Confused, annoyed and completely giving up.....

[skippy]

Hey guys, it's me....again. Now as this is my 3rd RMA, I'm completely fed up....I have just got my GPU back, 3 days in. I get the exact same thing that happened as before, with my first card I sent off.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/138/dscf0091g.jpg << That.

Now obviously I'm wondering what on earth could be causing this, because how on earth could 2 GPUs suffer the exact same thing? When they're just returned and literally weeks / days they come up with that.

What else could be the problem? I've just installed another driver, and I'm praying to god that somehow it is the driver.....however I've done this before, I've got a new OS however and maybe something will be different, who knows.

Please, what else could be causing this problem? I get this only under load, whilst in-game. I get no warning, no beeping, just a face full of lovely fuzzy pink lines, and the joy of complete disappointment.

PC Specs> Case Stylish Silver/Black Sigma case + 2 front USB
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i7 Processor i7-940 (4 X 2.93GHz) 4.8GTs/8MB Cache
Motherboard ASUS® P6T DELUXE: DDR3, SATAII, 2 x PCI-e x16, 2 PCI, 1 x PCI-e x1
Memory (RAM) 6GB CORSAIR XMS3 1333MHz - LIFETIME WARRANTY! (3x2GB)
Graphics Card 1024MB GEFORCE GTX280 PCI Express + DVI + TV-OUT
2nd Graphics Card NONE
Memory - 1st Hard Disk 1000GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 32MB CACHE (7,200rpm)
2nd Hard Disk NONE
RAID NONE
1st DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 20x DUAL LAYER LIGHTSCRIBE DVD WRITER ±R/±RW/RAM
2nd DVD/BLU-RAY Drive NONE
Memory Card Reader INTERNAL 52 IN 1 CARD READER (READS XD, MS, CF, SD, etc)
Power Supply & Case Cooling 700W Quiet Quad Rail PSU + 120mm Case Fan
Processor Cooling STANDARD CPU COOLER
Sound Card ONBOARD 8 CHANNEL (7.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Network Facilities 2 x ONBOARD 10/100/1000 GIGABIT LAN PORTS
USB Options 8 x USB 2.0 PORTS (6 REAR + 2 FRONT) AS STANDARD

I really have no idea what can be causing this now, it just seems like a GPU problem. But 3GPUs to go wrong so soon? Seems totally stupid to me.

 

[Maestro]

You dont mention the os in your spec. What os were you running, and have you installed the new os yet. If you have been using vista, then it will be interesting to see if win7 makes a difference. However it shouldnt, and I guess the system was working fine with vista up until the problem started.
What driver version have you got?
What game is it and does it do the same on all games?
As much info as possible please.
If its not the gpu, then you have to look towards the psu. 700w, nearly 2 years old, so the output wont be what it was at new. If it only happens under load, then this could be a case that the rail providing for the gpu is struggling.

 

[skippy]

Hello mate, sorry about that I was meant to put that I had been using Vista 64bit, I now have windows 764 bit. It happened on both however, and that makes a lot of sense, is there any way I can test that? I am using driver version 258.96 this is the brand new one. Again however, I had an older driver before I had the first problem for sure, that also had the same problem.

Thanks for a quick reply.

 

[Gorman]

What are the temps like for the card and system?

 

[skippy]

I'm honestly not too sure mate, but I really don't think it's kicking up much heat at all, nothing to have a failure from.

One thing I didn't mention is when this happens it literally locks up the PC, I can't CTRL + ALT + DEL nothing. My light on the bottom of the mouse is still on but the one ontop of it isn't. I get no response what so ever, I've not yet left it to see what happens. It stays like that for a good while, and I don't want to risk damaging something more.

Why are PCs so awkward lol xD

 

[Gorman]

Ok download this http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/SysInfo/GPU-Z/

Then run GPU-Z, select the sensors tab and under GPU temp select "show highest reading".

Now run a game or GPU benchmark for 10 minutes or so and quit. Post the temp shown in GPU-Z.

You can also tick the log to file option on gpu-z and post it here if you like.

