Drivers & Software

[mattytowel]

Hello all

I am a mechanical design engineer, my employers buy me the tools I need and I don't have to think about how they work, so please be patient, and give simple replies if you can help.

I have recently repurposed (cobbled together) an old CAD workstation (spec below) to hopefully simplify what we curently do at home.  The fan on the Firepro V7900 graphics card (for a CAD system) is sometimes very noisy.  I think that what I require of it will be a lot less than it is capable of and so I would like to set some limits on what it does so that it stays cool and doesn't run the fan so much.

I have ordered some cans of air duster and will use them when they arrive, and I have examined what I can using GPU-Z and HWinfor64 , but can't see any settings in AMD FirePro Control Centre that would allow me to set any limits.

My household would be using the HTPC for the following: Minecaft and similar lvel games, streaming at SD level, playing DVDs, streaming SD level DVB-T and recordings, Zoom meetings, Youtube.

For environmental reasons, as a household, we have a policy of replacing items when they break not when they are old, and I would like to get as much life out of the existing hardware as possible. 

Current specifications

Dell precision Workstation T3500

Intel Xeon CPU W3690 @ 3.47GHz, 3459 MHz, 6 Cores, 12 logical processors

12GB RAM

Windows 10 Pro

Hauppauge DVB-T PCIe card

AMD FirePro V7900 (Fire GL V) - as reported by Windows Device Manager

Driver Version 15.201.2401.1010 - as reported by Windows Device Manager

Driver Packaging Version 15.201.2401.1010 - as reported by AMD FirePro Control Centre

AMD FirePro Control Centre Version 2017.0130.1123.20418 - as reported by AMD FirePro Control Centre

I'm using a DP to VGA cable to take signal to my Samsung LE32R41BD TV, but I have the option of unplugging my son's Nintendo and using DP to the TV's only HDMI input 

When just using a browser to type this message:

Power limit: 0% - as reported by GPU-Z

Power limit range: -20% to +20% - as reported by GPU-Z

Sensors GPU temperatures, 59°C, 59.5°C, 54°C, 55°C  - as reported by GPU-Z

Fan speed 34%, 2784 rpm - as reported by GPU-Z (not too bad)

CPU temperatuire 28°C - as reported by GPU-Z

System memory used 4200MB  - as reported by GPU-Z

Graphics card (right now) each of 6 memory modules shows 1.35V - as reported by HWInfo64

Graphics card current clocks (right now) GPU 250MHz memory 150 MHz - as reported by HWInfo64

the fan is audible, but there's no sound from the TV

12 minutes after starting to stream BBC iplayer:

Sensors GPU temperatures, 94°C, 94°C, 89°C, 92°C  - as reported by GPU-Z

Fan speed 67%, 5723 rpm - as reported by GPU-Z

CPU temperatuire 32°C - as reported by GPU-Z

System memory used 4633MB  - as reported by GPU-Z

Graphics card (right now) each of 6 memory modules shows 1.35V - as reported by HWInfo64

Graphics card current clocks (right now) GPU 420MHz memory 1250 MHz - as reported by HWInfo64

the fan is a disruption to the sound from the TV

I hope that is sufficient information, thanks in advance

Matthew

[mattytowel]

Hi

Nobody answered, but someoe else may have the same question in future.  Here's what I did 3 days later on 22 April 2020, it may be the wrong thing, and anything you do is at your own risk.

I ended up dismantling the graphics card, and as I did so the copper plate fell away from the stainless steel plate that I think it had previously been bonded to, and which pushes the copper plate onto the processor to trasnfer heat away.

I cleaned all the dust I could from all accesible surfaces - there was a lot around the small heatsinks.

I used a cable tie of the right width and thickness to clean the 20 to 50 narrow passages of the heat exchanger.  I did this by pushing it in from the outer opening until it came out near the fan, pushing decades of lint and muck with it.  I did this with the cable tie turned both ways around so that the teeth could work on both sides of the channel.

Using IPA (the solvent, not the beer) I cleaned off the dried residue of thermal paste and applied some fresh paste in the same places.  I superglued the processor to its heat transfer mounting.

I reassembled it, and it has been enormously better, GPUZ reports temperatures of 35-45 after an hour, and the fan is barely noticable.

2 days ago (12 June 2020) the fan came on like a hurricane midway through a film.  It is possible that this coincided with Microsoft updates.  This is the situation now:

Obviously that's nonsense - the GPU won't be at 165C below freezing and the 3 other temperature readings above the melting point of some metals.

I have tried going back to a restoe point before 12 June but that made no difference.  I have tried reinstalling the driver, but usingthe one on Dell's site not AMD's but that has made no difference.  Realistically I expect the fault is in the graphics card, but I don't know if it is a firmware issue o a mechanical one.  I think I will be dismantling the card again today to see if the superglued joint failed.