silent hsf and 3d gaming?

Cooling Processors quietly

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overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

silent hsf and 3d gaming?

Post by overkill » Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:30 pm

hi, this is my first post here.

i just built my first computer and i tried to make it very quiet since it's going to be in my room. it's a:

abit nf7-s mobo
amd athlong xp 2200 (1.87 ghz)
zalman cnps-6000au hsf
4 enermax ultra-silent case fans

when i'm doing "normal," the computer runs great. however, whenever i let the computer sit for a couple of hours and then play a 3d game (medal of honor these days), the computer locks up.

just wondering, are silent hsf not meant for high intensity gaming? i've already reseated the heatsink and am using artic silver iii. i'm thinking that it might be the fans, and so am going to replace those.

just wondering what you guys think.

thanks...

Rusty075
SPCR Reviewer
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Post by Rusty075 » Mon Mar 17, 2003 10:23 pm

Welcome to the forums!

About the only way to tell if the heatsink is your problem is to check the temperatures you're getting.

Download and install Motherboard Monitor5 and CPUBurn

Have MBM running and let the machine sit idle until the CPU temp levels out. Then fire up CPUBurn and let that run until the CPU temp levels out again. That will give you the range of temperatures that your cooling system is giving you.

An XP 2200 is theoretically safe to temps up to 85C, but most will be unstable before that. Since the temp reporting may be off most people draw the line of safety at about 70C.

I've got an XP1900 Palomino that's cooled by a 6000Cu and even with my fairly low airflow cooling system it never goes above 62C. Rusty's Quiet In-Desk PC And my 1900 puts out more heatsink than your 2200 (68watts to 63watts)


Report back with what the temps are and we'll see what we can do.


(Oh, and I'm a BIG medal of honor player. Are you playing Spearhead yet? If you are pop in on my clans server: IP 63.99.234.94 or OverclockedGamers)

GamingGod
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Location: United States, Mobile, AL

Post by GamingGod » Mon Mar 17, 2003 11:24 pm

could be a software problem, I dont think its the heatsink. Maybe your computer has something against standby/hybernate/suspend (not sure what XP calls it) mode? Or do you use a screensaver? I had a computer that would always run like crap after coming back from standby mode, so I just turned off standby mode and just turned the monitor off whenever I wasnt going to be using it.

overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

Post by overkill » Tue Mar 18, 2003 8:29 am

thanks for the tips.

re: the standby, i always have that function turned off. none of my previous computers like it, and so i've never used it.

re: the cpu burning program, i'll try that. but for now, i'm going to replace my case fans. i got the quiet ones, and so i'm thinking that perhaps there's not enough airflow (plus i'm getting close to the 30 day return deadline).

glad to be here.

oh, and rusty, i haven't got around to spearhead yet, just allied assault. but when i get spearhead i'll see ya on your server. :shock: (that looks kind of like me when i'm on my 4th cup of coffee for the day).

Mike Sae
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Location: White Rock, BC

Post by Mike Sae » Tue Mar 18, 2003 12:29 pm

Your system looks fine in terms of cooling. I've got a 2100xp with only 2 5v fans spinning and a passive geforce4200ti. Have yet to experience a lockup.

As gaimnggod and rusty suggest, it's probably not the 6000cu, but how fast is its fan spinning? Try turning it up a notch to see if that helps...

What are you using for a video card?


mike.
(who had to invoke godmode escaping the mustard gas factory )

overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

Post by overkill » Tue Mar 18, 2003 7:55 pm

hello there...

i'm using a fanmate on the fan for the hs, and i've got hte speed set at maximum. the mobo monitor says that it is spinning at about 2500 rpm. even at that speed, the temp. is around the mid to high 40's and sometimes the low 50's.

as for my graphics card, i've got a gainward geforce3 ti200 64mb graphics card. that should be strong enough to handle it.

since this lockup only happens when i begin to play MOH after letting the computer sit for several hours, and since it never happens when i start the computer up and then start playing, i think that it is heat buildup.

damn, i'm late for class. take it easy people and i'll see you later... :shock:

overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

Post by overkill » Wed Mar 19, 2003 5:46 pm

hi everyone, just got the slk-800, and it is very nice. just installed it, turned the computer on, waited couple of hrs, and then tried to play MOH and...

SUCCESS!!! it's running and the computer is not locking up.

and, it's doing it with the zalman fan (2500 rpm). ordered slk yesterday and it came today (forgot how close newegg was to me). so i haven't had a chance to get a new fan yet (at the time, newegg was out of stock on the fan i wanted).

anyway, just ordered the thermaltake smart case fan ii and it should be here soon. then we'll get some real cooling. since slk is doing the job w/ the zalman fan, should be able to keep it cool w/ the low setting and keep it nice and quiet.

thanks everyone for your help and i'll see you later...

ez2remember
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Post by ez2remember » Wed Mar 19, 2003 8:33 pm

Rusty075 wrote: I've got an XP1900 Palomino that's cooled by a 6000Cu and even with my fairly low airflow cooling system it never goes above 62C.
And my 1900 puts out more heatsink than your 2200 (68watts to 63watts)
Yeah the XP1900 may have higher wattages, but if you come to contact with a XP2200 you will realise how small the die area is compared to the Palamino core. With the weak clip on the Zalman HS it definetly does not help matters.

Glad to hear you don't have lock ups anymore, I did not have lockups, but I did have ramdom resets once in a while with my old setup very similar to yours, same CPU, HS etc.

It really makes me wonder because I have many people I know that also thinks AMD CPU have too many issues about overheating, with some its okay even at extremely high temps and others they say they get ramdom reboots or lockups like yours even with low tempertures. It might be to do with the quality of the wafers you get. :D

overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

Post by overkill » Fri Mar 21, 2003 4:46 pm

just an update (thanks everyone for your help)...

i have installed the slk-800 and the thermaltake smartcase fan ii, and it is working very nicely now.

usually, i'll leave the speed at 3000, and temp. is in the mid 40's, which is about 5 degrees lower then when i had the zalman. when i start playing games (MOH), then i'll turn the fan up higher, which makes a bit of noice, but the speakers and the sound of the game drowns it out.

everything is working nicely, so i am a happy camper. take it easy people and i'll see you later. :shock: (me after my 5th cup of coffee)

overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

Post by overkill » Fri Mar 21, 2003 4:47 pm

just an update (thanks everyone for your help)...

i have installed the slk-800 and the thermaltake smartcase fan ii, and it is working very nicely now.

usually, i'll leave the speed at 3000, and temp. is in the mid 40's, which is about 5 degrees lower then when i had the zalman. when i start playing games (MOH), then i'll turn the fan up higher, which makes a bit of noice, but the speakers and the sound of the game drowns it out.

everything is working nicely, so i am a happy camper. take it easy people and i'll see you later. :shock: (me after my 5th cup of coffee)

overkill
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:16 pm
Location: los angeles

Post by overkill » Fri Mar 21, 2003 4:48 pm

sorry about the double post, my internet connection was hanging and so i pressed submit again. sorry people... :roll:

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