HD 4870 Fan-Control, Easy Workaround, Lowered My Temps 30C

H

honestjohn

Gawd
Joined
Jul 28, 2004
Messages
864
First of all, many thanks to Bretware on Guru3D who originally came up with the concept. See link below. Great little fix, single Card users only need to make two changes in the XML file created by your ATI Profile. I tried this and it worked perfectly using a fan-speed of 38%.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=2751569&postcount=8



First Enable Overdrive in the Catalyst Control Center.

Then Create a new Profile using the Profiles Manager in the CCC and make sure Save All Catalyst Control Center Settings is selected.


For Vista

Open any Folder, goto Organize Menu --> Folder and Search Options --> Select View Tab ---> Select "Show Hidden Files and Folders".

Then goto the following location and open the following file for editing "C:\Users\Your Windows ID\AppData\Local\ATI\ACE\Profiles\Your CCC Profile.XML. The xml file will have the same name as the Catalyst Profile you saved. right click and hit edit.


For XP

Open any Folder, goto Tools Menu --> Folder Options --> Select View Tab ---> Select "Show Hidden Files and Folders".

Then goto the following location and open the following file for editing "C:\Documents and Settings\Your Windows ID\Local Settings\Application Data\ATI\ACE\Profiles\Your CCC Profile.XML. The xml file will have the same name as the Catalyst Profile you saved. right click and hit edit.


HD 4850/HD4870 Users - should change the values below Bolded in Red within the Profile XML file.

<Feature name="FanSpeedAlgorithm_0">
<Property name="FanSpeedAlgorithm" value="Automatic" />
</Feature>
<Feature name="FanSpeedRPMTarget_0">
<Property name="Want" value="0" />
</Feature>
<Feature name="FanSpeedPercentTarget_0">
<Property name="Want" value="23" />


Crossfire Users - must also make identical changes to the section labeled <Feature name="FanSpeedAlgorithm_1">

<Feature name="FanSpeedAlgorithm_1">
<Property name="FanSpeedAlgorithm" value="Automatic" />
</Feature>
<Feature name="FanSpeedRPMTarget_1">
<Property name="Want" value="0" />
</Feature>
<Feature name="FanSpeedPercentTarget_1">
<Property name="Want" value="23" />


HD HD4870X2 Users - should change the values below Bolded in Red within the Profile XML file. Note if changing the section beginning FanSpeedAlgorithm_1 does not work, try making your changes in the section for FanSpeedAlgorithm_0. It seems results vary between brands of the X2.

<Feature name="FanSpeedAlgorithm_1">
<Property name="FanSpeedAlgorithm" value="Automatic" />
</Feature>
<Feature name="FanSpeedRPMTarget_1">
<Property name="Want" value="0" />
</Feature>
<Feature name="FanSpeedPercentTarget_1">
<Property name="Want" value="23" />


Change the "Property name="FanSpeedAlgorithm" value=" from "Automatic" to "Manual"

Then under "FanSpeedPercentTarget_x", change "Property name="Want" value=" from "23" to your desired fan speed.

Save the file then reload the Profile you just edited in the CCC. Done.



Edit 1:

After experimenting with my HIS HD4870 I found a fan-speed of 38% works best for me. My temps went from 79C at idle to 48C.

Edit 2:

Contrary to instructions posted on Guru3D by Bretware, most people are able to set their fan speed to "Automatic" rather than "Manual". Having it set to "Automatic" should allow the fan speed to ramp-up if needed beyond the fan-speed you entered. This doesn't work for me however and I must use "Manual".

Edit 3:

If you're using Catalyst Drivers 8.6 there is no "Profiles" Sub-Folder in Path and it will be created in C:\Documents and Settings\Your Windows ID\Local Settings\Application Data\ATI\ACE\Your CCC Profile.XML
 
when I get my card, I'll try it out and see if I can get CCC to load that profile on startup :p
 
Have you tried it with still keeping it on "Automatic"? Does it work?

Anyways, this gives hope that the fan speed can be fixed with upcoming drivers.
 
After experimenting with my HIS HD4870 I found a fan-speed of 40% works best for me. My temps went from 79C at idle to 49C.
Click to expand...

What is the stock speed set at... 5%?

With all the supposed trouble people are having with this card and the *random* deaths, I'm getting nervous about installing this next week.
 
Wolfkin said:
Have you tried it with still keeping it on "Automatic"? Does it work?

Anyways, this gives hope that the fan speed can be fixed with upcoming drivers.
Click to expand...

It works with automatic.

For those not fully familiar with Catalyst, you can activate a profile by right-clicking the ATI icon in the system tray.
 
Works like a dream!

The path for the profile XML for me was.

C:\Documents and Settings\*Your ID here*\Local Settings\Application Data\ATI\ACE

I changed my want value to 65 and it's screaming loud, but dropped my idle temp from 80C to 65C. Wuwu!

Much appreciated sir!
 
