6800 GE - S.O.S please help me!

[mauasatto]

First of all let me say this is an awesome site!

In my desperate need of help I have searched a lot of forums and have finally decided to post on this one.

I have recently bought an Asus v9999 GE, and the problems began...
Doom3 ran just fine.
However, with other games (NWN), as I tried to maximize the graphical settings (e.g. add antialiasing, etc), the GPU and RAM would sometimes overheat, with the Fan never passing the ~3,600 RPM when set to "manual - 100% power".
As I am very pedantic, I decided the overheating occured because the fan was malfunctioning (after all, it has a graph of upto 10,000 RPM and it just uses 35% of it...) so I thought this was the problem, and I sent the card to Asus for a replacement.

Now I got a card back. I tried running "Beyond Good and Evil" yesterday for the first time (with full settings on 1024/768), and I have gotten some extreme overheating just a few minutes into the game: GPU 89c and RAM 79c.
Today, the game runs and freezes the computer after only 1 minute of running! - I get a black screen and the computer freezes!

The funniest thing is how UN-helpful Asus are: I have contacted them several times just to get silly questions like "are you over-clocking?" or "have you installed the latest drivers?"...

I am not and have never over-clocked. I use SmartDoctor for monitoring only.
I have the latest drivers and smartdoctor installed.
My system details:
MB: Asus P4P800-Deluxe
CPU: Intel Pentium4 3ghz (800mhz)
CPU-Fan: Intel in-a-box tower+fan running at ~4400 RPM
Memory: Micron DDR400 1GB
Power supply: 420 W (unheard-of manufacturer)
Case: Ci-6A19 + Extra 12" fan at ~1300 RPM
Hdd: Maxtor SATA 80 GB.
OS: Windows XP pro.

Please help me.
What can I do to stop the overheating, the system freezes and black screens?

The only possible important detail I can think of is my power supply, which is 420W but from a cheap make. I *could* get a Thermaltech 420W which would be much more stable and reliable... but would this solve the problem or would I just be spending $70 (this is what it costs here in Israel!) just to see the overheating and freezes repeat themselves??

...oh, yeah - I forgot to mention one last thing: It has just become winter here in Israel, and ironically the overheating was less problematic during the summer than now...

 

[Praetor]

However, with other games (NWN), as I tried to maximize the graphical settings (e.g. add antialiasing, etc), the GPU and RAM would sometimes overheat, with the Fan never passing the ~3,600 RPM when set to "manual - 100% power".
As I am very pedantic, I decided the overheating occured because the fan was malfunctioning (after all, it has a graph of upto 10,000 RPM and it just uses 35% of it...) so I thought this was the problem, and I sent the card to Asus for a replacement.

Define overheat

I have gotten some extreme overheating just a few minutes into the game: GPU 89c and RAM 79c.

Thats not overheating. The 6800s can breach 100C without blinking (or throttling, unless youve set them to)

The funniest thing is how UN-helpful Asus are: I have contacted them several times just to get silly questions like "are you over-clocking?" or "have you installed the latest drivers?"..

Annoying yes but you have no idea how neccesary it is to ask those questions.

What can I do to stop the overheating, the system freezes and black screens?

Im not convinced its overheating -- ive ran a 6800GT and 6800U without a fan along with Particule Fury (albeit not for very long) ... now THAT's overheating

The only possible important detail I can think of is my power supply, which is 420W but from a cheap make. I *could* get a Thermaltech 420W which would be much more stable and reliable... but would this solve the problem or would I just be spending $70 (this is what it costs here in Israel!) just to see the overheating and freezes repeat themselves??

Its good that you mention that. How stable ARE your rails? (use ASUS probe to check ... have it start loggin and then play some games until it crashes)

 

[mauasatto]

Reply: Praetor

Wow! what a quick reply! You caught me off-guard there...

Define overheat

I get the clue... maybe 80c on the GPU is not exactly overheating.

Thats not overheating. The 6800s can breach 100C without blinking (or throttling, unless youve set them to)

I gather you are referring to the GPU. What about the RAM? Can it also breach the 100c?

