Aurora R9, how to control CPU fan speed?

Question

Long story short I bought this r9 brand new on eBay without all the good stuff, just the mobo and psu. Got everything in and booted up finally, but the cpu heat sink I got isn’t working properly. It says the fan isn’t spinning I can visually see it is but not very fast. The heat sink is a noctua L9i low profile heat sink. I had planned to liquid cool it but no top fan cage or top fan in the Alienware command center is says 0% even though I turned it up to 100. It’s sitting at 95 Celsius idling. Everything else is doing great at 45 celsius

ProfessorW00d · Answer

Tell us what components are in your Franken-rig (CPU, PSU, RAM, graphics card) and post some photos.

The Noctua fan will most likely not pass the startup diagnostics test. Did the rig come with any Dell OEM case fans?

Darthlung37 · Answer

Can’t take pics at the moment but I can post specs

intel i7 9700K

32GB ram Corsair pro

PSU is 850w from dell

GPU is Asus 3070 KO

i have 2 case fans not from dell

no it doesn’t but I’ve read that doesn’t really matter because it will still work, or am I wrong?

Darthlung37 · Answer

I have the heat sink in the cpu fan slot but unfortunately this case didn’t come with a top fan I’ve purchased one with the bracket but won’t be here for a few days unfortunately, would not having a top fan effect it?

ProfessorW00d · Answer

What case fans do you have not from Dell . . . and where are they connected?

You will need a fan connected to TOP_FAN and your Noctua cooler should be connected to CPU_FAN. Do you have AWCC installed? Photos will be worth 1000 words (each). Get close.

Vanadiel · Answer

This heatsink is only recommended with good case ventilation.

9700K

That in itself is going to be an issue.

Is the heatsink installed properly, and did you use the supplied NT-H1 high-grade thermal compound?

Are you using the LNA adaptor? If so, remove it.

Also make sure it's connected to the proper header on the motherboard.

ProfessorW00d · Answer

Not having a top fan exhausting air will certainly affect cooling. My point was, even if the fan is not installed in a top bracket, the startup diagnostic test is going to look for a fan connected to the TOP_FAN mobo header, even if it is just sitting on top of your graphics card. You should also have both upper and lower 120mm front intake fans connected to FRONT_FAN with a PWM Y-splitter adapted cable.

Darthlung37 · Answer

I do have 2 in the front, I ordered the cage and a top fan but I’m ready to throw the towel in and just build a pc lol

ProfessorW00d · Answer

If you have the top cage coming then order the Corsair Hydro Series H60 (2018) and the VRM heat sink DP/N: J46J2 if not already included.

Darthlung37 · Answer

Everything is connected and installed properly

Darthlung37 · Answer

Yeah I ordered that originally cause I thought it would come with the cage, I guess I’ll wait then for now. With a radiator in which fan is going to be the exhaust fan?

Darthlung37 · Answer

Well I got the idle temps down to the 60s but load temps still at 99

ProfessorW00d · Answer

yes, radiator fan(s) are exhausting hot air out the top of the case.

ProfessorW00d · Answer

As you are learning . . . the Aurora series cases are not conducive to air cooling. A liquid cooled CPU is a must at 95 watts, and additional air flow implementation is recommended; with double front intake fans and a push/pull configuration on the radiator.

Darthlung37 · Answer

Yeah I’m just gonna scrap it and sell it off and build a pc from scratch

ProfessorW00d · Answer

come visit us here if you want to view some ideas for your custom build

Alienware Desktops

Aurora R9, how to control CPU fan speed?

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