Question [SOLVED] Graphics card blower fan is always spinning at 5400 RPM. Can't change. (Titan X Pascal)

[AzatharTS]

Hi. I recently picked up a Titan X Pascal. The card works and is in great shape, but the blower fan is ALWAYS spinning at around 5400 RPM, even while idle. Because of this, the card is VERY loud.

The problem is that I can't change the fan RPM at all. I have tried changing the fan speed with programs like MSI Afterburner (see the "Things I have tried" section for more details). GPU-Z detects both the fan speed and the fan RPM, but those numbers don't match up. I tried running a game on the Titan X Pascal and the fan speed gradually went from 23% to 37% according to GPU-Z, but the RPM was always around 5400 RPM.

I scoured some forums and some said that it could be a dead fan controller, but I'm not sure since the fan speed and RPM are still detected.

If anyone can help me solve this problem, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Things I have tried (all of which did not work):
- Changing the fan speed in MSI Afterburner
- Changing the fan speed in ASUS GPU Tweak III
- Changing the fan speed in EVGA Precision X1
- Uninstalling and reinstalling drivers
- Reinserting the card into the PCIe slot
- Checking the power connectors to make sure they were seated properly
- Messed around with BIOS settings
- Resetting the BIOS
- Put the card in an entirely different computer

 

[AzatharTS]

[UPDATE + SOLUTION]

So for context I bought this thing from a decommissioned CAD workstation, and the guy said those things got barely any use. Considering the immaculate condition it came in, I believe him. Because of this, I doubted there were any technical defects with the card.
I asked the seller if he knew how to solve this. He said that he was informed that a few Titan X Pascal's in the batch had their fan speed sensor wire capped so it would run at max speed. So basically it was a matter of removing the GPU cooler, removing the rubber cap, and sticking that wire back into the plastic connector. I did that and the thing is working as good as new.
So, yeah. Kind of a peculiar fix. But if you happen to be the one in a billion people who buys tech from decommissioned enterprise units and stumbles upon this issue, maybe you will find this helpful.

 

[koka_suru]

Did you happen to buy yours off of eBay for 160 dollars and there was 2 available because I bought one from a listing that have a description very similar to what you described and I'm having the same issue so I was curious to see if you bought the other one

 

[koka_suru]

I sold a few days before I bought the other one so I was thinking it was possible we bought it from the same guy

 

[AzatharTS]

Did you happen to buy yours off of eBay for 160 dollars and there was 2 available because I bought one from a listing that have a description very similar to what you described and I'm having the same issue so I was curious to see if you bought the other one

Pretty sure I did, although there were more than two available at the time I bought mine (the guy sold eight in total. I likely bought the third or fourth one). The guy noted that he was informed after shipping them out that some of the batch were capped. I took the card apart and removed the cap. I have been using the card for a few days now and it has been working fine.
So it's very likely that you were experiencing the same problem as I did. Taking apart the card and removing the cap would be your fix. It's a bit of a pain in the neck but doable.

 

[tweak45]

[UPDATE + SOLUTION]

So for context I bought this thing from a decommissioned CAD workstation, and the guy said those things got barely any use. Considering the immaculate condition it came in, I believe him. Because of this, I doubted there were any technical defects with the card.
I asked the seller if he knew how to solve this. He said that he was informed that a few Titan X Pascal's in the batch had their fan speed sensor wire capped so it would run at max speed. So basically it was a matter of removing the GPU cooler, removing the rubber cap, and sticking that wire back into the plastic connector. I did that and the thing is working as good as new.
So, yeah. Kind of a peculiar fix. But if you happen to be the one in a billion people who buys tech from decommissioned enterprise units and stumbles upon this issue, maybe you will find this helpful.

My friend, if we ever meet, I will buy you a Case of whatever beer you drink. I bought my Titan X from the same vendor as you back in May. I've had this video card for nearly 2 months and have only fired up my system 7 or 8 times because of the wind tunnel that is this graphics card fan running constantly at full speed. I even took the shrouds off, early on, to see if I could figure out the problem and I missed that wire being disconnected. It took me about an hour to apply your fix and now I am slightly po'ed because my AIO pump isn't quite as quiet as I first thought. :^D

Seriously, though, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can now get on with the playing of the games which is why I bought this beast. Good on ya.