Not reading VRM Temp on 6950

[doveman]

I've got a Powercolor 6950 http://www.powercolor.com/global/products_features.asp?id=313 which I believe is a reference card layout (although not reference cooler), as it has the BIOS switch and is shader unlockable.

Either way, GPU-Z 0.5.3 doesn't like something about it as it shows two VReg Temps, one which always shows 0c and the other which is pretty constant at 26c (it may have changed to 25 or 27c on occasion, and other times it also drops to 0c).

It would be great if this can be fixed as apart from that, GPU-Z is great for keeping an eye on my card.

 

[doveman]

I'd be grateful if someone could confirm if this is a known problem that will be fixed in the future?

 

[cadaveca]

My reference sapphire card:

Maybe try new version?

 

[doveman]

Thanks. I'll give it a go.

 

[doveman]

No, 0.5.4 hasn't fixed the problem and still shows two Vreg temps, at 0c and 26c.

 

[doveman]

I tried uploading the BIOS in case that would help track down the problem, but it said it was already in the database as 97839.rom. I can't find that in the database though, either under Powercolor or any other brand 2GB 6950, so I'll upload it here.

 

[erocker]

Seems as if the tempurature sensors may be stuck/broken.

 

[cadaveca]

Might be due to the voltage controller.

XFX "Custom card"(Chil controller)

26C sensor never moves, here.

 

[doveman]

Seems as if the tempurature sensors may be stuck/broken.

Hopefully someone else with the same card can tell us whether they get proper VRM temp measurements in GPU-Z. I guess I could e-mail Powercolor and ask them if this card supports this.

 

[doveman]

Might be due to the voltage controller.

XFX "Custom card"(Chil controller)

26C sensor never moves, here.

What about the other one, does that work properly? On mine, neither of them seem right.

 

[cadaveca]

Yeah, and I've even put a thermal probe on the area and it's pretty close to what real temps are too.

 

[doveman]

In that case I can only assume that VReg Temperature 1 is what should be showing the correct temp on mine, but it just say 0c.

Looking at the back of my card, it does appear not to have the components it should have for digital VRM temp monitoring, so perhaps it doesn't support this, which is a right bummer as I want to fit a third-party cooler and it's rather important to be able to check the VRM is being properly cooled!

 

[doveman]

I found this article about the 1GB version of my card, and it says "The 4-phase GPU voltage regulator is based on a CHiL Semiconductor CHL8214 controller". I note that cadaveca's XFX card uses a CHiL controller as well, so I would have thought VRM monitoring would work.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/powercolor-hd6950-1gb_2.html#sect0

Disregard what I said in my previous post about my card not having the right components for digital VRM monitoring. I was looking at the wrong end of the card based on a picture of a different card! My one looks like these:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/powercolor-hd6950-1gb/pc6950_back.jpg
http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/video/powercolor-hd6950-1gb/pc6950_front2.jpg

 

[cadaveca]

AS you can see, same as my XFX card, so I'm not sure why it's not working.:

View attachment 42843

 

[doveman]

I just tried GPU-Z 0.5.4 under XP 32, rather than Win 7 64 which I normally use, just to see if it made any difference but it didn't as you can see (VReg Temp 2 didn't fit in the screenshot but it didn't change from 25c during the test).

 

[W1zzard]

it's possible that temperature monitoring of the CHiL controller does not work at all

 

[doveman]

But cadaveca's XFX card uses a CHiL controller and he reports that Vreg Temp 1 is working and matches what he's measured with a probe.

 

[95Viper]

Just wondering, have you tried other apps to see if they read the same?

HWInfo (has a very nice sensor monitor page)
HWMonitor

 

[W1zzard]

he's getting 29° and 26° .. those numbers don't look right to me

 

[doveman]

The 26c is the Vreg Temp 2, which reads the same on mine and appears to be a phantom reading that can be ignored.

The 29c is his Vreg Temp 1 at idle. Is that lower than you'd expect?

 

[doveman]

Just wondering, have you tried other apps to see if they read the same?

HWInfo (has a very nice sensor monitor page)
HWMonitor

HWMonitor only shows one temp and one voltage for my 6950.

HWInfo shows a lot more, but still no VRM temp as you can see:

 

[doveman]

Well I asked Powercolor " I have a AX6950 2GBD5-2DH and GPU-Z does not show the Vreg Temperature (Vreg Temp 1 is 0c and Vreg Temp 2 stays at 25-26c). I believe this card uses the CHiL controller. Can you confirm that this supports Vreg Temperature monitoring?"

and they replied "I think the readings of GPU-z is suitable for BBA(built by AMD) boards only, it does not fit for every card. So it can not read very detail of other cards, this should be normal, please do not worry."

so not that useful!

 

[doveman]

Well someone else has shown that their XFX 6950 using the same CHiL8214 controller as my Powercolor reports the VRM temperature OK. I don't know if Powercolor could have crippled this feature somehow or if I just have a faulty board.

 

[cadaveca]

Are you having problems with the card, or something?


Oh, and my 29c temps are correct, 26c is not, or at least, it's not connected to anything that matters. IF your sensor is not miving, it must be like hte secondary on my card, just not connected/working.

 

[doveman]

Are you having problems with the card, or something?


Oh, and my 29c temps are correct, 26c is not, or at least, it's not connected to anything that matters. IF your sensor is not miving, it must be like hte secondary on my card, just not connected/working.

Only problem I'm aware of is the the VRM sensor not working, but obviously if one thing is broken it makes me worry about the quality of my card. If Powercolor were to say that they've purposely disabled the sensor (although I'm not sure if they can even do this) then I'd be less concerned although I would like to be able to monitor my VRM temperatures, like everyone else can, for when I replace my heatsink.

I've got two VRM sensors on my card as well, and one is stuck on 26c and the other shows 0c.