# Overheating GPU's - What is the best solution?



## jacobean (Jan 6, 2010)

As a computer technician, I come across of alot of overheating GPU's on Intel and AMD desktops.

An overheating GPU, seems to have a really bad effect on the system's performance, sudden freezes which can only be escaped by a hard re-boot AND of course BSOD's.

In about 3 out 10 cases a *new graphics card *solves the problem.

I have tried those *mini-fans specifically built for GPU's *but they are a bit gimicky.

I have just come across GPU Tool and this forum.

So, is the GPU tool the answer to my prayers?


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## BroBQ (Jan 6, 2010)

I don't think the GPU Tool is the answer for an over heating GPU

New Heat Sink & Fan, better ventilation, better case fans, and wire management are the answer.


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## Fourstaff (Jan 6, 2010)

jacobean said:


> As a computer technician, I come across of alot of overheating GPU's on Intel and AMD desktops.
> 
> An overheating GPU, seems to have a really bad effect on the system's performance, sudden freezes which can only be escaped by a hard re-boot AND of course BSOD's.
> 
> ...



Welcome to TPU and enjoy your stay! 

I would say 10/10 a new graphics card solves the problem 

Which mini-fans have you tried? At TPU, there is no such things as gimmicky wares, either they do their job or they are not here. (UK2Online may be an exception)

What prayers do you want answered?


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## jacobean (Jan 6, 2010)

Fourstaff said:


> What prayers do you want answered?




A definite solution that works everytime! 

You think a new graphics card should do the 
trick everytime?


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## Phxprovost (Jan 6, 2010)

jacobean said:


> A definite solution that works everytime!
> 
> You think a new graphics card should do the
> trick everytime?



we talking about IGP's or cards?


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## erocker (Jan 6, 2010)

Morrison5891 said:


> I don't think the GPU Tool is the answer for an over heating GPU
> 
> New Heat Sink & Fan, better ventilation, better case fans, and wire management are the answer.



This is the best answer. I would add replacing the thermal paste. Keep dust out of the system.




Fourstaff said:


> I would say 10/10 a new graphics card solves the problem



No offense, but this is awful advice.


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## jacobean (Jan 6, 2010)

Phxprovost said:


> we talking about IGP's or cards?




Cards


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## DrPepper (Jan 6, 2010)

I think the case is the biggest factor for temperature dissapation assuming that the heatink is adequate. Best permanent solution is to increase the intake of cold air and exhaust of cold air. If done correctly the gpu won't need a fan on it just the heatsink. Although I'd still put a fan on it to be sure.


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## Fourstaff (Jan 6, 2010)

erocker said:


> No offense, but this is awful advice.



That was sarcasm


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## Steevo (Jan 6, 2010)

Buy better cards. I know the shit little fans that you are talking about. The tye that MSI used on my old motherboards, and failed consistently after a few months causing me alot of problems.


Buy a better heatsink, use a good case fan and you will have no issue.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835110103

These are the crap they come with.


Replace them with this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835708003

Just use thermal adhesive glue and then have a slot fan, or a small an blow across it.


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## jacobean (Jan 6, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice.

Stevo, how would that Enzotech attach to the mobo of your average Dell Dimension OR
HP desktop?


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## Nailezs (Jan 6, 2010)

sorry, but i would have to say case airflow.
from my old thermal take xaser 3 to my new antec 1200 my gpu idle temps have dropped by 12C+
and my xaser didnt have those crappy stock 80cfm fans either, it had the monstreously loud 80cfm fans.

cable management does make a difference, but my management is worse(much worse) in my antec 1200 then my x3.

also try manually adjusting the fan speed thru the driver software. that makes a big difference. i find that a lot of time on the nvidia cards the default fan speed is just set too low


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## kurosagi01 (Jan 6, 2010)

erocker said:


> This is the best answer. I would add replacing the thermal paste. Keep dust out of the system.




Yeah definitely apply better thermal paste on the GPU,also maybe new GPU cooler can help to and of course clean your tower every 1-2months.
Also if you can mount fans on side panel that will cool down your GPU too.


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## r9 (Jan 6, 2010)

I`m taking off regular fans damaged or not removing all but the metal fins of the cooler and putting 1 or 2 80mm fans on top of the fins of course after cleaning the fins and re-applying the thermal paste.


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## jacobean (Jan 6, 2010)

Nailezs said:


> also try manually adjusting the fan speed thru the driver software. that makes a big difference. i find that a lot of time on the nvidia cards the default fan speed is just set too low



Nailezs, I've never seen driver software to adjust fans...do you have a link?


