GPU randomly hitting max clocks and PCI@16x

randomly, no matter what OS/Driver/Powermizer/Powerplan setting I'm using, my GPU will go full bore and hit max clocks+ PCI bus speed, and get up to 82C before clocking down again, but only temporarily. this is _REALLY_ frustrating. Especially when my idle temps used to be just fine. I have done no hardware changes to cause this, and have not flashed my bios at all. *edit* make that 89C...and that is with zero programs open. :\

OS+ Driver Configurations tried:

Windows XP and:WHQL: 186.31 186.40 186.42 186.81 186.82

Windows Vista and: WHQL: 186.31 186.40 186.42 186.81 186.82 DOX 185.85

Windows 7 and: WHQL: 186.31 186.40 186.42 186.81 186.82 DOX 185.85

Every driver installation was done after a cleaning in safe mode w/ driver sweeper.

 

What happens during games? Does it clock down then? Even at max clocks unless playing a game 89C seems a bit high!

 

I hit a max of 90-91C gaming, and no it does not clock down. and yes, btw. Powermizer is enabled. I use the powermizer switch and it will then clock down- occasionally, when it feels like doing so.

 

When you are solely running off the battery does the powermizer work or does it still clock up and down.

Maybe you could just turn off the powermizer when running on power and put a decent thermal compound on the GPU such as IC diamond to keep temps down if it irritates you. Powermizer seems to be hit and miss with every GPU lol

 

it doesn't even clock down. the fan spins to max RPMs and forces it down. it has been at max clocks for the last hour or so now. and no, it does not clock down on battery power. and thank...but I'm not voiding my warranty. I should NOT be forced to put a non-stock thermal paste on my GPU to IDLE MY LAPTOP, first of all. and secondly, a thermal paste would not fix my issue. hitting 85C instead of 89C will not help anything.

 

If powermizer doesn't work at all and your GPU runs full clocks, has happened to me in the past then you simply have to firstly try to keep your GPU's cooling at the optimal levels and secondly although I wouldn't recommend it force the clocks down using a bios flash. Can't really think of anything else you can try as you have already tried numerous drivers. Sorry I can't help any further.

edit: have you tried rivatuner, set up a couple of profiles one with the downclocked values and another with the stock clock (normal) settings, have it run at startup and you should be good to go. That would essentially be a manual powermizer.

 

I just tried nvidia system tools to downclock my gpu, and it crashes my system whenever I try to apply the clocks. (the standard powermizer downclocks) and I AM trying to keep my GPU's cooling at optimal levels, but changing the thermal paste and voiding my warranty will SCREW ME if the GPU dies.

 

Calm down mate. Just trying to help. Rivatuner usually works better than System Tools I find.

 

Mine used to do exactly what you outlined on Windows 7, and the latest GPU driver does that for me still. I ended up using 186.03, I think. PM me if can't find it. I have a 64-bit version for Vista/7.

 

I will forward this information to our engineers, unfortunately, since they are off for a whole week due to the Lunar Festival; it will take some time to get a reply from them.

 

Thanks, for anyone who is wondering, the driver 179.88 works. but I do have stuttering in bioshock, crysis, NFS:Shift, and even occasionally in TF2.

 

hmmm...so is this a win7 upgrade? i dont want to upgrade coming next next week and have all these problems...my vista + 186.81 doesnt go any higher than 72C when it reaches 3D clocks of 585/940/1475. update us if u find a fix, also are there any other win7+G51 owners here? just want to see if this is only a OS problem or something screwed up in driver installation etc.

 

this was on any OS, Sach, as I stated twice already. This happened in winxp win vista 32bit/64bit and win7 64bit. the only driver that has worked properly so far is 179.88, and am now on vista 64 once more.

 

just an addition, using this driver my temperatures in TF2 jumped up by 8C. previously hitting 82C max, now am hitting 89-90C consistently. 82C was with settings maxed, 90C was with all settings on /low/

 

I have the same problem. Bought the Asus G51 from BB. Love it. Uninstalled the nvidia drivers...rebooted and installed the nvidia drivers 186.81 whql. And now the 260m will not down clock. At all....ever. Uninstalled the 186.81 drivers and reinstalled the 179.88 (I think that's the one)...(the one that came on the drivers cd from asus) and poof...the down clock works great again.

IT's a shame because I really want the new drivers...but I want the down clock ability for temps and batt saving etc...

Monk

 

You can try using the powermizer switch to enable powermizer, it works for most people:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=273276

 

Changed driver to 186.82 which is not listed as compatible for me...but with the help of laptop2go 186.82 drivers and the modded .inf ... Solved all problems. Got good stable drivers...(later than the 179.88 that came on the cd) and it downclocks properly in 2d mode. Couldn't be happier.

Plus on another side benefit, my temps are 6-8c lower than before.

Very happy camper.

Monk

So if anyone had the same problem with notebook GTX 260M not downclocking after installing the 186.81 drivers... Get the 186.82 and modded .inf to fix it.

 

this will /not/ work for everyone. I have used 186.82, with the modded inf. and it still does not downclock properly.

 

Darn. Sorry to hear that. Wish that wasn't the case. I've heard the new 190.07 and above have an advanced power management feature that might fix all of it.

I didn't try them. After I got the 186.82 to work, I just got lazy.

Monk

 

The description says that it has fixed problems with powermizer for some cards. I've been tempted to try a modded 190.07 but I like the temps of my current install.

 

Stay away from 191.07 WHQL at all costs.

 

any particular reasoning there soviet?

 

What's your current driver install? Did it fix your temps...and are you still getting the stuttering?

 

I'm still using 179.88..lol. and yes, I'm getting stuttering but I believe it might be caused by an external program I have running.

 

That's a shame cause I definitely got a huge improvement in performance in the games I play. I too almost just left them at the 179.88 because they did everything they were supposed to do properly. But after trying everything I possibly could I was about to give up. But I found a post about the 186.82
working properly so I finally tried those 186.82 which worked flawlessly for me.

Wish they worked for you. Keep posting if you make any changes/improvements etc.

 

I've been waiting for a response from asus for 8 days now.

 

I forgot which one I tried, but a 190.xx driver shot my GPU temperature to 97 in a 3DMark test while giving me 500 points less.