Jeez! I switched it to 90% just for shits and giggles. It's the loudest thing I've ever heard in my computer!

60C though, and still dropping.
 
Snowknight26 said:
Having it at 100 is only a little louder than my normal fans.
Click to expand...

Ahh, so your eardrums ruptured long ago.

35 is about as high as I can tolerate and the video card is definitely the noisiest thing in the case.

Edited to add: At 35%, temps stay under 80C at full load. Before the edit, my idle was almost 80C. Quite a nice improvement.
 
Local Settings was a hidden folder for me in XP. I had to unhide it before I could locate this file.
 
That is awsome! It also took care of the noise my cards were making. My defaults were at 34 (was running at 2000 rpm) and 31 (running at 1700 rpm), I changed them both to 40, now they're both running around 3500 rpm, and the fans are actually quieter!

Ok, played with it some more, looks like 45 is the highest I can go without it getting noisy, they're at 4200 rpm there. 50 took them to 4800 rpm and they made noticeable noise. I'll probably just have the one profile running them at 40 when non-gaming, and then another "regular" profile for gaming, so that it can increase the fans as needed. I just did a benchmark while they were at 40 and got worried at the end cuz the temp on one card went hit 100, but that was just before the benchmark ended, so I let it go. You definitely don't want to game with a profile that you've put in Manual mode.
 
Hmmm, so if you change the number, but leave it on automatic, the fan speed does change, but barely. So with this method, is the only thing you can do is have an "idle" profile and a "game" profile where you crank up the fans using a manual setting?
 
SPARTAN VI said:
Jeez! I switched it to 90% just for shits and giggles. It's the loudest thing I've ever heard in my computer!

60C though, and still dropping.
Click to expand...

TFB1212back.jpg




THIS
 
Is there any way to do progressive control? (i.e. fan gets faster as temps rise)
 
bitgod said:
I'll probably just have the one profile running them at 40 when non-gaming, and then another "regular" profile for gaming, so that it can increase the fans as needed. I just did a benchmark while they were at 40 and got worried at the end cuz the temp on one card went hit 100, but that was just before the benchmark ended, so I let it go. You definitely don't want to game with a profile that you've put in Manual mode.
Click to expand...

Bitgod that thought crossed my mind as well, so I ran a 3D stress test for a while and my temps were actually lower with the new fan speed profile. Makes sense because I stressed the hell out of the card prior to to this profile hack and I know my fan never spun up as high as it's doing now. So I think you can use one profile just fine as long as you're fan working fast enough. Your way is safer though, I'll give you that. What benchmark program did you use ATI Tool Artifact Scanner? Crysis? I'd like to try it thanks.

One stress test I did was to run two instances of this in a window of this oldie but goodie....

http://www.daionet.gr.jp/~masa/rthdribl/

After Profile Hack - GPU Activity in the CCC was pegged at 98-99% Max temp reached 70C @ 35% Fan

Before Profile Hack - GPU Activity 98-99% - Max temp reached 90C @ default fan speed

Edit:

Bitgod, I found one that's much better than the one I mentioned above. This one really gets your card cooking for you. Is this the one you're using? It's as good or better than the artifact tester in ATI Tool or ATI Tray Tools 3D Renderer. It's also a standalone app and configurable. Anyway, in case there are any of you that haven't tried it, it's called Fur Mark. Nice simple interface and it's free. New Version just released .....

After 30 min of running the Stability Burn-in Test my temps are @ 85C / 35% Fan

http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/
 
Furmark will definitely crank up the temperatures, but in my experience it is far more taxing than anything you will ever actually play.
 
I wonder if ATI will have this all figured out by the time the X2's come out.

If we have heat problems now, think of the problems with the X2's..!
 
I just created a default profile and left the fan at 24% because I don't care about idle temps and then created a new game profile with fan at 50% that I activate before I game. 50% takes me down to 47c at idle and 75c when gaming. At default fan speeds I idle at 74c and was hitting mid 90's under load. Nice trick. Once ati gets off their ass and delivers us some real drivers for these cards then they had better have an auto sensing fan speed that kicks on when temps pass the 80c threshold. It's ridonkulous that they release these cards without proper drivers. You can't even download a driver for them off the ati site. What is it with these clowns (nvidia and ati) with making kick ass hardware and then butchering this hardware with their outsourced 3rd world dipshit driver developers? Shit pisses me off more than anything with video cards.
 
http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html

I certainly don't see any drivers for download for the 48xx series in that list. It stops at the 3800 series. Sure it's easy to find the hotfix driver on the web and if you do more extensive search on the ati site but where is the fully supported release driver that is accessible on their website with a link on their main video hardware page? I certainly don't see it. I see every other card listed there except for the 4800 series, and let's face it, the drivers that came with the 4800 cards are just enough to get them to work and not much else. I expect drivers to be in perfect working condition when a product is released, not slapped together with just enough potential to make it work. The same gripe I have about nvidia. I don't want to get in a falme war with nvidia or ati fan boys so if you take offense to my opinion then just move along and get over it.
 
