ABIT IC7 Chipset Fan Troubles - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

nothingx · 06-05-2004, 10:16 AM

Okay, so I got a brand new ABIT IC7 in December of last year. About a month ago, the fan on the blue heat sink starts making this horrible groining noise like its about to die. Well, it hasn't died yet, but the noise has started driving me (and my girlfriend) insane. I contacted ABIT about it, and they said a repair would be covered under warrenty, but I would have to RMA it and ship it back to have it replaced/fixed. Now, I dunno about you, but there is NO WAY I can go without my main machine for a couple weeks or whatever it's gonna be to pull this thing out of the case, box it up, ship it out, have it repaired, shipped back, and reinstalled. So, I figured I'd just go out and find some OEM replacement and do it myself... But, of course, I can't find anything anywhere.

Do you guys know where I can find a replacement fan that'll match this thing's size and mounting style? It's the round blue guy in the middle of this picture...

Lasereth · 06-05-2004, 10:34 AM

My girlfriend and my brother's chipset fans made weird as hell noises. My girlfriend eventually took her fan completely off. My brother took the fan out, bent the top of it back up a bit and it fixed it. Yours looks different than the NF7-S chipset fan, so I'm not sure what's causing it. The grill on the aformentioned one was rubbing the fan, causing the noise.

I'm pretty sure motherboard chipset heatsink fans are universal as long as you find one for your chipset. I'd just buy a new one. Hell, you probably don't even need one with a fan...a heatsink would do fine. Shop around NewEgg and other reputable sites!

You're right about RMA'ing it though...my Gigabyte motherboard took a MONTH to get back to me when I sent it in.

-Lasereth

docbungle · 06-05-2004, 11:11 AM

nothingx,

I have the exact same mobo and it is doing the exact same thing to me. It sounds like a wounded moose. It is especially bad if I turn off my comp for a time and then turn it back on. Very annoying. I'll prolly just get a new mobo as I need a new case anyway. Waste of money yes, but I don't have the patience to send it in for repair and be without a pc for however long.

Everyone else I know who has this board of course love it and have absolutely zero problems.

nothingx · 06-05-2004, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by docbungle
It sounds like a wounded moose. It is especially bad if I turn off my comp for a time and then turn it back on. Very annoying.

DUDE!!! THAT'S IT!!! That's exactly the noise it's making, and yes it is absolutely horrid when I leave it off for awhile. It used to be I would turn it on, it would make the noise for awhile, then it would go away... Lately though it's just been non-stop! Sounds like they got some pretty crappy fans put on there since other people are having the same problem. I think I'm gonna try Lasereth's suggestion and see if I can't get in there and bend or pry something to make it knock it off. Otherwise, I'm going to have to hunt for a new replacement. The only thing is, I want to make sure the new one will fit properly and am hoping that someone here has made this kind of replacement and can suggest something that works well.

Dilbert1234567 · 06-05-2004, 11:44 AM

just get a new fan for it, as long sa it keeps teh chipset cool your fine. if you want you can get a bigger fan that would be quieter as well.

hahaha · 06-05-2004, 06:55 PM

Ive got the same mobo, and the same problem. I hear that the chipset doesnt really NEED a fan with the stock heatsink. Instead of taking mine off, I unscrewed it and taped it on with some foam tape. It provides enough cushioning to keep the vibrations from making any noise.

docbungle · 06-06-2004, 08:27 AM

Quote:

It provides enough cushioning to keep the vibrations from making any noise

It's not the vibration making the noise on mine. It is the fan itself. Its rotation will actually slow waaaaaay down for no obvious reason, and that is when it makes the moose noise. It spins so slow you can actually see each rotation of the fan.

theburner · 06-06-2004, 05:37 PM

I have the IC7-Max3 and have the exact same noise. It only happens after a reboot, but usually restarting the system again works. It seems like me the fan can get a tiny bit out of alignment and start smacking the heatsink. Not sure why the restart fixes it, but it hasn't failed me yet. No way I can go withouth my Mobo either.

nothingx · 06-06-2004, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by docbungle
It's not the vibration making the noise on mine. It is the fan itself. Its rotation will actually slow waaaaaay down for no obvious reason, and that is when it makes the moose noise. It spins so slow you can actually see each rotation of the fan.

Yup. Ditto. I have a window in my case (more functional than anything else) and the first thing I did when I heard it was get down there and look at what was happening... sure enough the fan was moving really slowly. There was a tiny bit of dust in there too, but not enough to keep it from moving freely.

Redjake · 06-07-2004, 05:27 AM

I would pop that bitch off and get one of these:

http://www.xoxide.com/zachco.html

I took my loud-ass grinding chipset fan/heatsink combo off my NF7-S and put that on there. Works perfectly.

DISCLAIMER: This bitch is hard as HELL to put on, so be prepared to take out the motherboard for installation. The parts are fucking small as hell and break easily. It's worth it once it's installed, but be very careful during installation.

