The Witcher: Enchanced Edition - Windows 7 64 bit problems - Steam purchase

[matariki]

After experimenting around a bit, I've found that the computer appears to cool down (I've been using SpeedFan to monitor temperatures) when I minimize The Witcher. I don't know if that helps in offering any clues to what could be the problem. The computer doesn't shut down when I do this.

 

[GuyNwah]

It does sound like a heat problem. When this game's just sitting there doing nothing, it drives the GPU at 100%. Even the fairly low power 5700-series cards will run at 80 to 100 watts or more when you do that, and that heat has to go somewhere. Depending on the GPU cooler design, it may just blow it around inside the case.

 

[matariki]

I'm not going to worry too much about it, I am upgrading my computer (with the help of my lil bro who's studying computer engineering at college). So I'll keep playing the game as is until then.

 

[matariki]

It does sound like a heat problem. When this game's just sitting there doing nothing, it drives the GPU at 100%. Even the fairly low power 5700-series cards will run at 80 to 100 watts or more when you do that, and that heat has to go somewhere. Depending on the GPU cooler design, it may just blow it around inside the case.

The culprit was dry, crusty thermal paste. I cleaned it off and placed some more on the heat sink and the problem has appeared to have fixed itself.