Getting a bit warm!

[Jeffers]

I've noticed that since I installed my GTX460 that I'm getting quite a bit of heat generated in my PC. I'm now running two graphics cards as I kept my old 9800GT in to crunch with. The GTX460 is running at around 80C, and my CPU is 85-ish. I'm sure that's rather warmer than it used to be, and if I stop crunching things settle down a lot cooler. The GTX460 reports it's fan at 75%, so it's obviously coping, although it's a bit warmer than I would like. Are there likely to be any long term problems with those sort of temperatures? Is there anything I can tweak in BOINC to help? I know that I can set a percentage utilisation limit for the CPU but it looks like GPU can just be on or off, is that correct?
When not crunching, the CPU drops to below 70 and the GTX460 is at 50, with the fan ticking over at 40%.
I've recently done a good clean out of filters etc (when I installed the 460, in fact), there's no problem there.

[UBT - bobuk]

maybe a silly ???

but have you got the side panels off?

this will help with both cooling and noise

i am all air cooled and panels off and cpu temp is 57

and joking aside the noise is not to bad unless i need new battries in my hearing aid



b.

[Ben]

Ah the beauty of full time crunching  

Like Bob said opening the side panel up can help alot, although it can make it look like a bit of a pigs ear with cables dangling all over the place!

A case can make all the difference, if you have a standard PC case the chances are that it was designed that way for the "basic" computing and not for heavy use and lots of heat. It might be worth taking a look at some PC component websites for cases with good ventilation and large (120mm or bigger) fans. Usually the bigger fans can shift 2-3x as much airflow as the smaller ones, and they don't have to spin as fast to achieve the same result making a slightly quieter noise (generally..)

Also i seem to recall that the GTX400 series of GPU's tend to run rather hot compared with the 200 and 500 series, not to mention the power they pull  :oops:

I would recommend putting some more thermal paste on the CPU block as well. Worked a treat for me.  :)

[Zydor]

...... The GTX460 is running at around 80C, and my CPU is 85-ish. I'm sure that's rather warmer than it used to be, and if I stop crunching things settle down a lot cooler......

80C is fine for the 460, thats a normal temperature for current cards, particularly the NVidia 4XX.  No concerns there, absolutely normal for the card. Only start having a concern if it tips 90C, and stop crunching at 95C+ until you find out whats going on.  But 80C is great, no worries.

The concern is the CPU, running at 85 is way too hot and needs to come down.  At a guess at those temperatures you are probably running a CPU WU on each core (or 5oB equivalent).  For the cooling and resultant air flow in the machine Case thats too much, and I would suggest you stop crunching on one core until you resolve cooling, else you will lose the CPU in the long run.

For the CPU, if you can't increase airflow, suggest you get a basic CPU cooler, they are cheap, a basic one is around +or- £20 and easy to fit - although if you have not done one before, get a friend to do it and watch them fit it (or chuck £10 at the local IT shop to put it in). They will take off around 15C+ from the CPU temperature. A good basic one is the Akasa X4 (I use one of those on my second machine - the PhenomII x4, simple to fit (multi-platform). To give perspective the high end coolers that take off 30C plus are +or-£65.  I would have thought a basic CPU cooler would fit your needs well, and once fitted, you could push the CPU fairly hard with few heat worries.  (Double Check carefully it fits your CPU socket, and does not clash with the board layout - hence always an idea to chuck a tenner at the local shop to do it - should be no problem, but always worth a careful check before buying)

Bottom line ..... GPU is fine, CPU is not and you need to do something quickly with the latter - quick fix stop a core crunching, while you get a basic cooler.

Regards
Zy

[Jeffers]

Thanks for the advice.
My case is a Cosmos Cooler Master, so plenty of fans. I would have thought that running with the covers off would upset the airflow and make things worse rather than better. I had forgotten that I've got a couple of cores dedicated to work from the 5oB DC Server, as well as normal BOINC stuff. I may go along with replacing the standard CPU cooling fan with something like the Akasa one, that looks quite good. In the meantime I've dropped the CPU work percentage down to 50% and that's got my CPU down below 80. Not ideal, but it'll do for the moment.

[Zydor]

.... I would have thought that running with the covers off would upset the airflow and make things worse rather than better....

As a general proposition - it does.  However it works for some people, depends what they have in there.  If its modern cards and CPUs, chances are it will make it worse.  The principle of Case design is to create an over-pressure inside the case, that forces the air out - the speed at which it flows out will depend on the fans fitted and the air pressure they create, the more you pay for a fan (in genral) the higher the airpressure/airflow.  With the Side off - kiss goodbye to over-pressure, and the likely source of airflow - hence the reason that for many it gets worse.  

Certainly the default fans on most cases *tend* to be basic fans, cheap with little air pressure generated.  Almost certain your fans are good ones being a Coolermaster Case.

A good detailed authoratitive review on the Akasa X4: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/coolin ... r-review/1

Regards
Zy

[UBT - Mikee]

In the meantime I've dropped the CPU work percentage down to 50% and that's got my CPU down below 80. Not ideal, but it'll do for the moment.

Still too high. You said in the first post that you had a good clean of the filters. Did you remove the CPU heatsink to do this? If so you might not have refitted it correctly or not replaced the heatsink compound with new. Even if you didn't it might be worth checking the heatsink is on correctly anyway.

Just my tuppence worth.

[Zydor]

..... Still too high. You said in the first post that you had a good clean of the filters. Did you remove the CPU heatsink to do this? If so you might not have refitted it correctly or not replaced the heatsink compound with new. Even if you didn't it might be worth checking the heatsink is on correctly anyway.

Just my tuppence worth.

Good save .... it is.  

The temperature limit for an i7920 2.66 is 67C.  If you have an overclock on take it down somewhat, or stop another (or more) core crunching CPU WUs (GPU WUs fine, they use minimal CPU, CPU hardly knows they are there - except when CPU maxed out and GPU wants to get at it)

Better off stopping a CPU core crunching a CPU WU completely, than just restricting all to a cut down load. Might even have to ditch CPU crunching until the cooling is sorted, any use by GPU is peanuts, discount that, they will still run fine, so you will not lose that much until cooling is sorted.

One way or another, instant fix needed to get temp down for now until you look at the heatsink and/or cooler.  Target is maximum 67C

60C allows peaceful sleeping at night ...

Regards
Zy

[Jeffers]

Thanks for that mate. I'm doing a bit of re-configuration to improve airflow, and I reckon I can justify spending about £30 on a half-decent CPU cooler, I've been looking at a few specs and reviews.

[Jeffers]

Right, I'm splashing out on a Titan Fenrir cooler, it's got a good write-up and I can get one for £33 from CCL, which is a pretty good deal, I reckon. I'll post the results once I get it installed.

[Zydor]

Had a look at the bit-tech review - nice find, looks to be a cracking cooler for the price.  Definitely interested in the results when you get it fitted.

Regards
Zy

[Jeffers]

Right, that's the Fenrir in and working. Quite enjoyed fitting that, I haven't had the PC in bits for ages.....

Also moved some stuff round to give the 460 a better airflow.

Results so far are very encouraging.

Ticking over, with ambient temp 22C, CPU cores range from 32-38, and the GPU is at 31.

With BOINC set for 100% CPU + GPU, things settled down with the highest core temp just touching 63 occasionally, but mostly around 56-60. GPU now at 73, with fan at 49%.

Much happier with that! Carry on crunching!!

Thanks for all the help and advice guys!

[Zydor]

Nice one - Well Done  :thumbleft:

Regards
Zy