Issues with the 6870?

Man, I might sound a bit blunt here, but we aren't just talking about some out-of-warranty card from $1667. Look, the GPU has already given everything it had—it’s hard to believe you can just fix hardware fatigue with a software update, right?

Larry Ortiz5 said:Good grief. I might be crossing a line here, but we aren't even talking about a credit card. $1667 No warranty left, so what can you do? That graphics card has already given everything it had to give. It’s hard to believe you could fix something like that just by messing around with software.

What does the age of the card even have to do with anything? It’s about the cooling. That's what matters.
It isn't some car shock absorber that needs to absorb impact; it either works or it doesn't. Mine works. A 6870 still has plenty of juice left for some light gaming—it'll hold its own for a while yet. 🙂

I believe I have resolved the issue. I applied a thicker layer of new thermal paste, specifically targeting the center of the GPU. It is currently hitting a maximum temperature of 75°C, which feels somewhat excessive to me, though the system is no longer crashing. On another note, for some reason, the card does not increase its fan speed promptly; the RPM only ramps up after it hits that 75°C threshold. I noticed this behavior back when it was overheating. I will attempt to rectify this using Afterburner.

The card won't take the overclock. I still haven't quite wrapped my head around how to actually drop the GPU voltage on this thing. I tried using Afterburner, but even after checking the box and giving the PC a full reboot, nothing happens.

Tomorrow I plan to perform some maintenance on my graphics card. First, I’ll be polishing the copper heatsink, specifically just the contact area that meets the GPU, using an ultra-fine grit wet sandpaper.

After that, I intend to bake it in the oven on some aluminum foil for about five minutes. And no, this isn't some kind of joke; it’s a proven method for reviving dead cards. Mine isn't technically dead, but it won't hurt anything.

For that graph, you're looking at a target temperature of about 158-167 degrees Fahrenheit... basically just normal operating temps. Once it hits those levels, the fan should kick into high gear... I'm assuming you've only got one installed right now? It would be a good move to pop a 120mm fan on the side to blow directly onto the card. If your case is open, it’ll definitely shave a few degrees off...

mellowtiger83 said:Then I’ll just toss it in the oven on some foil for maybe 5 minutes. Seriously, I’m not kidding—it actually works to revive dead cards. Mine isn't totally dead yet, but I guess it won't hurt.

🤦

It's definitely gonna hurt it; baking a perfectly fine card makes zero sense. Maybe try fixing your cooling setup first, or test it in a different PC. I guess the oven should be your absolute last resort, like when you've got nothing left to lose.

fadedorca66 said:🤦

It is going to damage it, obviously. A functioning card oven has absolutely nothing to do with the outcome here. Fix your cooling setup first. Then try testing it in a different PC. Putting it in an oven should be your absolute last resort—that is the move you make only when there is nothing left to lose.

That is exactly what I am saying 👍. For the record, my 560 Ti is running perfectly fine today after being baked; it was completely dead about a year ago.🙂