Windows 7: Displays shut off during gaming.

Card #1 is back together. Both GPU's have those marks so I'm thinking it's staining from the IC Diamond. I cleaned both the GPU and heatsink very well and used Arctic Silver 5 when I put it back together. I'll install the cards as before and try Skyrim, then swap the cards and try Skyrim again to see if there are any issues with either card.

Wish me luck.

Computer is back together.
Ran Furmark, temp rose but not as fast as before, fan never went above 47%.
Ran 3D Mark 11, got a score of P6175. I finally heard the fan speed kick up while the test was going on.

Played some of Skyrim, seems to be working fine. Temp still high at 87C, the fan speed was at 50%. Should I swap the two cards and see what the temps are on the second card?

I have to agree. When I cleaned one my GPU's a while back, I had slight staining as well, but there were no issues with the card, I just wanted to replace the stock TIM with something better.

You could, just to be sure. Anyway those temps would be fairly normal for a GPU running a game. And if the fans and temps stay that way, replacing the thermo compound may have solved the issue. Just keep and eye, and ear, on things.

I also would have isolated the cards like I suggested earlier, just to be sure. With both cards running together they probably aren't running as hard as they would individually. With that, if the card is weak or failing, it would show there.

Good luck.

Again what I said much earlier but however sounds ok now Havoc so good luck!!

I don't know what your problem is but if you're seeking glory, you can have it.

As for me, I'm still going to put my input in with regards to helping the OP.

Peace

Well I see that you have a very low opinion of me and if you consider for one single moment I am in this for self gratification then you are very sadly mistaken.

As for the peace seems to me you are not really sincere with that it because you cannot admit that just perhaps with some form of recognition that I have some at least simple skills and communicate with me in a pleasant way.
For myself I have to admit that I consider you have far more experience and skill than I will probably ever have as it so happens, and all power to you for being so educated with that knowledge.

What I do have I try to stay within my limits and will always gladly accept advice and help from anyone and everyone. What I don't really appreciate is someone relating to me in a rather condescending manner, and I shall sadly leave it at that.

To Havoc from me please accept my apologies for being perhaps a little too eager to help and by this disagreement with sygnus have soured your thread. I do hope things go well for you with the problem

I wish you the best and should our paths ever cross again I hope it will be on far more pleasant terms.

John

With both cards installed, I don't think the second one is doing anything besides showing the desktop and Precision X, if I have it on the right display. Under "Configure SLI, Surround, PhysX" in NVidia control panel, I have "Activate all displays" selected and PhysX is set to "Auto-select".

I'm going to swap cards 1 and 2, see what the temps are, then run each card individualy and check the temps. I'll start each "test" from the same save point in the game.

I'm still a little confused as why the displays were shutting off. If the card was getting hot, wouldn't I have seen some graphical errors during the game? Shouldn't the card throttle down to protect itself?

Can someone also comment on this diagram and let me know if I have the displays connected to the correct DVI connectors?

Sorry the picture is so small. The green boxes from left to right are: 2 of 3, 1 of 3, 3 of 3.
Shouldn't the #1 display be connected to the DVI that is furthest away from the HDMI port on card 1?
That's how I have it but control panel graphic shows something different.

When I select Maximize 3D performance, my third display (the one on the right) shuts off.

Sorry I can't help you there since I don't use SLI (nor Crossfire), or NVidia cards. Perhaps someone with SLI experience using more than two monitors can chime in; or you can look to the NVidia forums for those answers.

Outside of that, have you had anymore display shutdowns?

Ran around a little in Skyrim and the game was fine. I chose maximize 3D performance (3rd display was off) and it did help with the temperature of card#1. It maxed out at 85C and the fan also spun faster which I don't think happened before.
I'm going to run each card by itself and see what my temps are.