8600m GT downclocking/overheating!!!?????

Hey so does anyone else have this problem? After a couple minutes of gaming, your 8600m GT GPU reaches a "threshold" temperature and suddenly "downclocks" (I think) resulting in craptacular sub-20's and unplayable framerates. This usually happens when I play Team Fortress 2.

I've tried everything: clean reinstalling several drivers, such as 169.28, 174.74, 175.97, upgrading to the latest bios A09, getting Dell to replace my motherboard/GPU several times... replacing the motherboard seems to fix the problem for a while, but the downclocking/overheating always comes back again after a couple weeks!!!

I have a Dell m1530 2.2GHz T7500,
3GB RAM
DDR3 8600m GT.

83 C max temp using 174.74, according to Rivatuner
92 C max temp using 175.97 (these sure are hot drivers)

Does anyone else experience similar problems?? Does anyone have no problems playing Team Fortress 2 with a same specs computer?

 

there is a known issue with nvidia g84 g86 gpus

read here :

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=282508

 

Have you tried blowing out your fans? or any other tips at cooling central. It is a known defect but procautions can be taken to help prevent heat.

 

Wow thanks for the sweet link.

 

Does this mean the nVidia 9600m GT would overheat as well?

 

well supposedly no
as the 9600m gt is a difference core.

 

I don't think my 8600m GT overheating problems are related to the defective Nvidia cores that have been in the news. The symptoms are supposedly computer crashes, which I don't experience. I've also gotten Dell to replace my video card and motherboard twice, but video card downclocking still happens.

 

I am now experiencing the unusual downclocking but interesting enough it is only untill now...

I ran the 174.74 drivers
Now I am trying the 174.31 drivers and its the same result, playing a bit of World in Conflict then suddenly my computer just starts downlocking and gaming becomes slow.

This only happened until I used their stupid BIOs FLASH update, i think is the culprit!

 

Well, if you want to check... why not just flash back to A08?

 

Flashed Bios down to A07. No shudder, no downclock and no overheating.

I keep my computer on the Zalman NC-2000 and i keep the temp monitor up.

World in Conflict
1200x800
Settings: High
76C Maximum that I have seen

 

Counter Strike
1680x1050
Settings: High
75C

No problems downgrading bios to A07.


I seriously think that A09 Bios is the cause of most of the downclocking and issues with gaming.

 

But is that really a safe thing to do, to downgrade to A07? On the Dell website it says that A08 is a "urgent" update.

Also, I had no GPU downclocking problems for several weeks using A08 for my Dell m1530.

 

i have the same laptop as you using the A09 bios and i have had no problems.

very strange problem you are having.

 

Yeah, there are no problems downgrading or upgrading to any bios revision. Though clearly you don't know what they do... A08 bios update specifically fixes the erratic touchpad problem where once you wake your computer up from sleep, or open the lid, your cursor won't hop all over the screen when you use your touchpad, or become unresponsive after a certain period of time, or just randomly do its own thing...

It also adds support for newer optical drives they use and supports newer versions of the Intel Processor.

The A09 bios, or any other A08, A07 bios update has nothing to do with the videocard whatsoever and only triggers the fans of the M1530 to kick on at startup to offset the heat cycling problem with the Nvidia GPU's as sudden change in temperature occurs during Startup mostly that can have a detrimental effect on the GPU. It allows your system to run cooler, which is always a good thing and only shaves off about 10 minutes of battery life, though it does run cooler.

By choosing not to upgrade to upgrade to bios A09, you increase the damage from heat cycling and your card might wear out faster than others, and when it does, you will have to get a replacement in the form of a refurb if you are still under warranty.

If you value your system... you will want to upgrade to A09, but at the very least, you should upgrade to A08 to avoid erratic touchpad problems. Upgrading to A09 only affects the fans and not the GPU itself, so you will experience NO performance decrease on bios A09. If you feel there is a performance decrease, your mind is just playing tricks on you, or your GPU is already in a state where it is failing in which the damage has already been done and no matter how fast your fans spin, your GPU cannot be saved.