Question EVGA RTX 2080 XC2 Fan issue

[Zera_Fox]

I have an EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 XC2
It's been a champ for what I put it through, heavy, daily gaming on a multi-monitor system and still is.

Last 2 months or more now however it seems that one of it's fans has more or less died.
Both fans will spin on PC startup, both fans will stop spinning once PC has started and it's sitting in idle.
The fan closest to the back of the PC will spin when under-load, but the fan closest to the front of the case doesn't seem to even try to spin beyond start-up test.

I did pull the card out an hour ago to take a look and see what I could find via visual and I determined that there was a cable wire that the second fan had been hitting causing a "ticking" on startup and shoved it out of the way again so there is no more "ticking" on startup.

I reinstalled EVGA's Precision X1 and now both fans are spinning (I literally just this moment noticed they're both spinning right now), but prior to running P-X1 during a brief game session the 2nd fan wouldn't budge.

I was assuming the 2nd fan was dead but now that I see it's happily spinning away I'm confused as to why it isn't normally spinning prior to P-X1 running active on my system.

Any ideas why this is happening and how I may go about resolving it?
P-X1 doesn't always like to respond or start with my system so having it solve my issue isn't exactly ideal.

 

[dudio]

With the PC off (and ideally the gpu out so it's easier to work with) rotate each fan gently with your finger to see how freely they move. I suspect the one fan may be ageing faster than the other, in which case it will likely only get worse. The option is to replace it. Another option is to use software to set up a fan curve whereby you don't allow the fan to idle down to nothing, but rather set a minimum rpm that is enough to keep it always moving.

 

[RodroX]

Theres no easy way to diagnose a fan problem without been able to take a look at the card, but from what you describe I would first follow that cable that was "ticking" with the fan blades, and make sure its fully plug into the PCB.

Also if EVGA X1 its not working right on your system, you can always try with MSI Afterburner.

Another thing to try, remove EVGA X1, restart the PC, run CCleaner portable, clean the system, donwload and run DDU to fully remove the GPU drivers (instructions on download page (https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html), restart the PC once again, go to nvidia website and get the latest drivers for your GPU.

Last thing to try, which I dont recommend unless you feel very confotable doing this stuff (at your own risk), remove the fan from the GPU, clean all the dust, hairs, and what not, and then spray some WD 40 on the motor, and then spin it slowly to make the WD 40 penetrate. You can clean any excess with a paper towel. NOTE: As Dudio wrote up there, always do this stuff with the PC turn off and unplugged form the wall!!!

Cheers

 

[Zera_Fox]

With the PC off (and ideally the gpu out so it's easier to work with) rotate each fan gently with your finger to see how freely they move. I suspect the one fan may be ageing faster than the other, in which case it will likely only get worse. The option is to replace it. Another option is to use software to set up a fan curve whereby you don't allow the fan to idle down to nothing, but rather set a minimum rpm that is enough to keep it always moving.

Both fans spin easily with a push of the finger, I felt no resistance from either fan at all and they spin the same speed when gently pushed.

Theres no easy way to diagnose a fan problem without been able to take a look at the card, but from what you describe I would first follow that cable that was "ticking" with the fan blades, and make sure its fully plug into the PCB.

I couldn't find any loose connections on the GPU itself, from what I could see around the fan shroud that is.

Also if EVGA X1 its not working right on your system, you can always try with MSI Afterburner.

I've heard issues with MSI Afterburner and some games, so I am hesitant to try this program.

Another thing to try, remove EVGA X1, restart the PC, run CCleaner portable, clean the system, donwload and run DDU to fully remove the GPU drivers (instructions on download page (https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html), restart the PC once again, go to nvidia website and get the latest drivers for your GPU.

I've used CCleaner in the past, but I have to admit it often times didn't end well for my system. It's a dangerous program to use if you're not familiar with it.
I do use the IObit family of products though for all kinds of functionality on my PC and haven't had any mishaps with those.

Last thing to try, which I dont recommend unless you feel very confotable doing this stuff (at your own risk), remove the fan from the GPU, clean all the dust, hairs, and what not, and then spray some WD 40 on the motor, and then spin it slowly to make the WD 40 penetrate. You can clean any excess with a paper towel. NOTE: As Dudio wrote up there, always do this stuff with the PC turn off and unplugged form the wall!!!

I built my PC from the ground up, as well as the other 3 in my house-hold. About the only thing I haven't done is dismantle individual parts to their components and was well prepared to do so if the fan was in need of replacement.
I just haven't found anywhere to get a replacement fan, let alone convincing information on what kind of fan it would need.

 

[RodroX]

I never had any issue with MSI Afterburner on my system or any other system I have worked on, but not all systems are the same and many people have lots of trash installed that can crash with some utilities like afterburner (no saying your is).

But as I wrote, theres no easy way to diagnose this issues from afar. I can only give some advices / suggestions the rest is up to you.


As for the fan information on that particular fan, the only way to find out (if you are lucky) is by taking the card apart and checking the other side of the fan, where the brand and model use to be printed. Builders like EVGA or any other may use many brands and models for 1 single GPU line. It all depend on stock and cost. They could have made 5000 GPUs with one fan brand, and then got a different fan which was cheaper (but had the same specs) and used that one on the next 5000 cards.

Then again is up to you to see hwo to follow this up.

