Z77 OC Formula CPU Fan Control Algorithm

[Ken429]

Is it me or does the Z77 OC Formula CPU fan control logic delay the increase in fan speed for several seconds after the CPU heats up and then delay slowing the fans for many seconds after the CPU has cooled down? Not a big deal if I'm using Noctua fans that are quiet but annoying if I'm using the fans that came with the Corsair H100 AIO cooler. I have not tried playing with the ASRock Formula Drive Fan-tastic Tuning module because I did not want to have the program running in the background to control the fans. I wanted to use the BIOS settings. Comments appreciated.

[parsec]

Re: Z77 OC Formula CPU Fan Control Algorithm

I don't have the same ASRock Z77 board that you do, but given your description of the CPU fan's behavior, it sounds identical to my board. I doubt that ASRock used different types of controls for the PWM CPU fan header on different Z77 boards.

Yes, I always thought (knew) that the CPU fan speed was slow to change, either up or down, given the fast increase in CPU temperature that occurs when running a CPU benchmark, for example.

The ASRock utility for use in Windows that can adjust the fan speeds will make no difference, it's just a different UI for a subset of the options in the BIOS for fan control, at least my board's software is like that.

Other manufacture's boards fan control is much quicker to react to CPU temperature, which I guess is why you too noticed this. I'm guessing that the "polling rate", or how often the CPU temperature is checked, may be the reason. That is, it checks every five seconds instead of one or two seconds. No way to adjust that AFAIK.

IMO, the ASR fan speed control is rather... primitive compared to that of ASUS. Why it is apparently difficult to create good fan speed control software, I don't understand. My ASR Z87 board's fan control software is improved in some aspects compared to my Z77 board, but still uses the stepped temperature settings, which is really simplistic IMO.

[Ken429]

Re: Z77 OC Formula CPU Fan Control Algorithm

Thanks for the information. Up to this point, I really like this MB except for the somewhat strange fan controller behavior compared to ASUS or Gigabyte boards. However, next to the old Corsair H100 controller it is an improvement! Looks like I will just have to retire the old Corsair 2500 rpm fans and use the Noctua PWM fans. At least with them you can hardly tell if they are idling or running full out and the CPU temperature difference is minimal.

[mm67]

Re: Z77 OC Formula CPU Fan Control Algorithm

Cpu headers and chassis fan 1 header can also be controlled by Speedfan if you prefer full control over their behavior

[parsec]

Re: Z77 OC Formula CPU Fan Control Algorithm

Thanks for the information. Up to this point, I really like this MB except for the somewhat strange fan controller behavior compared to ASUS or Gigabyte boards. However, next to the old Corsair H100 controller it is an improvement! Looks like I will just have to retire the old Corsair 2500 rpm fans and use the Noctua PWM fans. At least with them you can hardly tell if they are idling or running full out and the CPU temperature difference is minimal.

OMG, that is so true! A perfect example of poor fan speed control software, although it works with standard three pin fans. Why they even bothered with it I don't understand, I use PWM fans with a splitter cable on my H100.

Speedfan is interesting, how it can take control of a board's fan headers and do things the board alone cannot do... if you can figure it out.