HD4870X2 Temp Problem

TheUnk

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2005
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So each time I restart my PC, CCC shows so far between 100% and 524% Activity.. Obviously that's wrong, but my concern is the temp.

Idle is 87c??? If I enter a game and exit out, it resets it to 0% activity and temp drops down to about 50c.

What is going on here? Surely it can't be good for the card to be at 87c all the time. I do not have ATI Overdrive enabled.
 

Majic 7

Senior member
Mar 27, 2008
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Go over to HardForum Video cards ATI. They have a sticky on how to set up a fan speed profile. I have mine at 38% and I get 48 and 41 degrees at idle when it's about 70F in my apartment. When you restart your computer the powerplay doesn't work right. One core is at 750 and 500 and the other is at 507 and 500 on my machine. This makes the first core idle at 67. I have to open a 3D app and then close it to get both cores at 507 and 500. I'm using 8.9 cats and according to CCC everything is normal, no odd readings, just the high temp on one core. I had to use RivaTuner to see the 750.

With the 38% I get about 65 to 75 under load. Next months cats should have a fan control so you don't have to make a profile to deal with temps. There is a beta out now that has fan control, just a single speed though, no adjustable on demand stuff. The powerplay thing may need a bios update. It did on my 3870s.
 

apoppin

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
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alienbabeltech.com
first of all, what are your case temps?

The X2 is a hot beast - the entire card gets hot - and it needs superb airflow or it will cook your case insides

My x2 idles in the upper 70s; it goes to about 87 also under load .. so it you are talking load, that is normal - they just run hot !!
rose.gif
 

TheUnk

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2005
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Well the drop in temp after gaming must have been just from the fan being at a higher speed and the gpu cooling faster than the fan drops speeds. After a while idle is in the 70s. Still, starting out at 87c from a reboot is worrysome..

I went ahead and got the beta drivers, seem to be ok. Still have the activity problem on restart though.

I don't see why I have to enable overdrive to enable manual fan control, but running it at 31% drops my idle temp to around 65c and isn't noticeably louder than the auto 27%.

heh, help has a caution for it:
"CAUTION:
Adjusting the fan speed could reduce the life of your graphics accelerator fan."

It also says:
"Note: If the GPU gets too hot at the speed selected, the fan is automatically raised to a higher speed until the GPU reaches a safe temperature. Once a safe temperature is reached, the fan speed reverts to the speed selected."

So I suppose all you are really doing is setting a minimum fan speed.
 

Majic 7

Senior member
Mar 27, 2008
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That is good to know. Every post I have read about the betas said the fan just stayed at one speed. 8.9 work well for me so I haven't tried the betas. If it ain't broke don't mess with it.
 

TheUnk

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2005
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Originally posted by: Majic 7
That is good to know. Every post I have read about the betas said the fan just stayed at one speed. 8.9 work well for me so I haven't tried the betas. If it ain't broke don't mess with it.

That's what the note makes it sound like.. But, just played The Witcher for about 5 minutes when out of nowhere the fan kicked in at what must have been 100%. Stayed on for about 5 seconds and then turned back to 31% (I assume). CPUID showed it reached 102c, so yeah, I turned that off hahaha.
 

jzodda

Senior member
Apr 12, 2000
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I would get rivatuner 2.11 and use it to control the fans based on temp. Its very effective. My GPU temps idle now at 44-45C at 34% fan speed which is fairly quiet. Its not silent but not too loud either. At around 30% the fan becomes mostly silent.

Anyway here is a link to a great guide to setup fan control in rivatuner



http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1345181