GeForce Go 7950 GTX temperature & driver problem

[Crush]

Ok, here goes. I've been having a huge problem with my GPU for a long time. I hope someone can help. The problem lies in the temperature sensing and monitoring, and how different drivers handle it.

I use the i8kfangui to monitor my GPU temperature. I've found that it is the most accurate of all, and it can adjust the temperature if needed. Why adjust? The reported temperature is always 8 degrees lower than it actually is. So, if i8k reports 49, the GPU is actually running at 57. So I just add the 8 degree offset and always get the correct temperature.

ATItool temperature monitoring is different. It varies depending on the driver. For example, for the 165.01 atitool would report 57. But for the 167.51 beta and 169.09 it would report 49.

The thing is that the GPU's speed throttling and overheat threshold is done according to the atitool temperature. Downclock threshold for my GPU is set to 102 degrees. I can't change that. With the 165.01 driver, when the temp reaches 102 (both i8k and atitool report the same), the speed is throttled down to prevent overheating and all is well. But with the 169.09, the GPU thinks it's running at 94, while it's actually running at 102, and eventually overheats and shuts down the PC.

Now I can't understand why different drivers would report the temp differently. It's a software problem. So it should be possible to change it somewhere in the driver.

I want to use the 167.51 beta driver, which is supposed to be made especially for my laptop and card, but I can't because it incorrectly reports the temp, and in a hot environment the GPU can reach the 102 degree threshold when gaming.

I need to make all the drivers report the right temperature.

This is really pissing me off. Please help... :)

[Guest Heisenko]

Hello man, months ago i got the same problem as you describe, you should call to DELL ir oder to clean the ventilation system it should be dirty and with so much dust, that's why the lap overheat and shut down, repeat that's the same problem that i got some months ago, I hope this help you

[Crush]

Hello man, months ago i got the same problem as you describe, you should call to DELL ir oder to clean the ventilation system it should be dirty and with so much dust, that's why the lap overheat and shut down, repeat that's the same problem that i got some months ago, I hope this help you

You obviously didn't get my point. I'm not bothered that the card gets hot. I changed it already a few months ago. The problem is that when it gets to 102 degrees, it should downclock to cool off. But it only does that with some drivers, because the other drivers report the temperature lower than it actually is. Therefore downclocking doesn't happen and it overheats.

Is there really no guru-person who knows the answer to this? I thought these were the most awesomest forums of them all...

[Crush]

I've now tried 171.16, 169.28, and 169.21 drivers, but the temperature is still incorrect. wtf is wrong with these drivers? I only have 167.58 left to test. Let's see if those work.

Anyone knows which nvidia dll is repsponsible for sensing the temperature? Maybe I could switch it with one from a working driver? :)

[dwm]

Ok, here goes. I've been having a huge problem with my GPU for a long time. I hope someone can help. The problem lies in the temperature sensing and monitoring, and how different drivers handle it.

I use the i8kfangui to monitor my GPU temperature. I've found that it is the most accurate of all, and it can adjust the temperature if needed. Why adjust? The reported temperature is always 8 degrees lower than it actually is. So, if i8k reports 49, the GPU is actually running at 57. So I just add the 8 degree offset and always get the correct temperature.

ATItool temperature monitoring is different. It varies depending on the driver. For example, for the 165.01 atitool would report 57. But for the 167.51 beta and 169.09 it would report 49.

The thing is that the GPU's speed throttling and overheat threshold is done according to the atitool temperature. Downclock threshold for my GPU is set to 102 degrees. I can't change that. With the 165.01 driver, when the temp reaches 102 (both i8k and atitool report the same), the speed is throttled down to prevent overheating and all is well. But with the 169.09, the GPU thinks it's running at 94, while it's actually running at 102, and eventually overheats and shuts down the PC.

Now I can't understand why different drivers would report the temp differently. It's a software problem. So it should be possible to change it somewhere in the driver.

I want to use the 167.51 beta driver, which is supposed to be made especially for my laptop and card, but I can't because it incorrectly reports the temp, and in a hot environment the GPU can reach the 102 degree threshold when gaming.

