Turning Video Cards on/off for gaming... ect

Hardware profiles maybe?

Either way, you'll have to reach behind the computer and move monitor cables around. Graphics cards don't heat up that much unless they're being stressed; web browsing and such barely put a gfx card above idle. Instead of buying a 3rd card, why not put that money into a couple of fans or other cooling solution? You'd be better off, and it'd be less of a hassle.

Traches wrote:

Hardware profiles maybe?

Either way, you'll have to reach behind the computer and move monitor cables around. Graphics cards don't heat up that much unless they're being stressed; web browsing and such barely put a gfx card above idle. Instead of buying a 3rd card, why not put that money into a couple of fans or other cooling solution? You'd be better off, and it'd be less of a hassle.

Wow. Maybe I've done all I need to already.

No reaching behind the computer for lucky me, my monitor has two connections, a VGA and DVI.

I already have a 3rd card, sitting in my old, and now redundant, PC, doing nothing more than gathering dust.

Oh, and my computer has 8 fans and two ACs.

I was just wondering because Everest stated that my GPU was hovering around 72C, while doing nothing more displaying web browsers or similar.

Gotcha, now that I think about it I've got an extra card sitting around too.

With an extra computer, What I'd do is set up another monitor or something so you can talk online and browse websites while playing full screen games that don't like to be tabbed out of... But that's just me 😀

With 8 fans, your cards shouldn't be idling anywhere near that hot. I'd spend some time on google looking up how to set up your computer for proper cooling... The basics are to try and prevent any pockets of stale air, and to have roughly the same amount of air being pumped in as pumped out. Having a little more going in is preferable to having a little more going out. (Add up the CFM rating on your fans).

Traches wrote:

With an extra computer, What I'd do is set up another monitor or something so you can talk online and browse websites while playing full screen games that don't like to be tabbed out of... But that's just me 😀

I would do that. If I had the space. =P

Traches wrote:

With 8 fans, your cards shouldn't be idling anywhere near that hot.

I think I should mention that I have two 9800GX2s, and I don't know if Everest is only monitoring one, or both and giving me the hottest, or both and the adding the temps (which I doubt it is doing).

Traches wrote:

The basics are to try and prevent any pockets of stale air, and to have roughly the same amount of air being pumped in as pumped out. Having a little more going in is preferable to having a little more going out.

Umm... About 273 CFM in, 500 CFM out. <.< Not even at all...

Traches wrote:

Add up the CFM rating on your fans.

The total CFM rating on my fans, since all but two are adjustable, has a wide range. Since I keep my adjustable fans about about mid-range and my ACs at full, my total CFM rating is about... 0.o Wow. 747 CFM.

Edit:

I've just realized that my case's design is contributing to the problem. The case layout forces my power supply to be directly below my video cards. =/

And I checked the Everest temp while running CoDWaW at full settings with full AA, and the temp only went up about 3-5C. I'll have to check other games.

Hehe, sounds like that may be your issue! I'd say moving some fans around to see if you can get a nice, cool flow of air over the cards is the way to go. That's some pretty serious airflow by the way! Who said computers were supposed to be quiet??

I've never tried everest, but my two favorite gfx card apps are rivatuner and speedfan. My 8800gt sucks at automatic temperature regulation, so I have rivatuner set to crank the fans up to 100% on startup. I should have thought of that before-- the 9800gx2 may have a similar problem. You may not need to mess with your case fans after all 😀

Traches wrote:

Hehe, sounds like that may be your issue! I'd say moving some fans around to see if you can get a nice, cool flow of air over the cards is the way to go.

Can't unfortunenetly. Case design agian. The side panel fans can't get low enough (for the second card, at least) and the bottom intake is blocked by the power supply.

Traches wrote:

That's some pretty serious airflow by the way!

Damn straight!

Traches wrote:

Who said computers were supposed to be quiet??

Who said my computer was loud? 😂 I've estimated the noise it makes to be around 30-35Db. The average movie drowns out the sound of the fans.

Traches wrote:

I've never tried everest, but my two favorite gfx card apps are rivatuner and speedfan. My 8800gt sucks at automatic temperature regulation, so I have rivatuner set to crank the fans up to 100% on startup. I should have thought of that before-- the 9800gx2 may have a similar problem. You may not need to mess with your case fans after all 😀

I'll take a look at those. I've also heard about something called "EVGA Precision". Is that worth a look?

Edit: Gave SpeedFan a look, Didn't see any clear way to increase my card's fan speed. Took a look at EVGA Precision, qucik and easy ot use fan speed slider bar. Took the fan off auto and set it 80%. Temps dropped to about 62C idle.

Unfortunetly, a second look at SpeedFan told me that both Everest AND EVGA Precision are totally ignoring my second 9800GX2, the one right above the PSU. Is there any program that will allow me to control each fan independently? Or maybe mor importantly, recognize all the damn things?

Edit: Edit: Gave RivaTuner a look. Fan speed controls are buried, but I found them. However, as with FanSpeed and EVGA Precision, I only have control over the fan in the Primary video card.

That's a strange problem... I've never used SLI so I'm not sure what to tell ya!

You may want to check out the forums at http://guru3d.com, they'll be able to help you out a lot more than I ever could. That site's also a really good place to get video card drivers.

I tend to use rivatuner, unless it won't do what I want and then I use speedfan instead. The thing I like about rivatuner is the option to change your overclock and fan settings, and then have them apply at windows startup really easily. I imagine it'll also give you a lot more control over he hardware specs than the manufacturer's utility will.

Traches wrote:

That's a strange problem... I've never used SLI so I'm not sure what to tell ya!

You may want to check out the forums at http://guru3d.com, they'll be able to help you out a lot more than I ever could. That site's also a really good place to get video card drivers.

I tend to use rivatuner, unless it won't do what I want and then I use speedfan instead. The thing I like about rivatuner is the option to change your overclock and fan settings, and then have them apply at windows startup really easily. I imagine it'll also give you a lot more control over he hardware specs than the manufacturer's utility will.

Well, I found the option in RivaTuner for adjusting each fan individually. Now set to run at startup, I'm satisfied. thanks for your help.

Anytime!

and hey look, we both crossed 100 posts in this thread. *high five*

Traches wrote:

Anytime!

and hey look, we both crossed 100 posts in this thread. *high five*

w00t! *returns five*