Question Crazy fan and sudden shut down.

[ozzi3]

I would go for as many as you can fit.
from your earlier provided image, looks like only that one intake option in the bottom.

considering that the case in your image is what you have available;
you could get a much better case with much better airflow now that comes with multiple intakes/exhaust and just plan on also using it with any future build.

Ok. I guess for now i'm just going for the cooler and a couple more fans. Thanks for your help.

 

[Paperdoc]

Your situation is that you need a new fan and wonder if you need a new whole CPU cooler unit. But you also don't want to waste money because you plan to save for a whole new system. Right?

FIRST, make SURE which fan we are talking about. You have one on the CPU cooler, and another case vent fan if I read right. If you are NOT sure which one is making this noise, test this way. Open the case, and start up when it's cool so you DO get the noise. Now reach in with a finger or a pencil eraser. Gently touch the spinning blades of the fan on the CPU cooler so it stops for a few seconds, then let it run. Now do the same for the case vent fan. That will make clear which is the noisy one to replace. If it's the case fan, that is relatively simple.

If the fan to replace is on the CPU cooler system, the cheapest solution is not very difficult - you replace the FAN only, and not the entire CPU cooler unit, and NOT the CPU chip itself. Look at that cooler closely. Almost all have screws or springy arms that fasten the FAN to the finned Heatsink. With the system shut down and unplugged, you usually can reach in with a screwdriver or something to remove those fasteners and then just lift the fan off the Heatsink. You do not remove the Heatsink from the CPU. Then you can fasten a new fan of the same size back on with the same screws or whatever.

This is less expensive than replacing the whole cooler unit. But equally important is this: removing a cooler unit from the CPU when it has been in place for years can be tricky because the thermal paste between them can harden. Then, once it is off, you MUST clean off any old paste residue on the CPU top and apply just the right amount of new thermal paste before mounting the new cooler unit on the CPU. So if you can replace the FAN only without ever removing the Heatsink from the CPU, you avoid all that.

BEFORE you remove anything you need to know what fan to get and go buy it. There are three things you need to know for this.
1. Fan SIZE - this is the length in mm of one SIDE of the square fan frame - typically 80, 90, 92, or 120.
2. How many WIRES in the cable from that fan motor to the CPU_FAN mobo header? It will be three or four. The plug on the cable end will have 3 or 4 holes in it. Try for a fan with the same wiring connector.
3. Look for two specifications for any fan you evaluate. The most important is the Air Flow value in cubic feet per minute or CFM, but some specify in cubic metres per hour. More is better in all cases, but don't go for the ultimate! ALSO look at its PRESSURE rating. This is the amount of backpressure (a measure of resistance to airflow) this fan can tolerate and still push air though. It is important for finned Heatsinks. It is in mm of water, and for this job you want something over 1.5 to 2.0 mm.

One additional point. When you have the old fan off, BEFORE mounting the new one inspect the slots between the Heatsink fins. They may have dust accumulated in there - I've even seen it packed tightly - so use a thin probe, stick, screwdriver, whatever to scrape that out, then blow any loose dust away.

Oh another. Look at the new fan's frame. Normally it will have TWO arrows on it. One points around the frame to tell you the direction of blade rotation. The other points THROUGH the fan to show you the air flow direction. Make sure you mount it to blow INTO the Heatsink.