My video card is a 7900GS. I built my current PC about 3.5 years ago, and had no problems up until about 6 months ago. My video card fan started having issues. The card itself is completely clean, with no obstruction for the fan. About 6 months ago, it stopped spinning periodically. Sometimes I will go 3-4 days without it stopping spinning, and other days, I can't get it to come on at all. I checked all connections literally dozens of times, and found nothing wrong. Smacking the back of the video card generally gets it to kick start (obviously, not the best solution 
) but it fixes it temporarily.
However, recently, that has not been working as effectively. On top of that, even when it does spin, the idle and load temperatures are very random. It usually idles at 48 degrees Celsius, but for example, today, it is idling at 68 degrees Celsius. It usually varies from 50-60 degrees C. Also, when I crank the card up to full load (when the fan is spinning), and then turn off the program/game, the temperature drops to a strange temperature (if the idle was 50, load was 80, it will now idle at 65 or 70, and won't go down).
Obviously, something is very wrong.
The only change I have made to the PC since I built it was adding more RAM, a few fans, and replacing the motherboard about a gear ago. No other problems have occurred. All other temperatures are around 27-30 degrees Celsius, so the system is receiving plenty of airflow.
My question: how do I determine what the problem is? Could it possible be the power supply? Motherboard? Or is it definitely the video card?
I don't have the money to replace multiple parts and trial & error the system. I also don't have a spare video card to test (to ensure it is just the video card).
I was hoping the expertise of the board may assist me. All signs seem to point to the video card going bad, but as I said, I need to know for sure. Any advice?
) but it fixes it temporarily.However, recently, that has not been working as effectively. On top of that, even when it does spin, the idle and load temperatures are very random. It usually idles at 48 degrees Celsius, but for example, today, it is idling at 68 degrees Celsius. It usually varies from 50-60 degrees C. Also, when I crank the card up to full load (when the fan is spinning), and then turn off the program/game, the temperature drops to a strange temperature (if the idle was 50, load was 80, it will now idle at 65 or 70, and won't go down).
Obviously, something is very wrong.
The only change I have made to the PC since I built it was adding more RAM, a few fans, and replacing the motherboard about a gear ago. No other problems have occurred. All other temperatures are around 27-30 degrees Celsius, so the system is receiving plenty of airflow.
My question: how do I determine what the problem is? Could it possible be the power supply? Motherboard? Or is it definitely the video card?
I don't have the money to replace multiple parts and trial & error the system. I also don't have a spare video card to test (to ensure it is just the video card).
I was hoping the expertise of the board may assist me. All signs seem to point to the video card going bad, but as I said, I need to know for sure. Any advice?
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