[SOLVED] Fans and pump suddenly running full speed?

Raise1nce

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Feb 21, 2019
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CPU: i7-8700
Cooler: Kraken x72 (recently installed for cpu upgrade in future)
Mobo: Gigabyte Z370-HD3

So I noticed the other day that my PC was making more noise than usual.. First port of call was to check CPU load and I noticed that winlogui was running.. found out that it's a bitcoin mining malware so I used malware bytes to get rid of it. The fans were still making quite some noise and looking in CAM the pump is running at I believe, its max of 2000RPM and the Fans are at 1270RPM. I am not getting a CPU temperature reading. I also am not getting any CPU temp reading in HWMonitor and when I try to run Core Temp it says: Driver has failed to load. The program will not continue. I've opened the PC and cleaned it of all dust just incase but I'm thinking a cable might be disconnected thats preventing me from getting temperature readings so I'm going to open that and check. Any help much appreciated.

for some reason the instant I open task manager my CPU usage goes from 70% > 20% > 5%. is this normal for everyone and I'm just looking for a problem and thought there was something there?
 
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I think I've found the issue. I had my suspicions but thought it seemed silly to even ask about it... It seems a new game release; VALORANT has an anticheat (a very controversial rootkit) that blocks certain drivers with vulnerabilities in them.. and that the driver used by some temperature monitoring software is one of those vulnerable drivers... Weren't expecting that one were you Paperdoc.. :') I certainly wasn't..

topic about it here (if links are allowed not sure)
**did the suggested install older version of CAM.. instantly fixed problem. Thank you all for your help with this issue. At the very least my pc is now more free of malware than it was when this all began..
View...

Paperdoc

Polypheme
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Last first. Do not worry. When you open Task Manager that's a new job that uses some system resources to start and display some stuff. Then it sits back and waits for input. That amounts to a burst of system use that rapidly drops to very little, exactly what it shows you.

I agree, you should be checking for loose connections involving the fans and pump of your AIO system. There are several cables from the multi-header cable from the Pump. Remember to check the one that goes to a mobo USB2 header, too.

After that, try looking in Device Manager for yellow triangles that warn of a failure in some system, often a missing Device Driver. Pay particular attention to the USB devices and drivers. If you find any like that, RIGHT-click on it and choose to Update the driver. For now, let it choose its own, and see if that removes the yellow triangle. Reboot and look again in Device Manager. If all is clear, check whether you still have some of those issues.

I that still does not get it working, you might consider UN-installing the CAM software, rebooting, then RE-Installing it. That might help it recover from some disruption of connections.
 

Raise1nce

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Feb 21, 2019
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Thanks for your reply. So the current situation is this. I can see the CPU temp in bios, however CAM software (and other cpu temperature monitoring software is not getting the temp info of the CPU. On checking the wires/connections, the Pump is connected to the motherboard, and there is power going to the pump as It is illuminated with the NZXT logo. What other cables or problems could be causing this?
I have since reinstalled CAM but it is not the problem. This is supported by the fact that no other software can get the cpu temp info. I believe the fans and pump are doing their job fine, they just don't have the necessary information allow it to follow their speed settings
 

Karadjgne

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Malwarebytes is a good program, but not the best. Because there is no best. All of the maleare/trojan/virus killer software relies on ppl actually getting the infection, then reporting it back to the software designers. Unfortunately, they can't always see exactly what damage may or may not have been done, nor fix the multitudes of hybrids that pop-up nor sometimes the leftover 'sleeper' software that as soon as you remove the infection, stuffs it right back in under your nose. Nor do they always share info with other companies, so you'll see one company that can kill the virus, and another that doesn't even detect it, yet.

So I'd advise that you get a little more pro-active, and get a second or even third malware killer and a decent Antivirus and run them all. Spybot: Search and Destroy, Hitman Pro are my goto secondaries, if there's anything left after the 3 of them get done, I've yet to see it.

But it does sound like you have a sleeper, most likely something in a windows temp file, that's trying to or already has reinstalled all or partial virus/malware (they are not the same thing).

So I would run a full system scan, include root kits, of another malware killer and an Antivirus you trust. But first I'd run cCleaner and it's registry tool, several times (say Yes to backups of registry fixes) to make sure your internet, temp files, downloaded stuff is cleaned out, then hit the virus killers.

Your pc got a wound, and you did good with cleaning it out, but these extra steps are like having a nurse look at it and giving it a bath in antiseptic and antibiotics.

Even if you find nothing wrong, that's a bonus, you'll know for sure that all that needs fixing is the issues, and not the causes.
 

