My CPU fan shutting down.

My CPU fan shutting down. It happened a few times in the past but it just got over it.

But for the past couple of days my fan is stopping and not starting up again. Sometimes If I restart the computer it will start up for a short while but then shut down again.

I noticed the issue when Speedfan - SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer

indicated that my temperature was almost 80C. And I wasn't doing anything. I've been searching on line for a replacement fan but I have a Acer Aspire X1430 desktop. A small computer case and a very small CPU fan. I've got a half dozen or more fans here but just my luck, known of them fit. And it's hard to find this model on line.

For now I did find a way to force the fan to work.

I had to go into my BIOS, by clicking on the Delete key while booting up my computer. Then in the BIOS menu I have to navigate to the Advanced section and highlight PC Heath Status. It shows me the temperature and fan speed, listed as N/A. The only option I can change in my case is Smart Fan. I just click on Enter key. And I use the arrow key to move up or down the menu and either Enable or Disable it. In this case I want to disable so I highlight it and press Enter.

Then I press F10 and then Yes to Save and Exit. It got my fan working again although a little noisier. A temporary fix until I can come across another CPU fan. But my question is, is this simply a fan gone bad or some other bigger problem waiting to happen?

when you disabled smartfan you told your system to always run the fan at full speed so now its a little louder. No biggie. You can keep it like that for good if you want.

When you have smartfan enabled the system boots with the fan at full speed but then reduces its voltage when the cpu load is low, in order to make it more quiet. But over time the fan has gotten clogged with dust and this means friction so that low voltage produced by smartfan is not quite enough to keep the fan spinning like it used to, so it stops. You can either clean out the fan with compressed air (with computer off and unplugged) and that may make it good as new, or get a new fan, as its not certain that dust is what's causing the friction, as Mellon pointed out. If it were me, I'd unscrew (but keep those screws!) the fan and take it to any computer store and see if they have a fan that will line up with the screwholes on your current fan, and then use that fan as a replacement. If its screwholes line up, its the right size. You should also make sure it has the same amperage. On your fan right now it will say somewhere on it something like 1.3A, or 1.2A, or whatever. Get a fan that matches that. Or maybe it will even have a model number and you can just order one just like it. Meantime you are safe just running it as full speed, i.e. with smartfan disabled. The following link tells you how to unscrew your particular fan. Do not mess with the metal heatshink, just the fan...

Removing The Heat Sink Fan Assembly - Acer Aspire X1430 Manual [Page 32]

To control fan speed, the MB reduces it's voltage.
2 problems may be occurring and you should replace ASAP.
- Mechanical - at low speed it stall's and stop (most caused by bearing or sleeve without lubricant).
- MB has a voltage control failure and works only On - Off (stopped or full speed).

On the fan, measure the distance (in mm) between screws (it seems to be a 40 or 50 mm). Search and buy a new.

You can try to replace the heat sink and fan. It seems you'll need to remove the MB to do it.

Check CPU fan : if it doesn't work, shutdown your PC to avoid serious damages.

On first step clean the dust and move the fan to see if when you turn on it return to blow the air.

Second change it with a new one.

The air flow is from CPU to outside because it must remove the heat.!

Thanks for the replies. i was just wondering if it was a fan issue or a MB issue.

alucardx said:

Thanks for the replies. i was just wondering if it was a fan issue or a MB issue.

LOL.... if it was only that simple we would all be geniuses!