Asus A8N-E Fan Dead

If we're talking about a chipset cooler fan, I wouldn't worry about it for everyday use. But I'd want to replace it as soon as possible. This is the problem with chipset fans, their small, noisy and fail much to easily. You have a couple of options. Check to see how the chipset cooler is mounted to the board, does it use punch throughs?, thermal appoxy?, a retension mechanism? You may want to check some local or online comp. stores for passive solutions (don't replace it with another small fan, you'll be right back where you started in 6 months or less). You can also RMA the board if it is still in it's warranty period, keep in mind their just replace the cooler with another stock solution. Also if you replace the cooler yourself, you will more than likely void you warranty, and never..I repeat..never buy a mobo with a chipset fan...it's just a bad idea.

I think I know the one your talking about, is it a big blue beast? If I remember correctly the fins on the heatsink are fairly thin, you may be able to trim it to the size you need, put some arctic silver 5 on the chipset and your back in business.

How to resurrect your chip fan;

Fix for Asus A8N-E Noisy, Slow or Failing Chipset Fan on Motherboard

Items required:

1. can of WD40 (or similar) with extension straw for nozzle
2. a tissue

What to do:

With the computer off place your computer in a position so that the motherboard is vertical (motherboard is already vertical in a tower case). Stuff a tissue under the offending chipset fan (to soak up any excess WD). Then stick the extension straw between the fanblades at the top part of the fan and give it a couple of squirts of WD. We are using gravity here to help the WD get where it's needed. Make sure the tissue is in place and is not going to let any WD drip down out of the fan. Now go and do something else for half an hour or so. This will let the WD do its magic and also give it time to dry out. If you don't wait, you'll end up with WD40 sprayed everywhere by the fan and it probably won't be lubricated as well either. So wait. You may want to hold another tissue over the top side of the fan when you turn the computer back on, just to be sure (and depending on whether you gave it more than a couple of squirts or not). Remove the tissues when you think it's safe and you're done. The fan should be going like a little champion again.

@escafu
Dude! That totally worked.
The thing has been rattling for months, it finally froze up completely last night.
I followed your directions, except I left it overnight and got it spinning with a vacuum hose before I turned it on.

It is the quietest fan in my case now and spinning freely.

This might only be a stop-gap measure to keep it working until I can get a replacement, I already ordered the blue Zalman passive heatsink NB47J for $7 shipped from the Egg.

Thanks for the excellent advice!

This topic has been closed by Pyree