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Started by Shourin | | 3 answers
GPU Fan Loose
Pretty simple problem with a maybe not so simple answer.

I ordered a Zotac gtx770 (pretty sure this is the one) on ebay last summer (2013) and it has worked great ever since I got it (was used in a display computer before my purchasing of it). However, probably due to recent travels, one of the fans now sits lower than it should to the point where it rubs the plastic sheltering the cords to it just underneath (or above if it's in the case). I have confirmed that it is, in fact, the fan brushing up against this piece of plastic creating the very obnoxious sound.

So I have a couple questions:

I notice that if I manually stop this particular fan, it will eventually stop on its own and the other fan will accelerate (to compensate?) for a few seconds before the loud fan whirrs back to life. Is just stopping the problem fan a possible solution or a huge no-no ? I've never had heat issues.

Also, since I am unable to get at said plastic to shave it down, what would other alternatives be? Would it be worth buying a fan block like the Arctic Cooler?

Or should I try everything in my power to see what I can do about the plastic, which I'm pessimistically thinking will lead nowhere?

PS: I managed to put a small piece of duck tape on said underlying plastic to dull the sound a bit.
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September 23, 2014 9:06:27 AM

Glad to help :) 
September 23, 2014 8:57:54 AM

Menkes said:
Faulty fans can always be replaced, stopping them is not advised. While the heat sink does provide some passive cooling the fans are there for a reason.

Contact Zotac, if they are anything like Gigabyte there will be plenty of spare fans for sale.

The arctic cooler does provide better GPU cooling but it does not take care of your VRM and RAM modules actively (it cools them from the back by using a back plate. If you do choose to go down that path make sure to buy small heat sinks to glue on your memory and power modules.


From experience with this specific cooler i can tell you that you can use heat sinks at the size of 10mm*15mm for the RAM up to 7mm in height - which would solve the cooling problem for the rest of your card.

Hope this helps!


Didn't consider contacting Zotac, I will do just that. Thank you!

Best solution chosen by Shourin

September 23, 2014 4:29:51 AM

Faulty fans can always be replaced, stopping them is not advised. While the heat sink does provide some passive cooling the fans are there for a reason.

Contact Zotac, if they are anything like Gigabyte there will be plenty of spare fans for sale.

The arctic cooler does provide better GPU cooling but it does not take care of your VRM and RAM modules actively (it cools them from the back by using a back plate. If you do choose to go down that path make sure to buy small heat sinks to glue on your memory and power modules.


From experience with this specific cooler i can tell you that you can use heat sinks at the size of 10mm*15mm for the RAM up to 7mm in height - which would solve the cooling problem for the rest of your card.

Hope this helps!

See all answers