Radeon HD4870

[EXCellR8]

...card is driving me nuts, keeps overheating and cutting out the video. When this happens the monitor goes black (and I have to manually restart the system), I hear the fan spin up to 100% and the LED labeled "D1601" on the card lights up - meaning the card is overheating. This has happened three times in the last 24 hours with fan speeds at 60, 75 and 80%!! I've already applied a better thermal compound on the core which dropped idle temps so I don't know what to do. Is there some other factor I could be overlooking, something else causing the card to overheat like the NB or PCI-E 2.0 chip? I'm at a loss right now so I'd appreciate any help I can get. Thanks in advance.

 

[kimsland]

Actually one user dismantled his Video Card and found lots of dust under the Heatsink.

Maybe use High Preasure air can to blow out any dust.

What do you...

 

[kimsland]

think ?

 

[EXCellR8]

Not sure on that theory, it's weird though. Upon approx an hour of running Mass Effect the card overheated (and did what I've described). Once I restarted the computer, I let it sit for a little bit, raised the fan speed to 75% this time and ran the game again. The card lasted longer playing the game, maybe an hour and a half, but then the same thing happened. So, I think it might have something to do with the ambient temp in my room. I tried the game a third time w/o letting things cool down and it only lasted maybe 10 mins, but the fan was on 80! Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me because this card was fine on playing hours of Crysis and Unreal Tournament 3.

 

[Rage_3K_Moiz]

I think it's a bad HSF on the card. Better RMA it.

 

[nickc]

or dust in the fan and heat sink?