Abit IC-7 northbridge fan being a tit

[GeneralDodo]

Everytime I turn on my PC, the fan makes a horrible noise, until i turn it on and off a few times, then it goes away. i'm considering replacing this fan with perhaps a VGA fan, since they seem about the same size and like it would work for it. any suggestions?

 

[Alec§taar]

Everytime I turn on my PC, the fan makes a horrible noise, until i turn it on and off a few times, then it goes away. i'm considering replacing this fan with perhaps a VGA fan, since they seem about the same size and like it would work for it. any suggestions?

Heh, we have a "common-ground" on this one:

My 2nd system uses an Abit IC7-Max III mobo, which imo/overall, is a good mobo to this day & one of the best rated of its time circa 2003 iirc!

(Pentium 4 3.2ghz CPU, GeForce 6800 GT OC by BFG, WD Raptor 10,000rpm 8mb buffered SATA 1 disk, 512mb RAM - makeup of that rig I have here (it's now my SQLServer 2005/IIS6.x on Windows Server 2003 "lab machine" here for doing VB.NET/ASP.NET coding to them))...

AND, I too, had that particular fan die on me!



* So, how'd I "fix" it?

Heh, real "ghetto-style":

I put a small 486 heatsink fan ontop of it that I had lying around here that has a "ball bearing based design", so hopefully? It will last...

(Has so far for about a year - the old dead fan is unplugged & just sits in there in the center of it)

APK

P.S.=> You know the "circular heatsink" around the fan itself on them? Well, you can use those older 486 heatsink fans by screwing your screws into the spaces between the "slats/fins" on that circular heatsink, & power the fan up on ordinary power ends... that's how I did it @ least! apk

 

[GeneralDodo]

is it possible to remove the fan from the board without having to remove it from the case? ;s

 

[Alec§taar]

is it possible to remove the fan from the board without having to remove it from the case? ;s

You know, probably... just like pulling a heatsink/fan combo off of a vidcard... but, I am hesitant to tell you "go for it", personally!



* I didn't do that myself... so, I can't just go and tell YOU to do so either imo!

APK

P.S.=> What I did? It works (a bit 'shady' but, it does work well enough)...

See photo (right under CPU, & over GeForce 6800 GT OC, should be visible HOW I did it):

apk

 

[GeneralDodo]

my fan is different from yours, i'll post up some pics in a few

 

[GeneralDodo]

what you see to the left is what im planning to replace the fan with, without the heatsink its currently attached to though. I dont want to have to remove the entire motherboard to remove that fan though, if that is what I have to do :-/

 

[Alec§taar]

my fan is different from yours, i'll post up some pics in a few

Probably!

I was going to say something about that in my first reply to you...

I just wasn't SURE about your mobo model (I have the "enhanced/upgrade/deluxe" edition in the IC7-Max III, & iirc, there is/was a plain-jane IC7 - you prove that much).

Anyhow - you might be able to "rig" it the way I did up above in that pic (ugly, & not very "professional" but, does the job - "GHETTO-STYLE!").

APK

P.S.=> Yup, it appears you have no "teeth" (fins/heatsink slats) to 'grab ahold of' for a rigjob like I did above... damn! apk

 

[GeneralDodo]

today I watched the fan closely as it was making noise upon starting it up this morning. It was spinning slow, and looked like it would get stuck a bit. not sure what could be causing this though. After a few blasts of compressed air I got it spinning faster and it stayed that way and stopped making noise

 

[Alec§taar]

Same Thing That Happened To Mine, Just Before It Outright Died...

today I watched the fan closely as it was making noise upon starting it up this morning. It was spinning slow, and looked like it would get stuck a bit. not sure what could be causing this though. After a few blasts of compressed air I got it spinning faster and it stayed that way and stopped making noise

See subject-line/title above - same, same, same...



* I'd replace it, or do a "rigjob" like I did (in your case? imo, not doable, as their are NO heatsink fins for you to "grab onto")...

APK

 

[GeneralDodo]

I dont know how to remove the NB hsf ];

 

[Aevum]

well, theres 2 ways to connect it, its either pin clipped or the old glue/thermal paste mix was used, if its pin clipped in, your going to have to remove the motherboard and press the pin clips on the other side of the motherboard, or use a pair of pliers and cut the plastic pins, which is hardware in the small space you have to work in,

if its thermal glue attached, you have to do some lever action and hope you get the fan/heatsink and not the northbridge itself,

then, if you have space there, put a GPU cooler on it and use some kind of variable voltage controller to reduce RPM, i wonder if i can fit my old VF300 AlCu on my NF4

 

[Alec§taar]

Sounds about right, but he doesn't wanna pull his mobo (some of that may need that)

See subject-line/title first, above:

well, theres 2 ways to connect it, its either pin clipped or the old glue/thermal paste mix was used, if its pin clipped in, your going to have to remove the motherboard and press the pin clips on the other side of the motherboard, or use a pair of pliers and cut the plastic pins, which is hardware in the small space you have to work in,

That's about RIGHT though most likely, no question, since his may not be "adhesed" on using Arctic Silver Thermal Cement (what I use), or thermal pad glued on.

If that's the case, that'd do it - vidcards are that way 9/10 times too on their heatsink/fan setups, using clips/mountpins.

if its thermal glue attached, you have to do some lever action and hope you get the fan/heatsink and not the northbridge itself,

I've "twisted" them off before too, but you have to GO EASY...

then, if you have space there, put a GPU cooler on it and use some kind of variable voltage controller to reduce RPM, i wonder if i can fit my old VF300 AlCu on my NF4

Good idea, sounds like it'd all work, & MAY mean mobo pulling though - again, what he wants to avoid. See exhibit A, below:

is it possible to remove the fan from the board without having to remove it from the case? ;s

ROCK, & a HARD PLACE!

APK

P.S.=> Well, good luck, whatever it comes down to (he gave you a decent guide for doing it if it comes to displacing the mobo, pulling ALL the other cards & cables first (ugh), & then yanking it out for work on a FLAT TABLE (a must)... apk

 

[GeneralDodo]

okay I found out how the fan is held in place. it just uses some clips, easy to remove. I just dont know which fan I should use to replace it. This NB fan rotates at 6400 RPM ( when it isnt jammed, obviously ), so i'm actually wanting a replacement fan ( something small, a VGA fan or something ) that can spin this quick because I am assuming that it's what my motherboard needs? ( assumption ). Unless the motherboard sets the fan to spin this quick, then I guess any fan would be okay ( but I am also not too sure if thats the way it works ). I already know how to remove it though, so thats taken care of. How will I paste or mount a VGA fan on the motherboard if they dont use these clips things?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835110106 Hows this?