I need to make all the drivers report the right temperature.

This is really pissing me off. Please help... :)

You just described the EXCACT same problem as I have with my Dell XPS M170. Installing new drivers will make my laptop overheat

and shutdown. If I dont use i8k this happens very fast playing a game (eve online). 2-3 mins or something. If I use i8k it will go about

10-15 minutes if I force the fans to full speed. I have been trying for awhile now to figure out why and I guess this is why.

I have the go7800gtx in my laptop btw.

I have heard of some that have had problems with their Dells producing an overheating error from the BIOS.

Some of them successfully fixed the problem with installing a BIOS update.

Then the question is if you can find a newer one.... I know i cant for mine :-(

[Crush]

You just described the EXCACT same problem as I have with my Dell XPS M170. Installing new drivers will make my laptop overheat

and shutdown. If I dont use i8k this happens very fast playing a game (eve online). 2-3 mins or something. If I use i8k it will go about

10-15 minutes if I force the fans to full speed. I have been trying for awhile now to figure out why and I guess this is why.

I have the go7800gtx in my laptop btw.

I have heard of some that have had problems with their Dells producing an overheating error from the BIOS.

Some of them successfully fixed the problem with installing a BIOS update.

Then the question is if you can find a newer one.... I know i cant for mine :-(

I have the most recent BIOS, but that doesn't change anything. Your card sounds a lot worse. Mine doesn't heat up so quickly. Probably because it's been replaced recently. I am now monitoring the temps with SpeedFan and adding the 8 degree offset. SpeedFan can make a few beeps of the temperature goes up to 102, so I can alt-tab out of the game to avoid overheating.

[dwm]

I have the most recent BIOS, but that doesn't change anything. Your card sounds a lot worse. Mine doesn't heat up so quickly. Probably because it's been replaced recently. I am now monitoring the temps with SpeedFan and adding the 8 degree offset. SpeedFan can make a few beeps of the temperature goes up to 102, so I can alt-tab out of the game to avoid overheating.

I dont know how your laptop is built up but my GPU doesnt have a fan and maybe this is why.

It has copper profiles that transfers the heat out to both sides of the laptop where 2 fans are

situated. Ive never seen anything like it before heh...

There is a picture of it here if you want to see it:

http://www.kenneth-iversen.dk/dell/video7.jpg

[Crush]

I dont know how your laptop is built up but my GPU doesnt have a fan and maybe this is why.

It has copper profiles that transfers the heat out to both sides of the laptop where 2 fans are

situated. Ive never seen anything like it before heh...

There is a picture of it here if you want to see it:

http://www.kenneth-iversen.dk/dell/video7.jpg

Mine looks the same. The fan on the right side is cooling the GPU. It's not directly attached to the GPU board.

Would it be possible that your fan is broken?

[dwm]

Mine looks the same. The fan on the right side is cooling the GPU. It's not directly attached to the GPU board.

Would it be possible that your fan is broken?

They both seem fine. They might need to be cleaned but I doubt it will help much.

I only have problems with newer drivers. Ive tried Nvidia reference drivers and the

newly release beta driver from Dell (from the rapid release program)

If I install the old 84.69 dell driver it works fine.

[Crush]

They both seem fine. They might need to be cleaned but I doubt it will help much.

I only have problems with newer drivers. Ive tried Nvidia reference drivers and the

newly release beta driver from Dell (from the rapid release program)

If I install the old 84.69 dell driver it works fine.

Thanks, I didn't know about the rapid release program. :) I see that they're testing the 167.51 drivers now. I'm using those.

[dwm]

Thanks, I didn't know about the rapid release program. :) I see that they're testing the 167.51 drivers now. I'm using those.

I dont know if they are actually testing them.. Nvidia made them and they were released by Dell without testing

as far as I know. Nvidia will provide no support at all for the driver. Dell.. well I've tried to get support but no

answers yet :-)

[dwm]

Took my computer apart today. I was not happy about doing it even though

I have built my own and others desktop PC's for 15 years. This is the first time

I have taken a laptop apart. I found a nice guide on Dell's site. (the service manual).

