8800gt fan noise problem

[tindale]

Hello all, I'd be grateful for any help sorting out a fan noise issue.

I've just installed an OCUK Value (Jetway) 8800GT 512 into a fresh install of Vista 64, with Forceware 169.25 drivers (the included driver disk wouldn't run so I took these from the Nvidia site). Unfortunately the noise the thing makes reminds me of a 747 during take off, as the fan seems to be permanently at 100%.

I've tried Rivatuner and Ntuner, but neither display a GPU temp, and neither allow me to control the Fan (RT has no Fan tab, and the option is greyed out in Ntuner).

Could this be a limitation of the card, or should I keep looking? As I use the machine in my living room for a media centre I really want the noise down except when I'm gaming, and the card may be going back if I can't sort this out.

Thanks for any help

 

[melbourne720]

Send it back, either under the distance selling regs or as a RMA replacement. The newer version has a larger fan, and is very quiet.

 

[tindale]

Thanks, but when you say newer version, how new do you mean? I only got this on Friday (thursday dispatch), and its exactly as per the picture, so its not as if I've been mis-sold.

I'm just wondering if its possible that you just CAN'T change the fan speed on this one, in which case I will have to change it. Or if its just something I'm not doing right, in which case I'll keep searching for an answer......

 

[melbourne720]

Well, there have been 2 'versions' of the GT, one with a 80mm fan, that can be noisy, and one with a 92mm fans that appears to be much quieter.

Most likely the card you have is stuck on 100% fan all the time, in which case it is broken and should be RMA'd. The other posibility is that you have a warm case and it is ramping up to 100% because of the heat, in which case it should be returned so you get the 92mm version (which is reasonably quiet, even at full fan speed).

Hope that helps.

 

[Darren555]

Well, there have been 2 'versions' of the GT, one with a 80mm fan, that can be noisy, and one with a 92mm fans that appears to be much quieter.

The fans are 65mm and 75mm respectively and according to nvidia it isn't a new reference cooler. They are happy with the original one confused.
It's just manufacturer's own preference to improve on the cooling so there are still plenty about with the 65mm fan.

 

[tindale]

Thanks for the help so far.

What strikes me as a bit odd though is that neither Ntune or HWmonitor show any reading for GPU temp. I don't know if there's something wrong with the install (I'm going to try going back a stage with the drivers tonight), or if they really could have made a card without a temp monitor?

edit: And I don't think my case is particularly warm, the CPU and system fan happily drop to very low speeds without temps going up.

 

[gunner]

I think your correct about the driver install being flaky, try unistalling, cleaning the remnants out with driver cleaner and reinstalling.

If you downloaded the very latest beta drivers there have been reports of the fan getting stuck at 100%. Maybe try one of the slightly older versions.

Good luck

 

[tindale]

Thanks again.

So is the general view that all 8800gt CAN have the fan speed altered?

 

[MeatLoaf]

Yes i can change mine via ntune.

Mines usually at 29%, i just have to remember to up it to 75% before i start any games

 

[tindale]

Thanks Meatloaf, is that the OCUK value? And can you let me know what drivers you're using?
I'm wondering if 64bit vista might be causing a problem too.

 

[tindale]

Thanks all, I decided to go down the RMA route, and thanks to our very speed friends in Stoke a replacement is already on its way (thanks chaps).

After that experience though, and reading about various 8800GT/Vista/Fan speed problems I've decided to go back to ATI with a 3870XT, especially as I hadn't realised the GT didn't hardware decode HD.