help with AMD graphics card please - i'm crap with this stuff :(

[eviju]

Ok so i made a pc back in 2013 - my graphics card is AMD Radeon HD 7970 - I ended up getting 2 of them to do that crossfire thing but i dont even know if that works lol.

So im not really doing much graphics intensive stuff atm - just playing world of warcraft. So its really weird when I start up the pc fresh and play world of warcraft im getting like 60fps consistently even in a busy city then after around 5-10mins the fps drops and hovers between 10-25 (doesn't ever go above that)

Is there anything I can do? Feels like maybe the computer or graphics card just decides to slow down or holds back power or something?

I'd appreciate any help thanks.

[Jasp]

Hi Eviju, nice to meet you.

Normally a drop in FPS is linked to either the CPU or GPU throttling back due to heat as it hits its thermal limit, this is more likely to happen when you have two GPUs as the top one normally runs hotter.

You need to check using a program such as HWmonitor which gives mins/max and averages https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html

Leave it running while playing then report back with your temps to see if its related to that first.

Also what CPU & RAM do you have, you can check this by pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE, pressing more details then going to the performance tab.

[eviju]

hi - thanks for replying so quick!

do I download the classic version or the pro version?

AMD FX - 8350 Eight-Core Processor
16GB DDR3 Ram

[eviju]

ok so installed HWMonitor
GPU Monitor is like 54-58c
CPU is like 10-35c

When i do Ctrl+alt+del - Performance - only 1 GPU is at 96-100% the other one is like 1-2%?

[eviju]

ok so installed HWMonitor
GPU Monitor is like 54-58c
CPU is like 10-35c

When i do Ctrl+alt+del - Performance - only 1 GPU is at 96-100% the other one is like 1-2%?

[eviju]

gpu hitting like 67c now

[eviju]

my posts aren't coming up :/

my GPU heat is hitting like 66c and on performance (ctrl alt del) it only shows 1 gfx card working at 96-100% the other is like 2%

[eviju]

FAO MODERATOR - PLEASE DISREGARD MY PREVIOUS POSTS AND DELETE THIS - ONLY ALLOW THE FOLLOWING - THANKS!

ok - so what i did was switched off my pc for a few hours went out etc. came home and fired everything up.

My gpu goes up to 101c and then everything on WoW slows down - so i'm guessing its getting too hot? It goes down to like 70c ish after

On performance (ctrl alt del) GPU 1 - runs at like 100% - GPU 2 is only at like 2%?

I got 16gb ram - I got a AMD FX 8350 8 Core Processor - 29c ish max temperature.

[cptwhite_uk]

If you've never cleaned your PC in all that time I'd suggest it's probably dust build up / thermal throttling.

[Marcvs]

Might need to do a little repaste jobby.

[[GSV]Trig]

Download GPU-Z, check the temps on both of the GPU's.
Dont take this the wrong way but from how your post reads I wouldn't want to suggest you start taking heatsinks off and re-applying paste, so check the temps first and see what they are doing, that'll tell you if the are overheating or not before we go anywhere else.

[ftahir192]

Try getting a can of compressed spray and getting right into the heatsink. Failing that, you may need to re-apply thermal paste.

[eviju]

ok so i opened up the pc and ran things while the cover is open - the gpu fan just isn't working (the first/main one) - the second fan runs. i've unplugged evyerhting from the first one and just runnign the second one on its own (taken off the power cable from it and the crossfire cable)

is there a way to fix the fans? I've got a powercolor Radeon HD 7970 3ghz gpu (both of them are the same)

thanks in advance and for all the advice so far

[watercooled]

Sometimes GPU fans will not run when idle to prevent unnecessary noise/dust build-up - does it spin under load?

The temperatures you have posted so far are not high enough to be of concern but it depends whether they are load or idle temperatures?

Crossfire isn't as simple as just physically having two cards in the system, it needs to be set up and its usefulness will depend on the game being played - what you're seeing with only one GPU being used is normal without proper setup. But let's deal with the performance issues first.

[Xoric]

take it slow and gentle, you'll be able to get the fans and heatsink off the card.
it may just be a build up of dirt/dust thats preventing the fans from spinning so i would start with just doing a good clean
if that doesn't work, there are custom cooling options out there (google Radeon HD 7970 custom cooling)

[AnotherDave]

Are your drivers up to date? There's a slim chance issues can arise with out of date drivers so check that first. And have you tried running both cards on their own, and in both PCI slots? It'd be good rule out as much as possible that could be causing problems. If none of that is the cause I would remove the card that's overheating for the time being and just use the second so you can keep gaming without it causing issues.

As far as fixing it goes there are a few things you can do. Firstly careful use of compressed air to clear any dust out and dislodge anything that could be stopping the fan from spinning. Also check the card and fans as thoroughly as you can visually to see if anything looks broken, cracked, out of place etc.

Secondly, if the fan is no longer working, you could swap them out for new ones. It's just under £15 for a new set on eBay and may be available cheaper elsewhere. Unless you've done anything like this before I wouldn't necessarily recommend you do this yourself though. If you have, or if you're feeling confident, then give it a go. I'm sure YouTube will have some useful videos.

Lastly, changing the thermal paste wouldn't be a bad idea given the age of the card but from what you've said so far I don't think that's the cause of the overheating. As above though, unless you've done it before or are feeling confident I wouldn't recommend it. Neither job are difficult but there's nothing wrong with not wanting to take the risk of damaging something.

Ed: Also, what watercooled asked above about whether the fan spins under load is important. I was assuming you meant the fan doesn't spin when you get the FPS drop in WoW. Is that the case?