KantVersusHume
New Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2010
- Messages
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System Name | The Swiffer |
---|---|
Processor | AMD Phenom IIx4 965BE 125W, RB-C3 |
Motherboard | MSI 790FX-GD70 |
Cooling | Zalman CNPS10X Extreme, AS5, and stock fans from the case |
Memory | G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1333, 1.5v, 9-9-9-24 |
Video Card(s) | XFX XXX Radeon HD 5870 |
Storage | Western Digital WD5001AALS Caviar Black |
Display(s) | HP 2509m |
Case | Cooler Master HAF 932, stock fans |
Audio Device(s) | Onboard HD Audio Realtek ALC889 in conjunction with a JVC SU-DH1 |
Power Supply | Antec Truepower New 750W |
Software | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium x64 |
Do I need to RMA this card? And if I do, could you explain what has possibly happened to it? Up front, sorry about the length, but, I am trying to provide you
as much information up front as I can. I see that often, in cases like this, you folks who help out have to drag additional information out of people like pulling teeth, so I am trying to avoid that. That said, I am ignorant about these things, so if I am providing a lot of info that is useless, please forgive me, and lead me the right way.
Nothing on my system is overclocked, except my GPU, which was bought OC'd from XFX. I did try the Auto-tune feature in the ATI Overdrive screen in the CCC, but it only offered less than a 2% upgrade on the GPU clock/none on the memory clock.
Tried playing Trine with it set up as such, and after 20 to 30 minutes, it locked up with a black screen accompanied by a loud oscillating, buzzing sound. I had to kill the power at the switch and reboot. I immediately reset my GPU clock back to its original settings. Since then, as before, I have had no problems, no artifacts, no lock-ups, but, paying more attention to GPU-Z, I noticed readings that I doubt are possible with a healthy card.
All tests below were done with Trine. Looking at the logs, I did not notice any throttling in these tests. That said, when I played for a couple of hours yesterday, I did notice the card throttling down to 600/900 and back when the temps
got too high—-higher than those in the tests. Then, I saw the GPU die temps break 100 C. The throttling was not noticeable in game but was recorded in the sensor log. Somehow I do not think Trine should be able to push this card in such a way, and considering that the card was throttling yet the game play did not suffer, it seems confirmed that my card should not have been working so hard as it obviously did not need to do so. Anyway, I think those temps are unacceptable, but, I come to you for verification. While I wait for help on this, I am going to play Trine for a couple of hours and see if I can replicate the results I got yesterday.
Without further ado, here are my specs.
CPU--------------AMD Phenom IIx4 965BE 125W, RB-C3
CPU Cooler-------Zalman CNPS10X Extreme
GPU--------------XFX XXX Radeon HD 5870, GPU Clock: 875MHz/GPU Memory: 1300MHz
Memory-----------G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1333, 1.5v, 9-9-9-24
PSU--------------Antec Truepower New 750W, (+3.3V@25A,+5V@25A,+12V1@25A,+12V2@25A,+12V3@25A,+12V4@25A,-12V@0.8A,+5VSB@3.0A)
Motherboard------MSI 790FX-GD70
Tower Case-------Cooler Master HAF 932, stock fans
Hard-drive--------Western Digital WD5001AALS Caviar Black Hard Drive
Optic Drive------Lite-On IHES208-08, BD-ROM 8X, DVD-ROM 16X, CD-ROM 48X
Monitor----------HP 2509m
Surge Protector--BELKIN BE112230-08 8 ft. 12 Outlets 3940 Joules Surge Protector with Telephone and Coaxial Protection
OS---------------Microsoft Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
FPS in all tests basically remained between 62-67.
Test 1: With GPU fan set at auto, case fans and CPU fan at max, box filtered, adaptive multi-sample AA, AA and AF using application settings: Texture Detail-very high, AFx8, AAx4, 1920x1080.
Run: 30 minutes
Test 2: With GPU fan set at 80%, case fans and CPU fan at max, box filtered, adaptive multi-sample AA, AA and AF using application settings: Texture Detail-very high, AFx8, AAx4, 1920x1080.
Run: 30 minutes
Test 3: With GPU fan set at 80%, case fans and CPU fan at max, edge-detect filtered, super-sample AA, AA and AF using application settings: Texture Detail-very high, AFx8, AAx4, 1920x1080.
Run: 30 minutes
(1.)
