Folding@Home software causing extremely high temps

[Doodler]

Hi there,
My specs:
i9 9900k
16 gb 2666 Mhz RAM
RTX 2080Ti

When folding with my CPU, I noticed that temps reach a very high 85C + , often touching 90C. This is way too hot to be normal so I stopped the process immediately. When folding with my GPU, temps hit around 79 - 80C max, which is bearable but still slightly worrisome. Is there anyway to reduce these temps? Like reducing the number of cores used? If switch to the Light power setting, how will that affect how long the folding will take? I really want to help and finish as many projects as possible but I also do not want to kill my system.

Thanks

[Jesse_V]

Hey Doodler and welcome to the forum!

That's an exceptional gaming rig there. For Folding@home, the most powerful piece is the GPU because the 2080TI is incredibly powerful for Folding@home workunits. I think your best solution might be to reduce the utilization of your CPU, but keep full use of your GPU. This should be possible by turning down the power slider, but you also have more control using the FAHControl tool. In Windows, find the Folding@home icon in the taskbar down by the clock. Right-click on it and select "Advanced Settings". You can then turn down the slider as well, or you can go to Configure -> Slots tab -> CPU and turn down the number of cores used for the folding process. This way you'll be using the full power of your 2080TI and some of your CPU, which should be a good compromise. Let me know if that works.

Long term, you can try to improve your cooling, such as with more airflow or with a liquid cooler.

[cfhdev]

You can throttle down the folding power to light or Medium the projects will still finish just not as fast.

[kiore]

You can throttle down the folding power to light or Medium the projects will still finish just not as fast.

I also run a RTX 2080ti, this a very hot card when running hard like this, especially with a serious CPU pumping out heat. So cool down your case, remove the sides or similar. If this doesn't work do what I do which is to use MSI Afterburner to limit power once a certain temp achieved, I used to use it for overclocking but now use it to limitclock. The slider on F@H will really only be useful for the CPU, the GPU is on or off. You could also reduce your CPU folding to only real cores using the Advanced control function and lower the temps a bit that way. Really although you have an awesome CPU that awesome GPU will outperform it significantly on this project, so better to reduce CPU output in favor of GPU output.

[Doodler]

Hey Doodler and welcome to the forum!

That's an exceptional gaming rig there. For Folding@home, the most powerful piece is the GPU because the 2080TI is incredibly powerful for Folding@home workunits. I think your best solution might be to reduce the utilization of your CPU, but keep full use of your GPU. This should be possible by turning down the power slider, but you also have more control using the FAHControl tool. In Windows, find the Folding@home icon in the taskbar down by the clock. Right-click on it and select "Advanced Settings". You can then turn down the slider as well, or you can go to Configure -> Slots tab -> CPU and turn down the number of cores used for the folding process. This way you'll be using the full power of your 2080TI and some of your CPU, which should be a good compromise. Let me know if that works.

Long term, you can try to improve your cooling, such as with more airflow or with a liquid cooler.

Hi Jesse. Ill try out the steps you have shared. As for my cooling right now, my 9900k is being cooled by a H100i RGB Pro. Ambient temps in my case are usually around 36 - 40C so I am not sure how else to cool it. My system is inside a NZXT H400 due to space constraints, which is not that great for cooling but I have put a fan in every single slot possible. My AIO is mounted onto the front, the fans on the front are intake. My top fans are exhaust and my back fan is also an exhaust as it is towards the top of the back of the case.
I think the only way to cool it better than this is to remove the side panel, which should give me better temps whenever I am at home. However, I plan to leave my system running whenever I am not at home over the weekdays as I am only home during the weekends because I work for the military, I am scared this might create some potential dangerous situations for the PC. If worst comes to worst, Ill just reduce the number of cores which can be used and max out my GPU.

Thank you.

[Doodler]

You can throttle down the folding power to light or Medium the projects will still finish just not as fast.

I also run a RTX 2080ti, this a very hot card when running hard like this, especially with a serious CPU pumping out heat. So cool down your case, remove the sides or similar. If this doesn't work do what I do which is to use MSI Afterburner to limit power once a certain temp achieved, I used to use it for overclocking but now use it to limitclock. The slider on F@H will really only be useful for the CPU, the GPU is on or off. You could also reduce your CPU folding to only real cores using the Advanced control function and lower the temps a bit that way. Really although you have an awesome CPU that awesome GPU will outperform it significantly on this project, so better to reduce CPU output in favor of GPU output.

Alright, thank you Kiore. I will try that out.

Thanks

[JimboPalmer]

I can tell you how to reduce CPU folding. (GPU folding is not as configurable in F@H, there are vendor utilities you can use to under clock your GPU for less heat)

In the lower right in the taskbar should be a F@H molecule icon, click it. (you may need to click an Up Arrow icon ^ to see it)

the second item on this menu is Advanced Control, click it

A screen will pop up. If you are not sure how many CPUs you have click the System Info tab and read to CPUs:

Now click Configure over to the left

On this screen click the tab labeled Slots

This screen should have an item labeled cpu, click that then click Edit.