Im not convinced its overheating -- ive ran a 6800GT and 6800U without a fan along with Particule Fury (albeit not for very long) ... now THAT's overheating

Ohh.. I wouldn't try that..
Nevertheless, I should mention that yesterday I got the overheating message from SmartDoctor only after I got out of the game myself, after having played a few minutes. And today it gives me the black-freeze during the demo, not even getting to the game itself, not to mention that I had to turn the overheating alarm "off while playing 3d-games" in smartdoctor just to prevent the smartdoctor from interfering with the game process.

Are you sure my case is not overheating...?

Then what could it be?

I should mention the following:
Yesterday I was running on the Asus 62.11 drivers with SmartDoctor 4.54.
But today I am running with the Asus 66.72 drivers (in this 66.72 version Asus reverted to the Nvidia 6800 drivers, so I also had to install the Asus "Enhanced" Driver and I did) with SmartDoctor 4.57.

Could *this* have anything to do with it?

Its good that you mention that. How stable ARE your rails? (use ASUS probe to check ... have it start loggin and then play some games until it crashes)

Wow... I don't know... I don't even know what "rails" are...
I will search this "Asus probe" you mention. I gather by what you say that this is some type of logging program. I believe I will manage it. I will post the results in a few minutes.

Meanwhile, thank you so very much, I hope your help will get me through this!

 

[mauasatto]

Asus Probe results

Praetor:

Okay, I've installed the latest Asus probe and made it log the history, polling every 5 seconds.

I tried to get the computer to freeze, but the Asus Probe program would not allow this to happen: I got a "floating point divide by zero" error and a following "exception EaccessViolation" error - all errors from the Asus Probe which turned to focus over to the Asus Probe program, thus minimizing the game and (so I believe) preventing overheat, because its enought to minimize the game for 5 seconds and the temperatures drop more than 15c.

So I couldn't manage to get a freeze now, because each time I re-ran the Asus Probe and returned to the game, not a minute passed without some new error from the Asus probe.

The Power polls were did indeed manifest some fluctuations, but I believe a certain amount of fluctuation is normal, is it not?
Nevertheless, here is the most different, highest poll of all, taken quite frankly *before* running the 3d games:
+12v: 12.403
+5v: 5.187
+3.3v: 3.392
VCore: 1.616

Eagerly expecting your reply to my last 2 posts,
Mauasatto.

 

[Praetor]

I gather you are referring to the GPU. What about the RAM? Can it also breach the 100c?

You have the ASUS V9999GE which uses GDDR3 ... the nice thing about GDDR3 is that temperature isnt so much an issue (not that it ever was, but even in comparison with DDR). If the core isnt hitting 100C then obviously the memory wont be even hitting 80C

Nevertheless, I should mention that yesterday I got the overheating message from SmartDoctor only after I got out of the game myself, after having played a few minutes.

Screw smartdoctor (i never liked them stupid proggies anyways heehee). What does the nVidia temperature sensor tell you?

And today it gives me the black-freeze during the demo, not even getting to the game itself, not to mention that I had to turn the overheating alarm "off while playing 3d-games" in smartdoctor just to prevent the smartdoctor from interfering with the game process.

Again screw smartdoctor.

Are you sure my case is not overheating...?

Ive not stated that but for the record, what ARE your temps?

Yesterday I was running on the Asus 62.11 drivers with SmartDoctor 4.54.
But today I am running with the Asus 66.72 drivers (in this 66.72 version Asus reverted to the Nvidia 6800 drivers, so I also had to install the Asus "Enhanced" Driver and I did) with SmartDoctor 4.57.

While we're on it, screw the ASUS drivers Get the real nvidia ones not silly ASUS ones (which are just ASUSized versions of the nVidia drivers). I had a very good experience with the 61.77s and now im using the 70.41s ... the current 66.93s are good too. You can get them from http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_66.93

Wow... I don't know... I don't even know what "rails" are...

Rails = the voltages lines on your motherboard, 12V, 5V and 3.3V ... if your videocard isnt getting good power then its not gonna be happy.