Lasereth · 06-07-2004, 04:58 PM

Man you guys are sons of bitches! My chipset fan started rubbing today making a horrible grinding noise. Thanks a lot!! Ha ha, what fucking luck. The moment I read this thread my PC starts rubbing. Oh well, time to pop the bitch off and put a huge heatsink on it.

-Lasereth

theburner · 06-16-2004, 10:02 AM

Lasereth..

What are you going to replace it with? I tried O/C'ing last night and my fan took a DUMP! Alarms started going off... I changed the Abit EQ to graphical interface and the RPM's were all over the place.. 3000, 1000, 1500, 500... This fan is CRAP.

I don't want to replace it with just a heatsink in the event I do want to O/C on a more full time basis..

Any suggestions??

Lasereth · 06-16-2004, 03:13 PM

I have a standard heatsink for my chipset now. Installed it the other day! It's quieter than my old fan (ha ha). I'm not sure if it can cool good enough for OC'ing, but I've never heard of the chipsets getting too hot except during massive OC'ing. A few notcies on the FSB shouldn't get it too hot. You might better go ahead and buy another heatsink fan for it if you're gonna OC.

-Lasereth

jvwgtr · 06-17-2004, 09:43 AM

I had the chipset fan on my Abit AN-7 die about a week ago. No noise, just the horrible alarm from the motherboard because the fan was spinning at < 250 RPM.
I got the Zalman heatsink instead of another fan & all is well.

theburner · 06-17-2004, 09:50 AM

I figured out why those fans are failing for everyone. I found a website selling the exact fan for $5 plus $5 freight. Shoot, a good heatsink alone is more than $5.
Great mobo, but CRAPPY NB cooling system.

jvwgtr · 06-18-2004, 12:21 PM

Yeah, it's crazy, from what I've read, they use the cheapest, sleeve-bearing fans, and the life expectancy is about 3-4 months. If I had known that, I would have ripped mine out from the get-go.

Redjake · 06-18-2004, 06:11 PM

mine made such a horrible racket when I got it that I went to the local computer shop and bought a heatsink for it. that says a lot. usually I would just sit there and stare.

AxelF · 06-20-2004, 05:57 PM

My IC7-MAX has the exact same fault.
I'll solve it by puting in watercooling later this summer, since I have high level cpu and gpu that generates an overall noice level too high for me.

nothingx · 06-22-2004, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by theburner
I figured out why those fans are failing for everyone. I found a website selling the exact fan for $5 plus $5 freight. Shoot, a good heatsink alone is more than $5.
Great mobo, but CRAPPY NB cooling system.

There's no way I'd be buying the same fan, no matter how cheap... but just out of curiosity, where did you find it?

theburner · 06-24-2004, 08:40 AM

One of the guys on the Abit Forums (under max series) found it for me after I complained of the problem. Mine finally died (showed as off under Abit EQ) so I stepped up to the plate and got a Swiftech MCX159P. Really really cool Northbridge cooler. Don't know how to link, but google it. Newegg has em.
I thought about the heatsink (as mentioned above) but decided what the hell.

Oh yeah, and a little Arctic Silver 5..

I am installing it this weekend, so I will let you guys know how it goes...

06-05-2004, 10:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
nothingx undead Location: nihilistic freedom	ABIT IC7 Chipset Fan Troubles Okay, so I got a brand new ABIT IC7 in December of last year. About a month ago, the fan on the blue heat sink starts making this horrible groining noise like its about to die. Well, it hasn't died yet, but the noise has started driving me (and my girlfriend) insane. I contacted ABIT about it, and they said a repair would be covered under warrenty, but I would have to RMA it and ship it back to have it replaced/fixed. Now, I dunno about you, but there is NO WAY I can go without my main machine for a couple weeks or whatever it's gonna be to pull this thing out of the case, box it up, ship it out, have it repaired, shipped back, and reinstalled. So, I figured I'd just go out and find some OEM replacement and do it myself... But, of course, I can't find anything anywhere. Do you guys know where I can find a replacement fan that'll match this thing's size and mounting style? It's the round blue guy in the middle of this picture...

06-05-2004, 10:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	My girlfriend and my brother's chipset fans made weird as hell noises. My girlfriend eventually took her fan completely off. My brother took the fan out, bent the top of it back up a bit and it fixed it. Yours looks different than the NF7-S chipset fan, so I'm not sure what's causing it. The grill on the aformentioned one was rubbing the fan, causing the noise. I'm pretty sure motherboard chipset heatsink fans are universal as long as you find one for your chipset. I'd just buy a new one. Hell, you probably don't even need one with a fan...a heatsink would do fine. Shop around NewEgg and other reputable sites! You're right about RMA'ing it though...my Gigabyte motherboard took a MONTH to get back to me when I sent it in. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