Test 1
Max Core Temp: 52.0C
Max NB Temp: 67.0C
Max CPU Temp: 55.0C
Max Ambient Temp: 39.0C
Test 2
Max Core Temp: 52.0C
Max NB Temp: 64.0C
Max CPU Temp: 55.0C
Max Ambient Temp: 37.0C
Test 3
Max Core Temp: 52.0C
Max NB Temp: 64.0C
Max CPU Temp: 54.0C
Max Ambient Temp: 37.0C
(2.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp: 88.0C
Avg GPU Temp: 69.8C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp: 65.0C
Avg GPU Temp: 51.8C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp: 59.0C
Avg GPU Temp: 45.0C
(3.)
Test 1
Max Fan Speed: 40%
Avg Fan Speed: 30%
Test 2
Max Fan Speed: 80%
Test 3
Max Fan Speed: 80%
(4.)
Test 1
Max GPU Load: 100%
Avg GPU Load: 40%
Test 2
Max GPU Load: 96.0%
Avg GPU Load: 57.0%
Test 3
Max GPU Load: 99%
Avg GPU Load: 42.0%
(5.)
Test 1
Max Fan Speed: 2357RPM
Avg Fan Speed: 1700RPM
Test 2
Max Fan Speed: 4334RPM
Test 3
Max Fan Speed: 4342RPM
(6.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp#1: 87.0C
Avg GPU Temp#1: 69.9C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp#1: 59.5C
Avg GPU Temp#1: 52.0C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp#1: 60.0C
Avg GPU Temp#1: 45.2C
(7.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp #2: 94.0C
Avg GPU Temp #2: 74.8C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp #2: 66.0C
Avg GPU Temp #2: 57.2C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp #2: 65.5C
Avg GPU Temp #2: 49.4C
(8.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp #3: 91.0C
Avg GPU Temp #3: 72.8C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp #3: 64.5C
Avg GPU Temp #3: 56.7C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp #3: 64.5C
Avg GPU Temp #3: 49.5C
(9.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Current: 0.0A
Max VDDC Current: 61.5A
Avg VDDC Current: 32.8A
Test 2
Min VDDC Current: 0.0A
Max VDDC Current: 58.1A
Avg VDDC Current: 37.3A
Test 3
Min VDDC Current: -1.2A
Max VDDC Current: 56.9A
Avg VDDC Current: 25.7A
(10.)
Test 1
Min VDDCI Current: -0.3A
Max VDDCI Current: 15.7A
Avg VDDCI Current: 10.7A
Test 2
Min VDDCI Current: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Current: 15.4A
Avg VDDCI Current: 13.1A
Test 3
Min VDDCI Current: -10.7A
Max VDDCI Current: 15.4A
Avg VDDCI Current: 9.4A
(11.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 72.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 58.6C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 54.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 47.3C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 53.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 42.1C
(12.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 60.3C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 56.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 49.3C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 56.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 43.7C
(13.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 60.7C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 50.1C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 0.0 C
Max VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 44.1C
(14.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 69.6C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 56.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 48.2C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 42.8C
(15.)
Test 1
Min VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 86.0C
Avg VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 68.6C
Test 2
Min VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 62.0C
Avg VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 55.4C
Test 3
Min VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 62.0C
Avg VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 48.0C
(16.)
Test 1
Min VDDC: 0.9500 V
Max VDDC: 2.0375 V
Avg VDDC: 1.#QNB V
Test 2
Min VDDC: 0.9500V
Max VDDC: 2.0375 V
Avg VDDC: 1.#QNB V
Test 3
Min VDDC: 0.9500V
Max VDDC: 2.0375V
Avg VDDC: 1.#QNB V
(17.)
Test 1
Min VDDCI: 0.9500 V
Max VDDCI: 2.0375 V
Avg VDDCI: 1.#QNB V
Test 2
Min VDDCI: 0.9500V
Max VDDCI: 1.1500 V
Avg VDDCI: 1.#QNB V
Test 3
Min VDDCI: 0.9500V
Max VDDCI: 2.0375V
Avg VDDCI: 1.#QNB V
Observations and Questions
1. CPU, Core, NB and Ambient Temps went about as I expected. Not that I am happy with the CPU temps, but, evidently, I need to switch out the large stock intake fans and the large exhaust fan with groupings of 120mm fans,
which should double to quadruple the CFM airflow throughout the tower.
