Selecting which card to use in Single GPU mode Alienware M17x R1

Hello out there! I'm about to ask a question that, perhaps, is obvious. But i've been looking through the forums for 2 days now and haven't found the answer, appreciate any help.

A little background info:

I have an R1 M17x with dual 260ms in SLI. For a time, one of the fans has been making a weird noise, but it was really hard for me to figure out which. Now, with the release of SWTOR, I've been playing for extended periods, and I noticed that the main GPU is rising to temps of over 100 degrees in about 15 mins (max has been 104). I figured that there probably is a problem with the gpu fan (though I'm not sure at all), but I already ordered a fan that should get here in about 2 days. Then I'll know for sure. Although I like to think I'm quite savvy when it comes to computers, the truth is I know only as much as I read in these awesome forums with all you wonderful peeps.

But anyway, since the other card is always about twice as cool as the main card, I was wondering if there's any possible way that I could select that card as the one to use in Single GPU mode. Perhaps I could roll with that, until the fan gets here and I can troubleshoot a little better.

Can it be done? Thanks for any input, and I really want to express how much I appreciate the endless knowledge that you guys are constantly giving us folk through these threads. Thumbs up to all of you .

 

I don't think you can choose which card to use but maybe you could swap the fans around until the new one comes and stick to using 1 gpu with the "good" fan

 

You can select to use only the master card by disabling sli, however seeing as it's the master card giving problems that doesn't help you much. Clear out any dust and if you see no temp drops I have a couple other solutions. Repaste the cards, if temps stay persistent I have one final suggestion. Cut the wire in charge of regulating the fan speeds, it will make your fan run at max speed but should keep the card cool until you get your new fan in.

 

There's no need to cut the wire, one can use HwInfo to control the fans.

Tiduspr, if you want to run on the secondary 260M alone, you'll have to physically move it to the main slot and switch the heatsink with the primary card. Then disable SLi in nVIDIA control panel.

But as Ari3sgr3gg0 pointed out, it can be something as simple as clogged heatsink fins which will require you to take your laptop apart and remove dust bunnies pushed by the fans against the heatsink fins. While you're at it, grab your favorite tube of thermal paste and change the old one on the graphics card's die.

 

Ah my mistake, didn't realize there was a program to control the r1 fan speeds, I'm used to notebooks*cough*(hp)*cough* that have required me to make some drastic decisions about the cooling. His problem is not coming from the card of the main slot but the lack of adequate cooling in the main slot so putting the second card in the main cards place wouldn't change much in my opinion.

 

Tiduspr,

Google for Hwinfo32 or 64 (depending on your OS). This will monitor your temperatures as well as your fan speed. From there you can realize if the problem is a fan not spinning properly or , if the fans are all fine, if you have a clogged heatsink. It takes only 5 minutes in downloading, installing, and monitoring your system to troubleshoot your issue.

 

I would do as katalin says, you can easily gain up to 10-15° C degrees.
I personaly choose MX2 which is not bad.
For now exchanging both card will be you best solution.

Did you ever repaste before ? If you are use to gaming, your paster onn cpu/gpu should have become hard as a rock.

Do you have high cpu temp too ?