Hey everyone! I've recently swapped my original CPU fan for a Noctua model because I wanted a quieter setup. The problem is, it doesn't spin at all until the CPU temperature hits 60°C, and then it stops again once the temperature drops to 35°C. I've tried using FanControl and SpeedFan to set a speed curve, but it looks like they don't support my Aspire TC-895 setup. The BIOS only allows the fan to run at full speed, which defeats the purpose of having a quiet fan.
Is there a way to get the fan to run consistently at a low speed? My computer is usually under light load, but it runs for most of the day, and I'm worried that the CPU temps, which can reach up to 50°C, might be too high. The room is currently at 10°C, but it'll warm up as spring and summer approach.
Just to note, the original fan was a CoolerMaster PWM (12V, 0.36A) and the Noctua is an NF-A8 PWM (12V, 0.08A). Thanks in advance! 🙂
3 Answers
So, based on what you mentioned, it seems like you’re dealing with an OEM motherboard. That’s often the case when the BIOS doesn’t give you much to work with. Have you considered updating the BIOS? Sometimes enabling Smart Fan Control can help. But there’s a chance the fan could have a proprietary connector, which would be pretty uncommon.
It sounds like the Noctua might be wired differently than the CoolerMaster. For instance, the Noctua usually has a Black/Yellow/Green/Blue setup: Ground/Power/RPM/PWM. Meanwhile, the CoolerMaster might be Ground/Power/PWM/RPM. This could be why you’re not getting a proper signal. Isn't it odd that it reacts to high temperatures, though? That's strange.
Great point! The BIOS did show a fan speed for the CoolerMaster but not for the Noctua. I thought switching the PWM and RPM wires might help, but it caused the fan to run at full speed constantly, which wasn’t what I wanted. Now I'm back to thinking maybe the wiring is fine, but the fan curve isn't set right.
First off, are you sure the fans are plugged into the correct motherboard headers? It’s essential to double-check that the Noctua is in the same port as the CoolerMaster was. If you just swapped them and everything's in the right place, then we might be hitting a wiring issue.
Yep, it’s the same port and everything. Just a straight swap.
Sorry if my wording was confusing. The BIOS does have a Smart Fan Control option, but it behaves as I described: stagnant until it reaches 60°C, then off when it’s below 35°C. I was hoping to adjust a fan curve to get it to run at lower temps, but it doesn't seem possible.