2. Are the GPU temps roughly within a range of normal operation, and why
is there a lower max GPU temp and lower average GPU die temps on Test 3
than Test 2?
I would have thought that using the edge-detect filter and
super-sampling would have contributed more heat rather than be more efficient--if it did anything at all, as I was not certain if the filter
and sampling method would be applied while letting the application
determine AA. For the record if I saw any real difference, it was
minimal, as I was trying to make certain that I played roughly the same
area of the game in the same amount of time, in basically the same way, and so I
wasn't focusing on aesthetics.
The only reason I even changed those settings is because I know in some
games, like NWN2, doing so can significantly change overall FPS, even
when AA and AF are turned off in the game settings and the GPU is given
charge of the AA and AF globally. Still, seeing the temps drop is a
mystery I hope somebody might solve. Could Trine possible be coded to
make best use of those settings?
3. Average GPU Load seems to confirm the results above. Again, why?
4a. What should I expect in amperage output for VDDC and VDDCI current?
More importantly, what does the O.OA and negative amperage readings
indicate?
Now, I know next to absolutely nothing about electricity, but
doesn't zero or negative amperage indicate that some type of voltage regulator is not supplying the current needed at load? That is--at least
with the negative reading--doesn't this indicate that current is being
demanded greater than current being supplied, like a negative amp reading
on a automobile's alternator?
I should say that, using HWinfo32, I found that the VDDC current
reading never displayed lower than in the 1+ amp range--no zero, no
negatives. HWinfo32 did not have a corresponding reading for VDDCI to
compare. The average and max reading on HWinfo32 did correspond to the
comparable VDDC current readings in GPU-Z.
If somebody could offer up a good explanation about what VDDC and VDDCI
are, what they do, and how to analyze them for proper behavior, I would
greatly appreciate the tutelage.
4b. Looking at the VDDC and VDDCI phase temps, I see minimum temps that I
just cannot believe to be true. Not to say they aren't true--I may be
ignorant as to how they could be achieved on stock cooling, and, if so, p
please educate me--but I doubt anything on my card is literally freezing, even for even for one polling cycle, whatever the polling frequency is.
VDDC Current, VDDCI Current, VDDC Phase #1 Temp, VDDC Phase #2 Temp, VDDC Phase #3 Temp, VDDC Phase #4 Temp, VDDCI Phase #1 Temp, and VDDC all show occasional, very brief registrations at 0--though VDDC will not list it as a minimum reading, all of the others do. VDDC, like all of the above, show a complete break in the red continuous bar graph, but the O reading does not register in the reading field for VDDC when it is set to show the minimum current reading. When these 0 readings appear they seem to occur in groups of 4 to 6 occurrences over roughly a 30 to 60 second interval. This is just what I have observed while watching real-time when the memory and GPU clocks are on the lowest frequency.
4c. Getting max readings on VDDC Phase #2, #3, and #4 of 255.0C?!? Surely
if that had happened I wouldn't be using this computer right now to post
this to the forum without--at least--needing to insert another GPU into
my mobo, if not insert everything not fried to a crisp into a new mobo.
Right?
Looking through the logs, these 255.0 C temps, 0.0 C temps and zero or
negative amp readings are very rare. If they are real, I suspect they
last less than a second certainly, as they are not showing up very often
in the polling cycles. I would definitely say that the 0.0A and 0.0C
are not showing up in the logs as often as they have been visually
represented in the red bar graphs, so that would suggest to me that
they, if real, are far shorter than 1 second in duration.
Still, I shouldn't have temps ever spiking to 255.0 C anywhere in the
card at any time correct? Could that momentarily happen and yet the
card still function without locking, displaying artifacts, or frying
my cat sleeping three feet away into feline bacon bits?
5. Finally, all of my average VDDC and VDDCI readings are showing up as
"1.#QNB V". Obviously that is not correct. If it is correct, and all
of you reading this understand it, then maybe its time for me to begin
laboriously attempting to grow and groom a unibrow as well as working on
communicating in monosyllabic grunts. Is that some type of error
code?
Just from what I have read trying to understand what is cropping up in
GPU-Z, this is not behavior indicative of proper operation, at least in the case of 4 and 5 above. Is it as simple as my card is shot, or soon will be, RMA it? Or could it be a corrupt Catalyst driver, a problem on the GPU-Z side, a mobo BIOS that needs to be reset with CMOS cleared, etc? Is it possibly a bad sensor on the card which is leading to false readings?
