Overheating ONE of the 3870s almost instantly...

So, I don't play video games, but I wanted to see how the 3870s would fair when playing some games. So, I downloaded a 3D racing game called TrackMania Nations ( http://www.trackmania.com) and started it up. I watched the temperatures in HWMonitor and it shot up to over 100C almost instantly. I stopped the game when it hit 104C. However, the other 3870 was only at like 51-55C. Whats going on with this? First, why does it seem like only one 3870 is working. Both device manager and CCC say they see both cards. Secondly, is there any way to keep these things cool, or is this kind of game just unplayable on this system? That's kind of unbelievable.

Thanks a lot,
-Rob

 

no sounds like your GPU has no thermal paste.

You can easily fix this

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=373496

try that and let us know

 

wow something is seriously wrong there..i would start all over fresh install everything ...drivers...and then see whats up

 

sorry ben but no driver or anything OS related could do that ....

Take off the GPU heatsink and then take aq picture and i can tell you instantly if that is the reason

 

wow ..are you sure thats crazy that he has had it this long and the system does that though...ya know...just dosent seen right

 

it has a single fan so i can rule out a broke fan

The drivers no matter how badly installed won't make the temps rise like that

Also the thermal paste is only to fill in the micro imperfections in the heatsink so that you can get the best heat transfer on sub -par copper( the best way to be would be metal on metal but the dies and heatsinks are not perfect surfaces so a filler is needed)


The system can run fine but as soon as more heat needs to be transfer it can due to the lack of a medium to pass through ( other then air )

 

Holy ...are you serious?! I am actually planning on doing the copper mod for the northbridge this weekend and using OCZ Freeze. I will take off the other heat exchanger at the same time and see what's up. I couldn't even imagine they wouldn't put any in there. Is it the same process with the rice grain sized dot and the credit card to spread it?

Thanks,
-Rob

 

When doing the copper mod, the thermal pad on the northbridge is removed, right? But you leave them on for the GPUs?

Thanks,
-Rob

 

I had the same issue with my m17x. It could be a few things

Bad Motherboard
Bad GPU
Tape on Thermal grease
Fan

My m17x had One gpu run at 110c and then shut off the one gpu. What alienware will have you do is try Stock Drivers. They will try New heatsink Fan. Which they send you. Then eather buy the gpu or swap or have you send in. Not sure if the ati can do this can they be switch or are they master or slave?

Last time I sent my laptop for repairs. I went your Techs do not read the online tech notes to fix the issue. The online tech found it was Not the gpus becuse both overheat in the one slot. When I sent it in they only change the gpus and sent it back. That when I seid get me a system that works.

Game that happen on where lotro and Crysis.

 

yes it is the same process

 

(Sort of repost from other thread) It was, as Atol had suggested, tape on the thermal paste. REALLY, I can't believe a high end laptop company would have quality control that bad. Anyways, repasted and all is well for now. 79 degrees max when playing the game.

Thanks for all the help,
-Rob

 

Ivsuspected that hence the picture request. I didn't want to be rude ( I'm trying to be better) because o didn't know if you knew what the tape looked like

congratz and game on !

 

Yeah, one GPU had the paste all over it...and the other had nothing, hahahaha. I looked at the heatsink and BAM...there it was. Screwing everything up.

-Rob

 

Lol try to enjoy it now

 

Oh goodness. This again? Well congratulations. GAME ON!

 

I request a replacement for the tape was on both of my gpus.
Got to love the high ends technicians.

Why can't idiots burn the laptop with TEMPERATURE checking? This alone would save so much of their money in long run and keep customers from being angry? What the xxxx were they thinking?

 

Fusion, weren't you one of the first guys to report this happening to you more than a year ago?

 

Yes , I was the first.

 

The tape came from one of the users on this forum. I just listed a list of thing it could of been. Dealing with alienware and issues I have to keep a wide open mind.

But please keep a eye on that GPu due to that issue.

1 gpu fan ran high
2 gpu ran Hot