A CPU fan is one of your computer’s most essential hardware components. It is responsible for minimizing the risk of damaging and choking the integrated circuits in your computer system.
Motherboard, video card, and hard drive are some of the delicate components in your system, and they can be damaged or corrupted due to excess heat. The CPU fan adjusts the heat generated by the computer. It emits hot air and cools down the system. So, you need to maintain a healthy CPU fan.
How To Update CPU Drivers In Windows 10/11
A broken fan can break your system. You have to be very careful about the proper functioning of the CPU fan, and you must keep an eye on its malfunctions. If you are wondering how to check if a CPU fan is working or not, you are on the right page.
There are two ways to check your CPU fan.
- Visually inspect.
- Check the symptoms
1). Visually inspect:
In desktops, CPU fans are located at the back side of the casing. You can visually inspect the fan and can check if it is working or not according to these two aspects.
A). Check the rotation
You can visually examine the fan rotation. It rotates clockwise with a subtle noisy sound. (However, many new computers have comparatively quiet fans, but you can feel that very low sound). If you do not hear any sound for 5 minutes or experience an unusual louder, non-rhythmical, or slower sound, it means the CPU fan is not working, and you have to fix it.
B). Feel the air coming out
A normal functioning CPU fan emits the air
while moving. You must be able to feel that air coming out of the vent if your fan is working. This airflow used to be light when you start your system, but when using your computer for more than 5 to 6 minutes, this flow becomes heavier.
You can place your palm or hand at a distance of approx half an inch, and if you do not feel any air blowing on your hand, then you should be worried because it is a sign that the CPU fan is not working.
If you are listening to the noise of your fan, but you feel very gentle air emitting from the vent, this is also a sign of a non-working or obstructed fan, and it needs to be fixed or replaced as soon as you can.
2). Check the symptoms:
A CPU fan is a mandatory component of a computer. It gives your system a flowing, smooth and refreshing feeling. Many problems with your computer can be avoided if you manage and maintain a proper fan. You should keep track of some important symptoms that a malfunctioned CPU fan gives you.
A). Computer is constantly shutting down or restarting
There is built-in thermal protection in most CPUs. It secures the computer from overheating by shutting it down. The CPU fan is a part of the cooling system and is linked to a heat sink. If your computer is shutting down or repeatedly restarting during work or shows a blue screen, it is a sign that the CPU fan is not working properly. It’s time to save your system and change your defective CPU fan to a proper and new one.
B). Temperature is too high
Many computers have a built- in feature of temperature reading. If your system does not have it ,you can either use a hardware monitoring app. Most important function of a CPU fan is to maintain the temperature of the computer system.
The normal temperature for most of the systems is 80 degrees Celsius. You should monitor the temperature setting from time to time. If you find the temperature reading above 80 degrees Celsius, it’s a warning sign that your CPU fan might be broken or have some hardware problem. You should immediately fix that problem otherwise your system could be fully damaged.