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What are the coolest-running yet reasonably current graphics cards you can get out there? I've got a GeForce 6600 that seems to regularly overheat and lock up (the OS underneath is fine, but the graphics lock up so you can't use anything; I have to use the resource kit "shutdown" command from another Windows box to reboot the machine) after extended use, and I'm fed up with it. It may be the design; instead of a fan/heatsink it has oversized heat sinks all over it.

If it has just a heatsink, then it may be that the case is lacking sufficient airflow.

6600 don't run that hot most of the time, try to search for another one with a fan.

Yeah, if you have something passively cooled you must have sufficient airflow. And that probably one of the cooler-running recent GPUs.

6600's should not do that, they were one of the coolest running cards in this and the previous generation. A 6800 Ultra I could understand.

Check the card's fan and make sure it's acutaly running as well check to see the airflow..

How hot is the run the computer is in? Generaly we like to keep them between 54*F to 74*F.

Mr Bean wrote:6600's should not do that, they were one of the coolest running cards in this and the previous generation. A 6800 Ultra I could understand.

Check the card's fan and make sure it's acutaly running as well check to see the airflow..

How hot is the run the computer is in? Generaly we like to keep them between 54*F to 74*F.

Thats the issue this one dosn't have a fan, so case airflow is key.

Darth Wong wrote:What are the coolest-running yet reasonably current graphics cards you can get out there? I've got a GeForce 6600 that seems to regularly overheat and lock up (the OS underneath is fine, but the graphics lock up so you can't use anything; I have to use the resource kit "shutdown" command from another Windows box to reboot the machine) after extended use, and I'm fed up with it. It may be the design; instead of a fan/heatsink it has oversized heat sinks all over it.

Passively cooled . . . Passively cooled sucks these days. They only really work when they have constant airflow, and a video card's heatsinks tend to be facing the wrong way to benefit from any airflow from the PSU or case fans. The quick solution would be to see how those heatsinks are fixed to the GPU. If they're just latched-on and removable, then remove them and buy a GPU heatsink/fan combo from your local computer shop. The card should have a little socket to power a heatsink fan. Failing that, some video-card heatsink kits will come with an adaptor to connect the fan to one of the standard power-supply plugs.

If it's permanently fixed in place, then I'll echo the sentiments of the others. Actively-cooled GeForce 6600 would be the way to go.

If your card's current cooling solution is insufficient try a better one

The GPU likely has a fan power connector on it (2 metal pins with a small plastic (white) box around it), but if not you can connect your fan to one of the motherboard's auxiliary power supplies, you'll just need to go from 3 pins (mobo fan power) to 2, which can be done in a variety of ways using spare wires and such.