8500LE Losing OC'ing ability?

[WarSong]

Okay, I posted this in rage3d but didn't get much response so I'm hoping for some help from the anandtech boyz...

For about a month I ran my retail 8500LE at 300/300 and it was perfect and I was happy. About a week ago I started getting occasional lock-ups in UT2003 (like one every hour or two) and I couldn't complete 3DMark2K1. So I started scaling back my core speed and found it to be stable at 280/300 for both UT2003 and 3DMark2K1. WTH? I'm losing overclockability? What does this mean? Has this happened to anyone else? I thought it might be overheating now for some reason so i take off the stock HSF, lap the gpu, then install a thermaltake crystal orb with artic silver II. Same deal, it didn't make any difference. What happened to my card? It used to be so beautiful...

edit: Just FYI, my roommate, who bought the same card at the same time, still runs his at 300/300 without any problems.

 

[Killrose]

I had the same sort of problem when i enabled and ran the card with 2xFSAA and 4xAnsio. I had to drop it back from a normally stable 300/300 to like 285/285. Did you pencil trick un-lock the voltages?

 

[WarSong]

I haven't enabled FSAA or Ansio. I didn't do the pencil trick but I have been thinking about it. I'm hesitant because I'm afraid that if I over juice the core and it's failing, it might make it fail faster...

My mobo supports manually adjusting the AGP bus voltage. Does that do the same thing as the pencil trick? Or is it totally different?

 

[Killrose]

I tried upping the AGP voltage once, and I saw a minimal increase, but I can't remember if it was core or mem that i saw the increase at. Does it just crash on you or are you actually seeing artifact/corruption?

 

[WarSong]

It just freezes No artifacts. If I run it at 300 3Dmark doesn't even start. At 285-290 it runs for awhile then locks. At 280 is solid...

 

[Killrose]

It would be very interesting to see what the core voltage is. Should be right around 1.65volts give or take a little. I would try upping the AGP voltage and try it. But you're right, you could be seeing the effects of overclocking catching up to you.

 

[WarSong]

Originally posted by: Killrose
It would be very interesting to see what the core voltage is. Should be right around 1.65volts give or take a little. I would try upping the AGP voltage and try it. But you're right, you could be seeing the effects of overclocking catching up to you.

Hmmm i took a volt meter to it and checked what this site says would give me a core reading and I got 1.25V. My card is a newer one with BGA memory if that matters... The memory read the same voltage. If mine was really that far off, it wouldn't work at all right? Maybe I read the wrong place?

Have you done the pencil trick? What kind of results did you get (if you did)?

 

[Killrose]

I've actually done the chip resistor replacement mod on two 8500's. I think you measured at the wrong spot, but you say you have BGA memory? So this is a 128mb card? BGA memory could possibly wirk at a lower voltage, but the GPU is still the same and should be 1.62-1.65volts stock. I think my last 8500 was 1.67volts at the GPU modded, and it would do over 300MHz (about 306MHz with no artifacts).

Also you might make sure the battery in your meter is new

 

[Killrose]

Ok, that's a little dark and confusing, but the yellow spots are in the right location.

Try this And note that the Yellow wires there are for that guy's variable resistor mod and not where you measure. That would be the Red outlined location.

Pay no attention to the black GPU thing, it's in the wrong location, but the GPU measurement is below the ram measurement location (more towards the center of the board), and if you look at the other side of the board you will see that they are from two large caps, one for GPU, one Memory. you will only get a reading off one side of the capacitor. negative to computer frame, positive to one leg of the cap.

 

[WarSong]

ahh yep, i was way in the wrong spot yeah it's a 128MB one. I wasn't able to take a voltage reading tonight but i will try to tomorrow. I did have a chance to swap out my card with my roommates and his works perfect in my box at 300/300... my card is sux

 

[WarSong]

ok, i checked mine and it's 1.619-1.620. I guess it's at the low end of the spectrum... i wonder if that's part of my problem. when my roommate gets home i'll check his.

edit: just checked his, it's 1.624-1.625. You think that's enough to make a difference?