This is what I found.

http://www.kenneth-iversen.dk/dell/laptop.jpg

The dirt blocked the exit of the fans so its no wonder it was hot before.

Before:

Peak temperature on CPU = 96 C. On GPU = 104 C.

Now:

Peak temperature on CPU = 58 C. On GPU = 93 C.

Playing the same game as before and for just as long.

GPU is still warm but if Im lucky I can use the new dell driver.

[Crush]

Took my computer apart today. I was not happy about doing it even though

I have built my own and others desktop PC's for 15 years. This is the first time

I have taken a laptop apart. I found a nice guide on Dell's site. (the service manual).

This is what I found.

http://www.kenneth-iversen.dk/dell/laptop.jpg

The dirt blocked the exit of the fans so its no wonder it was hot before.

Before:

Peak temperature on CPU = 96 C. On GPU = 104 C.

Now:

Peak temperature on CPU = 58 C. On GPU = 93 C.

Playing the same game as before and for just as long.

GPU is still warm but if Im lucky I can use the new dell driver.

wow. No wonder your CPU was that hot.

[dwm]

wow. No wonder your CPU was that hot.

No its a little nutty :-) I should have cleaned them a long time ago.

Ive been playing on it for 2-3 hours or so and GPU peak can rise to 101 C.

A little better than before but not much really. CPU is however alot better.

Max I've seen it at is 68 and only for a short period of time.

Im guessing that if I install a newer driver I will have similar heat problems as

you described in your first post.

I was wondering... any of the newer drivers that you dont have problems with?

Since the latest Dell driver (until the beta i told you about) is 84.69, I figure I should

be able to use a newer nvidia reference driver somehow.

Edited January 22, 2008 by dwm

[Crush]

No its a little nutty :-) I should have cleaned them a long time ago.

Ive been playing on it for 2-3 hours or so and GPU peak can rise to 101 C.

A little better than before but not much really. CPU is however alot better.

Max I've seen it at is 68 and only for a short period of time.

Im guessing that if I install a newer driver I will have similar heat problems as

you described in your first post.

I was wondering... any of the newer drivers that you dont have problems with?

Since the latest Dell driver (until the beta i told you about) is 84.69, I figure I should

be able to use a newer nvidia reference driver somehow.

The latest that worked ok was 165.01, I think, but it produces errors in Call of Duty 4. And Witcher doesn't want to load with it.

Dell's 101.29 worked ok too. But same problems as above. You can find it under 7900 GT* Dell drivers.

[dwm]

The latest that worked ok was 165.01, I think, but it produces errors in Call of Duty 4. And Witcher doesn't want to load with it.

Dell's 101.29 worked ok too. But same problems as above. You can find it under 7900 GT* Dell drivers.

I will take a look at it to see if it works with the 7800GTX as well.

About Call of Duty 4. I have that and it worked fine with Dell's 84.69. What problems are you having with it?

Edited January 24, 2008 by dwm

[2bullish]

I have an identical system as the original poster other than my OS Vista 32bit and exactly the same problem. If I run any graphically intensive game or 3dmark 06 the system will turn itself off due to overheating. If I try to use any gpu driver other than the dell drivers this is almost immediate, leading me to believe that the temp monitoring is incorrect.

This puts me between a rock and a hard place as the refernce drivers supplied by Dell are rubbish. I am going to completely clean inside when I have some time, so hopefully I can reduce the temps enough to run non dell drivers, if this doesnt work its bye bye laptop.

[Crush]

I will take a look at it to see if it works with the 7800GTX as well.

About Call of Duty 4. I have that and it worked fine with Dell's 84.69. What problems are you having with it?

I have the black texture problem if I use older drivers.

[Guest dwm]

I have the black texture problem if I use older drivers.

Ah. I havnt had that problem in any games.

As an update to my heat problem my card died thursday night. I got a new one

from Dell now and the temperature seems a little better..it still gets hot though.

[Crush]

I found that the GPU-Z utility reports the temperature correctly.

So it must be using a different method to detect it. The bug is somewhere in the nVidia control panel.