Overheating Symptoms
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Overheating Symptoms
Would anyone know if your GPU was overheating, what are the symptoms you would see ?
Other than a burning odor try this: http://www.techpowerup.com/atitool/
After 9 months of converting my 9100 Radeon to passive, I'am recently getting occassional random wandering pixlated green lines/stripes on the screen and was wondering if it is a time/heat related damage to the GPU or could it be defective memory. Anyway to test if the memory is defective ? I have recently switched to a larger heatsink and I'am still getting the pixels when I put it through the stress test. All memory chips have added heatsinks to disapate the heat.
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StarfishChris
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I cannot remember if the 9100 has a temperature sensor, if not your best bet to find out if it's overheating is touch the heatsinks. You could also see what other people think and upload a picture of it to Hot or Not 
Seriously though, use the ATI Tool program to scan for artifacts, this will place the card under load and make sure it's working correctly. Try underclocking both GPU and memory (= less heat) and see if you get the same problem.
Seriously though, use the ATI Tool program to scan for artifacts, this will place the card under load and make sure it's working correctly. Try underclocking both GPU and memory (= less heat) and see if you get the same problem.
Used the ATI Tool program and it did not detect any errors, but a few of those stripes appeared on my screen(LCD) from time to time, a click of the "Refresh" was able to get rid of them. I'am trying to determine now if its a GPU or memory issue and why did it suddenly appear 9 months later ?
I also noticed why they would have a little step on the GPU BGA between the center round metallic part(heat conductor) and the ceramic square part of the chip ? My 9100 card does not have mounting holes so I'am forced to use thermal epoxy or adhesive thermal conducting tape. I'am currently using high quality Chromeric silver impregnated aluminium meshed thermal tape. My old smaller BGA heatsink got pretty hot to touch in a couple of minutes of use, I have now since changed to a larger finned heatsink(like super socket 7 cpu size 2" x 2"x 1-1/2") and also added another small heatsink to the PCB on the opposite side directly underneath the of GPU between the resistor array. It gets warm-hot also, remember this is not metal conducting material, just heat from the PCB !
I also noticed why they would have a little step on the GPU BGA between the center round metallic part(heat conductor) and the ceramic square part of the chip ? My 9100 card does not have mounting holes so I'am forced to use thermal epoxy or adhesive thermal conducting tape. I'am currently using high quality Chromeric silver impregnated aluminium meshed thermal tape. My old smaller BGA heatsink got pretty hot to touch in a couple of minutes of use, I have now since changed to a larger finned heatsink(like super socket 7 cpu size 2" x 2"x 1-1/2") and also added another small heatsink to the PCB on the opposite side directly underneath the of GPU between the resistor array. It gets warm-hot also, remember this is not metal conducting material, just heat from the PCB !
I ran my 6600GT with the stock cooler at 90% speed in my old KlossPC barebone. When quite heavily overclocked I started to get random green stripes around edges of some textures in Half-Life 2, but they only occured after about 2-3 hours of gaming. When I switched over to Windows, my GPU temperature was reported around 100-110C, so perhaps around 115-120 was the limit for overheating my card.
I can't believe people are afraid of their temps when in the mid 60's! If it ain't broken, don't fix it I say
I can't believe people are afraid of their temps when in the mid 60's! If it ain't broken, don't fix it I say
It sounds likely that one of three things is going on: 1) your card is overheating, try some high airflow and see if the problem still show up (i.e. point a desk fan into your case). Using thermal adhesive to attach the heatsink really isn't ideal because it leaves the heatsink hanging off the GPU. This could lead to damage or to thermal disconnection of the heatsink that results in overheating. 2) your card is somehow overclocked (this is unlikely, I think you'd know about it) and 3) you could have damaged the memory handling it during your various heatsink changes. Memory is relatively sensitive to static electricity so you could have had the bad fortune to zap a RAM chip while handling the card.
Actually, some sort of damage to the memory sounds likely to me because the 9100 isn't exactly a hot running card and a CPU heatsink designed even for something as old a socket 7 p3 ought to do the job. None the less, you probably have access to a desk fan so try that first, it's quick, cheap, and can easily rule out heat as an issue for your machine.
Actually, some sort of damage to the memory sounds likely to me because the 9100 isn't exactly a hot running card and a CPU heatsink designed even for something as old a socket 7 p3 ought to do the job. None the less, you probably have access to a desk fan so try that first, it's quick, cheap, and can easily rule out heat as an issue for your machine.
darthan wrote:It sounds likely that one of three things is going on: 1) your card is overheating, try some high airflow and see if the problem still show up (i.e. point a desk fan into your case). Using thermal adhesive to attach the heatsink really isn't ideal because it leaves the heatsink hanging off the GPU. This could lead to damage or to thermal disconnection of the heatsink that results in overheating. 2) your card is somehow overclocked (this is unlikely, I think you'd know about it) and 3) you could have damaged the memory handling it during your various heatsink changes. Memory is relatively sensitive to static electricity so you could have had the bad fortune to zap a RAM chip while handling the card.
Actually, some sort of damage to the memory sounds likely to me because the 9100 isn't exactly a hot running card and a CPU heatsink designed even for something as old a socket 7 p3 ought to do the job. None the less, you probably have access to a desk fan so try that first, it's quick, cheap, and can easily rule out heat as an issue for your machine.
The thermal tape I'am using sticks very tight, I needed a heat gun and a razor blade to remove my old heatsink.
I did not handle my the memory chips, this only started to happen like the last week, the card worked perfectly for 9 months since I made it passive. I'am pretty familar with ESD precautions after all I worked in the electronics manufacturing services industry before.
You be surprise that I'am still using my old GlobalWin Super Socket 7 fan/sink on my AMD 2000XP cpu and it cools like a charm at 2500rpm with its 60mm fan. I'am proud of this sink/fan, it was a good investment that continues to serve me after 6 years !
Update
I have determine that the symptoms are a results of overheating of the GPU. The worsening conditions are a result of damage incurred during the 9 months that my card went passive and even when adding a larger heatsink and passively cooled, the damage has been done and the GPU can no longer perform like its used to. The striping lessen alot when the GPU was cool witht the side panel opened and blown with a table top fan. The heatsink was scouring to touch. I now wonder if any pasively cooled GPU will eventually surcum to heat failure.