 

[Zera_Fox]

I never had any issue with MSI Afterburner on my system or any other system I have worked on, but not all systems are the same and many people have lots of trash installed that can crash with some utilities like afterburner (no saying your is).

But as I wrote, theres no easy way to diagnose this issues from afar. I can only give some advices / suggestions the rest is up to you.


As for the fan information on that particular fan, the only way to find out (if you are lucky) is by taking the card apart and checking the other side of the fan, where the brand and model use to be printed. Builders like EVGA or any other may use many brands and models for 1 single GPU line. It all depend on stock and cost. They could have made 5000 GPUs with one fan brand, and then got a different fan which was cheaper (but had the same specs) and used that one on the next 5000 cards.

Then again is up to you to see hwo to follow this up.

I appreciate all the input and I will keep it all in mind. Right now X1 is functioning and it is preventing my fans from stopping in idle, so we'll see how long that lasts at-least and I'll go from there.

 

[RodroX]

I appreciate all the input and I will keep it all in mind. Right now X1 is functioning and it is preventing my fans from stopping in idle, so we'll see how long that lasts at-least and I'll go from there.

In any case, its not an issue that your fans stop at idle, thats how modern GPU fan works. The problem is if one of them don't start spining when need it.

My fans do this strange noise (which is nothing more than the fans start and stop spnning very often) in some games, when GPU temp only stay above 65°C for only a minute and then drops.

 

[Zera_Fox]

In any case, its not an issue that your fans stop at idle, thats how modern GPU fan works. The problem is if one of them don't start spining when need it.

My fans do this strange noise (which is nothing more than the fans start and stop spnning very often) in some games, when GPU temp only stay above 65°C for only a minute and then drops.

I know their supposed to stop at idle.
The problem is the one never starts spinning again when it should be and the GPU temps are reaching 84C or more during load because of it.

With X1 running, the same game(s) that push the GPU temps that high when only 1 fan runs, it stays at a cool 50C or so because they are both running instead of just the one fan.

So it's more of a question of why the second fan doesn't automatically run on it's own like the first one does while there is a load I suppose?
Why is it that X1 is causing it to spin even in idle (because it's set to) and then ramps it under load, but it won't even try without X1.

Could it be something in BIOS I wonder? Honestly I don't touch the bios beyond having designated a boot location on PC initial setup, so I'm not sure if that'd be something even present in those settings or why it would've been altered in the few years I've had the GPU for it to suddenly change.

 

[RodroX]

I understand the situation, and X1 probably have a no default fan curve, thats way it force the fans to spin even at idle and thuis force the second fan to spin at load.

But unless you remove X1, clean the system (software) for all the trash (temps, useless software and apss, etc), use DDU and resintall drivers, it s a little too soon to blame the GPU BIOS. Far as I know, there should be nothing you can touch on the PC BIOS that would affacet your GPU fans behavior.

How long have you been runing the same Windows install ? Days, Months, Years?

 

[Zera_Fox]

I understand the situation, and X1 probably have a no default fan curve, thats way it force the fans to spin even at idle and thuis force the second fan to spin at load.

But unless you remove X1, clean the system (software) for all the trash (temps, useless software and apss, etc), use DDU and resintall drivers, it s a little too soon to blame the GPU BIOS. Far as I know, there should be nothing you can touch on the PC BIOS that would affacet your GPU fans behavior.

How long have you been runing the same Windows install ? Days, Months, Years?

This particular PC is maybe 2 years old, so that's how old all the parts and the windows install is.
Unless there was a point on this build I had to wipe everything for some issue or another related to a windows problem, then windows would be newer.

IObit SystemCare program does a Junk File Clean, Software Health check, Defrags and Cleans, etc;

Giving DDU and reinstalls a try now though.

EDIT: So I've run DDU, twice because I didn't do it safe-mode but I followed the instructions given on their page and here's a fun bit:
My first fan is not currently spinning at all (well, it did briefly but then stopped and it didn't appear to be the usual start-up spin). My second fan however is spinning without any issues and there are no Drivers or anything of the like installed to the PC anymore. It wiped out everything right down to GeForce Experience.
And no, X1 is not currently running either.

 

[Zera_Fox]

Even with Windows Update disabled, as I was instructed to do by DDU.
My GPU basically "reinstalled" itself at Driver Version 456.71
The newest Driver GeForce is installing is 516.59

Pre-Driver update the secondary fan is spinning non-stop (this is the one that wouldn't spin without X1 as a reminder), first fan isn't moving.
Still no X1 running and I haven't launched any games and am on a single monitor.

Post-Driver update the secondary fan is still spinning, the first hasn't budged during the entire update.

Launched a game I know pushes the card's temps lately and the first fan fires right up under load, second still spinning away as it has been from the beginning.

So I'm completely confused now as to what's going on with these fans. They are spinning, but this second fan for some reason can't make up it's mind how it wants to function it seems.
I can't exactly tell but it does seem the second fan may be spinning faster than the first fan is. Hard to tell honestly

EDIT: I can fiddle around in X1 to make the fan stop spinning if the GPU drops below 30C, which both fans do stop spinning and start back up again when I adjust it back. So it doesn't appear to be a stop & start issue.
Whatever it is though, it is definitely currently unique to just that 1 fan in question here as the first one seems to be working as it should be even without X1.