MSI RTX 4080 Ventus 3xOC - Issue with fans on bootup and driver installation

alex.p_8159802e7

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Hello,

I have an MSI Nvidia RTX 4080 Ventus 3xOC GPU (used with Intel i9-13900k on a MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Wifi Motherboard) for about 1.5 years (all bought new).

My GPU is making horrible (rattling?) sounds during Windows bootup. This started (again*) some days ago.
The same sounds are heard during a clean (re)install of the Nvidia drivers (regardless of picking Game-Ready or Studio version).
I'm convinced it's the GPU at fault as those sounds are heard during Nvidia drivers installing.

I know how my PC sounds normally when I start it (for people saying it's normal to 100% fan speed on bootup), however what I'm hearing now is an unholy abomination.

During normal usage, I don't hear these sounds. I haven't ran games/apps that stress the GPU in the last 3 months.
As such, I'm convinced it's a software issue.

What I tried:
- cleaning the PC of dust (my PC case is rather well ventilated)
- power off, discharge (hold boot button 20-30 sec), let it disconnected for 1 day, reconnect all cables (outside the PC case)
- reset CMOS (motherboard button, no direct access to the battery and I don't want to dissassemble)
- checking for cables obstructing the GPU
- reinstalling 2-3 different Nvidia drivers versions (clean and/or express install)

I am afraid to set a manual fan curve or undervolt as:
- idk how to do that at all (and I'd rather not, instead of poking around)
- I'm used to "don't touch it if it works"
- I have no video output of the BIOS on regular bootup, it just stays with no signal and gets to Windows in a few seconds
(and if I specifically want to get to BIOS on restart, it just stays with no video output and the horrible fan sounds until I press the boot button to restart normally)

* I say again because in the past, my fix was to randomly keep reinstalling 2-3 different Nvidia drivers versions, Intel Management Engine Driver (+ IME Center?) (which was replaced with some other Intel utility and now it's called Intel Graphics Software), some CPU drivers and built-in Intel UHD Graphics 770 drivers, use the sfc and dism tools until it fixed it.
If I didn't hear the GPU fan sounds during the drivers installation, the issue was then fixed.

I could never find a deterministic way to fix this issue.
The issue would randomly occur after a driver or Windows update (not initiated by me) or me installing a new game. I'd have it for days up to weeks then it would be gone either with my aforementioned "fix" or a new driver/Windows update.
I can't do that any more because the last time I uninstalled drivers I ended up with no video output whatsoever and I had to blindly navigate logging in to Windows and using the CLI to force a Windows update to reinstall graphics drivers.

I'm terribly dissappointed in my PC (and my ability to fix its issues) and I didn't need to read up and take care of my old laptop that much compared to this PC.
 
My GPU is making horrible (rattling?) sounds during Windows bootup. This started (again*) some days ago.
The same sounds are heard during a clean (re)install of the Nvidia drivers (regardless of picking Game-Ready or Studio version).
I'm convinced it's the GPU at fault as those sounds are heard during Nvidia drivers installing.

Can you record those sound/noise and provide them?
If you think the GPU is broken, then better RMA it.
 
Double-check all power connectors for the GPU and make sure they are fully seated in the sockets
There should be no gap
GPU Power.jpg
 
Intel Graphics Software built-in Intel UHD Graphics 770 drivers, THOSE are not needed at all if you're using a Dedicated GPU. I would use DDU to uninstall them or do a fresh install of windows.
BEFORE DOING THIS, take out your dedicated GPU, hook up your display to the video out on your motherboard, and look in the settings for display output or initial gpu device. Set it to PCIE or the correct setting to make it show your gpu at startup. (Note, fast boot can prevent bios from showing during startup)
In that case just follow the steps in this video to access it.

During bootup, most GPU fans will spin at max speed for a brief moment. Some even spin backwards at max speed during startup to clear some dust off the card.
During driver installation it is normal for fans to spin at max speed as well, and the process that manages the fan speed has to be shut down during the step where the nvidia drivers are being assigned to take over that.

If you're hearing some ungodly sound, then it's due to a mechanical problem, not software.

It's either something hitting the fan (internal cables that are close but not actually touching the fan can be pulled in once they speed up) Had this problem with a USB header cable once.
Worn out fan bearings
fan blades not seated on the motor correctly, thus the blades rub the housing
unbalanced fan blades (usually the result of dust buildup, or a broken or damaged fan blade.

For us to actually help in this case we would need the following.
A video showing the fan blades during once of these incidents.
 
Hello everyone,

Sorry for the late reply.
I know for sure it's not the video card, but the software drivers. In the past 1.5 years, I've had this on and off and it was always the drivers or a Windows update that fixed it.
It seems Windows 11 installed another update for Nov/Dec 2024, which now starts yet another Nvcontainer set of instances (used for Game Bar, the new Xbox Game bar) and THAT fixed it.
In Task Manager, now I have a Nvidia Container(3) that's running from C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NvContainer (which ran from before) and another Nvidia Container(2) that's running from C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvmdsi.inf_amd64_0f7806aef7a92021\Display.NvContainer.

