Kill all power to a PCI-e Graphics Card?

They make noise, too.

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Sainty
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Kill all power to a PCI-e Graphics Card?

Post by Sainty » Mon Aug 27, 2007 1:25 am

The computer in question has two primary modes:

Mode A: (Working with web development, games, schoolwork)
Mode B: (Downloading/uploading files overnight, moving files on a local network)

Mode A actually requires a video feed to see what you're doing (kind of hard to play games while blind!) while Mode B is just set-it-and-forget-it busywork.

Is it at all possible for someone queue up a bit of tasks and then completely cut the power to the videocard? I'd like it to use as little juice as possible when I'm not actually using the machine.

In an effort to keep the power consumption (and thus heat) low, I'm just wondering if there is any effective way to make your GPU shutdown for the night. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but even when you setup the power saving options in Windows, the card still is powered on, just not displaying a feed to the monitor, correct?

I sleep in the same room as the computer and any additional power/heat/cooling items translates into more noise when trying to catch some Z's. Any thoughts on this?

Sainty
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Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:48 am

Post by Sainty » Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:27 am

Just in case anyone else is interested, another forum suggested using ATI Tray Tool and lowering the clock frequencies when going to bed at night.

mr. poopyhead
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Post by mr. poopyhead » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:09 am

AFAIK, clock speed will have little impact on power consumption... lowering voltage should be the way to go...

see here: viewtopic.php?t=40336

Sainty
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Post by Sainty » Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:22 am

Thanks for the link, I'm pouring over the information as we speak. :)

mr. poopyhead
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Post by mr. poopyhead » Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:44 am

Sainty wrote:Thanks for the link, I'm pouring over the information as we speak. :)
be careful "pouring" stuff on or near your computer might damage it, :wink:

sorry, lame grammar joke, hahaha....

nzone
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Post by nzone » Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:01 pm

If you're using Vista using sleep mode and under advanced power management there is an option to power off graphic pci-e when pc goes to sleep mode.

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