CPU Fan Not Spinning/Working: How to Fix It
Last updated on January 19th, 2023 at 05:55 pm
Having your CPU fan working is very crucial for having a healthy working computer. Without it, your CPU will overheat and get damaged.
If you boot up your computer and the CPUs cooling fan isn’t spinning, then most likely there is a problem and you need it fixed as soon as possible.
Throughout this article, we will go in-depth on all the different reasons why your CPU fan might stop spinning and how to fix it. By the end of this article, you should have it working and spinning like new, so make sure you don’t skip a step.
How Do You Fix Your CPU Fan Not Spinning?
When your CPU fan doesn’t start spinning on startup this can be due to a problem with the Cooling fan itself, the motherboard, or other hardware issues.
This can also cause more problems down the road due to overheating, which will damage your CPU.
So, you want to solve this issue as fast as possible to prevent any further damage to your system, so that you can go back to using your computer safely without any problems.
A CPU cooling fan can indicate a lot of different potential issues, so it is important to go through all of the different troubleshooting tasks, without skipping any to ensure you are fixing the right issue.
Let’s get into it.
1. Restart your Computer
Yes, I know this is a very simple and obvious step, but it is one that many people skip and is actually a way to fix a lot of computer issues.
One reason for a CPUs cooling fan to stop working is it got stuck or debris got in the way of the fan causing it to turn off and stop. The reason why it does this is to prevent the fan from short-circuiting or damaging itself if it really is stuck.
Restarting your computer will reset this error and start spinning again.
This also brings us to our next step.
2. Clean The CPU Fan
As we discussed above your fan could stop spinning due to the presence of debris, such as dust, or lint.
Even after restarting your computer if your fan is still dirty the same issue will occur because the root of the problem isn’t fixed.
You need to frequently clean your computer fans in order to keep optimal airflow and avoid any problems that could happen due to a dirty cooling fan.
Check out: “How Often Should You Clean Your PC”
3. Reset Your BIOS
Now we get into the more complicated troubleshooting methods. The next thing you are going to want to try before determining whether the fan or another part of your computer is broken is going to be resetting your BIOS.
Similar to restarting your computer normally, resetting your BIOS is going to hard reset your computer getting rid of cache and any other functions that could be preventing your CPU fan from not working.
4. Replace Your Power Supply
The next thing you might have to resort to if the previous steps didn’t work is replacing your power supply.
Although this can be quite costly, it can save you a lot in the long run. You can tell that it is a power supply issue if your computer starts up then shuts off randomly, or if the CPU fan speeds up really fast on startup and then randomly stops a couple of minutes later.
I know this from experience. This used to happen to me until I switched my power supply and my CPU fan started working normally again.
5. Replace Your CPU Fan
If your fan isn’t spinning at all and is dead from the start it might be time to replace the fan.
A way to test if your CPU fan is the problem, you can try to replace the fan with a case fan or move the fan to another computer and see if it works there.
If the fan doesn’t work and all the other components in your PC seem to be working fine, then it’s time to purchase a new CPU fan.
Check Out: “120mm vs 140mm Fans”
6. Replace Your Motherboard
The next issue could be your motherboard, a circuit could’ve been fried that goes to your CPU fans plug. If this happens you can first try to change which plug the fan is plugged into.
If this doesn’t work then it might be time for a new motherboard.
If this is the first time your replacing your motherboard it might be fairly difficult or confusing, so make sure you do your research before buying a new one so you don’t accidentally buy one that’s not compatible with the rest of your system.
Still, Having Problems?
If after going through these steps and you still are having problems with your CPU fan then there is a more complicated underlying issue, with a more technical part of your PC.
If this is the case then you should take your computer to a specialist to fix the issue. This might also mean it’s just time for an upgrade if your computer is very old.
Conclusion
I am sure that one of these troubleshooting steps was able to help you fix your CPU fan.
If you are still having issues after this like I just said you can seek a specialist or you can contact me at [email protected].