In the past months (Q4 2024), at a random date before Windows update, it brought up the issue and then Windows update (next update only) would fix it - this was a consistent pattern I noticed, regardless of me reinstalling multiple drivers versions.
I don't know which vendor to not trust any more, MSI or Nvidia or Windows or Intel.
I even used Process Explorer (procexp64) and tested for virus everything (the tool's upload to VirusTotal) I saw as a running process for days, as well as checking all running processes signatures (sigcheck64.exe).

I have no video output (black screen, but responsive keyboard & mouse commands) on Windows 11 Safe boot and always no video output in regular or Safe Boot from the BIOS. (This started happening after about 2-3 months of using this PC in 2023) so I'm afraid to force a BIOS update from an USB stick, going in blindly.
I can hard reboot (keep pressing down the power button, then press again to start the PC) into regular Windows bootup sequence after a "safe" reboot from Windows or I can pray that an old monitor I have can show some display signal (and only 1 time that worked, then it didn't, so again fed up drivers).

So from my p.o.v. the motherboard might look messed up. I bought both Motherboard (MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Wifi) and GPU (MSI Ventus 4080 x3 OC) from MSI based on solid positive feedback from 15 years ago from a good high-school friend of mine, as my only goal was to have a quiet PC system. That happens *when I don't have this issue*.
I'm not putting any blame on anyone other than Windows update and drivers, I am just looking for solutions.

I'm looking into either resetting Windows, reinstalling Windows as a fresh install (for which I stupidly paid a full pro license instead of trying a Win10), switching to Linux or Steam OS or selling the system and buying an (much older but working) laptop.
I'm really looking for having silence and relaxing after work, while this is just giving me headaches (and yes, I need a PC for other topics than gaming only, not going console route).
I have not even considered that magic RTX AI frames generation, which didn't work at all in any games and HDR didn't even work on my rig. I tried everything I could think of or Google.
Basically I spent 4k to have a pre-2017 working setup. Never again, next system will be 2-3 generations older AT LEAST.

I have a ~1 minute MP3 recording (3866KB) of how it sounded during Nvidia drivers reinstall (and same sounds were heard, but for less time when booting Windows), where I placed my phone between the PSU (Corsair 850 gold) and the GPU (MSI Ventus 4080 x3 OC), however your forum won't allow me to upload that big of a size.
I found this site and uploaded it there
If you can't access it, let me know where you want it uploaded.

This PC has more fans than I ever had in my life: 3 from GPU, 3 on top (AIO), CPU liquid cooling, 3 on front of the case,1 in the back of the case and 1 from PSU. There is literally 0 chance it could be an airflow issue. It sounds like the freaking Star Trek Enterprise warp engine and purrs so beautifully *when it works*. Then it turns into a deranged wookie stereo pickup when a random driver update occurs.
I KNOW it's a software issue, there's no chance it's a RMA topic (or at least that's my strong impression based on my own experience).

/edit
@Svet
I uploaded it via jumpshare, mentioned above. Please let me know if you need it uploaded elsewhere.

@Alan J T
For now it fixed itself with Windows update, I will look into what you posted when I have this issue again.
When I clean my PC for dust, I always check that no sockets are displaced. I definitely never resocket any piece inside my PC, just clean around it. I'm also definitely not a hardware guy, I just learn on need.

@Willard E Nigma
The only reason I picked this (version of the) motherboard is because I wanted a backup in case the main GPU burns in some unforeseen way, to make sure that I'll have video output at least for Windows (I mean hey, I'm willing to play even OldSchool Runescape until I buy a new rig in 5 years for now, as long as that keeps me busy for 2-3 months during that interval).
DDU = Display Driver Uninstaller or something else? And I would guess you refer to the Intel UHD Graphics one, DDU being just a term in the industry?
There is nothing touching the fans. My cables are well placed (and I paid a hefty for it) in a large ATX case.
Maybe it's the fixer (I forgot the exact name of it, but it's a standard thing) between bottom base of ATX case and the GPU, but trying to press on that thing didn't change much of the sound during bootup, so I'd rule it out.
Here's a picture, to have a better idea of what I meant:
It's a Fractal Define 7 XL tower case that it's mounted on.

/edit2
I'm looking also into how to use MFlash to update my BIOS (hopefully this would bring up back BIOS video output on bootup on my main monitor) and clean reinstalling Windows and drivers, to rule anything out from the history of installed apps on my PC.
Cheers,
Alex
 
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The placement of that gpu anti sag, looks like its putting stress on the card in a specific spot. The noises you claimed were a clunk like noise. Software wont cause that. They can make the fans spin, other not spin and change the speed, but they won't cause a rattle. I asked for a video of the noise, all the picture shows is that your anti sag bracket is not at the proper mounting point for the card.
 
Hello everyone,

The issue manifests itself yet again.