Paperdoc

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When you say the Pump is connected to the mobo, please tell us WHICH mobo header that is. However, that should not be causing this issue. That piece of info is sent to the mobo from one of the CPU chip pins, and is not affected by the CPU_FAN header. What is intriguing is that you say you CAN see the CPU temperature in BIOS Setup which means the mobo DOES have that info. And yet, CAM and some other third-party utility can NOT see that same info. I had hopes that the process of UNinstalling CAM, rebooting, and RE-installinig CAM might let it do a fresh search and find the info bits it needs. Did you try that?

BUT - odd thought, but look anyway : See your manual, p. 21-23. Under MIT Advanced Frequency Settings, there is an item called "CPU Thermal Monitor" which can allow you to disable a CPU temperature monitoring and action system for CPU overheating. Apparently it should be set to Auto, but check that in case the malware somehow interfered with the way that temp reading is used.
 

Raise1nce

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Feb 21, 2019
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OK. So, I have tried reinstalling CAM in the exact sequence you suggested to no avail. I checked in the BIOS and CPU Thermal Monitor was indeed set to 'Auto' I tried to enable it, reinstall CAM and nothing changed, so I reverted this back to Auto and once again reinstalled CAM. I have also tried as you suggested and looked in device manager. There was surprisingly no yellow triangles or any signals that there was an outdated driver or anything.

The Pump connects here into this header, I pulled the cable out, blew on it and put it back in, the header was labelled 'USB' https://ibb.co/mynvkRG The pump also has a SATA looking cable, that branches off into 2, 4 threaded strands, one of which goes to the fans on the radiator, and the other goes to the power supply.
I'd also like to note that, whether or not this is optimal (tho from watching installation videos etc it seemed to be correct), it did work for months in this configuration with no problems.

This is a picture from my fan settings in the BIOS incase it sheds light on anything https://ibb.co/gFrPXNs

Lastly, I'd just like to show CAM and HWMonitor; https://ibb.co/MRVNmmx
I also notice that HWMonitor shows "intel core i7" and it is at the very bottom of the list. I had thought previously it was always at the very top of this list.. It's almost like an afterthought at the moment.. Here you can also see that HWMonitor shows no temperatures in relation to the cpu, and CAM also has no reading - but the previous image of the BIOS shows CPU temps.

**I've just read also that the BIOS will get its temperature info from a different sensor than software will? Something to do with a chip on the motherboard near the socket, whereas the CPU also has a sensor in it.. Not sure if it's relevant but it might give you an idea.
 
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Paperdoc

Polypheme
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All of those connections make sense, and they are working. Your pump and the rad fans have reasonable speeds, and CAM can read them via the USB connection. The only thing odd is that BIOS can read the CPU temperature, but other utilities cannot.

I don't have CAM. But I notice that, for both the Fan and the Pump, there is a drop-down menu that says "Custom". Also at the top there is a choice of Master Profile set to "custom1". My guess is that these are places you choose which type of cooling curve is used. So, what are the other options? And, more importantly, did YOU set it the way it is, or has that been changed without your knowledge?

Another thought from considering the temp sensor. Clearly, different CPU families do it a little differently. So, in CAM, is there a place where YOU can set exactly what CPU chip you have (or at least its maker and/or family)? Maybe under the System Specs heading at upper left? That may involve how CAM looks for the temp reading it needs.
 

Raise1nce

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Feb 21, 2019
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The dropdown options for fan and pump aside from my custom curve are 'Silent' 'Performance' and 'Fixed' I have tried setting these to silent and still no change. The CAM software seems to identify my CPU make and model on its own and this doesn't seem changeable. It is correctly detected as an i7-8700.

Are these fan and pump speeds ok though? I believe that pump speed is the absolute max it should be running, and the fan aswell? Surely running at full throttle all day and night isn't ideal.
 

Raise1nce

Prominent
Feb 21, 2019
26
0
530
I think I've found the issue. I had my suspicions but thought it seemed silly to even ask about it... It seems a new game release; VALORANT has an anticheat (a very controversial rootkit) that blocks certain drivers with vulnerabilities in them.. and that the driver used by some temperature monitoring software is one of those vulnerable drivers... Weren't expecting that one were you Paperdoc.. :') I certainly wasn't..

topic about it here (if links are allowed not sure)
**did the suggested install older version of CAM.. instantly fixed problem. Thank you all for your help with this issue. At the very least my pc is now more free of malware than it was when this all began..
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/VALORANT/comments/g9h14x/issue_with_cpuz_file_and_vanguard_nzxt_cam/
 
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Solution