CPU Fans keep dying

[cukin21]

I built an HTPC computer about 6 months ago with an AMD A6-6400K processor. It has been running fine but suddenly this weekend the computer just shut itself off. I turned it back on and it shortly shut itself off again. I let it sit and booted into BIOS and the Temp was at 78 C, I shut it off and opened the case and the CPU fan was not working. The case fans were working fine so I plugged the CPU fan into their power and it still would not come on so I figured the fan died. Ordered a new heatsink/fan, installed it, booted into BIOS. Fan started up just fine, let it sit for about 20 min and everything seemed fine. I put the case back together and hooked the computer back up to the TV, booted up and was installing updates for the machine when the computer shut off like it had before. Booted into bios and temp said 90C so I shut off, opened the case, booted and the new CPU fan is dead. Anyone suspect what could be causing the fans to die? Thanks for your help.

Motherboard:Gigabyte F2A88XM-HD3
Processor: AMD A6-6400K
Fan: Artic Alpine GT Rev.2
PSU: Corsair CX430

 

[clutchc]

My first thought was that the +12v rail's voltage regulation from the PSU or the the motherboard PWM speed control was at fault. What does something like HWinfo read for the +12V rail? http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php

Ideally, you'd want to use a voltmeter to check voltage, if you have an accurate one. But the software check may be good enough.

 

[cukin21]

My first thought was that the +12v rail's voltage regulation from the PSU or the the motherboard PWM speed control was at fault. What does something like HWinfo read for the +12V rail? http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php

Ideally, you'd want to use a voltmeter to check voltage, if you have an accurate one. But the software check may be good enough.

Unfortunately I don't have a voltmeter but HWinfo is showing the +12V at: Value=12.096, Min=12.024, Max=12.096

 

[clutchc]

That is a good reading. It would appear then that the board and or its BIOS is at fault. You could try updating the BIOS if one is available or even using the jumper to reset your BIOS, but it sounds more like a PWM failure. That would be integral to the board's hdwr. As a temporary work-around, you could leave the CPU cooler's fan connected to a sys fan header and set the speed manually. But you'd have to leave another fan plugged into the CPU fan header so the BIOS sees a fan connected. The system may not start otherwise.

But from your description,it sounds like you have a motherboard issue. If your BIOS chip is socketed, you may be able to try another BIOS. But if the PWM fan control for the CPU fan header is integral to the board itself, that may not help.

 

[cukin21]

That is a good reading. It would appear then that the board and or its BIOS is at fault. You could try updating the BIOS if one is available or even using the jumper to reset your BIOS, but it sounds more like a PWM failure. That would be integral to the board's hdwr. As a temporary work-around, you could leave the CPU cooler's fan connected to a sys fan header and set the speed manually. But you'd have to leave another fan plugged into the CPU fan header so the BIOS sees a fan connected. The system may not start otherwise.

But from your description,it sounds like you have a motherboard issue. If your BIOS chip is socketed, you may be able to try another BIOS. But if the PWM fan control for the CPU fan header is integral to the board itself, that may not help.

Thanks for the info! I'm suspecting the motherboard as well, I just received another CPU fan so I am going to try using the sys fan header because it seems that my system doesn't care if anything is connected to the CPU fan header. Hopefully it works okay, thank you for your help!

 

[clutchc]

...it seems that my system doesn't care if anything is connected to the CPU fan header.

That's an unusual situation, in itself. Might be an indication of the problem.