I tried to get the computer to freeze, but the Asus Probe program would not allow this to happen: I got a "floating point divide by zero" error and a following "exception EaccessViolation" error - all errors from the Asus Probe which turned to focus over to the Asus Probe program

This is more indicitive of a system/memory problem rather than speciifcally the videocard/probe problem.

So I couldn't manage to get a freeze now, because each time I re-ran the Asus Probe and returned to the game, not a minute passed without some new error from the Asus probe.

Screw games. Run particle fury for a bit and ramp it to 120K particles (and while you're at it, whats your fps at default 32K and 120K just for reference sake). You can have ASUS probe running (because particle fury isnt a fullscreen program) and have the nVidia temperature thingy running so you can check the tmps.

The Power polls were did indeed manifest some fluctuations, but I believe a certain amount of fluctuation is normal, is it not?
Nevertheless, here is the most different, highest poll of all, taken quite frankly *before* running the 3d games

That seems stable however its not entirely usefule because, as noted, its before you started playing. You might consider trying to run MBM5 (motherboard monitor5).

MBM5: http://www.dvhardware.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=3 ?
Particle Fury: http://www.setiathomescreensaverspeed.co.uk/downloads/freeware/opengl/particle.htm or http://www.majorgeeks.com/download158.html

 

[mauasatto]

A preemptive reply

Praetor:
Today is Friday here Israel, which is kind of like your Saturday.
I have to get going to my Friday night dinner @ friends house pretty soon, so before I download Particle Fury to test those FPS rates, I will reply the message first:

You have the ASUS V9999GE which uses GDDR3 ... the nice thing about GDDR3 is that temperature isnt so much an issue (not that it ever was, but even in comparison with DDR). If the core isnt hitting 100C then obviously the memory wont be even hitting 80C

Actually I wouldn't count on it... the highest temperatures I have seen were:
GPU: 89 celcius
RAM: 79 celcius
*BUT* these were the temperatures I saw after EXITING the game. This means that during the game the temperatures must've been higher.

Another bothersome issue is the idlying temperature of the GPU...
As I've mentioned, during the summer the temperatures were lower, for some obscure reason...
During the summer, the GPU was idle at ~54 celcius, and the RAM at ~44 celcius.
Then, as I've told you, I sent the card to Asus and got a new one instead, for I was not happy with the Fan's RPM (never above 3667 RPM).

Now, in the winter's beginning, the GPU is idle at ~66 celcius and the RAM at ~54. This is baffling... could I have gotten as a replacement a card that works worse than the previous one? Because, by the way, the Fan's RPM *continues* to be always lower than or equal to 3667...
But all these polls come from your favorite pal, SmartDoctor, which I have begun to hate myself... I mean: a process of ~14MB just for polling temperatures and crap like that?! Come on...

Screw smartdoctor (i never liked them stupid proggies anyways heehee). What does the nVidia temperature sensor tell you?

Hmm... I have never tried any other monitoring program on this card. I know that Asus have tampered a bit with the whole configuration around the 6800 on their v9999 GE, so I was hesitant to use any software but the intended ones by Asus... but nevertheless I will try this nVidia program you speak of, right before I try that particle fury.

Ive not stated that but for the record, what ARE your temps?

I have mentioned them above, as I have mentioned my concern that the values I saw were un-reflective of reality, for they were seen after exiting the game.
What do you make of these values (GPU 89c, RAM 79c)?

I wonder: if the RAM and the GPU can sustain over 100c, exactly how much?
and I wonder: if it is so, then why did Asus program the SmartDoctor to alert by default at values of 80 for GPU and 70 for RAM?

The most important question is probably: do you think it is safe for me to go on playing a game (assuming it does not hang my machine) all the while ignoring such values?

While we're on it, screw the ASUS drivers Get the real nvidia ones not silly ASUS ones (which are just ASUSized versions of the nVidia drivers).

I have never tried using the original nvidia ones, for the same reason that I have not tried the original nvidia temperature sensor program. But I will do as you say and attempt a whole removal of the drivers and SmartDoctor for the sake of the original Nvidia ones, even if it means ignoring my concerns.

This is more indicitive of a system/memory problem rather than speciifcally the videocard/probe problem.

