Fan on gc making weird noise

[greedy123]

I've got a Sapphire HD 3870 Toxic Vapor-x graphics card and the fan is making a really annoying noise. I've just bought starcraft 2 and everytime I run the game the fan starts making this ridiculous high-pitched whining noise. The temp of the card is running fine and the fan it spinning properly. Any ideas on how to fix it or do I need to buy a new card?

 

[RavenXXX2]

Yeah it may not be the fan but capacitor whine, usually get this when GFX cards are outputting high FPS. Does it happen when on the desktop and you manually set a fan speed ?

 

[Gashman]

yeah what raven said, it'll be capacitor squeal. since fans very rarely break, grind or squeak, apparently enabling Vsync fixes the problem.

 

[greedy123]

Thanks for the responses

Does it happen when on the desktop and you manually set a fan speed ?

I'd try if I knew how. Easy to do?

yeah what raven said, it'll be capacitor squeal. since fans very rarely break, grind or squeak, apparently enabling Vsync fixes the problem.

How do you enable Vsync? I can't see an option in CatalystCC.

 

[Mr Krugga]

It may be a spider that got inside the cooler and makes this weird noise trying to get out!

 

[KnightsWhoSayNi]

It may be a spider that got inside the cooler and makes this weird noise trying to get out!

lol

 

[RavenXXX2]

Thanks for the responses



I'd try if I knew how. Easy to do?



How do you enable Vsync? I can't see an option in CatalystCC.

I take it you're not using MSI afterburner? if not go in to catalyst control center and to overdrive, you can adjust the fan speed in there, if it's not there then download afterburner and try that.

http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/images/MSIAfterburnerSetup200.zip

Vsync does not work through the CCC with ATI it is broke in Vista and Windows 7, you would have to set vsync in game or use rivatuner DXoverrider.

 

[greedy123]

Ok there wasn't an option on CCC so I tried afterburner. The noise started when I set the fan speed too 100% then down to between 40-100%, if it was under it didn't make the noise I've been hearing or if I went up to around 50% instead of down. I tried enabling Vsync in game but that didn't solve it. New card time? The noise is ridiculously unbearable if I can't fix it.

 

[RavenXXX2]

Yeah definitely the fan, you could go for the below cooler, great performance and inexpensive.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-047-AK&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=787

 

[greedy123]

Would it be easy to replace the fan on the card? I'm no soldering expert if that's how it is attached. The card I've got it only a single slot thickness, I don't think that cooler will fit in the case...

 

[RavenXXX2]

You can't fit a dual slot card? as for cooler installing, it's easy and no soldering required.

 

[greedy123]

There is room but it would be butted right up against the back of the sound card, I don't know what impact that would have on airflow/effectiveness of the cooler. For that price I'll buy one and see I think. If not i'll look into a new card. Thanks for the help!

 

[greedy123]

Just installed the new cooler! Had to a bit of improvising to get it to fit on though. One of the resistors on the card was blocking the cable secure clip on the fan. I had to break it off to make it fit but all is well now. I didn't use the thermal compound supplied, instead used some of the Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound.

The fan protrudes a bit annoyingly and was slightly catching on the soundcard two slots down so I wedged a piece of cardboard between to two which separated them enough to stop the problem.

Performance so far shows the card at 43°C, about 10° cooler than before on the desktop (though the computer hasn't been on more than 15 mins, we shall see in an hour if it holds). Going to run starcraft 2 now to see if it all keeps nice and quiet

Update:
Temp didn't go over 59° in starcraft which is good. Can this fan even change speed? Its just directly connected to the psu at the moment so it won't as is i know, but I don't know is connecting it to the psu sets it to 100% speed constantly or something else. Anyone know?