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## KieX (Jan 7, 2010)

On ATI/AMD cards you can install the latest drivers and then in the advanced view manually set the fan speed like so:

(In this instance 37% is inaudible but keeps this thing from reaching 85C on idle)


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## BlackOmega (Jan 7, 2010)

jacobean said:


> Nailezs, I've never seen driver software to adjust fans...do you have a link?



 This isn't part of the driver but an addon that can startup as soon as windows starts up.

Evga Precision.

 This works with _most_ nvidia GPU's. The ones that it wont work with are the non adjustable Duo orb style heatsink cards. 

 But as others have said, improve case airflow, make sure the cards are dust free,cable management, and on the cards that you can do it, crank up the fan speed. 50% for Nvidia's is fine since their fans are pretty quiet, 40% for ATi and that's still somewhat loud. 50% and above is almost annoying. 

 Good Luck


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## jacobean (Jan 7, 2010)

KieX, thanks for that great pic!

I presume that Nvidia has something similar?


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## jacobean (Jan 7, 2010)

Black Omega, Question Answered! Thanks for link to that neat little app.


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## BlackOmega (Jan 7, 2010)

You're welcome.


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## KieX (Jan 7, 2010)

That could be your quick one-stop answer, but as others have suggested, good airflow is important. If I understood correctly that this would be for customers/clients then certainly take a look at the heatsink of the gfx card and blow out the inevitable thick blanket of dust. A quick (my favorite because it's lazy) way is also to use a can of compressed air and shoot it through the vent


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## Nailezs (Jan 8, 2010)

jacobean said:


> Nailezs, I've never seen driver software to adjust fans...do you have a link?


sorry, nver got me e-mail saying that there had been new posts in this thread lol.



BlackOmega said:


> This isn't part of the driver but an addon that can startup as soon as windows starts up.
> 
> Evga Precision.
> 
> ...



controlling fanspeed is not an add on, atleast not for nvidia gpus of recent generations. with both my 9800gx2 and my gtx285 i can adjust the fan speed in the nvidia drivers, as well as make profiles for automatic control of fan speed dependant upon certain paramenters. i will try to post a screenshot tonight


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## hat (Jan 8, 2010)

Hm.. take the cooler off and replace the stock gunk with something nice like some MX-2. Blow the dust out every few months. Have proper airflow... you should at least have one fan in and one fan out.


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## mAfia_boy (Jan 8, 2010)

No one has mentioned water cooling!?  the best way to keep a chip cooled IMO.


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## Nailezs (Jan 8, 2010)

he's asking in reference to his customers machines form what i understand. so water cooling isnt really a viable option.

here's a screen shot of the fan control settings and the ability to overclock in the nvidia drivers. this is with Nvidia System Tools installed, but i dont think you requrie them for the video card in order to use these options






this is my fan speed control profile






using this profile i have never seen my video card get any hotter than 55c with my new case.


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## mAfia_boy (Jan 9, 2010)

oops! sorry misread that question.


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## rambo14k (Jan 9, 2010)

Play around with your Bios like i did  lol     1C  1%Fan  100C 100%Fan


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## douglatins (Jan 11, 2010)

Cleaning the Heatsink with compressed air, addin fan


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## trunksi (Apr 25, 2014)

Consider BitCoin miners as a cause for overheating. Anti-virus software doesn't spot them. With such miners GPU starts overheating after 10-15 mins after the user has stopped moving the mouse. You will not spot the process in task manager as it shuts down when you open it. Also the GPU temperature starts falling immediately after you move the mouse. 

I bought a new PC case, bought water cooling for the processor, bough a new GPU card. The normal temperature was around 31 degrees celsius but when my computer was idle it reached 70 degrees and kept operating at 70 degrees until I moved the mouse.

70 degrees is OK normally the GPU's are safe to operate to around 100 (it may vary) but constant 70 will damage the GPU overtime.

So download some temperature monitoring software and watch the GPU temp If you see the temperature rising when idle, then 90% it's a BitCoin miner.


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## Vario (Apr 25, 2014)

Usually the cheap small GPUs that come with traditional boxed PC's have fans clogged with dust and not much airflow, blowing the dust out of the heatsinks, the grills on the intake and exhaust, and adding a front or side panel fan if it lacks one, usually helps a lot.




rambo14k said:


> Play around with your Bios like i did  lol     1C  1%Fan  100C 100%Fan



1C is pretty good, are you a butcher and use the computer in a meatlocker?


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