GPU-Z or GPU dying?

[absxiith]

I purchased an AMD Radeon HD 6850 (Sapphire) after asking this very community.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=33&post=324193&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

I got it on 09/09/2011 from ebay.Now,after running smoothly for many days,today,suddenly I noticed on GPU-z and a windows sidebar gadget that the fan speed was fluctuating from 8 - 611 rpm(normally at idle,it runs at 1112rpm).Even more weird was the fact that the other readings,namely voltage and temperature,were stable at 12.13v and 42 degree Celsius.I immediately switched my pc off and restarted it 3-4 times.Now it is running smoothly but I really don't know what happened.
I am running catalyst 11.10 and amd_catalyst_11.9_cap4.I was playing games perfectly fine half an hour earlier.My pc is:-
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01815020&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&cc=in&dlc=en&lc=en&os=2093&product=3929100&sw_lang=
and my PSU (not purchased from the site I am linking)
http://techshop.in/store/cooler-master-extreme-460w-rs460pcard3eu-power-supply-buy-online-india-p-1310.html
Any help will be sincerely appreciated.

 

[amuffin]

42 C is perfectly fine if not a great temperature.

 

[absxiith]

Ok but what about the fan speed?Why was it so low?And for the past few days,I have noticed that gpu usage jumps to 41%,then back to 0 and so on.Is it my PSU?Should I replace it with a better one or is the card faulty?Also when I opened the case to have a look,the card's fan was spinning normally,not at all like 8-611 rpm as shown by GPU-z and the windows sidebar gadget.
I don't know what's wrong-
GPU-z and Windows sidebar gadget
or the card or my PSU.

 

[perfectblue]

Try with other hardware monitors.
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html
http://www.hmonitor.com/

If you are still getting the fan issue and do not see it physically changing RPM, then it must be a sensor problem.

 

[AMD X6850]

I have a 6850 and the once in a while, the RPM jumps up to a crazy number on GPU-Z (to define crazy - it doesn't fit in the box) for a second before returning to normal speeds.
I think its just the sensor screwing around, haven't taken much note of it cos like you, my temps are good and looking at the fan physically, it is ok as well.

 

[warhead0]

Software based programs that monitor hardware aren't perfect, they do have some issues and any information displayed should not be considered 100% accurate.

It sounds to me like your GPU is fine.

 

[refillable]

Your GPU is fine. Don't think too much of this issue. The program is maybe bugging at that time so don't worry too much.

 

[ilysaml]

Your GPU is fine. Don't think too much of this issue. The program is maybe bugging at that time so don't worry too much.

+1

 

[absxiith]

http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/11/12/12/aan.png
It's happening again.

 

[absxiith]

http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/11/12/12/hzc.png
And it's also showing this.

 

[ilysaml]

Mate, this is the idle Core & Memory clocks when the GPU is not being used to reduce the power consumption and heat (an option like wise scholar n quite in AMD CPUs), it goes to the original clocks when you make a load on the GPU such as playing a game.

Here's my HD 6950 idle clocks.

EDIT: Look at the GPU usage, it's 0%

 

[absxiith]

I am concerned about the abnormal fan speeds (at idle) in the two pics I posted.The other readings are normal.And gpu usage in both the cases is also almost 0%. Is such a low and high fan speed normal?

 

[Kari]

I am concerned about the abnormal fan speeds (at idle) in the two pics I posted.The other readings are normal.And gpu usage in both the cases is also almost 0%. Is such a low and high fan speed normal?

for me gpu-z isn't showing fan rpm value at all, it still shows the fan percentage though. And just like yours, the percentage value is working properly. I think the rpm value is just a little bugged on the software...
I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[ilysaml]

The fan speed is adjusting itself automatically depending on the GPU temperature, and it's all depending on your card, if it's a reference design card, the GPU gets hot quickly, or if you have a poor ventilation. that's why the RPM percentage changes.

 

[absxiith]

Best answer selected by absxiith.