Yes, a malfunctioning GPU fan can lead to a POST halt.
Yes, a malfunctioning GPU fan can lead to a POST halt.
I had an unusual crash last night while using VR. After checking the host system, it seems a fan on my Zotac 1070 Mini has stopped working properly. It vibrates strongly even when running at low speeds or manually spun. This isn't too serious—I've already ordered a replacement from AliExpress. What worries me more is that the machine suddenly stops before or during POST. During POST, one fan seems to spin up quickly and then shut down repeatedly. Is this a test for load or resistance? Would a bad fan make the GPU hesitate to start? I haven't seen a GPU fan fail before, so I'm not sure what's happening. When it does POST, everything works fine except for 3D tasks, which are affected.
Not connected to the GPU; probably issues with power supply or storage devices plus unsecured cables.
The GPU temps are currently being monitored. The system hasn’t been dusted recently, so cleaning might be needed soon. The GTX 1070 may need new thermal paste if temperatures stay high without visible damage. The fan won’t stop it from overheating, but the card could fail over time.
It seems like one of my SSDs (a Lexar 512GB NS100 SATA) has stopped working properly. This is unusual since it's the newest model I've got; I bought it just last month and kept it in its packaging for a while before installing it. Fortunately, it was only storing my Steam and GOG libraries, so maybe some files were lost. I also fixed the faulty fan on the 1070 by cleaning and refreshing the TIM, but it was making noise and offering very little airflow. Since the bad fan was near the power regulators, I swapped it out for the second fan temporarily. This is just a stopgap until the new parts arrive.