Graphics card question

  • Thread starter Thread starter E.T.
  • Start date Start date
E

E.T.

4 months ago I bought a Sapphire Radeon x1950xt video card and
everything went fine. Now however, my computer constantly keeps
restarting. But this only happens when I play any pc game.(usually
after 25minutes) I get constant crashes and sometimes WinXP just
reboots. I tried deloading and reloading the drivers for the card
about a zillion times, then upgrading to new drivers, and then finally
did a clean install of my main hard drive. However to no avail, the
problem is still happening. Im begining to wonder....could it be a
cooling problem for this card? I do hear the cards fan spining and I
did hear somewhere that this card has had cooling problems. Any advice
would be appreciated.

specs:
3.8 Intel GHz
two 80 gig hard drive SATA 300
two 512MB shared DDR2 Kingston memory
Foxconn P9657AA motherboard
Seasonic 650W atx power supply
ATI sapphire Radeon 1950XT 256mb
Windows XPhome

E.T.
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "E.T. said:
4 months ago I bought a Sapphire Radeon x1950xt video card and
everything went fine. Now however, my computer constantly keeps
restarting. But this only happens when I play any pc game.(usually
after 25minutes) I get constant crashes and sometimes WinXP just
reboots. I tried deloading and reloading the drivers for the card
about a zillion times, then upgrading to new drivers, and then finally
did a clean install of my main hard drive. However to no avail, the
problem is still happening. Im begining to wonder....could it be a
cooling problem for this card? I do hear the cards fan spining and I
did hear somewhere that this card has had cooling problems. Any advice
would be appreciated.

specs:
3.8 Intel GHz
two 80 gig hard drive SATA 300
two 512MB shared DDR2 Kingston memory
Foxconn P9657AA motherboard
Seasonic 650W atx power supply
ATI sapphire Radeon 1950XT 256mb
Windows XPhome

E.T.
Click to expand...

I'd get a copy of Memtest86 and run that for a few hours.
Reboots while running large programs tend to indicate memory problems;
unlike reboots while starting up, which tend to indicate power-supply
problems.

It's only when you start accessing those hidden corners of memory that
things go bad.
 
Frank McCoy said:
I'd get a copy of Memtest86 and run that for a few hours.
Reboots while running large programs tend to indicate memory problems;
unlike reboots while starting up, which tend to indicate power-supply
problems.

It's only when you start accessing those hidden corners of memory that
things go bad.
Click to expand...

However, the gfx card will only draw max power and generate max heat when being
"stressed" by the gaming or similar activity. So, it could well be a power or
heat problem.

If this card dumps the heat inside the case instead of through the mounting
plane, it could be overheating the CPU, RAM, or other components.

Try taking the case side off, and see if that changes anything. If so, it's
likely a heat problem.
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "John Weiss"
However, the gfx card will only draw max power and generate max heat when being
"stressed" by the gaming or similar activity. So, it could well be a power or
heat problem.

If this card dumps the heat inside the case instead of through the mounting
plane, it could be overheating the CPU, RAM, or other components.

Try taking the case side off, and see if that changes anything. If so, it's
likely a heat problem.
Click to expand...
Make sure the fan on the video-board (if it has one) is turning nicely
too. I could tell horror-stories ....

If it *does* need extra cooling, then that's one of the very few places
I recommend one of those little case-slot exhaust fans ... right next to
the overheating video-board.

It *could* be a CPU overheating problem as well.
I've had THAT causing similar problems as well.
Solved mainly by buying a good solid-copper CPU-cooler and a side-vented
case.
 
However, the gfx card will only draw max power and generate max heat when being
"stressed" by the gaming or similar activity. So, it could well be a power or
heat problem.

If this card dumps the heat inside the case instead of through the mounting
plane, it could be overheating the CPU, RAM, or other components.

Try taking the case side off, and see if that changes anything. If so, it's
likely a heat problem.
Click to expand...

I already have the case side removed (I never leave it on). I forgot
to mention that winXP had mentioned that I had a "stop error or hault
error and that it is forced to restart or go into a blue screen. The
online error report came back that this is usually caused by a bad
driver. However, I just did a clean install. Im assuming its got to be
some physical problem
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "John Weiss"








Make sure the fan on the video-board (if it has one) is turning nicely
too. I could tell horror-stories ....

If it *does* need extra cooling, then that's one of the very few places
I recommend one of those little case-slot exhaust fans ... right next to
the overheating video-board.

It *could* be a CPU overheating problem as well.
I've had THAT causing similar problems as well.
Solved mainly by buying a good solid-copper CPU-cooler and a side-vented
case.

--
_____
/ ' / ™
,-/-, __ __. ____ /_
(_/ / (_(_/|_/ / <_/ <_
Click to expand...

