Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Soviet_Genius on June 03, 2008, 01:54:55 PM

Title: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 03, 2008, 01:54:55 PM
My video card runs really hot. It idles at just about 60 degrees, and when I run graphically intensive game, like Call of Duty 4, it gets up to 85-87 degrees. How can I improve cooling in my computer? The card is an XFX GeForce 8600 XXX 256 mb. It has a plastic cover over the heatsink and a small fan. It sucks air in and blows it out the sides of the plastic cover. I have cleaned the fan but I haven't cleaned the heatsink because I don't know how to get that cover off.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 03, 2008, 02:07:16 PM
I'd say you maybe need to increase your fan speed.
Check out Rivatuner and use this guide (http://www.guru3d.com/article/rivatuner-20-fan-speed--overclock-guide) - it details how to set up fan profiles so that the fan speed will increase when the temperature gets to a certain point.
Those temperatures are getting to be dangerous, I don't like to see graphics cards beyond 80 but I am led to believe they can take up to 90C.
Let us know.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 03, 2008, 02:28:56 PM
The second screenshot in the guide doesn't look like what mine does (attached file is what mine looks like). If I click on the first customize button, it does look like the screenshot in the guide.

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Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 03, 2008, 08:04:10 PM
After a few google searches and some other tutorials, I got closer to setting it up so that it automatically changes fan speeds according to temperature. The problem is the fan still runs at the same speed no matter what I do, I can't hear any difference.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: brett74 on June 03, 2008, 08:17:15 PM
how many case fans do you have? I have 2 thinking about adding another to mine since mine gets pretty hot also
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: fpsmitch on June 03, 2008, 08:21:33 PM
i have the exact same card with temps usually below 60C.
there is another option also, it is to get a pci fan.
itplugs into one of yourpci slots and cools whatever is next to it.
good cheap fix, just dont get a badly reviewed one, it sucks when it turns out its a turd
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 03, 2008, 08:37:29 PM
Do you know how to get that plastic thing off? I think I just need to clean out the heatsink. I don't know if a PCI fan is an option because my power supply is barely pulling what I have now.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: brett74 on June 03, 2008, 08:48:51 PM
how big is your psu? on the cover is there screws that you can take out?
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 03, 2008, 09:07:05 PM
What does that have to do with anything?
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: brett74 on June 03, 2008, 09:09:11 PM
sorry about that. I'm talking about the cover on the video card sorry
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: fpsmitch on June 04, 2008, 01:42:05 PM
how long has the card been in there?
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 04, 2008, 02:40:34 PM
The whole heatsink/fan/plastic thing has 2 screws on the bottom of the card with springs. The card's been in there around 7 or 8 months.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 04, 2008, 04:08:13 PM
I got one step closer in rivatuner................
I did the thing where you manually set your driver version in the power user tab. Now, when I try to change fan speed in the driver or low level sections, I set the slider to whatever I want, but it just goes back slowly to the default (29%) and the fan never changes speeds.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: NOT ADMIN :P on June 04, 2008, 08:24:46 PM
256 card will not handle cod4 on medium to high graphics very well.

it may be on the way out if you are getting a 60 deg idle temp though.

good thing is the 9800 from asus has dropped to around 300 american dorra!
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 04, 2008, 08:28:05 PM
Runs CoD4 perfectly on med-high settings.........
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: brett74 on June 04, 2008, 08:42:29 PM
i have the same problem myself soviet right now just reading post my card is sitting at 66 or 151 degrees F I think geforce cards just run hot I don't know but I know what you mean I can't seem to keep mine very cool either.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: NOT ADMIN :P on June 05, 2008, 12:15:15 AM
Obviously not soviet if the card is overheating........

i just tried uping the settings on my rig with the 8600 (256) geforce

on the highest resolution. it struggled badly.

What resolution are you running yours on?

320x480?
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: DwayneZ on June 05, 2008, 12:32:44 AM
My video card runs really hot. It idles at just about 60 degrees, and when I run graphically intensive game, like Call of Duty 4, it gets up to 85-87 degrees. How can I improve cooling in my computer? The card is an XFX GeForce 8600 XXX 256 mb. It has a plastic cover over the heatsink and a small fan. It sucks air in and blows it out the sides of the plastic cover. I have cleaned the fan but I haven't cleaned the heatsink because I don't know how to get that cover off.
Access all card infos in this link:
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 05, 2008, 04:34:43 AM
DwayneZ, that's not helpful.  NOT ADMIN, you're not helping either, the question is how to cool down his card, not "please question my ability to know whether my card can run a game and tell me to buy a new one".
Soviet, try just blowing hard into the heatsink, it usually works for me.
I see a few people have problems with the 8600 GT XXX and fan speed control, you may want to try ATITool and see if that can adjust your speeds.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 05, 2008, 02:18:23 PM
Thanks, I'll try ATITool. Also, I tried installing nTune, but that sent my computer into endless reboots as it was finishing the installation  ::) Fixed it now with system restore.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 05, 2008, 02:20:19 PM
nTune can cause some issues, I didn't like it myself.  Let us know how ATITool goes, it may not be able to control your fan speeds but it's worth a shot.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 05, 2008, 02:27:59 PM
I can't find where to adjust fan speeds  ???

