Graphics card problem, possibly overheating

[fangs2000]

Hey all,

Recently games have been freezing up on me, and i now know it's not the sound card. I am currently playing with the theory that my Graphics card (Connect3D 9800 pro) could be getting too hot and freezing up.

I have an 3rd party cooler at home, but being at uni i can't get at it for anothern 3 weeks. Until then i was wondering what i could do.

I decided to use ATiTool to UNDERclock the card, less HZ means less heat right? ONly when i do it i get serious artifact generation.

Further tests on default speeds the program picks up an artifact every 20-40 seconds. I find this worrying.

I always thought artifacts developed when the GC got too hot and became un-stable.

Any ideas on this? If this is an overheating issue, any suggestions on keeping it cooler until i can get the cooler installed?

Thanks

Ohh, just to say, the card does not have a temptreture sensor built-in, so no checking that.

 

[CrazeD]

What are the temps?

 

[fangs2000]

The Graphics card does not have a tempreture sensor built in, so i cannot tell. However the CPU is running about 35 C when idle.

I have the case side off as well and have just cleaned the fan out, quite a bit of dust. I'll see how it goes.

 

[lancec2c30]

umhh 35 idle?? wow mine idles at 18c on stock cooling. What cpu do you have?

and if your gpu is overheating and artifacting at stock settings it might just be fried or something got smoked on it?? I am not positive but a new card may be in order

 

[fangs2000]

I have an AMD Athlon XP 3200, Running at stock speeds. That tempreture is pretty normal for this proc.

If the Graphics card is broken, I can return it to the manufacture, it still has a 3 year warranty. The hard bit will be finding out for sure if it IS broken. I am looking into an upgrade atm, but it may not happen till christmas, BIG overhall needed

Nothing seems to be wrong with it, at stock speeds everything seems fine and games don't artifact (besides one) but they do crash and freeze up. I am just concered about the major Artifcating when i underclock it.

 

[Lord AnthraX]

wow mine idles at 18c on stock cooling. What cpu do you have?

I assume you have an AMD? 19C? Dream on. Your sensor is reporting false tempetures.