XFX Alpha Dog 8800GT 256MB Problems

[drstanleyd2san]

I just bought and installed the following card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150279

The first problem I have is that it is unbearably loud! It is only about 2-3mm from the PCI wi-fi card that I have next to it and removing it is not an option for me. More than half of the GPU fan is covered over that 2-3mm gap. I tried adjusting it with RivaTuner with no change in noise levels from 25% - 100%. I don't get any changes in temperature adjusting the fan speed either. RivaTuner does not detect the fan speed in RPM's so I think that could be the problem. However, someone on the newegg site reviewed it saying you can adjust the fan speed. But the fan cable only consists of two wires so I think that means it lacks a speed controller. Does this fan spin at a constant 100%?

Currently the GPU idles at 54degC and goes up to around 66degC playing Crysis on med-high settings for 30 minutes. A lot of times after I had closed out of a game and the temps start dropping from 66degC, the computer would suddenly blue-screen requiring a manual reboot. It shouldn't be overheating at that low of a temperature so why is it crashing my computer?

My setup:
ECS AMD690GM-M2 Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ 3.2ghz CPU
2GB Crucial Tracer Ballistix RAM
430W Thermaltake PSU w/ 18amp single +12V rail (I had confirmed that this will support this GPU while powering even more components than I have)

 

[firetatoo]

derrrrr
your card requires 28 amps on the 12v rail.

your PSU is not going to cut that mustard.
i dont know who told you it would.

 

[drstanleyd2san]

This is my power supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023

there are many reviews from people saying they can run the 8800gt with it stabilly with multiple hard drives and cd drives... I only have 1cd drive and 1 hard drive so I don't see why I can't do that too

Plus i read the 28 amp is a rating for your entire computer setup, not the card alone.

Please help me... anyone else have this card able to adjust fan speeds? My friend has a BFG card with a 2-wire fan connector and he tells me he can adjust speeds fine with rivaTuner, but just not able to get the RPM readings...

 

[pauldh]

You can not adjust fan speeds on a card with a 2-pin fan header on the PCB. Look at your XFX fan. it has a tiny 2 wire connector plugged into the card. My XFX 8800GS has the same fan. You can not adjust it without rigging up a method of lowering the voltage to the fan. I use a Zalman fanmate for mine connected to a homemade harness so I didn't have to splice the XFX fan wires. (and void warranty).

Second, that power supply with a single 18 amp 12v rail is far below ideal for an 8800GT. I would suspect some instability gaming with that combo. 66 degrees is cool for an 8800GT. You are blue screening when your system needs more 12v peak draw than that PSU can provide. It is running near max and heats up itself, making it less efficient even.

Third, you should not have bought the 256MB 8800GT. It's horrible comapared to the 512MB version. Even at 1280x1024 it often falls far behind. Plus even though it's an OC'ed model, the mem is still 200 MHz (effective) slower than a reference 8800GT 512MB. The evga 8800GS for $105 would have been a better, cheaper, much quieter option that should trade blows with your card without tanking as bad as the res goes up.

Check out all the games and note their 256MB 8800GT is clocked the same as the 512MB and 1GB model so it's a fair ram comparison. Most 256Mb 8800GT have slower ram (1400 is normal or 1600 like yours, vs 1800 for the 512MB.) http://en.expreview.com/2007/12/30/review8800gt-how-many-memory-do-you-need%ef%bc%9f/13/

 

[tinkleondabeach]

Hi, I have stumbled upon this page through google, and you would not need to download software or purchase adaptors to lower the fan speed of the 8800gs.

Click the following link for information on how to obtain a free fan adaptor from XFX.
http://ogry.net/2008/08/09/free-adaptor-for-xfx-geforce-8800gs-owners/

 

[idisarmu]

This is my power supply:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153023

there are many reviews from people saying they can run the 8800gt with it stabilly with multiple hard drives and cd drives... I only have 1cd drive and 1 hard drive so I don't see why I can't do that too

Plus i read the 28 amp is a rating for your entire computer setup, not the card alone.

Please help me... anyone else have this card able to adjust fan speeds? My friend has a BFG card with a 2-wire fan connector and he tells me he can adjust speeds fine with rivaTuner, but just not able to get the RPM readings...

You DO realize that your cpu will probably eat up a LOT more power than say, an entry level 45nm cpu from intel with more harddrives than you.