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Hello there, firstly I apologize for my bad english it is not my native tongue.

Anyway I got a little(!) heating problem. Basicly, when I start oblivion(video game) and play for 10-15 minute my gfx card hits 140 degree(Celsius =S) and slowdowns itself. Problem started just 2 weeks ago, before that I were playing it without a single heating problem. Well I gotta say there is no way in hell a gfx card could hit 140 degree and still work, and no it didn't burn itself neither did it burn cables inside the computer. Problem eventually repeats itself, I'm a tech noob but I could say that either there is a problem in fan or there is a software problem.

So all I'm asking is that if there is a software problem how could I fix it? Or eventually is there a way to understand which kind of problem I got? Because gfx cards warranty went off just couple of months ago and most probably I'll buy a new card instead of paying money to repair it. Or I might consider buying a new fan for the geforce 6800, please share it if you people know a good fan.

P.S: I took a SS, even if there was no 3d application was running it was showing 75 degree o.O


Anyway already now thanks a lot for all helps =)

That picture shows your card at 70+ degrees, not 140. The threshold means that the temperature that shows there is where the card will basically blow up on you. Although 70C is pretty hot for any graphics card, my 8800 gtx doesnt even get that hot.

I would think that since the software came with your drivers, that temp. would be pretty accurate. You said that the temp shown is at idle, and that's way to hot as you know. Have you checked to see if the fan is running on the card, and have you blown any dust out of it. The heatsink can get so clogged with dust that it will completely block off any airflow.

has anyone did the math, to see how hot 140C is, there is not card on the market that can stand that, and i wish you would have looked at the picture he/she posted. Its says THRESHOLD. which meaning >this is the point where the card will crap on you, doesnt mean that this is the current temp.

He says that he took the picture when no 3d app was running. I think it's probably a problem with the temp sensor... but that doesn't solve your problem because as long as the temp sensor says that the card is 145C+, the software will slow the card down. I'd say just get a new card... 6800 series is really getting on in years.

I thought it could be a sensor error, but he insisted that it couldnt be since the software came with the card, you cant preach to the damned, although I do recommend a new, or newer card I should say. *I'm waiting for beefjerky to come correct that*

My 7900GS's slowdown threshold is 130C.

The core can last 140C, but it's not good for nearby components for a long period of time.

It's also possible that a cheap thermal paste / pad changes its thermal characteristics at those temperatures. I'd replace the thermal paste just in case.

I'm pretty certain that it's a software or sensor error. Perhaps you overloaded it or did an autotune that set a setting high enough that it fried the sensor? Try some non-official software like Lavalys' EVEREST software suite, and see if it reads the same temperature.

Oh, and supersmash is right. The threshold is nothing to worry about, although if you can change it I would recommend setting it a little lower for your cards sake, possibly 100C.