Does an inactive GPU need cooling ?

[drasl]

Small question:

I recently aquired a early 2008 Mac pro qc.

It came with a HD 2600XT 256mb

I installed a windows graphics card to get at least some games to work but I loose the boot screen.

I would like to keep the 2600 in the Mac pro, just to use if I have booting problems and need the boot screen, but the aftermarket fan unit on the 2600 is very loud.
It was probably very silent some years ago, but now its just terrible.

If the 2600 xt is installed in the cMP but not being used (no display connected to it), is it necessary to have the fan running for the card ?

 

[MacVidCards]

It must be a flashed unit if it is loud.

The OEM 2600XT had 4 wire fan that responded to heat and ramped up or down. Most of the cards we used to flash were cheaper PC ones with just a 2 wire fan, usually 1 speed (always high) or 2. They weren't considered "good" cards for PCs so that is what most came with.

But "no" you can't turn it off and expect the thing to not burn up.

A large heatsink may be possible to silence it.

As it is a 2008, you can have many of the PC cards flashed, would eliminate the need for 2600 altogether. Many can be flashed at home with some research and time.

 

[drasl]

thanks for the reply.

The thing is that its actually the Zalman cooling that is loud, probably something wrong with the fan on the cooling unit.

I think the 2600 is the original card, but the cooling was replaced some years back.

But since I cant just keep it in there silent until needed, I am going to have to look for other options soon like an apple card, or flashed pc card

 

[cmanns]

Instead of boot screen I just reliably setup bootcamp 5.x on Windows 10 and OS X

Now I just push power button and go do something and walk back to ready to rock n roll...

Each night I go to startup manager in bootcamp/system pref and change which I will start next day with (normally OS X)

If/when I need boot screen I'll toss 7300GT in