Well I downloaded all the BIOS from that thread for the 280x sapphire dualx. I only tried one after comparing them all it was the most identical to the factory one for my cards. The one I tried was O46 and works for both memory types. The machine booted fine but the cards would not hash, hashrates were 0.
If sapphire doesn't fix this shit I'm just going to sell all mine and buy Gigabyte/MSI/ASUS from now on. Actually I'm going to buy them from now on anyway.
Topic: Why are the VRMs on some of the 280x's running in the 100C range?!?! (Read 1624 times)
January 25, 2014, 09:02:41 AM
January 23, 2014, 06:52:32 PM
I think I'm going to wait. There are so many modified versions for the sapphire 280x in that thread.
It's ice cold here, so the cards are good for now.
It's ice cold here, so the cards are good for now.
January 21, 2014, 01:54:40 PM
remember to post your results
January 20, 2014, 07:32:21 PM
https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=12369.msg93722#msg93722
Did you try this?
You have the xfx model right?
Did you try this?
You have the xfx model right?
Oh wow
I have the Sapphire OC Dual-X models. I will have to try this in the next couple days. If it works you are awesome and many of us here Thank You 
January 20, 2014, 07:20:28 PM
https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=12369.msg93722#msg93722
Did you try this?
You have the xfx model right?
Did you try this?
You have the xfx model right?
January 20, 2014, 07:14:01 PM
Yeah, so far any of the BIOS I've tried cause the whole computer to fail to post
January 20, 2014, 07:12:17 PM
did you try a different bios?
January 20, 2014, 07:10:00 PM
Not from Sapphire.
Send them emails complaining. I have sent a bunch.
[email protected]
All they need to do is fix the damn memory timings on the bios, lazy fools
Send them emails complaining. I have sent a bunch.
[email protected]
All they need to do is fix the damn memory timings on the bios, lazy fools
January 20, 2014, 06:42:51 PM
January 15, 2014, 06:39:58 PM
yeah man, the heat is absurd with the cold temps around it. I thought about returning them all but with the cost of shipping and the few days/week or so of not having them running it just seems like I'd lose more money than it's worth. Plus I bought most of them when they were 300 bucks. Even with throttling hashrates I think that still makes them worth it for 300 bucks, but the heat is still a nono.
If they can't release a bios that fixes it I'll slap copper all over them and just switch brands from now on. Actually I'm pretty sure I'm switching brands anyway.
If they can't release a bios that fixes it I'll slap copper all over them and just switch brands from now on. Actually I'm pretty sure I'm switching brands anyway.
January 15, 2014, 06:33:21 PM
Ehhhh I donno. Can you return the card and get another brand? I know with my xfx cards they put stickers on the screws now and if broken they will void the warranty. Which sucks because it never used to be like that and in fact they did not mind at all. I guess too many idiots that did not know what they were doing fucked up enough cards to put the end to that.
The only thing I can think of is poor contact. No way should they get that hot . Usually that is the lead cause to the over heating like that.
The only thing I can think of is poor contact. No way should they get that hot . Usually that is the lead cause to the over heating like that.
January 15, 2014, 06:04:43 PM
Updated with more pictures.
I would like to see if they are going to fix the problem so I can avoid having to do anything that will void the warranty. I have emailed them with a very large earful, so we will see.
If they do nothing, I will rip off the heatsinks and put copper ones on. And I as well will stop buying Sapphire and move to Asus, MSI, or Gigabyte.
Also, this is the card Model #: 100363BF4L
I would like to see if they are going to fix the problem so I can avoid having to do anything that will void the warranty. I have emailed them with a very large earful, so we will see.
If they do nothing, I will rip off the heatsinks and put copper ones on. And I as well will stop buying Sapphire and move to Asus, MSI, or Gigabyte.
Also, this is the card Model #: 100363BF4L
January 15, 2014, 04:58:18 PM
100C on the VRMs is pretty hot indeed, even tho they are guaranteed to work till 120C. But I don't think 90C+ is going to do them any good.
My ASUS cards also have VRM heatsinks and temps are 70C-ish.
My ASUS cards also have VRM heatsinks and temps are 70C-ish.
January 15, 2014, 04:54:41 PM
It is indeed aluminum.
That'll certainly be part of the problem. Replacing them with copper heatsinks should help.
January 15, 2014, 04:53:30 PM
For all of you that have throttling 280x's from running scrypt that bounce from 64-99% it is because the VRMs are running over 100C!
Last year's 7970s did not have this problem!
So after buying some heatsinks yesterday and getting ready to put them on, guess what I found when I opened a card up? Heat sinks already on the card
So what is going on?!?!?! MSI released a fix for their cards. SAPPHIRE GET YOUR ASS IN THE GAME AND FIX THIS NOW.
