northbridge chipset fan lifetime

[legend245]

How long can I expect my northbridge fan to work? I got an Abit k7ta. I've had many little fans go bad in a year in the past.


Would removing the fan and leaving only a heatsink mess up my system if I'm not overclocking the bus (KT133a).?

 

[Damascus]

A northbridge fan is unnecessary on the KT133A.

 

[MrWhiteUK]

My northbrige (7DXR) went south after a month or two. It whines on bootup and stops by the time it gets to windows.

I know several other people in the same boat, specially Gigabyte mobo owners (gret board btw)

Dom.

 

[MilesTeg]

my northbridge fan has been working for almost a year now

 

[Wind]

The fan dun last a lifetime. If its bad...replace it. Fan is not necessary on the NB but some form of cooling is needed. U can put a good HS w/o fan on the NB...just like the MSI mobo.

 

[overclock]

See if THIS fan will work.

 

[ErikS]

My .02 - The fan on the KT7 is a pos, mine failed in about 6 months. I replaced it with a blorb. The pins on the blorb don't line up with the holes in the MB, but it's still an easy install (you have to remove the MB from the case). Remove the old HSF & clean the NB chip. Spread some HS grease (AS I or II). Now run a zip tie through each hole from the backside of the MB (so the thick end prevents you from pulling it through). Thread the ends through the mounting holes on the blorb and slide it down until it rests on the NB chip. Now use the "heads" of two other zip ties to secure the blorb to the chipset, trim the ends & viola!

Is the HSF needed? I don't O/C the board & when I removed the HSF one corner of the chip was scorched!? My case keeps the temps are within 3 degrees of ambient so I know it wasn't an overheated case that caused it. Maybe they just didn't do a good job of mounting the HSF in the first place, I have no idea.

(remeber my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it)