Hey thanks for the great info OP!! :D

btw, a hotfix is by no means a complete, secure set of drivers
 
honestjohn said:
Bitgod that thought crossed my mind as well, so I ran a 3D stress test for a while and my temps were actually lower with the new fan speed profile. Makes sense because I stressed the hell out of the card prior to to this profile hack and I know my fan never spun up as high as it's doing now. So I think you can use one profile just fine as long as you're fan working fast enough. Your way is safer though, I'll give you that. What benchmark program did you use ATI Tool Artifact Scanner? Crysis? I'd like to try it thanks.

One stress test I did was to run two instances of this in a window of this oldie but goodie....

http://www.daionet.gr.jp/~masa/rthdribl/

After Profile Hack - GPU Activity in the CCC was pegged at 98-99% Max temp reached 70C @ 35% Fan

Before Profile Hack - GPU Activity 98-99% - Max temp reached 90C @ default fan speed

Edit:

Bitgod, I found one that's much better than the one I mentioned above. This one really gets your card cooking for you. Is this the one you're using? It's as good or better than the artifact tester in ATI Tool or ATI Tray Tools 3D Renderer. It's also a standalone app and configurable. Anyway, in case there are any of you that haven't tried it, it's called Fur Mark. Nice simple interface and it's free. New Version just released .....

After 30 min of running the Stability Burn-in Test my temps are @ 85C / 35% Fan

http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/
Click to expand...

I'll have to try those, I'd heard of them but hadn't gotten them. No, I was actually just using the year old Call of Juarez demo to see what FPS I'd get, getting double the FPS with my 2 4850s than what my 8800GTX did. I just used that up to warm up the cards to see what the numbers would do, I don't know if that demo is anything harder than a regular game, I'll play around some more.

...ah, just had a lightbulb turn on, I'd noticed my 2nd card ran cooler than the first, just assumed it was simple variation, now I realize the 2nd card is right inline with my case intake fan, heh. I may still watercool these eventually, but now I can wait for some custom items now that the fan can be controlled.
 
gs29 said:
There ARE 4800 drivers and it's on their site. Your being unable to find them speaks more about you than AMD or NV: http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894
Click to expand...

You must be talking about the hotfix..

Astrodave said:
http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html

I certainly don't see any drivers for download for the 48xx series in that list. It stops at the 3800 series. Sure it's easy to find the hotfix driver on the web and if you do more extensive search on the ati site but where is the fully supported release driver that is accessible on their website with a link on their main video hardware page? I certainly don't see it. I see every other card listed there except for the 4800 series, and let's face it, the drivers that came with the 4800 cards are just enough to get them to work and not much else. I expect drivers to be in perfect working condition when a product is released, not slapped together with just enough potential to make it work. The same gripe I have about nvidia. I don't want to get in a falme war with nvidia or ati fan boys so if you take offense to my opinion then just move along and get over it.
Click to expand...

Had the same issue, didn't see drivers for the 4800 series, so ran around looking for beta catalyst drivers and eventually just installed the drivers on the CD, which I've never had to do before.

MirageMobile said:
btw, a hotfix is by no means a complete, secure set of drivers
Click to expand...

Werd.
 
bitgod said:
I'll have to try those, I'd heard of them but hadn't gotten them. No, I was actually just using the year old Call of Juarez demo to see what FPS I'd get, getting double the FPS with my 2 4850s than what my 8800GTX did. I just used that up to warm up the cards to see what the numbers would do, I don't know if that demo is anything harder than a regular game, I'll play around some more.
Click to expand...

That's funny, just bought COJ for $10 and was I just playing it before posting this. I wouldn't even bother playing with the HDR Realtime as it's a bit dated now. Fur Mark is outstanding though.
 
I set the fan speed to 34% using this tweak, and my idle temp went from 78-81c to 48-50c :D... thanks for the post!
 
This is so awesome, now I can actually OC this little monster. My idle fan speed was stuck at 12%... wow. I bet full 3D was at 40-50% lol. I've got one profile at 45% just for idle and the other at 80% for OC'd gaming. Yes it is a bit loud, but I game with headphones (FTW) so it doesn't really matter lol. At 80% it's just as loud as my 2 delta 120mm fans pumping out 200+ CFMs combined <3.
 
I'm running my 4870 at 790core/4200ram and 29% fan speed, nice and quiet but runs spectacularly with a fairly low temp still... :D.

EDIT: 790core/4400ram 37% speed and it's even cooler ;) plus faster :p !
 
I can't unhide it, comes back as hidden after I check the options. Is there another way? Search for profile.xml comes up nothing after creating one.


krameriffic said:
Local Settings was a hidden folder for me in XP. I had to unhide it before I could locate this file.
Click to expand...
 
Did you go to Tools -> Options -> View and under Hidden Files and Folders, select Show hidden files and folders then hit apply? Should stay permanently unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong
 
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