Graphics Card Overheating

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initroot

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About two weeks ago my 9800GTX+ have been heating up extremely bad.
My computer screen will go black and I get a crackling sound.
This is what i've done:
  • Clean Computer from Dust
  • Applied new Thermal to Card
  • Cleaned Card
  • Reformatted , Latest Drivers etc.

Doesn't matter what graphics settings or game I play it starts heating from 49C idle to 108C within the first 10 minutes and then my pc will lockup.

I have never had that high temp on my card before. I also had to replace my 6Pin Molex adapter recently cause it got fried (black burn marks everywhere etc.).
Is the problem with my graphics card or power supply? After I quit the game the card keeps heating up until I restart.
I have not been able to test the card on another system yet.
Any help cause I'm not that knowledged on the hardware side of computers.
 
Crackling sound is either a short or a broken capacitor. Do you see any artifacts on your screen? Can you run 3DMark 11 without the card crashing, or does it do the same thing?
 
Observe the cooling fan on the GPU, is actually spinning up? If so have your PSU checked. Burnt molex plugged into which component? Reformatting and software probably not your salvation. you have a serious harware/electrical problem
 
Im going to download it and give it a test. Nope no artifacts on the screen. Thanks for the fast reply. I think it could be my power supply that is applying overvoltage to my card.
 
The molex from the power supply to the graphics card. I did the formatting before I noticed the inside the box problems. Yes it's spinning also used EVGA Precision to put it on 100% no difference to the heating.
The card seem to run fine and cool as soon as I do something more demanding with it this happends.
Think my PSU is bad will do the 3Dmark test tommorow, removed the card now in fear of damaging it.
 
Last edited:
Check your capacitors on the card and board as well. Bulging caps begin to act as resistors, building up heat over the surrounding surface area. Cracked caps can spark and crackle and do emit a lot of heat because its just pure electricity flying out of them.

2010-08-10_005133_2010-07-19_161942_bulgingCap1.jpg


Check the ones in your PSU as well if you're brave enough to check, although you could also take it to a TV repair store and ask them to help open and check it for you (those guys are used to being shocked, its part of the deal). Sometimes the caps are replaceable, other times it'd be more worth your while to get a new card/PSU or both, depending on their age.

What PSU do you have?
 
Usually when the temperature jumps from low to high, in stead of gradually increasing, it means that the heatsink isn't seated properly or that the thermal paste is gone or not applied correctly.

It could also be that the temperature sensor is faulty - but if you're getting artifacts when the temperature is reported as like 108'C, then the odds are that it is in fact correct.

What you should also do is to replace the thermal paste between the GPU and the heatsink. Just remember to apply a very very thin layer.
 
I already replaced that thermal and yes thin layer swollen rice size almost then I spread it thinly to edges.Is that correct method? It does increase gradually but in few minutes max 10minutes or is that jumping?
I have 2year old 650W Thermaltake in. The PC havn't been upgraded in a while but I do clean it regulary and replace thermal around 9months time.
I will check the PSU myself and the card tommorow. Thanks for the help I think it's the PSU but will check it tommorow.
It's getting late and im busy with exams maybe I'll put it off until im done.
 
If your GPU temperature doesn't go from 50 - 108'C in like 10 seconds, then it isn't a thermal paste/heatsink contact issue.

I would now suggest that you actually feel how hot the heatsink gets. If it burns your finger when you just tap/touch it very quickly, then it means that your heatsink & fan can't dissipate the heat fast enough.
Thus make sure that the fan is indeed running at the speed that it should - which should be pretty noisy at full speed.

Then also check the GPU speed and voltage. The frequency and voltage has a direct & exponential impact on the heat generated by the GPU.
 
Same thing happened to me a while back. It was the fan which wasn't running at it's full speed. It was the dust in the fan slowing it down.
 
Hi thanks, and welcome to MybB saladon. I clean my case from dust on a monthly basis. The fan is dust free.
@Pada yes it does get very warm burns my finger also the circuit itself is very hot.
@Nag checked the graphics card, all capacitors is in working order.

Bought a new fan(cooler) for the card and a new PSU. Will see if it makes a difference.
 
Fransh said:
Hi thanks, and welcome to MybB saladon. I clean my case from dust on a monthly basis. The fan is dust free.
@Pada yes it does get very warm burns my finger also the circuit itself is very hot.
@Nag checked the graphics card, all capacitors is in working order.

Bought a new fan(cooler) for the card and a new PSU. Will see if it makes a difference.
Click to expand...

for about R1k, you can get something that will have double the performance of your current card? I would recommend a new card to be honest: http://www.rebeltech.co.za/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=4407
 
Fransh said:
So you would say the problem is with my graphics card not the PSU?
I can still cancel/return the items I bought.
What card for around R1000 would then provide me with the same power as my 9800GTX+ would have?
Click to expand...

ANYTHING you get for r1000 will give much more power than the 9800gtx+. That 7750 would be fine. It isn't your psu. The card is failing.
 
Thanks for the help. Returned the stuff I bought. Going to look around where I can find a 550Ti for the best price.
 
Another quick question, will an 550Ti or 7750 create a bottleneck with my Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8ghz?
 
Fransh:
It will depend on the game.

Like if you're going to play BF3, then your CPU will most definitely hold back the graphics card.

There are other games that aren't as demanding on the CPU, in which case the graphics card could hold back the CPU in terms of achievable framerates.

I'd say that its more likely that your CPU will bottleneck the graphics card.
 
Thanks for your help.
It was what I meant to ask!( CPU bottleneck graphics card).

Thanks I will see what I can get for the best prices around. Will eventually have to upgrade cpu and motherboard in future too.
 
I got a hd6850 for around 1k, I know its oldish but its gives about the same performance as a gtx285 (in some benchies)
 
Fransh said:
Another quick question, will an 550Ti or 7750 create a bottleneck with my Core 2 Duo E7400 2.8ghz?
Click to expand...

I dunno, I have a Q8200, and an HD7850. Turns out my Processor isn't able to keep up with my graphics card at all, and might also be due to running PCI-E version 1.0 :/. So, I do think that processor will be holding back your graphics. In fact, I did a 20% overclock on my cpu, and my graphics score went up about 22% :P.
 
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