Originally Posted by Digerati

Card? What card? Is the CPU 66° or the graphics card?

Not too sure but I'm assuming he means the graphics card.

@Platinum Moto: Sorry dude, missed out the part about RivaTuner. Well, even fans have lifespans so I wouldn't recommend using the fan 100% all the time.

By right the game shouldn't lag after 2 hours of gameplay, so it shouldn't be due to the 1GB ram.

What is the graphics card's average temperature? What I do now is I create separate profiles for normal usage and gameplay usage. With each profile I set temperature ranges that controls the fan speed.

I'm using an 8600GT on my laptop and the average temp is 42°-44°, with a peak gaming temperature of 63°. In comparison, your card seems to be smoking lol.

Originally Posted by Kaistar

Not too sure but I'm assuming he means the graphics card.

I'm not sure either, and don't like to assume.

I will say again, heat is the bane of all electronics. Therefore, if the only way to get the temperatures down is by running the fans full speed, then run full speed, add fans, open side of case and/or blast a desk fan in. Whatever it takes! If running full speed is too loud, wear earplugs, or buy better, bigger, more, and quieter fans. Fans are cheap - CPUs, motherboards, and graphics cards are not.

Sadly, graphics card fans fail. If yours is making excessive noise or rumbling vibrations, then the bearings are worn and soon, they will seize. If still under warranty, contact XFX. If not, consider replacing the fan, or going with an after-market HSF.

Note the purpose of the computer case is to protect the internal components - but not just from an accident kick. A good case today, provides plenty of large (120mm or bigger) fan support to ensure adequate, unrestricted, front to back air flow. This is best achieved by a fan in front drawing cool air in, usually across the drives, and at least one fan (not counting the PSU) exhausting hot air out the back. Routing of cables can greatly impact that front to back air flow, as can orientation of the fan air flow direction, and crowding of add-in cards. Always replace flat ribbon drive (EIDE and floppy) cables with round cables of the proper length needed to route out of the way of air flow.

And of course, don't allow dust and dirt to form a heat trapping blanket over everything. Visually inspect at least monthly, clean as needed.

For the record, GPUs do run hotter than CPUs and 66°C for a graphics card is pretty warm, but not hot - GPUs often run in the 80s and 90s, as scary as that sounds. I note bjorn3d tested it at 65°C under load in an Antec P190 case, known for great cooling, to include a nice, quiet, 200mm side firing fan.

no you misunderstand what I'm saying. The first day it was making the loud noise and now it doesn't make any noise it's silent but anything I have read states that the 8800GT is loud and mine was but isn't now should I be concerned?

should I be concerned?

Depends on if the temperatures are fine. Does the fan spin properly? Are you sure it was the card making the noise?

temps haven't gotten above 62 and when I have the fan at 100 it stays around 60 or 59.
But now I have a new problem and that is with Vista.

I have a dual boot machine with Vista and XP media center I mostly use XP MC but I wanted to play games with Direct X 10 so I wanted to boot into Vista with my new video card I can not do it it will not load regular mode with the video card installed and powered I can get into safe mode but that's it it won't load any other mode other than safe mode it just hangs.

To give you an example it's like this when you dual boot vista vista doesn't start up normally with the gui it's all text so a bunch of text comes on the screen drivers it's loading and then it says Vista build whatever and my Processor and then it just stops now if I use my onboard video card and unplug my new video card it will load all that and about 2 seconds later it will say checking drive so and so and goes through all my drives and then loads up vista.

What can I do to get it to work in vista and is there a way to restore vista's default boot settings that it's just vista and not and option to boot to xp or vista?

Dual boot and me never did get along well enough to help you on this one. Hopefully someone else reading can educate us both.

well now it's just by itself and I still can't get it to work but only in safe mode what should I do?