Desperate for some help :)

[Entity_Razer]

Ok here is my problem:

Rig in Sig has problems, it randomly locks up (completely) mostly when editing photo's or when watching a movie

It artifacts like MAD in one of my games (EVE Online -- Classic Graphics)
(big polygons wizzing across the entire universe and whatnot, things that look like it been @ssraped by a stellar sized shotgun....)

And its become unplayable/workable for me to do anything on that PC, as it is my gaming & mostly workstation PC you can understand my frustration I hope when I say i can't do anything with it no more and that I desperatly need to get it back amongst the living (time is money for me in a real way and every moment I can't work on projects is the moment i'm throwing money down the drain.)

I've tried:
Memtest -- Ran all night and a bit longer
Result: No errors

I've checked Smart Status on HDD's:
All green (good)

I've installed the latest ATI Drivers (8.3) still the same problems.

This problem came on a small week ago with random artefacts in game, and has evolved into something that freezes everything concerning my computer (sound stops, mouse freezes/screen freezes....) and is now down to even locking up if I so much as dare to try and drag a image into a powerpoint I'm doing for a project.


So i need a decisive answer from you guys what the problem is.

Is it the graphics card, or something Else?

If its the graphics card I can go get a new one on Saterday, Radeon 2600Pro bla bla bla, but if it isn't I'd rather not throw the money down the drain.

I'm fresh out of ideas tbh and its not like the GPU overheats, its properly cooled, 2 heatsinks & heatpipes, hasn't been long till i changed the TIM on it, its clean....

So please guys decisive answer, is it my Graphics card or something else?

[Deadeye550]

I had a major issue with my 8800 with eve online when I got there latest build. it mostly created artifacts during warp. There was an option I turned off in the graphics settings that fixed this issue. While I never had the extreme artifacts your describing its probably a issue with in game settings. When I get home today, I'll look at the options and figure out what I changed to fix the issue I had.

Good luck

Wesley

[affiliate13]

Could it be a PSU problem? maybe you have a spare you could try?

[Entity_Razer]

Tbh EVE is the only game I play, but the fact that my entire comp locks up and that it even crashes video's is what worries me.

I'm stuck right now on everything

can't finish my movieproject, can't code worth because this pos keeps freezing up can't do anything....

Bah venting is good for you....

I "hope" its the GPU cause that'd be the least expensive to replace tbh but still... not fun

[Entity_Razer]

Could it be a PSU problem? maybe you have a spare you could try?

Forgot to mention, my PSU is a Enermax liberty 550 Watt, 2x 12 Volt lines and is just over a year old iirc.

So i very much doubt its that. But no i have no spare to test it with. Nothing capable of hauling this rig that is

EDIT:

No problems in Safe mode of windows btw or in the memtest boot CD.

Then again those use like 256 Bit worth of colors and nothing of video memory really.

I'm thinking either my memory is gone down the toilet or something else on the GPU

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

Well, I dont see a rig listed in your sig.

But from what others have said it seems you have a 8800GT with aftermarket cooling.

From having 2 myself, and dealing with a very similar issue.

I'd have to say check the temps on the power section of your 88GT. This area can get very hot, even with it heatsinked.

EDIT: also try the 171.17/6 drivers, all other drivers caused issues with my GT.

[Entity_Razer]

sorry forgot I removed the rig from my sig

PC DL Deluxe
2GB Twinmoss Ram
ATI 9800Pro
Enermax 550W liberty (dual 12 V lines)
Raptor 36
Seagate 200 GB
Maxtor 80GB

thats it

just did memtest again for 3 hours, 3 passes completed, no errors found

so i'm def leaning towards GPU gone to

[Jochenp]

I think it's the gpu. those things tend to break down for no reason. (I've had 6 6800gt's die on me that way )

[Tortel]

I had similar problems when I OCed my GPU too much, I had artifacts and it completely locked up too, if you have a spare card, try it

[adamsleath]

run the gcard at stock; check the temps; i had a failed oc of an old x850xt that corrupted some windows files; wouldnt even boot into windows no more and i reinstalled.

from then on i ran my old gcard at stock no worries.

try that; if pain persists get another gcard.