So, what am I looking at?
Thank you so much for your time and patience in reading through this long post and for whatever suggestions you provide. I figured if I were going to seek your assistance, it was my responsibility to provide as much information up front as possible. If there are any things you wish me to do next in analyzing this problem, tell me what to do, and I will do it and get back to you.
as much information up front as I can. I see that often, in cases like this, you folks who help out have to drag additional information out of people like pulling teeth, so I am trying to avoid that. That said, I am ignorant about these things, so if I am providing a lot of info that is useless, please forgive me, and lead me the right way.
Nothing on my system is overclocked, except my GPU, which was bought OC'd from XFX. I did try the Auto-tune feature in the ATI Overdrive screen in the CCC, but it only offered less than a 2% upgrade on the GPU clock/none on the memory clock.
Tried playing Trine with it set up as such, and after 20 to 30 minutes, it locked up with a black screen accompanied by a loud oscillating, buzzing sound. I had to kill the power at the switch and reboot. I immediately reset my GPU clock back to its original settings. Since then, as before, I have had no problems, no artifacts, no lock-ups, but, paying more attention to GPU-Z, I noticed readings that I doubt are possible with a healthy card.
All tests below were done with Trine. Looking at the logs, I did not notice any throttling in these tests. That said, when I played for a couple of hours yesterday, I did notice the card throttling down to 600/900 and back when the temps
got too high—-higher than those in the tests. Then, I saw the GPU die temps break 100 C. The throttling was not noticeable in game but was recorded in the sensor log. Somehow I do not think Trine should be able to push this card in such a way, and considering that the card was throttling yet the game play did not suffer, it seems confirmed that my card should not have been working so hard as it obviously did not need to do so. Anyway, I think those temps are unacceptable, but, I come to you for verification. While I wait for help on this, I am going to play Trine for a couple of hours and see if I can replicate the results I got yesterday.
Without further ado, here are my specs.
CPU--------------AMD Phenom IIx4 965BE 125W, RB-C3
CPU Cooler-------Zalman CNPS10X Extreme
GPU--------------XFX XXX Radeon HD 5870, GPU Clock: 875MHz/GPU Memory: 1300MHz
Memory-----------G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3 1333, 1.5v, 9-9-9-24
PSU--------------Antec Truepower New 750W, (+3.3V@25A,+5V@25A,+12V1@25A,+12V2@25A,+12V3@25A,+12V4@25A,-12V@0.8A,+5VSB@3.0A)
Motherboard------MSI 790FX-GD70
Tower Case-------Cooler Master HAF 932, stock fans
Hard-drive--------Western Digital WD5001AALS Caviar Black Hard Drive
Optic Drive------Lite-On IHES208-08, BD-ROM 8X, DVD-ROM 16X, CD-ROM 48X
Monitor----------HP 2509m
Surge Protector--BELKIN BE112230-08 8 ft. 12 Outlets 3940 Joules Surge Protector with Telephone and Coaxial Protection
OS---------------Microsoft Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
FPS in all tests basically remained between 62-67.
Test 1: With GPU fan set at auto, case fans and CPU fan at max, box filtered, adaptive multi-sample AA, AA and AF using application settings: Texture Detail-very high, AFx8, AAx4, 1920x1080.
Run: 30 minutes
Test 2: With GPU fan set at 80%, case fans and CPU fan at max, box filtered, adaptive multi-sample AA, AA and AF using application settings: Texture Detail-very high, AFx8, AAx4, 1920x1080.
Run: 30 minutes
Test 3: With GPU fan set at 80%, case fans and CPU fan at max, edge-detect filtered, super-sample AA, AA and AF using application settings: Texture Detail-very high, AFx8, AAx4, 1920x1080.
Run: 30 minutes
(1.)
Test 1
Max Core Temp: 52.0C
Max NB Temp: 67.0C
Max CPU Temp: 55.0C
Max Ambient Temp: 39.0C
Test 2
Max Core Temp: 52.0C
Max NB Temp: 64.0C
Max CPU Temp: 55.0C
Max Ambient Temp: 37.0C
Test 3
Max Core Temp: 52.0C
Max NB Temp: 64.0C
Max CPU Temp: 54.0C
Max Ambient Temp: 37.0C
(2.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp: 88.0C
Avg GPU Temp: 69.8C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp: 65.0C
Avg GPU Temp: 51.8C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp: 59.0C
Avg GPU Temp: 45.0C
(3.)