Probably a software issue. I highly doubt that there is anything wrong with my memory. I use my machine on a different boot-setup for music, and I completely abuse the memory with gigabytes of samples and wavs. The secondary boot has never manifested any problems whatsoever, and is configured at a much lighter, good-for-work-and-not-for-play state - which leads me to believe it is likely a software problem. Possibly something to do with this dumbass norton antivirus which I stubbornly refuse to remove (in spite of being behind a physical firewall machine and a router... I guess all these things I'm saying, little by little - the fear of using nvidia programs over asus ones, the stubbornness by leaving NAV installed - they all kinda' lead to me being a chicken... but the fact is that the secondary boot has my music, and I am reluctant to endanger it in any possible way...)

That seems stable however its not entirely usefule because, as noted, its before you started playing. You might consider trying to run MBM5 (motherboard monitor5).

Actually the program managed to do some polling in-game. The reason I specified the before-game values was that they were more abnormal than the in-game ones. Actually, while in-game, the polling results were much more stable and closer to the ideal voltage values. That is why I did not mention them.

Screw games. Run particle fury for a bit and ramp it to 120K particles (and while you're at it, whats your fps at default 32K and 120K just for reference sake). You can have ASUS probe running (because particle fury isnt a fullscreen program) and have the nVidia temperature thingy running so you can check the tmps.

This sounds ideal.
This is what I will do as soon as I get back home from that dinner.

Regardless, I would very much appreciate your opinion of the temperatures I have given you and the questions that followed.

btw: how's the weather in Canada now? I bet you could overclock your whole machine so long as you turned the heating off...

 

[mauasatto]

Nvidia software

What does the nVidia temperature sensor tell you?

While we're on it, screw the ASUS drivers Get the real nvidia ones not silly ASUS ones (which are just ASUSized versions of the nVidia drivers). I had a very good experience with the 61.77s and now im using the 70.41s ... the current 66.93s are good too. You can get them from http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_66.93

I've searched the nvidia site - and I have not found any nvidia temperature sensor. Only something for nForce motherboards. I've also searched google - no results for "nvidia temperature sensor".

And the nvidia drivers version 66.93 do not support Gforce6800 GE. They support the GT and plain 6800s, but no GE.


What should I do?

Also: do you think it is safe to go on playing while ignoring the "GPU=89c" and "RAM=79c" warnings?

 

[mauasatto]

Praetor: particle fury results

Praetor:

I have not found any Nvidia temperature monitor programs.

I have tried particle fury. At 120,000 particles the card's temperature did NOT go over 68 celcius on SmartDoctor. I was dissapointed... anyways, here's
what you wanted to know:

Particle fury results:
120,000 particles FPS 25.7
I understand frames per second, but the rest of the details are incomprehensible to me:
3082 kp/sec [average: 2677 kp/sec] [peak: 3135 kp/sec]

at 32kparticles the FPS was something like 97, don't remember exactly.

I also would really like your answer:
do you think it is safe to go on playing while the GPU is over 90c and RAM over 80c?
I have nowhere else to turn to, please help me.

 

[Praetor]

Actually I wouldn't count on it... the highest temperatures I have seen were:
GPU: 89 celcius
RAM: 79 celcius
*BUT* these were the temperatures I saw after EXITING the game. This means that during the game the temperatures must've been higher

A tad higher than I might have expected but nothing to be concerned with at all.

Another bothersome issue is the idlying temperature of the GPU...
As I've mentioned, during the summer the temperatures were lower, for some obscure reason...
During the summer, the GPU was idle at ~54 celcius, and the RAM at ~44 celcius.
Then, as I've told you, I sent the card to Asus and got a new one instead, for I was not happy with the Fan's RPM (never above 3667 RPM).

Idle temp for stock cooling here is roughly that temperature -- and quit worrying about the ram temps. They're fine.

Because, by the way, the Fan's RPM *continues* to be always lower than or equal to 3667...

Why is the RPM an issue? Does it say somewhere that the rpm has/should be a certain value?

