x1900xtx running very hot all of a sudden

[Vesper8]

Hi guys. I have a Sapphire x1900xtx with an accelero x2 installed on it.

When I first installed the accelero x2 on it many months ago, I had also done a bios flash to set the fan speed at 100% all the time.

The temps back then were very nice.. hottest it was running was around 72 degrees.

But now I just did some more testing and the card is running super hot! up to 95 degrees! yikes!

I just remade sure that the bios still made the fan run at 100% and it should.. the setting is still there in the bios. So I'm not sure what's going on.. could it be dust that's clogging the fan bigtime? Or what else could be causing this sudden hardcore diminution in the cooling efficiency of my fan?

Thanks all!

 

[Matt2]

I regularly get this problem with the stock X1900XTX cooler, the intake clogs with dust. I dont think the X2 has an intake, so just spray the fan and exhaust with some compressed air and see if that helps. Make sure the fan is actually spinning and reapply AS5 and reseat the cooler.

 

[Vesper8]

Well I took the card out and noticed there was a lot more dust stuck in the accelero x2.. that dust can only be blown off if you remove the card completely. I blew all of it out and then got ready to remove accelero from the card. I was having trouble so I logged on and researched the thing a bit.. as it turns out.. the accelero x2 is nearly impossible to remove without using extreme methods such as cutting the ram pads with a slim blade or freezing your card so you can then break off the ram pads. Note that the problem is not the thermal compound applied to the core itself but the little pads that are glued onto the card's ram. Those have been reported by many users to be a major PITA and anyone getting an accelero x2 should not expect to have to ever remove it.

So anyway I wasn't able to apply some new TIM. I made sure all the screws were tight and put the card back in my system. I am happy to note a decrease in temps of about 15 degrees. On full load I now get about 84 degrees.. which sounds right considering the very hot weather.. and the fact I'm using what's probably the most graphic intensive game out there right now to do my testing.. that is.. DiRT

so thanks for the replies everyone.. looks like I've solved my problem and should be good for the summer.