GPU Temperature

[Rushy]

I've recently got my hands on a Gainward 6800GT, and I think the temperature sensor must be bolloxed as I don't believe that this can be right.

CPU Temp: 33*C
MB Temp: 29*C
Case ambient temp: 34*C

As you can see my PC is fairly cool based on those temperatures (it's well ventilated with plenty of fans - 3 fans on the PSU, 2 on the front of the case, 2 on the back and 1 on the top + its an aluminium case). Yet my new GFX card is:

GPU Core Idle: 69*C
GPU Core under load: 90*C

Here's the crazy biit though, the instant my PC is booted up the temperature reads 69*C on the GPU and if I boot up any 3D application the temperature rises to 90*C within 30 seconds (or less). If I then turn off the 3D application (whether thats after 2 minutes or 2 hours of play) the temperature of the GPU drops back down to 69*C within a matter of seconds (less than 10 seconds). Now that can't be right can it? (as that sounds physically impossible).

I've read quite a few people with the same problem who all have adequate cooling solutions yet their GPU's read as if they are incredibly hot. Anybody else had a similar problem?

[Neverness]

I think there is a bug in the Nvidia drivers which reads the temp incorrectly. My 6800GT originally ran at 50*C but since the 70 series forceware drivers came out it has risen to 60 (idle). Not sure what the temp under load is, never thought to check.

Rest of my temps are about the same as yours as well.

[Corrupt Rose]

My 6800GT idles at around 50-52*C (case open), and can get up toward 65* under full load. Basically, the 6800 line is known for running hot, and was an enormous surprise (and concern) to me after I upgraded to it from a 5900, that ran at 45*C under load, even when I had overclocked it to hell.

Your temperatures seem to be extremely high, though. My card is bound to run cooler than your Gainward because I've got a Leadtek monstrosity with it's custom cooler, but 90*C in moments is too high.

There's a chance that you're running the bad temperature reporting drivers, but even they only reported it at 10* higher than the actual temperature... and 80*C within 30 seconds is definately a concern. The GPU cut off is 120*C, but I'd panic myself to death long before that if it was my card.

Basically, it sounds to me like the compound attatching the GPU to the cooler unit isn't properly spread, so it's not transferring the heat as efficiently as it could do. The fact that it heats up so fast, and then cools down so quickly suggests to me that the heat sink isn't absorbing the way it should (a heat sink will heat up relatively slowly, and cool down in the same fashion, you shouldn't be seeing such rapid increases and decreases).

If you're tech-savvy and don't mind invalidating your warranty, you could take the heat sink off and re-apply the thermal gunk, but if I were you, I'd give Gainward a bell and explain your concerns.

[mid]

Possible cock-up in the display, and it means 90 degrees F (32 C) instead?

[Corrupt Rose]

If he's using the nVidia temperature monitor built into control panel, then it's almost certainly reporting *C. Heh, if he was running a GT at 32*C on air/stock cooling, then it's way below the average of what most people do, and it's time to break out the overclocking utilities.

I'd suggest opening the case and just making sure that there are no PCI cards sitting right next to the GPU Fan, but his ambient temps are lower than mine, so that can't be the case...

[Rushy]

If he's using the nVidia temperature monitor built into control panel, then it's almost certainly reporting *C. Heh, if he was running a GT at 32*C on air/stock cooling, then it's way below the average of what most people do, and it's time to break out the overclocking utilities.

I'd suggest opening the case and just making sure that there are no PCI cards sitting right next to the GPU Fan, but his ambient temps are lower than mine, so that can't be the case...

Yep I'm using the nVidia temperature monitor so its certainly *C.

The gainward does have an excellent stock cooling device (definetly one of the better ones - check it out http://www.ixbt.com/short/2k4-10/gai...00gt-front.jpg ) and my case cooling is generally excellent.

I have researched this issue some more over lunch and found a few more things about the 'bug' with the drivers. It's a very common issue it seems If you overclock the 6800GT to over 400mhz it fixes the problem and actually reduces the temperatures. But I've also downloaded some alternative drivers from tweaksrus which supposedly fix the problem, so I might be able to get a realistic reading from my card tonight when I try them out.

[Corrupt Rose]

Yeah, that is a very decent looking cooler on the thing. There's definately something wrong if those temperatures are accurate, but stick in the new drivers to check.

If you're still running 80-90*C under load so quickly after you've tried them, give Gainward a ring. Your case temps are certainly below average from what I've seen, so with the cooler on that card, you should be idling/taxing at far, far less.

[Rushy]

Tried the new drivers. And no luck Still the same high temperatures.

So I'd thought lets see how far I can push the temperature. I stuck on far cry with very high everything, within 10 minutes the card was registering temperatures of 115*C. I checked the card by hand - the air being blown out by the two fans was bairly warm - the heatsink mildly warm at best (but it is very frimly placed and secured). There is just no way that it really is 115*C...well I hope not.

Contacting Gainward tomorrow....

[Corrupt Rose]

If the card is reporting temperatures of 115* and the heatsink it barely warm, that settles the debate. The Thermal Paste between the GPU and the heatsink hasn't been properly applied.

Talk to Gainward about it. It's a 2 minute job to fix, but it's better you send it into them than have your warranty voided. You might even be able to send it back to the place you bought it and get a brand new one, because it's a physical defect that can't be corrected without removing the heat sink.

Good luck. It's always an arse when stuff like this happens.

[Rushy]

As soon as I mentioned 115*C to komplett.co.uk they said RMA it....now.

So I did. Hopefully I get a brand new working card within the new week or two.