Bought a GTX275 from ebay, can't figure out whats wrong with the drivers

[anthd56]

Hi guys,

I bought a cheap used XFX GTX275 from ebay as it was only £36 however when playing games like NFS:MW, LoL or running Unigine Valley, the screen would blank for 2-5 seconds and then it would come back on. It appears to be a driver issue when I checked the event viewer of Windows 8.1.

Full Specs if it helps:
Pentium G3420 3.2GHz Dual Core, 54W,
4GB (2x2GB) Mushkin Silverline 1333MHz,
XFX GTX275, (Was Sapphire HD5670)
Corsair CX400

Looking at Event Viewer, it shows that nvlddmkm stopped responding and successfully recovered. I've looked it up online and it appeared to be a big problem which could be multiple reasons:
PSU too weak,
Corrupt drivers,
Bad connection between card and Mobo,
Bad RAM or timings,
Defective card,
Overheating.

My old HD5670 ran fine. So I can rule out my motherboard, and RAM issues.

I run a G3420 Pentium which consumes 54W. The GTX275 has a peak of 220W. So its way below the 30A on 12V provided by my CX400. I doubt its the PSU. However, my PSU didn't have 2x 6pin connectors so I bought and used a 2x Molex to 6 Pin converter.

Ran furmark without an issue surprisingly, and the temps were around 85C which seems fine as during gaming it rarely reaches 80C.

I've tried the latest 331.65 drivers and older 327.23 but still the same. So I doubt it could be a driver problem. I did use Driver sweeper before installing each new GPU driver.

It would crash at the same point when running Unigine Valley, however it doesn't always replicate properly. It would crash only 6~7/10 times.

This leads me to think its a defective card? I want to know if there's another way to fix this first as the eBay seller did state he didn't accept returns and I have asked him and he replied with "I am sorry but I though my sale add was clear no returns, due to the skill level compatibility and possible install damage issues. " So before I confidently say its a defective card and file a paypal dispute, I want to see if there's a work around. Or do you guys think I should return it ASAP?

It does make me think he knew the card was defective therefore sold it quick and didn't allow returns.

I know its a 4 years old card, but it was a nice cheap bump from my HD5670 before I save up a bit more to upgrade later.

Please help.

Thanks,
Anthony

 

[red_222]

I dont think its the PSU if youve got a 400W, what OS do you have?
Have you tried to remove the physical card and delete all drivers and start over again?
also try to remove the GPU use system restore to go back to an even older date (this wont change your files) and THEN plug in the card and run the drivers.

 

[anthd56]

I dont think its the PSU if youve got a 400W, what OS do you have?
Have you tried to remove the physical card and delete all drivers and start over again?
also try to remove the GPU use system restore to go back to an even older date (this wont change your files) and THEN plug in the card and run the drivers.

Hi there, thanks for your reply. I'm running Windows 8.1 64 bit.

I've tried removing the physical card and re-slotting. But not removing, and uninstalling the driver, then installing again.

I have tried twice uninstalling the driver, run driver sweeper in safe mode, then installing the driver again though (tried it with an older version the second time).

I can't tell if its a driver error or card error.

 

[skipsneeky2]

According to this page, http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-275/specifications a 550w psu is the min required to run a gtx275.

This review here of the card when new claims 40amps is required on a 550-600w psu http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/evga_geforce_gtx_275_1792mb_review,6.html

 

[red_222]

According to this page, http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-275/specifications a 550w psu is the min required to run a gtx275.

This review here of the card when new claims 40amps is required on a 550-600w psu http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/evga_geforce_gtx_275_1792mb_review,6.html

I dont think my old 8800 GT OC even required that much power, I find it weird.

 

[anthd56]

According to this page, http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-275/specifications a 550w psu is the min required to run a gtx275.

This review here of the card when new claims 40amps is required on a 550-600w psu http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/evga_geforce_gtx_275_1792mb_review,6.html

Thats to take into account of cheap PSU's that don't have much amps on their 12V rail and that some people run 130W processors. Cheap 750W PSU only give out 40A on their 12V rail are quite common.

My PSU is a Corsair CX400 with 30A on the 12V rail along with a Pentium G3420 using 54W so it shouldn't really require 40A as that would 480W drawn from the 12V line. The GTX275s peak draw is 220W and in reality its no where near that if you look at techpowerup reviews. Total peak draw is 274W on the 12V rail. 274/12 = 23A~ so its only at 80%~ capacity.

My point is, I don't think its a PSU problem but rather its a card or driver issue.

Thanks for your reply anyways.

 

[skipsneeky2]

I honestly think its a psu issue, i figured my old psu being a cx500 with its 38a was more then enough to power my stock clocked 770 and i5 and you figure i had 456w on the 12v to power my system and i peak maybe 325w? Had games acting all funky and a couple driver crashes then i got my current psu being a 650w and all those issues disappeared.

My cx500 was about a year old and personally i couldn't quite explain why it didn't work but i believe it was degradation. I had to downclock my 770 and enable vsync and actually my issues on the cx500 did disappear and i ran it as such till i got my 650w unit.

 

[anthd56]

I honestly think its a psu issue, i figured my old psu being a cx500 with its 38a was more then enough to power my stock clocked 770 and i5 and you figure i had 456w on the 12v to power my system and i peak maybe 325w? Had games acting all funky and a couple driver crashes then i got my current psu being a 650w and all those issues disappeared.

My cx500 was about a year old and personally i couldn't quite explain why it didn't work but i believe it was degradation. I had to downclock my 770 and enable vsync and actually my issues on the cx500 did disappear and i ran it as such till i got my 650w unit.

Ohhh I see, I'll try downclocking to see if it helps then. Wouldn't have thought of that.

