GFX card overheating?

[MadEye2]

SmartDoctor2 is reporting that voltage is at 1.68, sometimes it jumps to 1.73 for a couple of seconds where smartdoc gives me a warning. Is 1.73 safe? How do I lower it, and is this the reason the GPU is always around 49 degrees celcius? I don't know if this is typical of graphics cards but even throttling GPU and RAM speed down to minimum doesn't lower the temperature that much.
My card is an Asus Video Suite V9280 ti4200 , which, according to one sentence by Asus "draws more power from the AGP bus that most cards". My 3.3v rail is always about 3.16 with or without the card installed. Is this a factor?
Currently I have a desktop fan blowing in to the case but it's only lowered the GPU temps down to 45°c.

I know this problem isn't directly to do with this forum, but the people in the GFX card forum don't seem to have an answer and I figured a few of the regs in here would know.

Thanks

 

[tweakr]

Hey,

Those kinda temps are fine on a GFX card, especially if you're running stock cooling - the Ti4X00 series were warm cards, and no amount of ventilation will keep their temp from being a good bit over ambient.

As to the AGP voltage, that is a little high, assuming Smartdoctor is reporting the correct voltage. You should be able to lower the AGP voltage back down to standard in the Bios of your motherboard - it's likely set to 1.7v currently, while the default is 1.5v. This isn't too likely to be affecting anything, as the GPU power circuitry will still be supplying the "correct" core voltage to the GPU, but it can't hurt to reduce it to standard

Your 3.3v rail is unlikely to be affected by your Graphics card because virtually every motherboard nowadays utilises either the 12v or 5v lines for primary power to the main components - 12v being more often under load on P4 systems, and 5v on AMD systems. The CPUs load down these rails and pretty much leave the 3.3v alone, meaning there would be little drop in voltage due to load on the 3.3v line.

Hope this rambling pile of text helps a little...

moo

 

[MadEye2]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately my BIOS doesn't have any options to modify voltage settings - except for RAM and even then that only toggles between 1.5 and 1.6 (1.5 currently). All recent BIOS updates for my card are just minor things such as being able to correctly identify CPU types - V2MDMP mobmo with Sempron 2200+ @ 1500Mhz.All the rails are slightly under par - 5v is about 4.95, but the 12 and -12 lines are slightly above. These are fine aren't they?

 

[tweakr]

Aye, those are just fine. Some variation is to be expected in the voltage rails, especially as reported by the mobo - 90% of the time, if you take the voltage from a molex using a voltmeter, they're actually dot on =).

 

[MadEye2]

Cheers for that, Tweaker. I could do with a voltmeter for other stuff as well really.

 

[Koing]

Hey is touching the vga hsf on the ti4200 going to be 'hot' if the fan IS NOT WORKING? I'm wondering as I found out my fan on the graphics card IS NOT SPINNING! It probably has been like this for the past 2yrs. Card has worked but I'm worried about the card crapping out on me sooner. I read this other thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...?catid=37&threadid=1460455&STARTPAGE=1

and will do try to lubricate the bearing tonight.

Anyone suggest a QUIET as possible hsf for my Ti4200? I'm more for quiet and I don't intend to OC my card. Or should I just stick with it how it is and run the hsf but with the fan not spinning?

Koing

 

[MadEye2]

It could be broken, but, it's not really important - the fan is crap anyone. Buy a low noise 80mm case fan or two and cludge them onto the GFX card. It works for me.