video card temperature fluctuating wildly

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wengart

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
2
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10,510
For a while now my monitor's screen will go black, my computer's fans would kick on all the way, and the hard drive activity light would be constantly active. After a few minutes of this I could press the power button and it would instantly turn off.

This occurs randomly, regardless of what I am doing.

Often before it does this my GPU fan will start going really fast. I checked my temps using cpuid's HWMonitor and found that my video card's temperatures where fluctuating between 80ish degrees and 186 or so very quickly. One second it would be 85 the next it would be 186.

So at this point I am pretty sure my video card has gone bad in some fashion. My questions are: do y'all agree with my assessment and if so is getting a new video card my only option?

My computer is 4 years old
Motherboard: not sure right now
Video card: GTX 470
memory: g.skill ram, 10 gb
psu: Corsair HX 750

I can post more detailed information later in the day if that would be helpful.
 
Solution
coozie7
Take 'em out and see!
Also, depending on card, you might try removing the shroud/cover over the heatsink to give it a proper going over (if you haven't already done so).
Sad to say, but it does look as if you're going to have to dig some cash out of the wallet after all. :(
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kooks147

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Oct 1, 2013
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10,710


try reapplying your thermal paste
 
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coozie7

coozie7

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Jun 2, 2007
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It is possible the card is at fault but first a few ideas to try and keep your money where it belongs: In your wallet.
You don't mention what maintenance you do so I'll assume none. ;)
Dust builds up and clogs the cooling fans and heatsinks so first thing is to pop down to your local computer store and get a can of cleaning gas.
Take the card out and use the gas to blow the dust out of the fans (hold them to prevent the gas stream from spinning and overspeeding them) and heatsink-blow in through the exhaust or towards the fans depending on cooler design. Do it outside and point the gas stream away from your face-especially important if, like me you're asthmatic. They're pretty robust but try to hold it by the edges and before you replace it, gently clean the contacts using a pen (biro) eraser-very gently.
While you're inside the case, check for loose connections, reseat the memory modules and, if needed, use the gas to clean out the CPU cooler.
Update the video card drivers.
Update the soundcard drivers.
Call back y'hear? Don't be a stranger, now.

 
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wengart

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
2
0
10,510
I dust out my case once or twice a year and did it within the last couple weeks. While there is dust on the fans it is just the usual hard dust build up that compressed air has trouble/doesn't remove.

I just recently updated my video card drivers and I don't have a sound card.

Now that I think about it. About a month ago I had a ram stick go bad. I had 3 sticks of G.Skill DDR3-1600 and was down to 2 after I removed the bad stick. I then purchased another set of 3 G.Skill ram sticks of the same model number from newegg and put those in with my original 2. Giving me 5 2gb ram sticks. However, my original 2 are as old as my computer. COuld this be causing an issue?
 
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coozie7

coozie7

Champion
Jun 2, 2007
10,015
10
59,215
Take 'em out and see!
Also, depending on card, you might try removing the shroud/cover over the heatsink to give it a proper going over (if you haven't already done so).
Sad to say, but it does look as if you're going to have to dig some cash out of the wallet after all. :(
 
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