Issue with Fan Control on Used RTX 4060 Ti Eagle
Issue with Fan Control on Used RTX 4060 Ti Eagle
Hello, I recently purchased a used Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Eagle (8GB) and have encountered a problem with the fans. The two closest to the HDMI ports (Fans 1 and 2) are either completely off or spinning at full speed (around 3000 RPM), with no intermediate setting. The third fan is working normally, changing its speed as expected.
I’ve attempted various troubleshooting methods—such as using MSI Aftonburner for manual control, testing different Nvidia driver versions, and checking the Gigabyte control center—but Fans 1 and 2 still don’t respond properly. They either stay at 0% or 100%, without any smooth adjustment.
It seems Fans 1 and 2 share a single header (Header A), while the third fan has its own separate header (Header B). I’m curious if reconnecting Fans 1 and 2 to Header B (where Fan 3 is functioning well) and leaving Header A unplugged could help. Would this approach cause any issues, or might it resolve the fan behavior?
Any guidance or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Welcome to the forums, newcomer! If the fans aren't reacting through software, you might want to think about returning the item for repair if you're still covered by warranty. You could fix them yourself, but if you're within a warranty period, doing so will cancel that warranty when you take apart the card.
The fan rpm speed could be malfunctioning. There are two main types, the traditional 3-pin fans and the newer PWM 4-pin models. The older fans operated in analog mode, so voltage adjustments affected their speed, making them run slower. The newer PWM fans use digital control with pulse signals that dictate how long the fan should operate within specific intervals.
For the older fans, the main failures were usually the RPM sensing connection or the motor itself. With PWM fans, if the pulse signal is disrupted, the fan may either stop completely or run at full speed depending on whether power continues through the designated pins.
To verify functionality, you could disconnect one of the 3rd fans from its header and connect a single fan (one at a time) to the same header, testing control without using any games or 3D apps. This should help determine if the issue lies with the fans themselves.
If testing confirms the fans work properly with just one connected fan, consider alternatives. Connecting all three to the same header isn’t recommended due to power consumption concerns. You might need custom cables to split the PWM signals from the second header while maintaining power and ground connections to the first two fans. This way, they would receive the same signal as the second header but draw power from their original source, which is designed for those fans.
Another option is to install these two fans on an external controller, even a blank one from the motherboard. In this case, third-party fan control software like "Fan Control" (https://getfancontrol.com/) would be useful. It allows custom speed settings based on temperature data, letting you adjust speeds using GPU controls or similar tools, ensuring safe operation without risking damage.
Thank you for your clarification. If I continue with testing, do I have to use new thermal paste or is it okay to reuse what’s already there? I won’t be playing during the test—just running a fan curve in Afterburne.
Regarding swapping fans without testing, would the header handle only two fans safely? You mentioned the risk of connecting three fans together, but I’m unsure if two would be sufficient. As for the third fan, since it goes through cooling fins and into an open area, I think leaving it disconnected is fine.
As you suggested, the alternative would be to replace the fans entirely.
If you need to remove the heatsink to reach the fan headers, yes, you should replace the thermal paste. You might also have to swap out the thermal pads if any are damaged. Exercise extra care during this step, as it’s important to understand the pad thickness to ensure proper contact. Otherwise, the memory chips or voltage/power regulators they’re usually mounted on in GPUs won’t cool properly.
Well, you've already tried the fan speed limiter in MSI afterburner and confirmed it didn't function. That suggests either an issue with the fans themselves or with the header. You'll need to determine which one is faulty. If the fans are the problem, swapping them should resolve the issue. If the header is the culprit, you have a few possibilities: you can either isolate the PWM signal from the other header and continue drawing power from it, or connect the fans to a different PWM header and use external software like the one I mentioned earlier to control their speed based on GPU temperature.
Edit: It seems there might be another approach, but it would require specialized tools and expertise to trace the problem on the card's PCB—such as checking for broken traces, burnt pins, or faulty components. Repairing this could involve using a multimeter with fine leads, possibly an oscilloscope to monitor PWM pulses, a hot air soldering station for component removal, a microscope with high magnification, flux, kaptcon tape, and UV light for activation. In short, it could cost over $1000 in equipment, and you'd still need skill in micro-soldering and board repair.
The fourth choice would be to take the device to a professional repair shop for fixing it.
Through further investigation, it appears you can link your two fans to a PWM splitter and connect it to your motherboard for proper control (provided the fans are functioning). After evaluating all possibilities, my top recommendation is to take out the GPU fans and install two 120mm case fans instead, using the motherboard to manage them. Thank you for the assistance.