With large models (e.g. “There are 3,796,907 quadrilateral polygons and 2,952,833 triangular polygons in this model. There would be 10,546,647 total triangular polygons in this model after forced triangulation”), the GPU fans turn on as soon as the model is moved and will hit the highest speed just before the whole system crashes. I can work on small sections at a time for development but would like to record the whole model in motion and generally would rather not have to tiptoe around trying not to crash.
I hope that replacing the NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti with maybe the RTX 5060 Ti will work (NVIDIA’s recommendation as an upgrade). It has the same power supply needs and footprint. Since large models (big helmets etc.) on the Prusa Slicer also crash after spinning up the GPU fans, I am assuming it is not just a Rhino setting. Am also assuming/hoping that the CPU is not the issue, but maybe it is too.
I would appreciate any thoughts on this. Thank you!
Rhino system info:
Rhino 8 SR24 2025-10-8 (Rhino 8, 8.24.25281.15001, Git hash:master @ ba28668a8431990c700173e46ef2dbcb873cf092)
License type: Commercial, build 2025-10-08
License details: Cloud Zoo
Windows 11 (10.0.26200 SR0.0) or greater (Physical RAM: 64GB)
.NET 8.0.21
Computer platform: DESKTOP
Standard graphics configuration.
Primary display and OpenGL: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (NVidia) Memory: 8GB, Driver date: 10-9-2025 (M-D-Y). OpenGL Ver: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 581.57
> Accelerated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)
- Windows Main Display attached to adapter port #0
OpenGL Settings
Safe mode: Off
Use accelerated hardware modes: On
GPU Tessellation is: On
Redraw scene when viewports are exposed: On
Graphics level being used: OpenGL 4.6 (primary GPU’s maximum)
Anti-alias mode: 4x
Mip Map Filtering: Linear
Anisotropic Filtering Mode: High
Vendor Name: NVIDIA Corporation
Render version: 4.6
Shading Language: 4.60 NVIDIA
Driver Date: 10-9-2025
Driver Version: 32.0.15.8157
Maximum Texture size: 32768 x 32768
Z-Buffer depth: 24 bits
Maximum Viewport size: 32768 x 32768
Total Video Memory: 8 GB
CPU:
OS Name Microsoft Windows 11 Home
Version 10.0.26200 Build 26200
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name DESKTOP-PKQAAA3
System Manufacturer Alienware
System Model Alienware Aurora R11
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU 09A3
Processor Intel(R) Core™ i9-10900F CPU @ 2.80GHz, 2808 Mhz, 10 Core(s), 20 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Alienware 1.0.24, 4/2/2024
SMBIOS Version 3.1
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer Alienware
BaseBoard Product 0N43JM
BaseBoard Version A01
Platform Role Desktop
Secure Boot State On
PCR7 Configuration Elevation Required to View
Windows Directory C:\\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\\WINDOWS\\system32
Boot Device \\Device\\HarddiskVolume3
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = “10.0.26100.1”
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 64.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 63.8 GB
Available Physical Memory 41.9 GB
Total Virtual Memory 67.8 GB
Available Virtual Memory 37.1 GB
Page File Space 4.00 GB
Page File C:\\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Running
Virtualization-based security Required Security Properties
Virtualization-based security Available Security Properties Base Virtualization Support, Secure Boot, DMA Protection, UEFI Code Readonly, Mode Based Execution Control, APIC Virtualization
Virtualization-based security Services Configured Hypervisor enforced Code Integrity
Virtualization-based security Services Running Hypervisor enforced Code Integrity
App Control for Business policy Enforced
App Control for Business user mode policy Off
Automatic Device Encryption Support Elevation Required to View
A hypervisor has been detected. Features required for Hyper-V will not be displayed.
They are probably one of the market leaders in thermally throttling a PC.
If you can, check using HWInfo what exactly the temperatures are in you PC GPU and CPU before anything else. Dumping a newer GPU in there may just cause the same problems if your case isn’t able to provide the thermal support required via good airflow (which seems extremely likely in any Alienware).
If it is thermally throttling, for a 10900F, you would likely need something like a dual tower Peerless Assassin 120 for the CPU. I’d imagine whatever Alienware has put in is probably inadequate.
But see if the whole system is throttling first using HWInfo or such.
Indeed. The power supply is probably part of the problem if it is the chassis I remember. It is slotted directly over the CPU, and blocks the GPU from venting anywhere unless you have a blower fan.
But it was a while since I have seen one. It may even be the series where Alienware just left the stock cooler on all the CPUs (single fan, short profile). Utter madness.
These are clips from a video where I just rotate the model in Rhino. The GPU can go from 98F to 156F almost instantly. I stopped at 159, but could have continued until a crash full stop with a black screen.
I chose ‘Performance’ on several settings, anti-aliasing was off. I seemed to run a little longer but still with fans at what sounded like maximum and CPU and GPU temperatures occasionally turning orange (159F and 163F, fan 2100rpm), the screen blacked out and keyboard and mouse unresponsive. Requires reboot.
Surely that’s a typo? The R11 apparently could be had with a 3090…
Recommended power supply for the 3060ti is 600 watts, it doesn’t actually need that much but it needs 200 watts all by itself, which a smaller power supply may not be able to do even if the total wattage says so.
The blocked airflow idea then makes sense, in that the GPU fan(s) are running at top rpm but maybe not cooling anything. I’ll take it apart tomorrow and look around. Thanks!
Well I was gonna add I don’t know about that actually, your temperatures are not “hot” for this stuff, unless they are very suddenly getting so hot it doesn’t even register, or something very specific not being monitored is getting too hot. The GPU and CPU if working properly will both slow down if they get too warm.
Try the same operations with the side panel open if you can (check air flow).
Try Blender Cycles rendering in CUDA/OptiX mode. Scanlands or Barber Shop will do.
Try MSI Afterburner, regulate the power to 50%, and see how far you can push it under operations at progression of power intervals (check thermal behavior and stability)
Repaste the GPU die (dismantle, very risky!)
It would seem odd for a generic Dell PSU to die, but not unheard of I guess. It’s not of any real age, and the 3060 Ti is hardly a demanding card.
If your GPU is all fine with the above, you can move onto Cinebench, which can test the CPU.
