x1800xl artifacting at stock speeds

[samorost]

hello all, i'm relatively new to the forums.

i just downloaded ATItool 0.26 and i'm running with catalyst 6.11

for some reason, when i run the scan for artifacts function, i get 3-5 pixels at 74ºC in a matter of 30 secs. however my games run perfectly without the slightest signs of overheating. it usually idles at around 62ºC. do you have an idea of what might be causing the problem?

also, i'd like recommendations on a good aftermarket heatsink/fan combination, and if possible, a basic guide on overclocking this video card. i have a feeling it might not be a good idea though.

i have an ATI x1800xl 256mb, running at 500MHz core / 500MHz mem.

any comments or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

later,
nico.

 

[samorost]

*bump

 

[samorost]

ok fine

 

[bryan_d]

Hehe,

You're getting no love here, eh?

Well to start off with, what type of cooling do you have in your case? With poor ventilation and circulation, your x1800xl could be starving for fresh air.

Also, is this card new? If so... RMA!

bryan d

 

[blacktruckryder]

Make sure your all your settings for your drivers are all set to default. Some setting mess with artifact detection.

Have you ran 3DMark 05 or 06 and checked for artifacts?

 

[reueljoab]

bryan_d is right... when you scan for artifacts, you gpu will heat up... and if you don't have the proper ventilation in you case... it might cause your x1800xl to overheat...

make sure you set your fan speed at 100% always... setting it at automatic would also make your card too hot.

as for the 3rd party heatsinks... i'm currently using the zalman vf900-led. it really works well for me... you could also check out arctic, and thermalright.

 

[samorost]

thanks for showing love

the airflow in my system might not be the best, that i'll give you. i've got the CPU fan, a 120mm on the back blowing out and a smaller fan on the side blowing in - but that one's disconnected because it's way too noisy.

the weirdest part is these artifacts only come up as yellow pixels when i'm running the scan for artifacts test in ATITool. however, i'm able to play intensive games such as oblivion for up to 8 hours on 1024*768 with everything maxed out and HDR enabled - not the slightest artifact or lag.

 

[Ketxxx]

Its overheating, tho @ 74c its not insanely hot for a GPU. Take the HSF off and remount it. A good aftermarket cooler is the VF900, easily the best. Its overpriced for what it is imo, but thats because zalman know its the best aftermarket cooler available.

 

[samorost]

good stuff. i just purchased the vf900-led online on ebay (brand new of course). i'll be happy to test that out

thanks for the suggestions!

 

[bryan_d]

You should really deal with your Case flow first.

If you cannot even run a your card at stock, you will are probably going to still run into overheating problems while gaming. According to benchmarks, the VF900 is only 5C cooler than the stock cooler at 100% Fan speed.

You really oughto work on your case cooling... it will help your CPU, NB, SB, and HDs.

Good luck,

Bryan d

PS - Can you post a pick of your case? Maybe we can help you better with some pics.

 

[samorost]

sounds good. i'll take pics today and bring them to work tomorrow - i'm currently up the mountains in costa rica where internet is an alien technology