Tech Help GPU Temperature spiking for no reason.

ShadowFox506

ShadowFox506

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Help me eGO Tech Forums you are my only hope!

So my GPU temperature is randomly spiking. It normally idles at 66C (yes it runs rather hot) and gets up to around 76C when in game for a long time. On Tuesday (Feb 10th) the temperature just starts spiking out of no where. It goes from 66C up to 115C in a few secs and my GPU fan goes from 30% speed up to 100% almost instantly. But my GPU usage remains at 0%. After it reaches about 115C my PC shuts itself off. It happens both while idling and while in game playing (though while in game the GPU usage isn't still at 0% it goes up to like 99% or so). While idling the CPU usage is around 1% and RAM usage is around 35%.

I have no idea at all as to whats causing the GPU temp to randomly go crazy. I've updated my drivers, didn't help. I went to a previous back up from a day before (Monday) and that didn't work. I cleaned my fans out with air, didn't help. I opened up my case and cleaned all the parts, didn't help. Ran a virus scan and it came back 100% clean.

I am out of ideas of what could be the issue or how to fix it. Besides the random GPU temp spikes my PC is running like it normally does.

Also the GPU temp is back to normal (around 66C) after I restart the PC. It then randomly spikes some time after it starts back up (from 10 mins to an hour after restart, it seems totally random)

I've attached a screen shot I took today seconds before it crashed again.

http://postimg.org/image/ktywlo2rr/

Along with that here is a log of the GPUs performance via the TechPowerUp GPU-Z GPU monitor. Its from the last few days (Since Thursday or Friday I think) so excuse the giant size of it.

http://www.filedropper.com/gpu-zsensorlog_1

Does anyone know what could be causing this or how to fix this at all?

Specs:

Alienware M17xR3 Laptop
Operating System- Windows 7 Professional 64bit
Processor- Intel Core i7 2630QM 2.0GHz
Memory- 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHz
Video Card- 2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon HD 6970M
Hard Drive- 640GB Raid 0 (2x 320GB 7,200RPM)

As a side note: I do NOT recommend Alienware. This laptop has been nothing but trouble for me, it's total shit and I'm never buying an Alienware product again. (Don't ask why I bought this one...I don't even know why...) :thumbdown:

P.S. The GPU temp spiked again and caused a shut down as I was typing this. :glare:
 
Yes, earlier I sat in front of my PC while it idled and just watched the temp spike after like 20 mins. Had nothing running at all but MSI afterburner.

I already took the case apart and cleaned it. Wasn't dusty at all.
 
It's a mobile GPU, right? I ask bc the specs you listed said alienware laptop. I wonder if it's not seated correctly, either to the mobo or the GPU heatsink is messed up. I had a similar issue with my 9800GTX2 where idling the temps would spike after 10-20 mins, and I discovered that a GPU heatsink fan was dead. EVGA RMAed it and gave me a GTX 285 as a replacement because they stopped making the 9800GX2 at that point.
 
Yes its a mobile GPU. I'm pretty sure it seated correctly. I never move my laptop at all (to damn heavy) so it couldn't of gotten loose and a few months back I shipped it out to this special tech center that works on Alienware laptops to have them fix an issue and they looked at all the parts and made sure everything was in tip top shape.

I'm starting to suspect my GPUs fan might be burning/burned out. Tomorrow, when I get a chance, I'm going to open my case up and watch it run. Will report back with results tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
^^^^

Exactly number one reason I an't on mine yet ya have to take 95% of laptop apart to even get to it and likely to break sumthin if not careful!!!
 
Wizekraker said:
Its a laptop, you maybe able to do that but its no easy task.
Click to expand...

That's the reason why I needed to confirm it was a laptop and a mobile GPU. The chance of messing it up is a lot higher than a desktop. I'm hoping that it's the fan as that's easier to find and then warranty.
 
Alright I opened up my case while my PC was running and turned the GPU fan up to 100%. When I looked at the GPU fan it wasn't even moving at all. I think it's been burned out somehow.

What would I have to get replaced? Just the fan or...?

alex2142hp said:
just a thought perhaps taking the gpu off and clean the paste and re apply new thermal paste and use this or similar http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...3&cm_re=laptop_cooling-_-34-953-023-_-Product
Click to expand...

The thermal paste from what I can tell is still fine, it was reapplied a few months ago when I had my Alienware in the shop for a problem. I'm not about to take the whole thing apart and apply more thermal paste myself,I don't have experience / knowledge in that area of PCs. I've tried laptop cooling pads in the past but the Alienware design doesn't fit anything easily and the only one I found (after trying a bunch) that would fit my PC didn't help. It only decreased the temp by 2-3C so wasn't worth the money.
 
alex2142hp said:
here u go buddy once u take the fan u need new paste :) https://www.google.com/#q=Alienware+M17xR3+Laptop+fan&tbm=shop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP4myeDK-3U
Click to expand...

Oh nice thanks alex! I'm thinking of sending my laptop to a specialty company that fixed my previous Alienware problems and having them look at the whole PC and see if there is anything else wrong with it. Shouldn't cost me much and I'd rather some one who knows how to fix these Alienware craptops, er I mean laptops, tool around with it then me...who knows nothing about them.
 
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