Humour me on this one, it is acting like its overheating.

 

[skippy]

Hhhmm, awesome, OK I will do that! That's if I can run it for 10 mins lol

Let's say it is over heating, would it be the GPU? Or could something else cause that? I've looked inside my PC and all the fans seem to be running, to be fair however i didn't look @ the GPU fan. Thanks for the help will get back with the details when I get home and play for a bit

 

[Gorman]

If it is overheating causing the issue then there are several ways to approach it, lets see what the results are.

 

[skippy]

Just done it, just crashed I got up to 73c before I get the pink fuzzy pink display. Is that bad?

 

[Sleinous]

Thats not particularly hot :/ This is an odd one!

EDIT: Just looked at your screenshot, im so jealous, you have the M227WD monitor! The one that still had the yellow white red composite out on the back Mine is the M237WDP and they removed the composite and just left component -.- This is looking very very similar to my laptop display at the moment, you say this is your 2nd GPU now? Could just be 3rd time lucky?

 

[skippy]

Hehe, it's an awesome little TV tbh

I figured it was an OK heat, but never too sure. Do you really think it's another GPU problem? If that's the case I don't think I will bother with another RMA, I'll just buy something else and never use NVIDIA again.

However it just seems so odd how they do this, it's the exact same thing as my first one. Second one went green and weird colours before start up, that one was major faulty....This is my 3rd 280 now. I'm praying someone can help me here......I really have no idea and I'm a bit beyond gutted to be honest.

 

[Sleinous]

Nvidia and ATI both have many faulty GPUs, you probably just been incredibly unlucky. Problem is, nowadays the GPUs are getting more and more complex, manufacturing technology is struggling to keep up, and even computers make mistakes when building

 

[skippy]

Yeah I know, but 3 times faulty GPU? I mean they do test these things before they're sent out right? Maybe I'm unlucky like that but I refuse to believe it

Something else has got to be wrong.....

 

[Sleinous]

Ye, they test, but, most of the testing is when we get it, first couple of weeks Anything can go wrong in something liek a GPU

 

[Gorman]

The temps are acceptable so we can cross that off, based on my experience one of two things could be happening here:

• Your memory is bad causing this effect, not typical but i have seen it before
• Your PSU is killing cards, again not common but nothing i have not seen before

 

[skippy]

Is there anyway I could see if my PSU is causing the problem? Also the same with mem? Any way I could check these. I might just have to pop this into PC world and see what they come out with, unfortunately they cost a BOMB, but at least I have better chances of getting something right than the last people I took it to.

Charged me £25 to update a driver, and the one they "updated" was the exact same one I did that morning! lol

 

[Gorman]

Memory is easy, if your on 7 / Vista then search for "memory diagnostic" in the start menu search bar and run the program that comes up, it will reboot and scan. If it enters windows and doesnt show any error messages then its clear.

PSU will require a PSU tester, i would not recommend taking it to the place which cannot be mentioned but you did gone mention it up tharr.

http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?product_id=52525&tid=frooct

Considerably cheaper than the aforementioned "help desk"

 

[skippy]

Thank you Gorman very helpful! I just tried the RAM, everything seems fine and dandy as it entered windows without any error message (quite disappointed about that lol, had life time warranty on that)

My friend can test my PSU in his work, so I will give it to him for Monday and fingers crossed that will be me sorted. I'm hoping this'll be the end of it

 

[Gorman]

Well as an educated guess, those two would be my first line of investigation.

If the PSU is faulty, the card damage is a done deal though, that will still need dealing with unless your very, very lucky.

And im talking finding a winning lottery ticket at the foot of angelina jolies bed lucky.

 

[skippy]

lol. Well that sucks pretty hard, potentially I'm spending £220 for a new GPU and £70+ on a new PSU. That's beyond dissapointment, hope that's not the case. Not sure if anythings under warranty with the PSU. If that's the case the people I sent the PC into should surely have been able to spot that. Then again the whole driver and £25 thing, useless bunch of people to be fair. I guess I will be working over time....UGH! lol