Hmm... I have never tried any other monitoring program on this card. I know that Asus have tampered a bit with the whole configuration around the 6800 on their v9999 GE, so I was hesitant to use any software but the intended ones by Asus... but nevertheless I will try this nVidia program you speak of, right before I try that particle fury

.
Screw the software and drivers that come with the ASUS card. Use the nvidia drivers (which are newer). You can get them from here http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_66.93

What do you make of these values (GPU 89c, RAM 79c)?

Nothing at all to be concerned about ... unless your ambient temp is like -10C or something... what is your ambient temp (room) and ambient temp (case)?

I wonder: if the RAM and the GPU can sustain over 100c, exactly how much?

1. Quit worrying about the ram
2. The 6800 series automatically starts to throttle itself when it hits 120C ... which leaves you plenty of room

if it is so, then why did Asus program the SmartDoctor to alert by default at values of 80 for GPU and 70 for RAM?

Because it's stupid.

The most important question is probably: do you think it is safe for me to go on playing a game (assuming it does not hang my machine) all the while ignoring such values?

Set the threshold higher.

Possibly something to do with this dumbass norton antivirus which I stubbornly refuse to remove (in spite of being behind a physical firewall machine and a router...

And IDS and router wont protect you from the inside

I'm saying, little by little - the fear of using nvidia programs over asus ones

Get over it (seriously). I had a V9999Ultra Deluxe a couple weeks ago ... didnt bother installing the drivers from ASUS... went straight to nVidia. Think about it this way: you look at eBay or whatnot ... they sell OEM cards (cards without CDs and boxes and fancy drivers) ... what do you think the people who buy those cards do? The likeliness of each one of them having a copy of ASUS's driver CD is remote and granted they could goto the ASUS website (and navigate through the mess IMO) but most just goto nVidia.com and grab the latest.

the stubbornness by leaving NAV installed

That's good stubborness.

btw: how's the weather in Canada now? I bet you could overclock your whole machine so long as you turned the heating off...

The heating is off. The windows are wide open. The ambient room temp is -6 to -12. Case temp is in the 10C-15C range.

I've searched the nvidia site - and I have not found any nvidia temperature sensor. Only something for nForce motherboards. I've also searched google - no results for "nvidia temperature sensor".

LOL. Well first you have to overcome your stubborness and install the nVidia drivers. Heehee. Then you can get to the temps tab (Display --> Settings-->Advanced-->GeForce 6800 -->Temperature Settings)

And the nvidia drivers version 66.93 do not support Gforce6800 GE. They support the GT and plain 6800s, but no GE.

They support it (otherwise I wouldnt be reccomending you look now would i? ). The GE stands for Gamer Edition -- an ASUS name. Not an nVidia name. Chip in there is a GeForce6800. You'll be fine.

do you think it is safe to go on playing while the GPU is over 90c and RAM over 80c?

As long as "over 90C" means "over 90C and less than 125C"

 

[mauasatto]

Nvidia drivers - Temperature Settings

Praetor:

First let me say thank you very much for being so patient with me..

I've reinstalled the nvidia drivers and looked again: I've found no such option as "temperature settings" where you said it would be. I've checked every other possible place and have found nothing.

Why is the RPM an issue? Does it say somewhere that the rpm has/should be a certain value?

Well, actually - yes. Asus have said to me in one of their mails that the RPM of the 6800 GE should be around 4,500.

Screw the software and drivers that come with the ASUS card. Use the nvidia drivers (which are newer). You can get them from here http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_66.93

I've gotten them the last time you suggested them.
They are installed right now. Only thing is: I can't monitor the temperature and this is unsettling.

Nothing at all to be concerned about ... unless your ambient temp is like -10C or something... what is your ambient temp (room) and ambient temp (case)?

I would say roughly:
Room: 15c (right now)
Case: I don't know what you mean by "case", but the CPU is 34c and the MB is 30c. The metal casing outside feels at about 10c. Does this help??

2. The 6800 series automatically starts to throttle itself when it hits 120C ... which leaves you plenty of room

This is a reassuring fact that I did not know.
It does not however solve the possibility of such heat inside the computer affecting other things (my 600$ audio card, for instance, or any other plastic cables...)

