Need help with case and cooling

[Copilot]

So I have a problem with my computer and what happens is that when my computer gets too hot and it causes my games to have these lag spike type of things every 20 seconds.

I took my side panel off and put a housefan there but even after playing an hour of TF2 and then a few hours later playing WoW the spikes happened about once every 25 minutes.

Now I am just wondering, I am going to buy a new case no matter what but even with the big house fan blowing into it it still happened so I was thinking maybe the thermal paste is worn away or something.

I am probably going to buy an antec 900 since it has good cooling. But since when I have that case my side panel and top panel will still be on will the cooling be better than just this housefan? I am guessing so since its a contained current of air flow but I don't know for sure.

Should I take my heatsink off and attempt to put new thermal paste on, even though I have never done it before. Or just buy the new case (i will be buying the new case even if I do apply new thermal paste) and hope the issue is gone?

My current case only has one 80mm exhaust fan at the back because even with a front 80mm intake fan the spikes still happened.

Also if anyone knows of any other $100 range cases(in canadian prices from ncix.com) that has better cooling than an antec 900 let me know

 

[WoodButcher]

Sounds like your GPU is overheating, you'll want to pull the vidcard and clean the dustbunnies, reapply the tim.

 

[Copilot]

It can't be my video card because when I put the same video card in with my old motherboard and CPU the DPC spikes didn't occur so that basically rules the video card out of being the problem doesn't it?

 

[WoodButcher]

What are your temps? Use PC Wizard 2008.1.85.2 , it will give all the temps and info you need in one program. We need your cpu, cpu and mainboard temps, system specs (cpu, mobo model, PSU and case). Are you overclocked or at stock settings? did I miss anything???

 

[Copilot]

Amd athlon x2 6000+ 3.0ghz dual core CPU
asus m2n-mx SE
450W(its either 450 or 400, but thats enough for what I have) PSU
Coolermaster case, a pretty cheap one

Stock settings

Temps with the household fan pointing at my mobo area with WoW opened and logged into the game, but alt-tabbed

CPU temp - 30C
Mainboard temp - 43C

But also under those 2 there is Processor Temp

Processor temp (core1) 43C
Processor temp (core2) 41C

GPU - 51C

Hardrive - 28C


So I don't know which CPU temp is the right one, but you probably know.

 

[WoodButcher]

I need to see temps w/o the house fan and wow. Idle and load, use prime95 to stress the cpu. The cpu temps reported are from 3 sensors, one on each core and another in between.
What vid card do you have? You said you used that card in a different mobo, was it a different psu also? Is the psu loaded w/ dust? fan running?
I have never seen a cpu overheat and cause artifacts on the screen, when a cpu overheats the general outcome is slowdown, bluescreen and or shutdown. I'm guessing now but I'm thinking vid card or PSU. do you have another compatible PSU?

 

[Copilot]

Yes it was the same PSU, I already tested all the rails with a volt tester and they are exactly where they should be.

The video card is a geforce 7600GT, its crap but for WoW its fine.

There is some dust buildup but I cleaned it with air from a small compressor I have about 2+ months ago, I can do it again if needed.

Here are my idle temps with no housefan.

Processor Temp 36C
Mainboard Temp 44C

Processor temp core 1 - 43C
Processor temp core 2 - 41C

GPU temp - 51C

HD temp - 32C

Here are my temps with prime95

Processor temp - 37
Mainboard temp - 52

Processor temp core 1 - 55
Processor temp core 2 - 56

GPU temp - 51

HD temp - 35

 

[HardWarrior]

Interesting, your temps aren't bad.

 

[WoodButcher]

As HD said, your temps are ok. Have you another vid card you could try? That card works in a different mobo so that leads us to the one your using or possibly drivers for either vid card or mobo.

Edit- EVGA has a new software that supposedly monitor gpu temps wile gaming, I don't know if it will help, just thought I'd throw it out there.

http://www.evga.com/precision/

 

[Copilot]

Yeah GPU temp isn't very high either, here is the GPU temp after around 15 minutes of tf2 with no household fan

53C

So 2C higher than idle.

Drivers shouldn't be an issue, I have reformatted 3 times now and only installed the newest drivers from the website.

 

[WoodButcher]

see my edit above

 

[Copilot]

Ok so with the precision thing my temps are actually at 80C. I am guessing that too high.

But now my concern is, how come the GPU overheats and causes these spikes with my current setup but doesn't with the old one?

Should I just go spend $100 on a new video card and hope everything is good?

 

[WoodButcher]

80c is not terrible for a 7600, the factory software has a shutdown at 135c! What drivers are you using? have you got the newest? go back and try the ones that came w/ the card. Check the Nvidia download page Go to the Beta and Archived drivers page and go from there.
What about your mobo? are those drivers new or have you flashed the bios?

 

[Copilot]

Yes the newest GPU drivers, the mobo drivers are the ones that came on the disc. If I try the ones that came with the card do I just uninstall the drivers I have now or what?

I haven't flashed the BIOS but when this first started happening in January I flashed the BIOS and the problem still persisted.

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: Copilot
Yes the newest GPU drivers, the mobo drivers are the ones that came on the disc. If I try the ones that came with the card do I just uninstall the drivers I have now or what?

I haven't flashed the BIOS but when this first started happening in January I flashed the BIOS and the problem still persisted.

OK, start w/ the gpu leave the mobo as is for now, uninstall the drivers from device manager, reboot and reinstall from the disc, write down your driver numbers for reference later. Do you recall what driver you used on the other mobo?

Another thought, what OS are you playing with, XP or vista?

 

[Copilot]

I am using Xp, I will do the driver thing tomorrow and let you know what happens.

 

[Copilot]

Ok so do I just click Uninstall? That says uninstall device. I am pretty sure thats what you want me to do but just want to make sure.

 

[WoodButcher]

:thumbsup:
When you reboot you'll be prompted to install drivers, I'd try the disc first see how it goes , if that does not fly install an updated driver from the archives at nvidia, not the newest, latest, greatest that the site will direct you to .

 

[Copilot]

Ok well the original driver from the disc still does the DPC spikes.

Going to try the older drivers form the archives.

 

[Copilot]

Ok I tried 3 different drivers, do you think its safe to say I should just replace the card with a new one? I sorta want a new case but if I get a new card and the problem keeps happening I will be pissed. But if I get a new case the problem will probably go away since it has good cooling.

 

[WoodButcher]

Getting a new case won't solve your problem unless your having some sort of grounding issue. Have you tried running the system outside the case?
What about the mobo drivers? If you check the asus site you may find updated drivers for it. Have you tried the bios at default settings?
The card works in a different mobo. Can you get your hands on a loaner vid card?

 

[Copilot]

The BIOS is default, I haven't screwed around with any of that stuff.

A case may bandaid my problem since a housefan cools it enough to stop the spikes a good case like the antec 900 I plan on buying should do the same or better I would think.

I have no way to get my hands on a loner card without buying a new video card.

 

[RallyMaster]

Can you tell us what your power supply actually is? From reading over this thread, I think we've concluded that your 7600GT is working, your major components (CPU, mobo, mem) are also working so that leaves the PSU. Let's hope that it's not some Antec SmartPower 2.0 or TruePower II...

 

[WoodButcher]

No spikes w/ the house fan? We're back to heat. Did you replace the tim on the vid? What a bout the PSU, is that dust free and the fan operating?
As Rally alluded to a weak or failing psu will cause these things.

 

[Copilot]

Ok well after changing drivers like you said I am back using the newest driver and now the spikes happen even with the house fan. So I really don't know what to do. I am probably going to just buy a new video card and hope it works out.