting (reported by bios) or an error reported by windows?

All the best.
 

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Hello my_pc_build,

Q: When you adjust the fans to Turbo, does the temperature increase even if you're not putting a heavy load on the PC?

A: Yes.

Q: When you set the fans to silent, does the PC continue to run smoothly when you put the PC under load, e.g. video editing?

A: No, it freezes.

Q: How long since you changed the thermal paste?

A: Long time ago, but how does this relate to the CPU Fan error message ?

Q: If a high fan speed itself, independently of PC load, is causing the PC to crash I would suspect that the motherboard is starting to fail.

A: I started to think about this, actaully my thoughts are trapped between the mobo, PSU and the cooler.

Q: 'shutdown before that error appears' - so previously you've had an error reported? Was that an error on booting (reported by bios) or an error reported by windows?

A: Nope, the PC today was shutting down only a couple of seconds when I power it up, even before that CPU Fan error appears.

Wishing you all the best as well bro and thanks for keeping up with me :)
 
I would remove the heatsink/fan from your CPU, completely remove the old thermal goop from the CPU and heatsink, then reapply thermal goop on the CPU and tighten down the heatsink/fan. Make sure to connect it up properly to the motherboard CPU fan header.

Why do this? Why not! If it's been awhile since you've changed the paste it certainly couldn't hurt.
 

my_pc_build

Great
Nov 17, 2019
104
16
95
Hello my_pc_build,

Q: When you adjust the fans to Turbo, does the temperature increase even if you're not putting a heavy load on the PC?

A: Yes.

Q: When you set the fans to silent, does the PC continue to run smoothly when you put the PC under load, e.g. video editing?

A: No, it freezes.

Q: How long since you changed the thermal paste?

A: Long time ago, but how does this relate to the CPU Fan error message ?

Q: If a high fan speed itself, independently of PC load, is causing the PC to crash I would suspect that the motherboard is starting to fail.

A: I started to think about this, actaully my thoughts are trapped between the mobo, PSU and the cooler.

Q: 'shutdown before that error appears' - so previously you've had an error reported? Was that an error on booting (reported by bios) or an error reported by windows?

A: Nope, the PC today was shutting down only a couple of seconds when I power it up, even before that CPU Fan error appears.

Wishing you all the best as well bro and thanks for keeping up with me :)
Hi Hesham_3del,

Maybe there's a few problems going on here.

If you're thermal paste has degraded due to time (sounds like it) then temperature spikes from the CPU might be causing some problems. As rickypicky5 says, replacing the paste and ensuring the cooler is well seated is a good first step.

PSU is also a good thought - I guess that's getting pretty old too? What make and model?

Are you thinking of replacing or upgrading your PC in the not too distant future?

I ask because, if you have a plan for that, it's relevant: e.g. if the PSU on your current PC is failing, it won't make a lot of sense to replace it if the motherboard also has problems - unless you know what PSU you want for your next build, and you're happy to start building it if replacing the PSU doesn't solve your problems.

But if the problem is just the PSU, replacing it would be reasonable.
All the best.
 

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
@rickypicky5

Thanks for your reply ricky.

I know what you are saying will aid in the regards to the heating issue, but I can't figure how it will solve the cpu fan error thing.

Don't get me wrong please, I agree with what you said, it's just I don't know how this will solve that error thing.

@my_pc_build

I agree with the both of you, but still I can't figure out how this will aid in solving the fan cpu error thing.

PSU is Bitfinex Whisper 750W and it's like 3-4 years old.

Nope, I don't think I will be replacing/upgrading the PC anytime soon.

Thanks for you all :)
 

my_pc_build

Great
Nov 17, 2019
104
16
95
@rickypicky5

Thanks for your reply ricky.

I know what you are saying will aid in the regards to the heating issue, but I can't figure how it will solve the cpu fan error thing.

Don't get me wrong please, I agree with what you said, it's just I don't know how this will solve that error thing.

@my_pc_build

I agree with the both of you, but still I can't figure out how this will aid in solving the fan cpu error thing.

PSU is Bitfinex Whisper 750W and it's like 3-4 years old.

Nope, I don't think I will be replacing/upgrading the PC anytime soon.

Thanks for you all :)
Hi Hesham_3del,
I'm wondering if there's more than one problem - and one of the problems is CPU overheating.
If the thermal paste has degraded, the CPU cooler isn't going to be very effective.
Have you received an actual CPU Fan error message from windows or bios?
All the best.
 
@rickypicky5

Thanks for your reply ricky.

I know what you are saying will aid in the regards to the heating issue, but I can't figure how it will solve the cpu fan error thing.

Don't get me wrong please, I agree with what you said, it's just I don't know how this will solve that error thing.

@my_pc_build

I agree with the both of you, but still I can't figure out how this will aid in solving the fan cpu error thing.

PSU is Bitfinex Whisper 750W and it's like 3-4 years old.

Nope, I don't think I will be replacing/upgrading the PC anytime soon.

Thanks for you all :)
Yep I understand! I guess I'm thinking maybe the "cpu fan error" message is more of a generic message meant to indicate "your cpu is too hot".
 

my_pc_build

Great
Nov 17, 2019
104
16
95
@rickypicky5

No problem bro., your efforts is highly appreciated, thank you so much :)

@my_pc_build

Sadly no :(
Well checking first that your not overloading the header with too many fans, is it possible to use a fan splitter and piggy-back the CPU fan onto a system header that you're currently using for case fans?