[Entity_Razer]

it IS at stock

all of it...

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

sorry forgot I removed the rig from my sig

PC DL Deluxe
2GB Twinmoss Ram
ATI 9800Pro
Enermax 550W liberty (dual 12 V lines)
Raptor 36
Seagate 200 GB
Maxtor 80GB

thats it

just did memtest again for 3 hours, 3 passes completed, no errors found

so i'm def leaning towards GPU gone to

Did you check the power section of the card like I suggested?

I told you I had a very similar problem, and it was solved by a fan over the gpu power section.

Yet you seemed to have ignored it.

[STEvil]

You said 8800's.

[WeStSiDePLaYa]

You said 8800's.

OOOOH.

I could have swore someone said 8800GT before he posted his specs up again.

Disregard the above posts.

[[XC] 4X4N]

I bet it's the memory going bad on the video card. I have a vanilla 6600 that has bad memory, and it does almost exactly what you are describing. Do you have another rig to try it in? Or another card to try in your current one?

[affiliate13]

sorry forgot I removed the rig from my sig

PC DL Deluxe
2GB Twinmoss Ram
ATI 9800Pro
Enermax 550W liberty (dual 12 V lines)
Raptor 36
Seagate 200 GB
Maxtor 80GB

thats it

just did memtest again for 3 hours, 3 passes completed, no errors found

so i'm def leaning towards GPU gone to

LOL, nice someone else still using a PC-DL.
If you dont have a spare card could you stick a big fan over the GDDR chips?

if it is the card gone bad and you need to replace it they are making HD3850 512MBs

[Entity_Razer]

got my eyes set on a cheap HD2600Pro 512MB Ram and 600Mhz Core, 1Ghz on the Ram, so gonna do a inspection of all the caps etc in a sec when I power this thing down, and I'll let you guys know.

edit:

Btw there already is a 80mm Fan blowing across the card (not the one aimed at the core)

Thing is, This really seems to be a Ram/Geometry thing because Photoediting crashes (using photos in general), geometry in games/3D apps is ... appauling but stuff like Fur it renders ok....

SO i'm still kinda dumbstruck at it.

[Entity_Razer]

sorry for doublepost but:

Checked the temps on the Mobo/CPU's and HDD's:

Coretemps for both Xeons:
40-45°C under load, which is normal/nominal
Motherboard temp:
40-50°C under load, heatsink is warm but not scalding hot so again, nominal/normal
HDD's:
Raptor is 50°C (normal for the raptor it seems)
Other HDD's are ranging from 35-40°C, also normal for just Data Harddrives

Only thing without a temp control on it is the GPU but I touched the heatsinks & RAM when the rig went down, Heatsink is warm, not scalding hot (Just did a few runs of Furbench) and the Ram is warm to the touch but again, not hot as hell...

Can't see all caps since the 2 heatsinks cover them but from what I can see on first inspection they seem decent/ok

:s

WIERD


As I was editing rigged crashed again,

Lets wrap this up:

Ran HDTach & HDTune, both show all green across the board on the HDD's, so those are out of the question
Memtest ran for multiple hours (10 or so total multiple passes no errors what so ever) All green across the board
Voltage lines: Optimal/nominal (again, green across the board)
Temps on: Core1/Core2/HDD1/HDD2/HDD3/Motherboard:
All green across the board, nothing out of the ordinary.

point of intrest:
out of curriosity I unplugged the fan from my graphics card (its a passively cooled card normally, but I put a fan on it to be sure way back when), and within 5 minuts of eachother the thing crashed (screen froze up) twice.
Right now I'm running the fan at 12Volts (80mm fan) and I haven't had a freeze yet, although all the errors and artifacts ARE still there.

Entity's Conclusion:
Graphics card is shot beyond repair, 3-4 years old, so its not crying shame but still not fun

You all concur?

EDIT2:

After further testing/benching, I have had NO more crashes on my system (no freezes) but the artifacts are still there and in great numbers.

So I'm officially calling it

Time of Death:
13.19 GMT +1
Friday 7th March 2008
Sapphire ATI 9800Pro,
2004-2008
RIP


Thanks for the help anyways guys