Set the threshold higher.

Well, the StupidDoctor has a maximum threshold of 90c for the GPU.
I've just tried running the game with this threshold, and I passed it in three minutes.
Nevertheless, the threshold is not a problem: I can turn the alarm "off while in 3D games", as long as I feel it's safe to do so.

You see, Praetor, this whole mess is being created because I am trying to use the same computer I use for my music - to play games. If this was not the machine I worked on, I would just try and see what happens! Everything is under warranty - except for my Audio card and my work... which are the most important things...

Get over it (seriously). I had a V9999Ultra Deluxe a couple weeks ago ... didnt bother installing the drivers from ASUS... went straight to nVidia. Think about it this way: you look at eBay or whatnot ... they sell OEM cards (cards without CDs and boxes and fancy drivers) ... what do you think the people who buy those cards do? The likeliness of each one of them having a copy of ASUS's driver CD is remote and granted they could goto the ASUS website (and navigate through the mess IMO) but most just goto nVidia.com and grab the latest.

You're right.

The heating is off. The windows are wide open. The ambient room temp is -6 to -12. Case temp is in the 10C-15C range.

Jeez! How can you sit in that room? Wearing a bear-fur coat?

LOL. Well first you have to overcome your stubborness and install the nVidia drivers. Heehee. Then you can get to the temps tab (Display --> Settings-->Advanced-->GeForce 6800 -->Temperature Settings)

The following options appear in the tab you specified:
-Screen Adjustment
-Display Mode Timing
-Performance & Quality Settings
-Color Correction
-Video Overlay Settings
-Troubleshooting
-NVRotate
-Refresh Rate Overrides
-Screen Resolutions & Refresh Rates
+Desktop Management
-Profiles
-Menu Editing

"Temperature Settings" is not one of them, nor did I see it under any of the above options...

 

[Praetor]

First let me say thank you very much for being so patient with me..

Its a pleasure to help someone who wants to be helpd

I've reinstalled the nvidia drivers and looked again: I've found no such option as "temperature settings" where you said it would be. I've checked every other possible place and have found nothing.

Oh this is odd. Lets run the things through step by step:
1. UNinstall whatever drivers you happen to have. Reboot. It will look like crap but you'll live
2. Install the nVidia drivers. Reboot
3. Set the resolution and whatnot to what you like.
4. Control Panel --> Display --> Settings Tab --> Click on Advanced ... this should take you to a tab that says something like "General". There should be 6 tab in total. Clicko n the one with the nVidia logo (and the one that says GeForce 6800)
5. You should see something like this (emphasis on LIKE -- im using a different driver revision so you wont see the same exact things but its close enough)

6. On the left hand side, you'll see something like "Temperature Settings". Click on it. It'll show you a screen like

(ignore the temps ... it was an experiment)

Well, actually - yes. Asus have said to me in one of their mails that the RPM of the 6800 GE should be around 4,500.

Well that would be good enough to get a RMA now wouldnt it?

Case: I don't know what you mean by "case", but the CPU is 34c and the MB is 30c.

I meant the same as the mobo temp

It does not however solve the possibility of such heat inside the computer affecting other things (my 600$ audio card, for instance, or any other plastic cables...)

A pesudo-workaround can be to get a fan card or exchaust cooler ($20) to put below the videocard to vent the hot air out

I've just tried running the game with this threshold, and I passed it in three minutes.
Nevertheless, the threshold is not a problem: I can turn the alarm "off while in 3D games", as long as I feel it's safe to do so

.
Normally I say go for it but if its surpassing the 90C threshold in 3minutes thats cause for alarm.

How can you sit in that room? Wearing a bear-fur coat?

Khakis and a t-shirt as I type

"Temperature Settings" is not one of them, nor did I see it under any of the above options...

Oh thats interesting ... (in a odd type of manner). ... did you uninstall the old drivers before installing the new ones?

 

[Praetor]

Reading this all again im slightly disturbed at why the fan runs so slow ... once i can understand ... twice ... i woudlnt think coincidence .. never know i guess

 

[mauasatto]

How can this be?? What's going on here???