By default CPUs: is set to -1 meaning let the software decide, you can type a number less than the number of CPUs you have.

F@H will set aside one CPU for each GPU slot. And now a quirk, the Software hates large prime numbers and multiple of large primes. 7 is always large, 5 is sometimes large, and 3 never is.

so pick a number of CPUs that is a multiple of 2 and or 3 (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16, 18, 24, 27 and so on) These will be the most reliable configurations.

Now save and exit. lowering the number can take effect immediately, raising it starts with the next Work Unit.

[HaloJones]

your GPUs are safe up to 80c and your automatic fan controls on thse NVidia GPUs will set the fan to allow around 80C. If that's toohigh for you, you can override the fan settings using software like MSI Afterburner with which you can increase the fan speed (more noise) or reduce the power limit so that the gpu won't get as hot (but will run slower).

80C is perfectly safe.

As for you CPU, again it will thermally throttle if it gets too hot. As said earlier, it defaults to using all but one of the cores and you can change that in FAH Control although of course it slows down the processing.

[scerbera]

It sounds from your description that you have intake fans, then aio cooler? So your hot air from cooler is passing through case? I'd set it to run the opposite way so the air from rad vents straight out.

I have a large case, aio cooler on top, 2 gpus, front has 2 intake, bottom 2 intake, 1 intake on rear. The 3 fans on aio which vent up and out, plus a custom printed plate which sits on the top outside of the case with 3 140mm fans on.

[Nathan_P]

Mid 70's to low 80's is perfectly fine for a gpu, I have run cards at those temps for years without issue, just make sure to regularly clean out the heatsinks and you'll be fine. If it gets much above 85 on the gpu then i would be concerned but most modern gpu's will auto throttle anyway

[Kebast]

It sounds like you've just got more heat in your case than you can remove with your current fan configuration. Easiest solution, does the side of your case have a large vent area? Put a box fan blowing in that area .
Long term solution, sounds like you need more air flow in your case. If that side door can fit a 140mm fan, consider getting one. That is the best option to cool a GPU that doesn't have a blower fan.

[Stan]

Issues with high CPU temperatures can be easily solved with CPU coolers like below.
These types of coolers works very well. They have large 12 cm (4.7 inch) fans. They are also very heavy and mounting often requires temporarily removing motherboard from case, so get a professional to mount it.

Temperatures of my CPU with similar cooler are not exceeding 63C while all cores are running at 100% whole day. It could be even better if I would remove dust from it. Room temperature is 23C. You will also need additional 12cm case fan to remove hot air from the case.
Another advantage is that the metal part is so massive that it's able to cool the CPU running at low utilizations at very low fan speeds so it's totally silent. I currently have 30C on CPU with 668 fan speed when no folding is running.

[Kebast]

Yes, I’m using Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B Air CPU Cooler, 120mm Single Tower, Intel LGA1151, AMD AM4/Ryzen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYB8K77/re ... EEb5ZJYK1S

[Doodler]

It sounds from your description that you have intake fans, then aio cooler? So your hot air from cooler is passing through case? I'd set it to run the opposite way so the air from rad vents straight out.

I have a large case, aio cooler on top, 2 gpus, front has 2 intake, bottom 2 intake, 1 intake on rear. The 3 fans on aio which vent up and out, plus a custom printed plate which sits on the top outside of the case with 3 140mm fans on.

You are almost correct. I have the AIO cooler, then the intake fans. This was the only option for me as I knew the hot air from the GPU rises so I set the top two fans as exhuast. If I could mount my AIO to the top of the case then I would kill two birds with 1 stone by having an exhaust at the top to vent both GPU and CPU out the same place. If I were to reverse the fans on the AIO now that would leave me without any intakes and I am not sure that is a good idea.

[Doodler]

I can tell you how to reduce CPU folding. (GPU folding is not as configurable in F@H, there are vendor utilities you can use to under clock your GPU for less heat)

In the lower right in the taskbar should be a F@H molecule icon, click it. (you may need to click an Up Arrow icon ^ to see it)

the second item on this menu is Advanced Control, click it

A screen will pop up. If you are not sure how many CPUs you have click the System Info tab and read to CPUs:

Now click Configure over to the left

On this screen click the tab labeled Slots

This screen should have an item labeled cpu, click that then click Edit.

By default CPUs: is set to -1 meaning let the software decide, you can type a number less than the number of CPUs you have.

F@H will set aside one CPU for each GPU slot. And now a quirk, the Software hates large prime numbers and multiple of large primes. 7 is always large, 5 is sometimes large, and 3 never is.

so pick a number of CPUs that is a multiple of 2 and or 3 (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 16, 18, 24, 27 and so on) These will be the most reliable configurations.

Now save and exit. lowering the number can take effect immediately, raising it starts with the next Work Unit.

I'll do this. Thank you Jimbo.