FanControl Configuration
Introduction
Section titled “Introduction”This chapter gives a conservative FanControl strategy for the Lian Li O11 Dynamic Mini V2 Flow build with bottom intake, side intake, and top AIO exhaust.
Purpose
Section titled “Purpose”Reduce noise while preserving airflow for the CPU radiator, GPU intake path, SSD, and motherboard area.
Estimated Time
Section titled “Estimated Time”30-60 minutes after baseline monitoring is complete.
Difficulty
Section titled “Difficulty”Moderate.
Required Tools
Section titled “Required Tools”- FanControl by Rem0o.
- HWiNFO64 or FanControl-detected sensors.
- Baseline readings from Monitoring.
- BIOS fan curve access as fallback.
Warnings
Section titled “Warnings”- Do not configure FanControl before confirming the BIOS default fan behaviour works.
- Do not set radiator fans or pump too low during first testing.
- Do not rely on a sensor that disappears after sleep, reboot, or driver update.
- Keep a BIOS fan curve fallback.
Fan Groups
Section titled “Fan Groups”| Group | Hardware | Preferred control sensor | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom intake fans | 3 x included reverse-blade 120mm fans | GPU temperature or mixed CPU/GPU curve | Bottom intake primarily feeds the GPU. |
| Side intake fans | 2 x included reverse-blade 120mm fans | Mixed CPU/GPU or motherboard temperature | Side intake feeds the main chamber and motherboard area. |
| Top radiator fans | ARCTIC 360mm radiator fans | CPU package or CPU temperature | Radiator fans respond to CPU heat. |
| Pump | ARCTIC pump lead if individually controlled | Fixed high-safe duty or BIOS-managed pump header | Pump reliability is more important than silence. |
Recommended Curves
Section titled “Recommended Curves”Use these as starting profiles, then tune against the real baseline. Percentages are fan duty targets, not guaranteed RPM.
| Profile | Bottom intake | Side intake | Top radiator fans | Pump |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quiet | 25-35% at idle, rising gently with GPU temperature | 25-35% at idle, rising with mixed temperature | 30-40% at idle, rising with CPU temperature | BIOS-managed or fixed safe duty |
| Gaming | 35-45% at warm idle, rising more quickly above normal gaming baseline | 35-45% warm idle, steady rise | 40-55% warm idle, steady rise with CPU load | BIOS-managed or fixed safe duty |
| Stress testing | 50% minimum during tests, rising aggressively with GPU temperature | 45-55% minimum during tests | 55% minimum, rising aggressively with CPU temperature | BIOS-managed or fixed safe duty |
Step-by-Step Instructions
Section titled “Step-by-Step Instructions”- Record default BIOS fan behaviour first.
- Install FanControl from the official GitHub release.
- Identify each controllable fan header.
- Rename fans by physical position: bottom intake, side intake, top radiator, pump if exposed.
- Confirm each fan responds to manual changes.
- Return every fan to a safe automatic curve.
- Create a quiet profile for desktop use.
- Create a gaming profile based on GPU and CPU baseline temperatures.
- Create a stress-test profile with higher minimum fan speeds.
- Leave the pump BIOS-managed unless you have confirmed safe individual-control behaviour.
- Export the FanControl configuration after testing.
- Reboot and confirm the profile reloads correctly.
Noise Optimisation
Section titled “Noise Optimisation”- Prefer gradual curves over sharp ramps.
- Use response delay or hysteresis where FanControl supports it.
- Avoid curves that oscillate around a common temperature.
- Tune bottom intake fans with GPU workload, not only CPU workload.
- Tune radiator fans with CPU workload, not only GPU workload.
Verification Checklist
Section titled “Verification Checklist”- BIOS default fan behaviour was recorded first.
- Each fan group is labelled by physical location.
- Each fan responds to control.
- Pump handling is known and conservative.
- Quiet, gaming, and stress-test profiles exist.
- A configuration export exists.
- Reboot behaviour is verified.
Common Mistakes
Section titled “Common Mistakes”- Setting all fans from only CPU temperature.
- Letting the pump follow a quiet fan curve.
- Running FanControl and motherboard fan software together.
- Making curves too flat, then troubleshooting high temperatures.
- Making curves too steep, then troubleshooting noise.
Expected Result
Section titled “Expected Result”FanControl provides predictable quiet, gaming, and stress-test behaviour without weakening cooling safety.
Next Chapter
Section titled “Next Chapter”Continue to Windows 11 Pro Optimisation.