Computer help

[Kubz]

(from my attendance thread)
I think this is the video cards that I've got:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product
and the motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

Video cards overheated to the point where I couldn't get an image on the screen. I think because Palit didn't put heat sinks on the v-ram, I either have to put them on myself, or try to put on a watercooling assembly.

I think my computer just has a heat management problem in general. I do have proper case airflow, but with the video cards, and the tight spacing of the motherboard when the video cards are in SLI.

If its cheaper just to get new video cards than try what I mentioned above, I could go that route.

Any help would be much appreciated:

short version:
computer has heat issues, halp plz.

[Kryzis]

What temps were you getting on your video cards? Were they within normal operating temps? Is anything overclocked? You can use Riva Tuner to crank up your vid card fans if you can get back into windows. If you still can't boot up after letting it cool down overnight, then one or both of your vid cards are prob already shot. Try just using one to see if you're still having probs.

As for air flow, I usually deal with it with cable management. I try to tie up all loose cables to get as much air through the case as possible. If you don't already have one, check to see if there's a spot for you to add a fan to the front of the case. I'd do anything I can to make sure there's nothing between the front fan and the vid cards. If you built the machine you can also see if your case offers a side door with a fan mounting point...or use a dremel and do it yourself.

[Kubz]

I heard that in general, the 460 cards are designed and tend to run hotter than normal. After running furmark and msi kombustor, the max temperature that my cards were hitting under load was just south of 100 (degrees celsius) with them idling around 60. I believe that the auto-shutdown temperature of the cards is just south of 110, something like 108 degrees.

I'll try to reorganize the cables, but as for the fan situation, I have 3 front panel fans having air flow inward. One on the top making air flow outward, and one on the back making air flow outward. I'll also see if I can clear out as much of the dust as I can.

For all those building their own computers, big tips that no one told me about and I had to find out myself are:

1. modular power supply. Costs a bit more, but trust me. its worth it
2. rear exhaust video cards. Poor design is a major reason that I'm having problems with my computer right now. My video cards are not rear-exhaust, and my motherboard has them practically stacked on each other.

[Kryzis]

I also use unused drive bays to get cables out of the way. I had a friend that had similar issues and he would just take off the side panel when gaming. =)

[Randalthorr]

Everything I've heard about the 460 suggests that they run cooler than the 480 that came out before it and since my 480's only ran up to 90C under load I would think that your 460's are getting too hot. This is probably because of the fact that the two cards are stuck right next to each other which always struck me as terrible motherboard layout. You could try using MSI Afterburner to create a custom fan profile and just have the cards really crack the fans when the temps get high.

[warac]

get allepac to fly out to you and fix it. thats what i do

[Kubz]

Cleaned out dust, and rearranged cables.

I have tonight off so I'll be doing an endurance test with some marathon sc2 action .

I'm thinking I need to replace something in my computer in terms of components. I'm debating either getting a new motherboard, or picking up 2 rear exhaust video cards.

[Zeurie]

It's called get a bigger case and more fans aka the "ghetto fix" (according to my computer expert source)