NOT ADMIN: I play it on 1440X900, medium-high settings. Holds 40+ fps 90% of the time....
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: fpsmitch on June 05, 2008, 02:31:27 PM
lol a 256 card can doalot...
what really matters is the speed of the memory...
you, my friend (not admin) *cough* *cough* do not know what you are talking about...
i play cod4 on almost max at 1280 x 1024...hahah ;D
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 05, 2008, 02:36:57 PM
There should be a drop down box on the main page, choose Fan Control from there.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 05, 2008, 02:44:07 PM
This one?
There's another drop down box if I go to settings that has overclocking, artifact scanning, temperature monitoring, gamma control, startup, 3D detection, driver tweaks, and misc.

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Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 05, 2008, 02:48:11 PM
OK . . . to be honest I haven't used ATITool much myself either, so I don't really know what else to suggest.
Try just blowing the heatsink out, other than that I'm pretty much out, sorry.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 05, 2008, 02:51:55 PM
Alright thanks.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: NOT ADMIN :P on June 05, 2008, 07:01:30 PM
lol a 256 card can doalot...
what really matters is the speed of the memory...
you, my friend (not admin) *cough* *cough* do not know what you are talking about...
i play cod4 on almost max at 1280 x 1024...hahah ;D

I didnt read anything about what speed his memory was.

All i said was that my rig with the same model card struggled with it.
I think i do know what im talking about.
And FYI i'll kick your A** at cod4.

Do you like the new maps? I like broadcast. neat idea. Killhouse is just a nade fest.

Callum... (dot dot dot)
what are you smoking? i didnt tell you to buy a new card.
I just wrote how 'my' rig handles cod4 on high settings with the same card.

Try reading before posting it helps a bit.

Learning basic English is a help too.

Manners may also improve the reputation of CH seeing it is a public forum  :-*

i can give anyone some tweaks for cod4 which gives you better hit reg. and frames per second. also making the a and b bomb site icons smaller so they dont get in your way while you are trying to kill someone.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 06, 2008, 10:52:00 AM
Whether you'd beat anyone at COD4 is still not the issue, NOT ADMIN.
What I was questioning was why you were advising the OP to buy a new card instead of trying to help with his overheating problem.
Quote
what are you smoking?
Please, don't imply that I'm on drugs.
Quote
Try reading before posting it helps a bit.
I always read the thread before I post.  I think it's you who is not reading what I write correctly.
Quote
Learning basic English is a help too.
I count 11 errors in your last post, and 0 in mine.  Don't question my grasp of the English language unless yours is equal to or better than it.
Quote
Manners may also improve the reputation of CH seeing it is a public forum
See that user title I have, moderator?  I work for the good of Computer Hope.  I don't think I'm being rude, I'm just questioning why you felt the need to imply that the OP was wrong and that they needed a new video card.  The purpose of posting here is to try and help, which you're not doing.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Soviet_Genius on June 06, 2008, 01:53:33 PM
Blowing into the heatsink improved the problem, it now idles at 55 and the hottest it goes in CoD4 is 75. I also removed a modem that I don't use while I was in there which was in the slot above the video card. The fan on this card is so inefficient, its not a normal fan. It blows to the sides and the heatsink is only on one side of it. It's also the loudest fan in my computer. I think it's just a bad design. Good enough for now, I might add a case fan or a PCI fan later.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: AzNVi3t2007 on June 06, 2008, 07:48:35 PM
Try using a different heatsink. Put an extra fan in the unit itself.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: fpsmitch on June 06, 2008, 09:50:10 PM
add another fan to it with what? zipties?
and you dont have a case fan?
generally a case fan will help if you dont have one...gaming pc's make alot of heat.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: AzNVi3t2007 on June 06, 2008, 10:19:57 PM
whatever works. as long as it gets the job done lol... ;D
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: Calum on June 07, 2008, 12:12:50 PM
Glad that blowing into it helped, seems you had quite a build-up of dust.
I have read that the fan on that model is pretty loud.
If it worries you it is possible to get an aftermarket cooler which will be quieter and will cool the card better, however these can be tricky to fit and/or take up a lot of space.
Title: Re: Video card running really hot
Post by: ThanksForHelp on June 07, 2008, 07:10:32 PM
I used to use an 8600 as well but I ended up giving it to a friend because I had ordered a new card.
After I gave it to my friend he had some temperature issues as well and after a quick google search he found some interesting fixes.  Oddly enough I looked into his computer and no longer saw the heatsink but a piece of cardboard with a fan from an old card attached to it.  As odd/dangerous/stupid as it may seem it did happen to lower the GPU temp 5-10 degrees.  I can't really say how it effected his whole systems temperature because ntune has an interesting way of keeping information like that from you. 
I'm not saying this is the greatest fix but it does affect temperatures.