Just to be clear I have many 280x Sapphire OC running spaced apart by a window that has been 0 degrees outside with a box fan exchanging the air and the VRMs are still overheating
And for those that may be confused VRM temps are not core temps. Use GPUZ or another monitor for reading VRM temps.
Last year's 7970s did not have this problem!
So after buying some heatsinks yesterday and getting ready to put them on, guess what I found when I opened a card up? Heat sinks already on the card
So what is going on?!?!?! MSI released a fix for their cards. SAPPHIRE GET YOUR ASS IN THE GAME AND FIX THIS NOW.
Just to be clear I have many 280x Sapphire OC running spaced apart by a window that has been 0 degrees outside with a box fan exchanging the air and the VRMs are still overheating
And for those that may be confused VRM temps are not core temps. Use GPUZ or another monitor for reading VRM temps.
Do you guys think there is a generic waterblock that could fit this card? Th reason I ask is because I have no idea what I'm going to do when the temps get higher. AC is likely but liquid cooling would be the ultimate.
Let me know the card model number and I'll check.
January 15, 2014, 04:52:23 PM
For all of you that have throttling 280x's from running scrypt that bounce from 64-99% it is because the VRMs are running over 100C!
Last year's 7970s did not have this problem!
So after buying some heatsinks yesterday and getting ready to put them on, guess what I found when I opened a card up? Heat sinks already on the card
So what is going on?!?!?! MSI released a fix for their cards. SAPPHIRE GET YOUR ASS IN THE GAME AND FIX THIS NOW.
Just to be clear I have many 280x Sapphire OC running spaced apart by a window that has been 0 degrees outside with a box fan exchanging the air and the VRMs are still overheating
And for those that may be confused VRM temps are not core temps. Use GPUZ or another monitor for reading VRM temps.
Last year's 7970s did not have this problem!
So after buying some heatsinks yesterday and getting ready to put them on, guess what I found when I opened a card up? Heat sinks already on the card
So what is going on?!?!?! MSI released a fix for their cards. SAPPHIRE GET YOUR ASS IN THE GAME AND FIX THIS NOW.
Just to be clear I have many 280x Sapphire OC running spaced apart by a window that has been 0 degrees outside with a box fan exchanging the air and the VRMs are still overheating
And for those that may be confused VRM temps are not core temps. Use GPUZ or another monitor for reading VRM temps.
Do you guys think there is a generic waterblock that could fit this card? Th reason I ask is because I have no idea what I'm going to do when the temps get higher. AC is likely but liquid cooling would be the ultimate.
January 15, 2014, 04:50:32 PM
Hmm.. I got 2 Sapphire 280x Vapor-X each pushing about 760KH/s, both hoover around 60-70C, never been higher. I love these cards.. All my 7950's struggle to keep under 80C..
Yes, I have 6 of those. They have the Hynix memory and older bios version. I also have 18 of the ones with problems. They have Elpida memory and newer bios. The Bioses are not compatible because of the different memory manufacturers. I managed to get a tweaked bios from the litecoin forums that gets the hashrate to a steady 700 but its still shy by 60. FFS! Sapphire you had such a great rep. I hope they fix this with a bios update. Otherwise I'll have to never buy sapphire again.
January 15, 2014, 04:17:22 PM
It is indeed aluminum.
January 15, 2014, 04:10:56 PM
What are the stock ramsinks made out of? Because if they're aluminium, then heat capacity is an issue. Copper has a higher capacity to transfer heat than aluminium does, and it's a lot cheaper for card manufacturers to use aluminium.
January 15, 2014, 03:52:49 PM
Yeah 100C is definitely too hot. Do your cards throttle at all? Hashrate bouncing up and down and not a solid constant 730ish? They start throttling right around 105C it seems, which is AMDs way of saying it's too hot. Hashrates end up dropping to the 500s and stay that way.
The Sapphire are under 2 year warranty, I imagine if they don't fix this they are going to be swamped with RMAs eventually. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Yes hashrates drop sometimes when monitoring apps are open.
Last years model 7970 of the same card the VRMs run in the 70s-80s.
I don't know what they did different. I pulled off the heatsinks on the 280x and the thermal padding is very thick which probably isn't helping. The thick padding almost looks like it would just smother the VRMs instead of helping them. I might try and remove the heatsinks and padding on one of them again and plug the card in to test. In a bit. I'm fooling around with some other things atm.
The Sapphire are under 2 year warranty, I imagine if they don't fix this they are going to be swamped with RMAs eventually. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Yes hashrates drop sometimes when monitoring apps are open.
Last years model 7970 of the same card the VRMs run in the 70s-80s.
I don't know what they did different. I pulled off the heatsinks on the 280x and the thermal padding is very thick which probably isn't helping. The thick padding almost looks like it would just smother the VRMs instead of helping them. I might try and remove the heatsinks and padding on one of them again and plug the card in to test. In a bit. I'm fooling around with some other things atm.
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