06-05-2004, 11:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
docbungle It's all downhill from here Location: Denver	nothingx, I have the exact same mobo and it is doing the exact same thing to me. It sounds like a wounded moose. It is especially bad if I turn off my comp for a time and then turn it back on. Very annoying. I'll prolly just get a new mobo as I need a new case anyway. Waste of money yes, but I don't have the patience to send it in for repair and be without a pc for however long. Everyone else I know who has this board of course love it and have absolutely zero problems. __________________ Bad Luck City

06-05-2004, 11:44 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dilbert1234567 Devils Cabana Boy Location: Central Coast CA	just get a new fan for it, as long sa it keeps teh chipset cool your fine. if you want you can get a bigger fan that would be quieter as well. __________________ Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

06-05-2004, 06:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
hahaha Insane	Ive got the same mobo, and the same problem. I hear that the chipset doesnt really NEED a fan with the stock heatsink. Instead of taking mine off, I unscrewed it and taped it on with some foam tape. It provides enough cushioning to keep the vibrations from making any noise. __________________ "find what's good and make it last" -Bouncing Souls

06-06-2004, 05:37 PM	#8 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	I have the IC7-Max3 and have the exact same noise. It only happens after a reboot, but usually restarting the system again works. It seems like me the fan can get a tiny bit out of alignment and start smacking the heatsink. Not sure why the restart fixes it, but it hasn't failed me yet. No way I can go withouth my Mobo either. __________________ Take Off Eh!

06-07-2004, 05:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
Redjake I'm a family man - I run a family business. Location: Wilson, NC	I would pop that bitch off and get one of these: http://www.xoxide.com/zachco.html I took my loud-ass grinding chipset fan/heatsink combo off my NF7-S and put that on there. Works perfectly. DISCLAIMER: This bitch is hard as HELL to put on, so be prepared to take out the motherboard for installation. The parts are fucking small as hell and break easily. It's worth it once it's installed, but be very careful during installation. __________________ Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

06-07-2004, 04:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	Man you guys are sons of bitches! My chipset fan started rubbing today making a horrible grinding noise. Thanks a lot!! Ha ha, what fucking luck. The moment I read this thread my PC starts rubbing. Oh well, time to pop the bitch off and put a huge heatsink on it. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

06-16-2004, 10:02 AM	#12 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	Lasereth.. What are you going to replace it with? I tried O/C'ing last night and my fan took a DUMP! Alarms started going off... I changed the Abit EQ to graphical interface and the RPM's were all over the place.. 3000, 1000, 1500, 500... This fan is CRAP. I don't want to replace it with just a heatsink in the event I do want to O/C on a more full time basis.. Any suggestions?? __________________ Take Off Eh!

06-16-2004, 03:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	I have a standard heatsink for my chipset now. Installed it the other day! It's quieter than my old fan (ha ha). I'm not sure if it can cool good enough for OC'ing, but I've never heard of the chipsets getting too hot except during massive OC'ing. A few notcies on the FSB shouldn't get it too hot. You might better go ahead and buy another heatsink fan for it if you're gonna OC. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

06-17-2004, 09:43 AM	#14 (permalink)
jvwgtr Completely bananas Location: Florida	I had the chipset fan on my Abit AN-7 die about a week ago. No noise, just the horrible alarm from the motherboard because the fan was spinning at < 250 RPM. I got the Zalman heatsink instead of another fan & all is well.

06-17-2004, 09:50 AM	#15 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	I figured out why those fans are failing for everyone. I found a website selling the exact fan for $5 plus $5 freight. Shoot, a good heatsink alone is more than $5. Great mobo, but CRAPPY NB cooling system. __________________ Take Off Eh!

06-18-2004, 12:21 PM	#16 (permalink)
jvwgtr Completely bananas Location: Florida	Yeah, it's crazy, from what I've read, they use the cheapest, sleeve-bearing fans, and the life expectancy is about 3-4 months. If I had known that, I would have ripped mine out from the get-go.

06-18-2004, 06:11 PM	#17 (permalink)
Redjake I'm a family man - I run a family business. Location: Wilson, NC	mine made such a horrible racket when I got it that I went to the local computer shop and bought a heatsink for it. that says a lot. usually I would just sit there and stare. __________________ Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

06-20-2004, 05:57 PM	#18 (permalink)
AxelF Crazy Location: Europe	My IC7-MAX has the exact same fault. I'll solve it by puting in watercooling later this summer, since I have high level cpu and gpu that generates an overall noice level too high for me. __________________ Coffee

06-24-2004, 08:40 AM	#20 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	One of the guys on the Abit Forums (under max series) found it for me after I complained of the problem. Mine finally died (showed as off under Abit EQ) so I stepped up to the plate and got a Swiftech MCX159P. Really really cool Northbridge cooler. Don't know how to link, but google it. Newegg has em. I thought about the heatsink (as mentioned above) but decided what the hell. Oh yeah, and a little Arctic Silver 5.. I am installing it this weekend, so I will let you guys know how it goes... __________________ Take Off Eh!