I suspect the error is a problem with the ASUS bios - is it new? Has the behaviour of the fans changed at all since around when the error appeared? I really doubt that the error is caused by a problem with the cpu fan.
 
Last edited:

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Also no, sorry.

The thing is, everything was running smoothly, I didn't add any hardware component or played with the hardware in the first place.

So, as things are getting worse, there is something getting into the death spiral.

It could be the PSU, motherboard or the cooler. Or a combo of any of the previous.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
While you may or may not have a heat transfer and cooling problem, the starting point here is the CPU Fan Failure error message and its consequences. So I'll narrow down to that.

All CPU_FAN headers (and CPU_OPT headers, I believe) monitor the fan speed signal they receive back from their fans carefully - more carefully than case ventilation fans in most mobos. That's becasue total failure of the CPU cooling system can allow the CPU to overheat so rapidly that its "normal" protection system (slowing down or shutting down when the CPU's internal TEMPERATURE sensor shows temps getting too high) does not react fast enough, and the excess temperature might damage the CPU permanently. So on some mobos IF the CPU_FAN header gets NO speed signal it interprets that to be a total fan failure and takes immediate corrective action without waiting for the internal temperature sensor to show a high temp. The action certainly will include issuing a prompt and prominent warning (as you have seen) and may include shutting down your system to prevent severe overheating in this case of presumed NO cooling. Further, if the system finds NO CPU_FAN speed at boot up, it may insist on shutting down again within seconds. Those symptoms are what you report. Thus I STRONGLY suspect that your CPU_FAN header is NOT receiving any speed signal from the fan plugged in there. Even though the fan may be actually running, if its speed signal does not get through, the mobo believes the fan is NOT running. From your story, this has been an intermittent problem that has become much worse and virtually permanent. NOTE that, to power and control the speed of a fan the fan header does NOT need the speed signal to work. So, the fact that this fan does spin, and even that its speed can be changed by the header, does NOT tell us anything abut the speed signal system.

Now, this can happen a few ways. The most common is that the connection for that signal is dirty or loose. On the CPU_FAN header there are four pins, and a small plastic "tongue" sticking up beside Pins 1-3; Pin 4 is beyond the width of the tongue. The fan speed signal (generated in the fan as two pulses per revolution) is sent back to the header on PIN #3. You have already unplugged and re-connected your fan at the header a few times, and often that is sufficient to "scrub" the connector sleeves and header pins of oxidation and fix the poor connection. But not here, apparently. You could try to disconnect and then use a mildly abrasive material (a pencil eraser or a dry dishwashing "green scrubber") to clean off the mobo header pins. The sleeves inside the fan's female connector, though, are much harder to clean. You may be able to push a small probe into the slots of the connector to squeeze the sleeves a bit tighter. While you're doing this, inspect the wires at the connector in case one is loose or has broken off, or has a poor solder connection. Then re-connect and see if this has helped.

Another possible cause is the mobo header itself if faulty with a poor connection to mobo circuits. To test for this, try disconnecting the CPU fan from that CPU_FAN header and connecting it to another unused header so that it DOES get power and provide CPU cooling. Then plug into the CPU_FAN header a different fan and start up. See if this gives the CPU_FAN header a good speed signal and makes the mobo happy. If NOT - that is, the CPU_FAN header cannot detect the speed of any fan - then the header is faulty. In that case you MAY be able to connect your good CPU cooler fan to the CPU_OPT header and use that instead of the CPU_FAN header. IF your mobo will accept that as adequate proof that the CPU IS being cooled, that might work for you.

Another possible cause is the fan itself - it any be failing to generate or feed its speed signal to the connector on Pin #3. When you do the test setup above, observe carefully whether the mobo header that you DO connect that fan to shows a valid fan speed or not. If it does not, then the fan is a problem and should be replaced.
 
Solution

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Thank you so much @Paperdoc for the detailed reply, much appreciated bro.

Here is a small update but I think it will put the last nail in my issue's coffin,

I've stopped using the desk table fan and set the fan speed/mode into "Silent", the PC restarted and on the 2nd windows login, I've got an warning that the CPU temp. is 65C so I raised the fan speed to "Standard"

No load were done during that temperature rise, just web-browsing.

Also, mainly on the restarts, I don't see that CPU Fan error and sometimes also on the first boot-up.
 

Hesham_3del

Honorable
Sep 15, 2013
24
0
10,510
Finally, problem solved.

The problem was the cooler's fan, it was not rotating freely when I spin it compared to the fans of the case for example.

So I've replaced that failed fan with one of the two case fan's and it works well.

I faced an small issue with it today as it was rotating at nearly 5xx rpm while on "Silent" mode and got the same error, so I simply lowered the minimum speed limit to 500.

Also, my back panel fan was having that CPU Fan error, this was due to putting that fan on control a.k.a. user control, so I disabled the control and made it automatic up to the system from the BIOS.

Thanks all of you for helping me out, it's greatly appreciated.

Have a nice day :)