Clean out that damn video card!

[Avalon]

I've had my Radeon 4850 since June '08. Well, lately the fan has been whining up and running pretty high while just idling. Gaming was becoming a nightmare.

Popped out the card, popped off the heatsink, cleared out a little dust. Cleaned off the stock thermal paste and slapped on some MX2. Put it back together.

Previously...
Idle - 84C
Load - 105C
Fan idle - 52%
Fan load - 100%

Now...
Idle - 60C
Load - 85C
Fan idle - 30%
Fan load - 52%

I recall that when I had gotten the card, it used to idle in the upper 70s and full load was usually around 95C. Pretty surprised at the difference this made. Thought it was cool, figured I'd share. Obviously if you have a warranty I'd recommend not voiding it by doing this, but I have a Visiontek card and only had a year warranty because I was too lazy to register on time.

 

[F1N3ST]

105c.......D:

 

[Udgnim]

use ATI Tray Tools' "Auto Overclocking" to decrease 2D clocks and you'll be able to reduce idle temps and fan speed

 

[Modular]

Slap an Accelero S1 on there with a 120mm fan! I have my 4850 voltmodded and running at 775mhz core all the time when gaming and I don't break 60C

 

[Avalon]

use ATI Tray Tools' "Auto Overclocking" to decrease 2D clocks and you'll be able to reduce idle temps and fan speed

Probably should...but over the past two years I've grown horribly lazy regarding doing anything with my hardware. Probably took me longer to make this reply than to actually do what you recommended

 

[ShawnD1]

105c.......D:

That's nothing. The GeForce 7950GT runs at 130C.

That's with stock cooling, stock voltage, stock frequency.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Slap an Accelero S1 on there with a 120mm fan! I have my 4850 voltmodded and running at 775mhz core all the time when gaming and I don't break 60C

my 4850 can run "passive" and not break 60C with an S1 (I say "passive" because my cases always have intake airflow that will pass over the video card)

an S1 + 120mm fan will keep even my 5850 below 40C with most games

 

[soccerballtux]

That's nothing. The GeForce 7950GT runs at 130C.

That's with stock cooling, stock voltage, stock frequency.

Oh dear I hope that's not yours. That literally will damage the silicon.

 

[schneiderguy]

That's nothing. The GeForce 7950GT runs at 130C.

That's with stock cooling, stock voltage, stock frequency.

I don't think that's normal D:

 

[VirtualLarry]

but I have a Visiontek card and only had a year warranty because I was too lazy to register on time.

Since when do you have to register VisionTek cards? I thought that they have a lifetime warranty, as long as you have your reciept.

 

[Marty502]

130ºC!!

That card is gonna die soon. It's just a matter of how soon.

 

[xboxist]

i lol'd @ topic title

 

[soccerballtux]

I've never had much luck reseating with AS5.

 

[Nathelion]

My 6800GS used to go up to 120C on a regular basis. Only reason it didn't go higher was because that's where it throttled.

 

[Avalon]

Since when do you have to register VisionTek cards? I thought that they have a lifetime warranty, as long as you have your reciept.

When I read their warranty terms when I bought the card, it said you only get a lifetime warranty if you register with Visiontek within X amount of time of receipt of purchase, else you get a standard 1 year warranty.

Just took a look at their warranty info on their website and it does not currently state that, so maybe that no longer applies and what you stated is currently correct.

 

[Lonyo]

I had a similar experience. There was a dust bunny stuck in my fan, which really screwed with my temps, but once I'd cleaned it out, so much nicer. Quieter fan, lower temps. Bliss.
(Also HD4850)

 

[NIGELG]

I have a 4850....Before installing Duorb VGA cooler 62 to 85 degrees celsius,After installing Duorb VGA cooler 30 TO 41 DEGREES CELSIUS.

 

[zerocool84]

It's worse when you have multiple dogs or cats in the house. Gatta clean out that computer almost weekly.

 

[Will Robinson]

Those temps are awfully high.
My HD5850 OC at 765/1050 idles at 33C and only gets up to about 50C under load while gaming...on the stock XFX cooler.
What's your ambient temp like...is it summer there?

 

[konakona]

The squirrel cage or blower type of fans used in those gpu coolers seem to get it worse than regular fans when it comes to collecting dust. A shocking to mildly disturbing experience every time I have to open a computer for the first time in a few months o_o;;