Thanks a lot for the advice.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Ohhh I see, I'll try downclocking to see if it helps then. Wouldn't have thought of that.

Thanks a lot for the advice.

No problem, hope that solves the problem. I just kept my gpu usage around the 50% mark with vsync and dropped ingame settings and that solved my problem with my CX500 and the 770. BF3 was the worst with erratic frame dips into the 40s and even 30s at times.

 

[anthd56]

No problem, hope that solves the problem. I just kept my gpu usage around the 50% mark with vsync and dropped ingame settings and that solved my problem with my CX500 and the 770. BF3 was the worst with erratic frame dips into the 40s and even 30s at times.

Holy... It worked! I down clocked it to 550 from 640 and the memory to 1000 from 1188 and so far so good running the Unigine Valley for 6 times. So it is the PSU? Or do you think the card is starting to be defective as its no longer stable at stock clock? I don't want to spend £55 on a CX600 unless I'm sure it'll fix it. :$

Thanks soo much though.

 

[skipsneeky2]

Holy... It worked! I down clocked it to 550 from 640 and the memory to 1000 from 1188 and so far so good running the Unigine Valley for 6 times. So it is the PSU? Or do you think the card is starting to be defective as its no longer stable at stock clock? I don't want to spend £55 on a CX600 unless I'm sure it'll fix it. :$

Thanks soo much though.

Based on your experience and my own, i would say its psu but out of curiosity set your core to 633 and your memory to 1134 as these are factory oem specifications from nvidia.If the card is stable at these clocks its possible the factory overclock isn't stable on the card but if it crashes it honestly sounds like a psu issue.

 

[anthd56]

Based on your experience and my own, i would say its psu but out of curiosity set your core to 633 and your memory to 1134 as these are factory oem specifications from nvidia.If the card is stable at these clocks its possible the factory overclock isn't stable on the card but if it crashes it honestly sounds like a psu issue.

Ah, the cards stock clock is 633/1134 and its unstable at those. I've been playing around with the clocks and it crashes if the memory is above 1000. Gonna try if I can push the core clock a bit higher. But 620/999 crashed.

I'm guessing it most be a PSU issue. Sorry for doubting you before. But I still understand why. I mean my PSU does 360W on the 12V rail and the combined draw of the 2 is only 274W. My PSU can't have lost that much power in 2 years. Perhaps the Molex to 6 Pin is not a good solution?

EDIT: After tuning it for half an hour, 550/1000 is as much as it can give. Playing it safe with 545/990 atm.

Thanks,
Anthony

 

[skipsneeky2]

Ah, the cards stock clock is 633/1134 and its unstable at those. I've been playing around with the clocks and it crashes if the memory is above 1000. Gonna try if I can push the core clock a bit higher. But 620/999 crashed.

I'm guessing it most be a PSU issue. Sorry for doubting you before. But I still understand why. I mean my PSU does 360W on the 12V rail and the combined draw of the 2 is only 274W. My PSU can't have lost that much power in 2 years. Perhaps the Molex to 6 Pin is not a good solution?

EDIT: After tuning it for half an hour, 550/1000 is as much as it can give. Playing it safe with 545/990 atm.

Thanks,
Anthony

Hell i could understand not wanting a new psu, one you have works up to a point and so did my cx500. If you could get a refund on your gtx275 and instead of buying a new psu perhaps put the funds towards a modern card like a 7750 or gtx650, both don't require a 6 pin and should use about the same amount of power as your 5670 while supporting 1gb of vram.

I had a gtx650 right before this card in fact, it powers modern games @720p and older pre 2008 games all the way up to 1200p no problem

 

[anthd56]

Hell i could understand not wanting a new psu, one you have works up to a point and so did my cx500. If you could get a refund on your gtx275 and instead of buying a new psu perhaps put the funds towards a modern card like a 7750 or gtx650, both don't require a 6 pin and should use about the same amount of power as your 5670 while supporting 1gb of vram.

I had a gtx650 right before this card in fact, it powers modern games @720p and older pre 2008 games all the way up to 1200p no problem

I would refund it but the seller is being a douche. I even offered to pay for his postage and my return postage but he refused, though I could see where he's coming from.

I might just run it at 550/1000 until Christmas where I would pass this card to my brother when I go home as he needs a new PSU and a GPU upgrade from his 7600GT anyways and get a new one myself. I wish I had just paid a bit more for a HD7770 now.

Would you say it'd need a CX600 to cut it or would a CX500 be ok?

Thanks,
Anthony

 

[skipsneeky2]

I would refund it but the seller is being a douche. I even offered to pay for his postage and my return postage but he refused, though I could see where he's coming from.

I might just run it at 550/1000 until Christmas where I would pass this card to my brother when I go home as he needs a new PSU and a GPU upgrade from his 7600GT anyways and get a new one myself. I wish I had just paid a bit more for a HD7770 now.

Would you say it'd need a CX600 to cut it or would a CX500 be ok?

Thanks,
Anthony

CX500 could power up a 7850 even, i had a 7850 before the gtx650 but it failed on me cause of a non psu related issue and it ran just fine even overclocked to 1050 core.

 

[Boondox]

It's just my opinion, but I would refrain from using the CX series if you're going to be using high wattage graphics such as the GTX 275. Do I think they are rubbish? No. I'd use them in a lower end system build.

 

[Iron Woode]

It's just my opinion, but I would refrain from using the CX series if you're going to be using high wattage graphics such as the GTX 275. Do I think they are rubbish? No. I'd use them in a lower end system build.

I agree.

I bought a Corsair TX650 for my Phenom II x4 965 system with a GTX260 sp216 card just to future proof it.

Now I can upgrade my video card and not worry about my PSU handling it.