8 reasons why the video card fan does not spin and how to fix it

Video card  is a device that specializes in processing information about images in  a computer.  This can be said to be one of the most important parts of the machine. The fan of the video card needs to spin to dissipate heat and give the best picture quality. So what to do if the video card fan is not spinning? Let's find out the cause and how to fix it in this article!

1. VGA fan not spinning due to semi-passive cooling mode

-  Cause : Some video cards come with a semi-passive cooling mode. This will cause the fan to  stop spinning  under low load conditions  . And they only work when they reach the limited temperature threshold   (about 60°C) specified by the company.

Some video cards come with semi-passive cooling like  Asus ROG Strix , MSI GAMING X, ARMOR, Gigabyte Gaming,.

-  How to fix : Observe and monitor whether the video card fan rotates when playing games, working with heavy loads or not spinning at all. If the monitor fan just doesn't spin when the machine is operating or working with a light load, then you can rest assured. Because this is a manufacturer's design, it will  not affect  the overall operation of the machine, but on the contrary, it will bring  certain benefits  .

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2. Loose PCIe power connection

-  Cause : Usually, the video card requires additional power through the  PCIe connectors  (6 pins / 8 pins). When the connectors of these pins are  loose  or  deformed  , the fan will not spin.

-  How to fix : Use  a digital multimeter  to check the output voltage of the PCIe connector.

Tip: The meter should be read at ~ 12V .

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3. Driver problem causing video card fan to not spin

-  Cause :  Driver  is  faulty  or too  old .

-  How to fix :

+  Upgrade driver : If the driver does not work because  the version is too old , then you need to update the driver to the latest version.

+  Go back to the old version : If you only encounter this situation  after you have upgraded the driver , it is possible that the newly updated version is faulty, you need to return to the old driver version to use.

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4. Damaged wiring, GPU fan connector

-  Cause : Due to factors such as  short wire  or heat causing the wire to  melt  , the connector, the GPU fan connector is damaged or not connected properly.

-  How to fix :  check  and  reinstall  the connector, GPU fan connector.

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5. The video card fan is not running due to a lot of dust

-  Cause : Because there is a lot of dust on the fan and small dust particles are trapped deep inside, making the fan unable to rotate.

-  How to fix : You can use  compressed air  to clean the fan or remove the fan to clean it separately to keep the card and heatsink cleaner.

When performing this step, make sure the  fan cable  and the  video card  are firmly attached.

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6. Computer power failure (PSU)

-  Cause : Because  the computer source does  not provide enough  operating power for the GPU.

-  Solution : Replace the new PSU.

When doing this, buy one with  the recommended wattage  and never buy one below the PSU's load capacity.

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7. Error due to broken video card fan

-  Cause : Due to faulty or completely damaged video card fan.

-  How to fix :  Replace  with a new equivalent fan.

The new video card fan needs to be the  same size ,  voltage ,  mounting hole and connector  as the old fan to fit the video card. Otherwise it cannot be used.

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8. Fan not running because VGA BIOS is broken

-  Cause : One of the damaged VGA BIOS   will affect the GPU settings.

-  How to fix : Use  Nvidia NVFlash  and  AMD ATIFlash tools  to fix VGA BIOS errors.

This is the rarest case and the fix is ​​also quite complicated compared to other ways. So, try to check for other causes and then proceed with this step.

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Answers to some related questions

Is the video card fan not spinning serious?

-  Answer : Fans are actively cooler of the video card. If it doesn't rotate completely or doesn't rotate properly then it's a serious problem that needs to be fixed promptly. If your fan does not spin at high load, the  VGA and GPU will generate high heat, reducing performance, and even causing damage to the video card and graphics card.

What's wrong with just one fan not spinning?

-  Answer : If only one fan spins and the other fan of the video card does not work, then you are very likely faulty fan. Try the above ways to check the fan or replace it with a new one to make sure the video card is working at its best. Besides, if your video card is new and under warranty, you can take it to its service center for a free replacement.

Is the video card fan spinning slowly?

-  Answer : If the video card fan rotates slowly when idle or operating with low productivity, you can rest assured to use it normally. Because this is the new design of most fans today. The video card fan slows down to reduce noise, prolong the life of the fan, and save a small amount of power when in use.

The above article provides information on the causes and how to fix the video card fan error that stops spinning. Hope the article can be of help to you. Good luck.

Kareem Winters

Update 10 June 2021