Test 1
Max Fan Speed: 40%
Avg Fan Speed: 30%
Test 2
Max Fan Speed: 80%
Test 3
Max Fan Speed: 80%
(4.)
Test 1
Max GPU Load: 100%
Avg GPU Load: 40%
Test 2
Max GPU Load: 96.0%
Avg GPU Load: 57.0%
Test 3
Max GPU Load: 99%
Avg GPU Load: 42.0%
(5.)
Test 1
Max Fan Speed: 2357RPM
Avg Fan Speed: 1700RPM
Test 2
Max Fan Speed: 4334RPM
Test 3
Max Fan Speed: 4342RPM
(6.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp#1: 87.0C
Avg GPU Temp#1: 69.9C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp#1: 59.5C
Avg GPU Temp#1: 52.0C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp#1: 60.0C
Avg GPU Temp#1: 45.2C
(7.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp #2: 94.0C
Avg GPU Temp #2: 74.8C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp #2: 66.0C
Avg GPU Temp #2: 57.2C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp #2: 65.5C
Avg GPU Temp #2: 49.4C
(8.)
Test 1
Max GPU Temp #3: 91.0C
Avg GPU Temp #3: 72.8C
Test 2
Max GPU Temp #3: 64.5C
Avg GPU Temp #3: 56.7C
Test 3
Max GPU Temp #3: 64.5C
Avg GPU Temp #3: 49.5C
(9.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Current: 0.0A
Max VDDC Current: 61.5A
Avg VDDC Current: 32.8A
Test 2
Min VDDC Current: 0.0A
Max VDDC Current: 58.1A
Avg VDDC Current: 37.3A
Test 3
Min VDDC Current: -1.2A
Max VDDC Current: 56.9A
Avg VDDC Current: 25.7A
(10.)
Test 1
Min VDDCI Current: -0.3A
Max VDDCI Current: 15.7A
Avg VDDCI Current: 10.7A
Test 2
Min VDDCI Current: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Current: 15.4A
Avg VDDCI Current: 13.1A
Test 3
Min VDDCI Current: -10.7A
Max VDDCI Current: 15.4A
Avg VDDCI Current: 9.4A
(11.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 72.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 58.6C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 54.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 47.3C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 53.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #1 Temp: 42.1C
(12.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 60.3C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 56.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 49.3C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 56.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #2 Temp: 43.7C
(13.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 60.7C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 50.1C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 0.0 C
Max VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #3 Temp: 44.1C
(14.)
Test 1
Min VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 69.6C
Test 2
Min VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 56.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 48.2C
Test 3
Min VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 255.0C
Avg VDDC Phase #4 Temp: 42.8C
(15.)
Test 1
Min VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 86.0C
Avg VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 68.6C
Test 2
Min VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 62.0C
Avg VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 55.4C
Test 3
Min VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 0.0C
Max VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 62.0C
Avg VDDCI Phase #1 Temp: 48.0C
(16.)
Test 1
Min VDDC: 0.9500 V
Max VDDC: 2.0375 V
Avg VDDC: 1.#QNB V
Test 2
Min VDDC: 0.9500V
Max VDDC: 2.0375 V
Avg VDDC: 1.#QNB V
Test 3
Min VDDC: 0.9500V
Max VDDC: 2.0375V
Avg VDDC: 1.#QNB V
(17.)
Test 1
Min VDDCI: 0.9500 V
Max VDDCI: 2.0375 V
Avg VDDCI: 1.#QNB V
Test 2
Min VDDCI: 0.9500V
Max VDDCI: 1.1500 V
Avg VDDCI: 1.#QNB V
Test 3
Min VDDCI: 0.9500V
Max VDDCI: 2.0375V
Avg VDDCI: 1.#QNB V
Observations and Questions
1. CPU, Core, NB and Ambient Temps went about as I expected. Not that I am happy with the CPU temps, but, evidently, I need to switch out the large stock intake fans and the large exhaust fan with groupings of 120mm fans,
which should double to quadruple the CFM airflow throughout the tower.
2. Are the GPU temps roughly within a range of normal operation, and why
is there a lower max GPU temp and lower average GPU die temps on Test 3
than Test 2?
I would have thought that using the edge-detect filter and
super-sampling would have contributed more heat rather than be more efficient--if it did anything at all, as I was not certain if the filter
and sampling method would be applied while letting the application
determine AA. For the record if I saw any real difference, it was
minimal, as I was trying to make certain that I played roughly the same
area of the game in the same amount of time, in basically the same way, and so I
wasn't focusing on aesthetics.
