Unraveling the Mystery: How to Fix Your Stubborn Graphics Card Before It's Too Late

When your computer’s lifeblood is the graphics processing unit (GPU) inside your graphics card, keeping your PC’s most vital component in good shape means having a healthy graphics card (GPU). What though if the unsung hero of your computer hardware setup starts to show its age? When, for instance, the mounted fans that keep it cool start to malfunction? Following this guide will take you on a maintenance romp of the many facets of keeping your MSI graphics cards’ cooling system energetically in good health so that problems, if not solved altogether, are nipped in the bud before they are allowed to grow into major catastrophes.

Why Your Graphics Card's Cooler Deserves Your Attention

Farewell to the Fear of Thermal Throttling!

You might think it’s just a chunk of silicon, but I like to think of it as the brain – it’s what processes every pixel on your screen, from Candy Crush to Crysis. Be it desktop orientation or high-end gaming, the GPU is your companion, working through every render, emitting tons of heat in the process. More than any other component, the GPU’s job is to crunch numbers, so how well you cool a GPU – that is, the GPU’s cooling – will dictate just how hard it can work without thermal throttling (when the heat gets so intense, the chip slows itself down). Often, your GPU’s own cooling keeps your other hot components cool too. GPU’s still produce vast amounts of heat, and, while theraw chips themselves generate the lion’s share of it, other parts of the GPU also runhot. Every GPU has a voltage regulator module (VRM) and sometimes a generous helping of RAM, whichcan also run hot. GPU cooling is done by a shroud and a host of fans.

Checking Your Graphics Card Temperature on Windows 11

Understanding how to track your GPU’s runtime temperature is an excellent way of catching overheating conditions in the bud, which is why it’s easier than ever for Windows 11 users to view or monitor their GPU temperatures.

The Lowdown on GPU Fans Not Spinning

Only a Concern Under Heavy Loads

If you see the fans on your GPU at a standstill when running low-demand tasks, you can usually rest easy: even though the core of your graphics processor cannot naturally remove many watts of heat, its large heatsink will maintain it under full passive cooling. But as soon as you start demanding more from your system – whether it be by pushing processor-heavy software to its limits or by firing up your favourite online multiplayer game – you must make sure that those fans spin up when the heat starts to take its toll, lest your system’s performance degrade or crash entirely.

Troubleshooting Non-Spinning GPU Fans

Seeking Simple Solutions

When your GPU cooler stops working properly, there are a couple of easy checkpoints you can work through to try to both diagnose and solve the problem. First off, check that your GPU is securely seated in its PCIe slot, that all of your power cables are secure, and that the fan cable is connected. A dust check will identify whether you have build up that is inhibiting your fan’s rotation, while a verification that you have the latest driver update or have re-installed drivers could resolve some fan problems that are rooted in software.

Quick Fixes to Try

Sometimes you can re-seat your GPU or make sure the PCIe power connector is plugged in. In fact, my own system once returned to life just for that one fan to work while everything else was busted – only to die again when I turned it off and started troubleshooting. Or you could just replace the bad part. A new lithium battery inside your gaming controller, new thermal paste on your GPU, or a new keyboard. New parts mean new life for your machine, and sometimes they’re the only solution if overheating is a factor, which it often is.

When All Else Fails

If, after all your debugging efforts, the problem remains, it’s time to call in the experts. The warranty service, whether in-house or external to the manufacturer (eg, Asus), can be a route to a repair or replacement. Out of warranty, local computer repair shops can help.

Choosing the Right Path with ASUS

About ASUS

The company has become a fixture within the world of gaming and computing, and it offers everything from motherboards to high-end GPUs for an incredibly wide variety of consumer uses. If you’re looking to upgrade or even build an all-new PC, trusting your rig’s heart to a company like ASUS will not only provide you with absolutely fantastic performance, but also show you that quality and cutting-edge design isn’t an ingredient only the giants of gaming can afford. Are you ready to upgrade your rig with an ASUS GeForce RTX 4090 gaming GPU? Your local Microcenter has prices starting at $1,799.99.

To sum up, even though GPU fan problems can be a scary topic to tackle, as long as you remember that the cooling system is vital, are aware what temperature is considered normal, and strictly follow the aforementioned practical steps for troubleshooting, you can prevent your gaming PC from overheating. And, in case you still feel unsure if your rig is running properly, based on detailed customer feedback and third-party testing, you can also get your gear from a trusted brand like ASUS for both hardware and potential solutions, keeping your PC at the top of its game, allowing you to keep gaming and working uninterrupted.