Praetor:

picture of your geforce6800 tab...

I can't believe this!
Although I may be asking newbie-type questions, it is only because I am a newbie to all this geforce-business. Nevertheless, rest assured that each and every time that I installed the nvidia 66.93 drivers I did exactly as you wrote - the way it's supposed to be done - just so you know:
Uninstalled Smartdoctor,
Uninstalled "asus enhanced driver",
-reboot-
Uninstalled display drivers,
-reboot-
(refresh rate down to 60hz, colors down to 16k)
install the nvidia drivers,
-reboot-
(resolution down to 640/480),
set the res, refresh, and colors,
check the geforce Advanced display-tab.

And I have done this maybe three or four times the past two days...
And the pic you've shown of your geforce6800 tab is different than mine: I have no such "Temperature Settings" option on the left!
What's going on here??
Could it be the difference in the drivers' version?
Where do I get the same revision as you are using?

..I know that my geforce6800 is supposed to have that heat monitoring chip... but I am thinking (in desperation) that maybe it could also be the difference between the 6800 and the GT?? God I hope not. I've got to monitor that temp.

Reading this all again im slightly disturbed at why the fan runs so slow ... once i can understand ... twice ... i woudlnt think coincidence .. never know i guess

Yes, I know...
You should know that I have a 12" fan next to the AGP slot taking air outside. Also it has a thermostaat and increases its RPM duely.

I am thinking of installing another 12" fan of the same make, on the front side of the case (Ci-6A19) bringing air IN, spewing it over the hard drives. I have seen this done in a friend's studio computer.
But before I do this I must understand all these discrepancies: Fan RPM 3,500 even when card GPU is over 90c... even AFTER RMA...
I am considering also spending those $70 on the thermaltech power-adapter, but there is also no guarantee that even *this* will solve the problem...
I have even considered replacing the Geforce6800's fan with a third-party more powerful fan... but just the same - shouldn't I first see the card and its fan working properly - i.e. temperature monitor, fan rpm, gpu temperatures... ?

I am so confused and outraged, I feel like beating the shit out of any asus representative I can find!!

Sincerely,
David Mauas,
Israel.

 

[Praetor]

Could it be the difference in the drivers' version?

While the first image ive got there is courtesy of the Forceware 70.41s which you're not using, the second image is courtesy of the 61.77s (and I presume the 66.93s too) so I dunno. Now I doubt it but it might be because the drivers arent being removed/uninstalled properly (not your fault but rather due to the intricate nature of the drivers and such, they can someetimes be a pain to remove). You can try to uninstall them followed up by a sweep of Detonator/Forceware clean up tools:
- http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=603
- http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=202
Really though im damn near flabbergasted at why the drivers dont work for you the way they did for me. I wonder if you use the ASUS ones again you might get that control panel (now that you know what to look for)

I know that my geforce6800 is supposed to have that heat monitoring chip... but I am thinking (in desperation) that maybe it could also be the difference between the 6800 and the GT?? God I hope not.

To my knowledge the 6800 and 6800GT only differ with their core architecture not with heat thingies.

But before I do this I must understand all these discrepancies: Fan RPM 3,500 even when card GPU is over 90c... even AFTER RMA...

The more I think of this the more I think its a fluke. The V9999GE is supposed to be a very solid card as a 6800 as well as a softmodded 6800GT/6800U (if we ever get the temp to chillax ill show ya that stuff)

I have even considered replacing the Geforce6800's fan with a third-party more powerful fan... but just the same - shouldn't I first see the card and its fan working properly

Shouldnt be needed. I had a V9999U (which features esssentially the same cooler) and i didnt have any problems. Ditto for my friends with V9999GTs

I am thinking of installing another 12" fan of the same make, on the front side of the case (Ci-6A19) bringing air IN, spewing it over the hard drives. I have seen this done in a friend's studio computer.

Very good idea

A more immediately effective solution would be to employ either
- http://www.xoxide.com/fancard.html
- http://www.xoxide.com/slotcooler.html
And yes i know you shouldnt HAVE to and the card SHOULD work the first time etc but both are good products that you might consider employing even if it were working properly

Can you attatch a screenshot of the SmartDoctor or whatever?

