Fan control for MSI 8600GTS?

NFW · Post by **NFW** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:45 pm

I bought a pair of MSI 8600GTS cards assuming that they'd be noisy by default, but also assuming that I'd be able to slow down the fans to get a reasonable noise level when not playing games (which is most of the time, since I don't do much gaming).

Unfortunately, neither nTune nor RivaTuner is able to adjust the fan speeds on my cards. nTune offers a slider which has no effect, RivaTuner doesn't even offer the usual fan control tab.

I'm ready to buy a drive-bay fan controller, but before I do, I figure I should ask: are these cards ever likely to have software-adjustable fan speed? I mean, are they non-adjustable today because the hardware is incapable of running the fans at lower speed, or because the software just isn't yet compatible with these cards?

If nTune's fan controller will work in a future release, then I'll just wait... but if not, I might as well buy a fan controller this weekend.

This is the make&model, by the way:
http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func ... od_no=1196

Thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light on this!

mexell · Post by **mexell** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:38 am

Can you still return them? I'm just asking because MSI also offers a very nice passive 8600GTS (I own it, you can see it in my sig system). It is well-cooled, the possible downsides may be that it occupies the slot over the card (the cooler is wrapped around) and that it's wider than the pure PCB. If pure passive cooling isn't enough, you should be well of with a strap-on, turned down 80mm fan or a creative duct to your CPU cooler (if it's tower style).

Fayd · Post by **Fayd** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:40 am

i'll also vouch for the fanless 8600GTS. it's a great card.

NFW · Post by **NFW** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:36 pm

No, I'm committed to these cards now. It took me too long to realize that nTune and RivaTuner really aren't able to slow the fans down. No big deal though, I'm sure that the existing fans will be fine once I get control of them, and if they're not, I still have options (Zalman, Arctic, etc).

The only question right now is whether software will ever control the fans, or if I should just go get a drive-bay fan controller.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 1:39 am

I suggest you consult the MSI website and/or send them an e-mail.

If it shows up that the fans cant be software controlled, I suggest you consider swapping to passive coolers. The Accelero's are quite effective and pretty cheap. Depending on which fan controller you choose, it might even be cheaper. There's a warranty issue, though.

Bobendren · Post by **Bobendren** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:33 am

Didn't it come with a program from MSI? Like CoreCell for their motherboards?

floffe · Post by **floffe** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:45 am

I think that the 7600 series didn't have fan control, meaning the fan spun at full speed all the time (unless they were passive, of course), so it's not certain that they implemented it for the 8600 series either. A quick search didn't find anything to confirm that, though.

NFW · Post by **NFW** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:14 pm

I checked with MSI:

I cannot adjust the speed of the cooling fans on my video cards (I have two of the 8600GTS cards in one system, with three monitors). I have tried nTune, RivaTuner, and DualCoreCenter, and none of them will let me change the fan speed. Is it possible? Does this video card support changing fan speed? They are very loud, I would like to make them quiet when I am not gaming. Thanks!
No, this is not possible.

Should have done more research before I bought, but oh well.

java_ed · Post by **java_ed** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:55 am

MSI & others use non referenced cooling in their vga card. Therefore, the standard drivers won't be able to control them. You have to use MSI driver & software (The MSI Duo Core Center) & you have to have their MSI motherboard and running XP.

Otherwise, you need third party cooling solutions. I have a pair of 8600GT and the little fan always run at full speed. They are the noiest component in my box if you don't count the nvidia northbridge fan.

---
Thermaltake Armor VA8003BWS;Thermaltake Toughpower 650W;Intel E6750 @ 2.66Ghz;Evga 680i SE;Arctic Freezer 7 Pro;4G x Corsair XMS2 DDR2 6400-C4DHX;2x MSI NX8600GT (non-SLI);2x Seagate 7200.11 500G Sata II HDD;Samsung 20x sata DVD burner;Windows vista 32(move to 64 soon)

dsb1829 · Post by **dsb1829** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:32 am

Bringing this one back.

I have the same card. Pretty loud. My cpu and case fans are silent, so it is annoying.

I just ordered up a zalman vga cooler VF900-CU

There are a few people running this card that recommended that cooler for not only dropping the gpu temps, but also really reducing the noise. I thought about passive, but I like that I can hook this up to my mobo and control the fan to ramp up and down with system temperature. Passive is what it is and cools worse when ambients rise.

28082989 · Post by **28082989** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:46 pm

Do like this, uninstall the drivers, remove your gfx card, install it again, install the drivers, install rivatuner, try to speed down the fan and eventually fail again...

...or you can just download "ASUS SmartDoctor" go Settings/Fan and slow the fan to whatever value you wich to

God'sake!

Fan control for MSI 8600GTS?

Fan control for MSI 8600GTS?

Another 7 head Topic/Threat or whatever you call it