Supposedly,.....I got a thermalintake "Blue Orb II" cooler, which is
supposed to be a monster of cooling. I was pretty amazed when I
ordered it by its shear weight.....almost like 2 or 3 pounds (I assume)
 
E.T. said:
I already have the case side removed (I never leave it on). I forgot
to mention that winXP had mentioned that I had a "stop error or hault
error and that it is forced to restart or go into a blue screen. The
online error report came back that this is usually caused by a bad
driver. However, I just did a clean install. Im assuming its got to be
some physical problem
Click to expand...

use motherboard monitor to display temps for the CPU and case.
use ATI Tray Tools to show temps for the graphics card.
play a 3D game for 10 minutes if you can then exit the game and check temps.
tell us what you find.
 
use motherboard monitor to display temps for the CPU and case.
use ATI Tray Tools to show temps for the graphics card.
play a 3D game for 10 minutes if you can then exit the game and check temps.
tell us what you find.
Click to expand...
Well,..Ive been playing "Call of Duty 2 at 1024x768 resolution. Here
were my readings:
Graphics card 89C
CPU temp 58C
system temp 46C
I let the game run and then "Tab,alt,delete" to run the ATI and
motherboard tools
 
In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt "E.T. said:
Well,..Ive been playing "Call of Duty 2 at 1024x768 resolution. Here
were my readings:
Graphics card 89C
Click to expand...

That card temperature seems quite a bit high.
Is the fan on the video-board running properly?
Maybe a local exhaust fan running next to the card might be called for.
CPU temp 58C
Click to expand...

That's higher than I like; but still not too bad.
Still, I'd investigate a more robust CPU cooler, or side-vented case, or
both.
system temp 46C
Click to expand...

That's about where I *like* to see temperatures running at.
It means your motherboard probably has decent air-circulation.
 
Well,..Ive been playing "Call of Duty 2 at 1024x768 resolution. Here
were my readings:
Graphics card 89C
CPU temp 58C
system temp 46C
I let the game run and then "Tab,alt,delete" to run the ATI and
motherboard tools
Click to expand...


89C on the Graphics card sounds freakin hot to me. 58C on the CPU is on the
warm side & it did have a few seconds to cool as you exited the game. IMO
it appears that it's a heat problem.

Just an experiment, not a solution, try one of them big box window fans,
blowing on high right into the side. If you can get the temps down, see if
you still lock-up/re-boot/crash.

If you decide that it is the video card running too hot, an aftermarket
heatsink/fan might be a solution.

GOOD LUCK!
 
E.T. said:
I already have the case side removed (I never leave it on). I forgot
to mention that winXP had mentioned that I had a "stop error or hault
error and that it is forced to restart or go into a blue screen. The
online error report came back that this is usually caused by a bad
driver. However, I just did a clean install. Im assuming its got to be
some physical problem
Click to expand...
Any well designed case should be within just a few degrees C with the
side on vs off. Make sure you have good airflow from the bottom front to
the top back of your case. I would also tend to suspect a heat problem
or even possibly a PSU issue. 89c is not far off from what many newer
graphics cards run, but it should be exhausting that heat out the rear
of the case and not to the inside.

Ed
 
E.T. said:
4 months ago I bought a Sapphire Radeon x1950xt video card and
everything went fine. Now however, my computer constantly keeps
restarting. But this only happens when I play any pc game.(usually
after 25minutes) I get constant crashes and sometimes WinXP just
reboots. I tried deloading and reloading the drivers for the card
about a zillion times, then upgrading to new drivers, and then finally
did a clean install of my main hard drive. However to no avail, the
problem is still happening. Im begining to wonder....could it be a
cooling problem for this card? I do hear the cards fan spining and I
did hear somewhere that this card has had cooling problems. Any advice
would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/win_xp_stop.htm
 
89C on the Graphics card sounds freakin hot to me. 58C on the CPU is on the
warm side & it did have a few seconds to cool as you exited the game. IMO
it appears that it's a heat problem.

Just an experiment, not a solution, try one of them big box window fans,
blowing on high right into the side. If you can get the temps down, see if
you still lock-up/re-boot/crash.

If you decide that it is the video card running too hot, an aftermarket
heatsink/fan might be a solution.

GOOD LUCK!
Click to expand...

Yes, I thought that might be the culprit. I did a search on this card
last night and found some web based message board thread which
mentioned that this specific card came with a "not so heavy cooler"
and that the use of a 3rd party program to up the rpm on the card
since the original ATI Catalyst program is set wayyyy too low. Would
this help rid some of the build up of some heat? The program is called
"ATItool 0.26" If not......then it seems, like you mentioned, an after
market cooler will be the solution along with some of the other
cooling methods mentioned in this group.

E.T.
 
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