Second GPU running hot without any use.

[Suicidex]

Hello, I just upgraded my computer, and I will be using my older video card as the second GPU (EVGA GTX 470) for PhysX. My new specs are as follows:

i5 3570k
Msi 660ti 2gb
EVGA GTX 470 1280mb
Beta 306.02 drivers
16gb g.skill 2133
Asrock Extreme 4 z77
W7 Ultimate 64-bit
All stock, no OC.

Anyway, I upgraded my computer for Planetside 2, and currently, there isn't support for a second GPU to handle PhysX, yet. So it's not being used pretty much, and my 470 would idle below 50C. I installed the latest video drivers, the 306.23 WHQL from NVIDIA. And suddenly after that, I noticed the 470 temperature rising up to around 70C for no reason during play. I use Msi Afterburner to view what my GPUs are doing during play, as it is beta for Planetside 2.

So I set up a User Defined fan speed for that second GPU, and it speeds up the fan past 55C up to 80% speed. The GPU gets hot as I play the game, but Afterburner reports no GPU use at all.

I then reverted my GPU drivers to beta 306.02, but the problem persists.

Anybody have any suggestions for why this is occurring?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Jaydip]

Hey Kevin do you have multiple monitors?

 

[Suicidex]

No I do not. In fact, I'm not entirely certain of how the second GPU for PhysX works! I have a DVI/VGA cable plugged into the second video card, which is also plugged into my monitor's VGA port. I read this. I'm assuming it's right...

 

[Jaydip]

So your second card gtx 470 is actually driving the monitor right?

 

[Suicidex]

I'm not sure. I didn't think it was, but it looks like there's actually two displays, like I would have two monitors, but it's just this one. In the NVIDIA control panel, I see that in the PhysX/Surround tab, It should my GTX 470 output to my monitor as screen 1 of 2, and the 660ti output to a screen 2 of 2.

So it seems very possible. Is it possible to switch that around or disable that second, unused screen?

 

[Jaydip]

Plug the dvi cable in 660ti instead of 470 and see what happens

 

[Suicidex]

Well I actually am using both the VGA and DVI. Both first ports of both video cards, and they're both plugged into my monitor.

 

[Suicidex]

I went to "Set up multiple displays" and disabled the output/second screen from my 470. I believe that should help.

 

[Jaydip]

why??Use only the 660TI

 

[Suicidex]

Well like I said earlier, I was trying to figure out how to use the second GPU for PhysX, and I read somewhere I would have to plug in both video cards to my monitor.

 

[Jaydip]

You don't need to, just plug your monitor on 660ti

 

[Suicidex]

Thanks you

 

[Jaydip]

Let us know how it goes

 

[Suicidex]

Sometime later today I'll know.

 

[Suicidex]

Alright sorry for taking so long, but I've finally been able to try out the game again. And it seems as if there's really no change. I tried updating the drivers again with no change either. I even unplugged the 470's display cable so for sure it won't be influenced by the Nvidia Control Panel.

Anyway, upon launching my game, the temperature of the 470 goes up almost instantly. Within a minute, not even in game, just at the main menu, the 470's temperature went from 47C to 57C with 0% GPU usage while the 660ti only went up a few degrees at about 50% GPU usage. Both video card's clock frequencies go up upon launching the game, and the 470's memory usage goes from 0MB to 60MB, but nothing other than that. After awhile, the 470's temp hovers around 66C.

To put my mind at ease, I have set up a custom fan speed profile for both video cards with MSI afterburner. Maybe the readings are wrong?

 

[Jaydip]

So 470 is dedicated physx card now?what game are you playing?

 

[zaydq]

I don't get your issue... the temperatures on both your cards seem absolutely fine.

 

[Suicidex]

Yes it is dedicated to PhysX. And I'm playing Planetside 2, which currently, as to my knowledge, doesn't have an option to set PhysX to a secondary GPU.

Zaydq - my 470 should, IMO, be running the same temperature and not get much hotter, if a few degrees hotter due to ambient temperatures, while I play my game, because it is not getting used at all. I understand the temperatures are normal.

When I use FluidMark to benchmark, the 470 temperature goes from 47 idle to 65C within a minute of it being used for PhysX. When I run the benchmark with CPU physics, the 470's temperatures do not rise at all with no GPU use.

So maybe it is something with the game I'm playing. Somewhere it's getting utilized, I just don't know how and the sensors don't show it either. I'll have to install Borderlands 2 - I have a key somewhere... and I'll test out everything.

 

[Suicidex]

Current update: I downloaded and ran 3DMark 11, and ran the basic test. It seems as if it may be in relation to Planetside 2. The 470's clock frequencies go up when I play the game, but in 3DMark 11, it doesn't happen. Still going to try out Borderlands 2, but I guess it is connected to the other game.

 

[nightspydk]

Have you considered moving the cards around. Just as with sli, you might have to run the physx gpu in the secondary pice slot.

Just a thought.

VGA output should prolly go from the card in the primary slot aka the one at the top of the motherboard.

Then there is thermal considerations running 2 card on thet mobo.