[SOLVED] How reduce performance of Nvidia video card?

StreamThreader · 07-22-2015, 04:51 AM

Hi folks
I have fileserver with headless mode (without monitor, keyboard and mouse), i install video card with passive cooling (nvidia 9500GT).
This video adapter have GPU temperature 52C*, this is very hot for server with only black\white console (without X server).

I search approach to reduce GPU performance for reduce temperature.

I found tools nvclock, it show:

Quote:

-- General info --
Card: nVidia Geforce 9500GT
Architecture: G96 A1
PCI id: 0x640
GPU clock: 432.000 MHz
Bustype: PCI-Express

-- Shader info --
Clock: 864.000 MHz
Stream units: 32 (011b)
ROP units: 8 (1b)
-- Memory info --
Amount: 256 MB
Type: 128 bit DDR3
Clock: 601.712 MHz

-- PCI-Express info --
Current Rate: 16X
Maximum rate: 16X

-- Sensor info --
Sensor: GPU Internal Sensor
GPU temperature: 52C
Fanspeed: 40.9

-- VideoBios information --
Version: 62.94.4b.00.06
Signon message: GeForce 9500 GT VGA BIOS
Performance level 0: gpu 550MHz/shader 1375MHz/memory 800MHz/1.00V/100
VID mask: 1
Voltage level 0: 0.95V, VID: 1
Voltage level 1: 1.00V, VID: 0

I use open source driver nouveau.

Reduce speed nvclock show warning:

Quote:

Error: NVClock doesn't offer lowlevel overclocking on NV50/G8x/G9x/GT200 hardware (yet).
If you want to overclock your card using the Nvidia drivers instead add the line:
Option "Coolbits" "1" to the screen or device section in your xorg.conf and then try NVClock again.

Any other possible for reduce speed exist?

TobiSGD · 07-22-2015, 05:24 AM

Use the proprietary Nvidia driver. Power management does not work correctly yet with the nouveau driver, but the proprietary driver will automatically set the card to the lowest power consumption when there is no heavy load (like in your case).

Qury · 07-22-2015, 05:27 AM

Why don't you just remove the video card from the server?

StreamThreader · 07-22-2015, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TobiSGD

Use the proprietary Nvidia driver. Power management does not work correctly yet with the nouveau driver, but the proprietary driver will automatically set the card to the lowest power consumption when there is no heavy load (like in your case).

Thanks, i will try.

StreamThreader · 07-22-2015, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qury

Why don't you just remove the video card from the server?

In some cases (without video card on board and on pci-e) motherboard hangs while bios POST (not yet tested on this motherboard).
And sometime need manual login to system if kernel panic after rebuild and so on.

I install proprietary driver and wait until opensource driver can support power management.

StreamThreader · 07-22-2015, 08:00 AM

After some time used proprietary driver, GPU temp increased to 71C*.
Power state is P0 (maximum performance) and no switched automatic to P12 (low 2D).
How to manual switch to low power i not found ((

ReaperX7 · 07-22-2015, 09:04 AM

Passive cooling is never wise to use with newer cards. These cards still require an actively cooled system to stay cooled.

If you needed low power for a headless server you should have opted for a lower end VGA like a PCI card if you had the option, or used onboard VGA.

Even though they're older cards, a modest ATI Rage 128, S3 Savage, or 3dfx Banshee are great for servers to pass POST. They don't run too hot or use a lot of power either.

If you needed PCIe, scrounge for a GeForceFX 5200. They're bottom of the barrel, but work great for servers too.

ponce · 07-22-2015, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StreamThreader

How to manual switch to low power i not found ((

use the nvidia-settings application and then save your settings.
after, if you need to reload your settings when starting your X session, add this utility to your xinitrc script, just before starting your DE, passing it the "-l" option (see "man nvidia-settings").

for example, as I use lxde and start in runlevel 3 (console), the tail of my ~/.xinitrc file is

Code:

nvidia-settings -l &

# Start the window manager:
if [ -z "$DESKTOP_SESSION" -a -x /usr/bin/ck-launch-session ]; then
    ck-launch-session dbus-launch --exit-with-session startlxde
else
    startlxde
fi