The only reason I even changed those settings is because I know in some
games, like NWN2, doing so can significantly change overall FPS, even
when AA and AF are turned off in the game settings and the GPU is given
charge of the AA and AF globally. Still, seeing the temps drop is a
mystery I hope somebody might solve. Could Trine possible be coded to
make best use of those settings?
3. Average GPU Load seems to confirm the results above. Again, why?
4a. What should I expect in amperage output for VDDC and VDDCI current?
More importantly, what does the O.OA and negative amperage readings
indicate?
Now, I know next to absolutely nothing about electricity, but
doesn't zero or negative amperage indicate that some type of voltage regulator is not supplying the current needed at load? That is--at least
with the negative reading--doesn't this indicate that current is being
demanded greater than current being supplied, like a negative amp reading
on a automobile's alternator?
I should say that, using HWinfo32, I found that the VDDC current
reading never displayed lower than in the 1+ amp range--no zero, no
negatives. HWinfo32 did not have a corresponding reading for VDDCI to
compare. The average and max reading on HWinfo32 did correspond to the
comparable VDDC current readings in GPU-Z.
If somebody could offer up a good explanation about what VDDC and VDDCI
are, what they do, and how to analyze them for proper behavior, I would
greatly appreciate the tutelage.
4b. Looking at the VDDC and VDDCI phase temps, I see minimum temps that I
just cannot believe to be true. Not to say they aren't true--I may be
ignorant as to how they could be achieved on stock cooling, and, if so, p
please educate me--but I doubt anything on my card is literally freezing, even for even for one polling cycle, whatever the polling frequency is.
VDDC Current, VDDCI Current, VDDC Phase #1 Temp, VDDC Phase #2 Temp, VDDC Phase #3 Temp, VDDC Phase #4 Temp, VDDCI Phase #1 Temp, and VDDC all show occasional, very brief registrations at 0--though VDDC will not list it as a minimum reading, all of the others do. VDDC, like all of the above, show a complete break in the red continuous bar graph, but the O reading does not register in the reading field for VDDC when it is set to show the minimum current reading. When these 0 readings appear they seem to occur in groups of 4 to 6 occurrences over roughly a 30 to 60 second interval. This is just what I have observed while watching real-time when the memory and GPU clocks are on the lowest frequency.
4c. Getting max readings on VDDC Phase #2, #3, and #4 of 255.0C?!? Surely
if that had happened I wouldn't be using this computer right now to post
this to the forum without--at least--needing to insert another GPU into
my mobo, if not insert everything not fried to a crisp into a new mobo.
Right?
Looking through the logs, these 255.0 C temps, 0.0 C temps and zero or
negative amp readings are very rare. If they are real, I suspect they
last less than a second certainly, as they are not showing up very often
in the polling cycles. I would definitely say that the 0.0A and 0.0C
are not showing up in the logs as often as they have been visually
represented in the red bar graphs, so that would suggest to me that
they, if real, are far shorter than 1 second in duration.
Still, I shouldn't have temps ever spiking to 255.0 C anywhere in the
card at any time correct? Could that momentarily happen and yet the
card still function without locking, displaying artifacts, or frying
my cat sleeping three feet away into feline bacon bits?
5. Finally, all of my average VDDC and VDDCI readings are showing up as
"1.#QNB V". Obviously that is not correct. If it is correct, and all
of you reading this understand it, then maybe its time for me to begin
laboriously attempting to grow and groom a unibrow as well as working on
communicating in monosyllabic grunts. Is that some type of error
code?
Just from what I have read trying to understand what is cropping up in
GPU-Z, this is not behavior indicative of proper operation, at least in the case of 4 and 5 above. Is it as simple as my card is shot, or soon will be, RMA it? Or could it be a corrupt Catalyst driver, a problem on the GPU-Z side, a mobo BIOS that needs to be reset with CMOS cleared, etc? Is it possibly a bad sensor on the card which is leading to false readings?
So, what am I looking at?
Thank you so much for your time and patience in reading through this long post and for whatever suggestions you provide. I figured if I were going to seek your assistance, it was my responsibility to provide as much information up front as possible. If there are any things you wish me to do next in analyzing this problem, tell me what to do, and I will do it and get back to you.