 

[Bobo]

I have a GeForce Fx 5200 (crap, but it works for me), and I checked that menu that Praetor is talking about, and there is nothing about temps.

 

[Praetor]

The 5200 doesnt have a temperature sensor.

 

[mauasatto]

Attached files

... a sweep of Detonator/Forceware clean up tools

I will definitely try those.

Really though im damn near flabbergasted at why the drivers dont work for you the way they did for me. I wonder if you use the ASUS ones again you might get that control panel (now that you know what to look for)

I have tried that as well.
Same results.
I am really pissed off and confused at this. If I had that little panel you've shown me in that pic, I would completely ERASE that stupid smartdoctor 13mb service! Who needs smartdoctor and warnings and shit, when you can tell the GPU when to start throttling down??
I've got to understand why that "Temperature Settings" option does not appear on my 6800 tab! I will tell you the results after trying those cleanup tools after the drivers' uninstall.

The more I think of this the more I think its a fluke. The V9999GE is supposed to be a very solid card as a 6800 as well as a softmodded 6800GT/6800U (if we ever get the temp to chillax ill show ya that stuff)

I gather you mean that you believe the RPM is actually higher than displayed. I wish there was a different way to monitor it. I've asked Asus, but they replied, of course, that SmartDoctor is realiable and is the only way.

Can you attatch a screenshot of the SmartDoctor or whatever?

Of course. I got a screenshot of the SmartDoctor showing my lame RPM, and I also got a screenshot of my 6800 tab, showing the lack of the "Temperature Settings" option.

I also tried getting a screenshot of smartdoctor showing overheating, but ironically enough, just when I wanted to, I could get the card to overheat!! You know... when you want it - you'll never get it.
However I will try again tomorrow - I'm 100% positive of getting that screen shot.

Sincerely,
David Mauas,
Israel.

 

[Praetor]

when you can tell the GPU when to start throttling down??

Other than checking your temp monitor center every couple seconds or if you are *really* in touch with your card and hardware ... you cant really tell.

I've got to understand why that "Temperature Settings" option does not appear on my 6800 tab! I will tell you the results after trying those cleanup tools after the drivers' uninstall.

Im wondering if you're up for a format? I dunno how "investigative" you're feeling but that might be the only way to get to the bottom of this (btw, have you reverted to the "enhanced ASUS drivers"? ... might be worth a shot .. .mostly because im out of ideas)

I gather you mean that you believe the RPM is actually higher than displayed.

Not so much that, what i was thinking is perhaps another bad card ... i know its unlikely but possible. Here's a thought. using your finger, *stop* the fan momentarily ... does SmartDoctor note that?

Another thought, kinda hopeless but possible ... the V9999GE is supposed to be clocked at 350/1000 .... could it be possible that its clocked higher than it should be? To check, download RivaTuner 15.2 [http://www.guru3d.com/rivatuner/]. Have a look around.
- "Main" Tab, in the first box "Target Adapter", it should say 256-bit NV40 [A1, 12x1,6vp] with 256MB DDR
- Now click on the little button next to "Customize" and then click on the left-most entry, "Low Level System Settings"
- The clocks should be 350/1000

 

[mauasatto]

No - it cannot be clocked higher than 350/1000 - SmartDoctor has these values listed. Note the top right of the SmartDoctor pic.

And as for the format - well, I'm actually about to replace the hard drive that runs all the graphics software & the games, so I'm bound to have to format, whether I want to or not.

I will check in soon after trying that cleanup software.

 

[mauasatto]

check this out praetor

I've got to show this to you - after sending some angry and desperate mails to Asus' online-support, and reporting all the discussed problems, I have finally gotten something interesting as a reply:
----------------------------- From "Bruce Mao" - Asus Shanghai Support -------- :
Praetor has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - 6800 GE - S.O.S please help me! - in the Video Cards and Monitors forum of Computer Forum.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will not stop trying while awaiting contact from this alleged "technician", but nevertheless once he gets in touch, we'll see what he's worth.

Mauas.