ATI 5870 making noise when PC is cold?

[ForthRight]

I have a really strange problem that only started a couple of weeks ago.

When I first turn on my computer in the morning (when it is at it's coldest) the 5870 makes a really loud noise - as if there is something wrong with the fan. However after around 4 or 5 minutes it stops completely.

It's really strange because the temps are fine (33'C as it has just been switched on), and the fan control in CCC still works - i can adjust the fan speed, but even if i don't do anything with it it only reports a 21% fan speed (when the noise is happening) so it's not like it is trying to go too fast.

When the noise stops it doesn't come back till the next morning, so it seems like it is due to the cold temperature.

I know the noise is coming from the 5870 because i recently built a new computer and the 5870 is the only thing i kept from the old PC (it made the same noise in that computer too).

The card is over a year old now so i'm not sure what i'd have to do if it died but like i say - it still works perfectly and the noise stops after 5 minutes.. and the card keeps the GPU below 80'C under heaving gaming load.

My reason for posting is because i know noises like this are normally not good - any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[HungryHippos]

Get the same thing on my 460GT fan, doesn't happen every time but sometimes when booting the machine the fan makes a horrid noise sore of like it's dieing but then after a few mins it's ok...

If i give the side of the PC tap it normally fixes it too which is weird, i've been thinking maybe it's clipping a cable or something. if you stop the fan with your finger (press into the middle of it, not the blades!) whilst it's making the noise does it stop it?

That would be your confirmation I suppose.

 

[ForthRight]

Get the same thing on my 460GT fan, doesn't happen every time but sometimes when booting the machine the fan makes a horrid noise sore of like it's dieing but then after a few mins it's ok...

If i give the side of the PC tap it normally fixes it too which is weird, i've been thinking maybe it's clipping a cable or something. if you stop the fan with your finger (press into the middle of it, not the blades!) whilst it's making the noise does it stop it?

That would be your confirmation I suppose.

Is it safe to stop the fan like that? I don't want to damage my card but if it's safe i'll try it.

I'll have to wait till tomorrow morning to try it though, when the noise will happen again. Haven't tried tapping the case.

It is an awful noise like you say - really you'd think the fan was about to die, then after a few minutes it is totally fine.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[[timko]]

Is it safe to stop the fan like that? I don't want to damage my card but if it's safe i'll try it.

For a second or two yes. It's to let the GPU heat up slightly and so then once you release it the fan will run at a higher speed than before you stopped it. Now that it's running at the higher speed, the noise should no longer be present since it only occurs at the lower speed.

 

[HungryHippos]

No for me the noise comes back after I released the fan, but the point is you can be 100% sure if it's the fan on the GPU when you stop it this way.

And yes you can stop the fan for a short period of time just don't overdo it and don't use too much force. Just release it when you're done and it will go again

 

[ForthRight]

For a second or two yes. It's to let the GPU heat up slightly and so then once you release it the fan will run at a higher speed than before you stopped it. Now that it's running at the higher speed, the noise should no longer be present since it only occurs at the lower speed.

Sorry i didn't explain it well enough.

The noise has nothing to do with the fan speed - when the noise is happening i can manually turn the fan speed up to 80% and the noise is still there. I can hear the fan speed up like it should, but the loud problem noise doesn't stop. That's why it is so strange. It's as though it stops when the card or fan gets warmed up a bit, but it has nothing to do with fan speed.