@Svet It seems that site deleted it without notice, I won't use it again.
I uploaded to Dropbox pictures of my GPU and videos, one for when I shutdown Windows and one from pressing power button until seeing Windows Login screen, with a normal boot sequence.
Dropbox pictures and videos for my RTX4080 issue here

@Willard E Nigma See Dropbox link above with bootup video and shutdown video

@Alan J T Thank you for link, however by the time I read your post, I found the HDMI workaround. Please see the chronology below for details.
For now I blame it on either the adapter (although the first time I switched to DisplayPort with cable adapter, it worked, granted that was in summer 2023) or the monitor being 9 years old.
I tried it nonetheless and it said the UEFI Firmware is already updated (and for 2 seconds, the horrible sounds were back and my monitor lost signal).

For a chronology of events:
- Issue fixed itself with no action of my own - I can't tell if it was Windows Update or Intel Arc Control or Intel Graphics Center
- after another update (without me initiating anything) it came back - Intel Graphics Center was running this time
- I found an old TV with HDMI and that one finally let me see the BIOS (my main monitor has DisplayPort 1.2 + adapter to big DisplayPort)
- I updated my BIOS with M-Flash (finally!) to latest version available on the MSI site for my MB
- I switched my main monitor to use HDMI too, however I lost G-Sync capability and 60Hz to HDMI-limited 50Hz (as per monitor manual) refresh rate (Windows shows 49.99 Hz though)...but at least I could see BIOS at boot time
- Reset my PC (the Windows option on reboot) - issue was not present, but drivers were kept, apparently it doesn't clean the drivers store at least
- 2 days it worked fine (well 1 evening after PC Reset and next evening)
- Windows update saw drivers updates for Intel display, sound card and some updates for itself (for security and 1 more I forgot)
- after update with restarts issue was not present, however a few hours later, when I shutdown the PC, I heard the dreaded sounds again

What I tried (and didn't work)
- I looked into all AI-related settings I could and turned off all Windows Settings app would allow me, where I saw them - not sure if related or not
- Restarted and press DEL to enter BIOS -> Reset to defaults (even though I never changed settings here, neither before nor after BIOS update) -> Save & Exit -> it reboot itself
- Safe boot with basic video - the sound heard is less strong (as heard in dropbox bootup video from 18th second)
- Safe boot with basic video -> Disconnect network -> use DDU to uninstall Nvidia Drivers -> Reboot -> Install latest Nvidia Studio drivers (the most stable as they say) for my card -> Reboot
- Disable from services.msc the Intel Graphics Command Center Service, as I read maybe there's a clash between the on-board card and dedicated card
- I wanted to check Windows Updates history from Settings and rollback the Intel updates, however it doesn't show them now and for the life of me, I cannot explain why!
- Safe boot -> Network cable unplug -> DDU uninstall Intel GPU drivers -> Reboot -> issue still present -> Shutdown -> issue still present -> Bootup -> Issue still present
- Windows Update force-installs Intel Display drivers -> Issue still present (which is unexplainable, because Windows itself uses the Nvidia card, as seen in Settings -> Display -> Advanced Display) (now it shows the Intel Display driver in Windows Updates history)

What I can deduct from all of these is that it's improperly (or un-)controlled when it's not controlled by drivers in Windows.
The last thing I tried, mentioned above, tells me Intel Display is not at fault.
The horrible sounds definitely start at same time as Nvidia GPU fans spin.

Side note from 2023 Q3-Q4 experience
I can add that back when I played Path of Exile in 2023, the same horrible sounds were heard (however in a more controlled/rhythmic manner) when it was running it full-screen and without any FPS limitations. Once I changed settings in that game to windowed 1080p, limited to 60 FPS, only extreme builds would bring the sounds back..and then I'd limit the FPS to a point where it became a slide show, but it was silent on the GPU). I haven't let that game touch my PC for over 9 months.

What I'm looking into
- I'm out of ideas :/

Edit1: updated after tryout with DDU for Intel drivers
Edit2: updated with clarifications
 
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@Svet It seems that site deleted it without notice, I won't use it again.

Got it

I uploaded to Dropbox pictures of my GPU and videos, one for when I shutdown Windows and one from pressing power button until seeing Windows Login screen, with a normal boot sequence.
Dropbox pictures and videos for my RTX4080 issue here

Okay.
From what I can see from your data provided,
something is wrong with FAN #3 (latest FAN) of the GPU.

And it's passing and amplify the vibrations to the PC Case.

Make sure nothing is touching the fan (no cable or anything else)
Try run the computer with PC Case placed horizontally (and let the GPU sits vertically)
also remove both / any metal holders to the GPU and ensure nothing is touching it.

Then see if will make any difference.

But if still the same, the GPU FANs need to be replaced.
[either under warrantee if the GPU have such or someone else to replace them with brand new one]

As such, I'm convinced it's a software issue.

For sure the rattling noise and the issue with FAN #3 aren't software issues.
 
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