Bought an nVidia 460 GTX, had minor artifacts in BIOS, now card is dead.

[HollowRopes]

decided to go out and get an actual nVidia brand GTX 460, when I first put the card in and turned it on, I noticed a few artifacts on the BIOS start-up screen. I reset the computer, got into Windows, loaded the drivers, everything was fine. Started playing games and everything was fine, even overclocked the card a tiny bit (I think the numbers were 800/1600/1950) and everything was still working fine.

I eventually had to restart the computer for another reason, and I noticed the artifacts in the BIOS again so I reset and they went away like the first time. Went back to some game playing, everything was really extremely well (I was very happy with the cards performance at this point despite the artifacts in the BIOS).

I was changing a few things in my mcsonfig for the startup sequence (some MSN messenger thing I forgot to get rid of at an earlier time) and had to reboot a third time, this time my card gives the standard (beeeep, beep beep beep) that I've always associated with bad RAM or just a bad card in general. I'm pretty sure I'm going to RMA this card today as soon as I have an available ride, was just wondering if there was another problem that could have caused this, or if it was probably just a faulty card from the beginning (since it was showing the artifacts in the BIOS right out of the box). Anyway, thanks, if there's another thing I can try before RMA'ing the card, please let me know. Thanks.


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Well I can't even get a video signal on my monitor, it beeps 4 times and it hangs there. I don't have another working card to stick in and I also don't have onboard on this motherboard)

On a second note, I just removed the casing and heatsink unit from the card itself and on two of the RAM chips, there's a clear STICKY substance covering half of the two RAM chips that I at first thought may have been some sort of advesive, but after touching it with my fingering, I could tell that it wasn't at adhesive/thermal compound/etc. It didn't even have the look of any type, it was a clear, sticky, almost dried, oil-like substance but I couldn't get any off of it using my fingering.

[Edit: I reread my post and realized that when I was describing the substance on the RAM sinks, it almost sounded as though I was describing a form of thermalgrease. I can take a picture if needed, just so someone can tell me whether or not this could be the problem causing the card to report RAM problems, but let me assure you that it is NOT any form of thermal compound]

Anyway, so yeah, system's hanging with the three beeps (one long beep, three short ones) and I'm stuck there. What next, RMA

 

[HollowRopes]

These are the pictures I took after removing the casing/heatsink. I left them a bit large so it can be seen in all their 'glory'. It should be easy to see where the 'goop' is, there's touching/next to RAM 'slots' M6 and M7.

I'm not a rocket scientistic, but I don't think whatever that stuff is is supposed to be there, and I just think it's a little 'funny' that now I'm getting RAM errors when I turn the computer on. Anyone have any ideas or opinions on this? Thanks.

 

[Baasha]

your pic links are broken..

 

[Genx87]

I am assuming by purchasing an Nvidia branded card you got it from Best Buy? Return it and get a replacement card from them imo.

 

[HollowRopes]

Wow, you're right.. The only way I can view them is if I right click them and choose "show picture". Isn't the proper image code still

?

 

[HollowRopes]

Genx87 hit the nail on the head, I was just kinda curious as to why some weird sometutff like this would show up there in the first place. I'm definitely going to be returning the card, I just don't want the next one to have a similar problem.

They had a PYN 460 GTX (non OC) for $20 less so I might just go for that, but I was really impressed by this cards performance while it actually worked. Before this one I had an eVGA 460 GTX and I wasin't impressed with it at all, I dunno if it was causing system instability or what, but I had to take that one back as well due to locking/blue screens/the works.

I was hoping by buying the actual 'nVidia' brand (I'm asskuming that's what it is and it's just a label slapped on the box) that I'd get a superior product. Guess I was wrong.

Original links were:

http://uploader.ws/upload/201101/1_10.jpg

http://uploader.ws/upload/201101/2_11.jpg

http://uploader.ws/upload/201101/3_12.jpg

http://uploader.ws/upload/201101/4_13.jpg

 

[BoomerD]

Wow, you're right.. The only way I can view them is if I right click them and choose "show picture". Isn't the proper image code still

?

Yes. Where do you have the pics hosted?

 

[Seero]

Well, at this point, you can use a little 90%+ alcohol and clean it up.

 

[HollowRopes]

Seero,

Whatever this substance is is also on some of the transistors as well as the RAM, so I think that may be causing even more of a problem that something just sitting on top of the RAM. Hopefully the pictures can be seen and it'll explain what I'm talking about.

 

[GaiaHunter]

It is a new card. It doesn't work - RMA it. Perfectly normal.

I'm not even sure why you are looking at heatsinks and whatnot. You are just risking voiding warranty.

 

[HollowRopes]

Well I was thinking I'd open it and see something much worse than what I saw, but either way, I didn't make any modification to the card and I doubt the folks and GeekSquad are going to take the time to open the card and check it out anyway. Pretty sure they'll take the box and tell me to and pick out another one, but that's off subject anyway.

The beeps signified a RAM problem, so I took the case and heatsink off to see what the RAM was like, whether it was getting any airflow, etc. Then, I noticed that oily substance. I bought this card at 8:00 PM last night and I really don't feel like running back up there until later tonight, was just trying to figure out more information on what the stuff might be, how it could have got there, and if it's what's most likely causing the errors. Thanks.

 

[digitaldurandal]

Well I was thinking I'd open it and see something much worse than what I saw, but either way, I didn't make any modification to the card and I doubt the folks and GeekSquad are going to take the time to open the card and check it out anyway. Pretty sure they'll take the box and tell me to and pick out another one, but that's off subject anyway.

The beeps signified a RAM problem, so I took the case and heatsink off to see what the RAM was like, whether it was getting any airflow, etc. Then, I noticed that oily substance. I bought this card at 8:00 PM last night and I really don't feel like running back up there until later tonight, was just trying to figure out more information on what the stuff might be, how it could have got there, and if it's what's most likely causing the errors. Thanks.

If you bought the card from B&M store.. just swap it out. Why are you using so much of your time? Do you not value your own time?

 

[Termie]

They had a PYN 460 GTX (non OC) for $20 less so I might just go for that, but I was really impressed by this cards performance while it actually worked. Before this one I had an eVGA 460 GTX and I wasin't impressed with it at all, I dunno if it was causing system instability or what, but I had to take that one back as well due to locking/blue screens/the works.

May I ask...what makes you think the card is at fault if you already had to return one GTX460 due to similar problems?

List your system specs. Sounds like a PSU problem to me.

 

[HollowRopes]

No, I didn't have similiar problems to this, I was having performance issues in games when it wasn't locking up and giving me blue screens. This card here was already giving BIOS artifacts as soon as I first bought it, but after resetting it they went away, I installed the nVidia drivers, played some games (performed very well), then I had to restart the computer after disabling two startup items. That's the the beeping thing started, now I have no video at all.

Two completely different issues surrounding the two cards.

 

[HollowRopes]

Okay apparently I'm using too many questions and making long posts for no reason. I find this oily substance on the RAM (which is what the beeping code tells me the problem is coming from [the RAM]), and I'm curious as to what it is, what it may be, how it could have got there, etc. I know I can just take the card back and get another one, I'm just trying to figure out why this happened in the place. Say I go back and I get another card and it has this same problem (very, very highly unklikely), then would I be wasting time asking about this?

 

[Termie]

No, I didn't have similiar problems to this, I was having performance issues in games when it wasn't locking up and giving me blue screens. This card here was already giving BIOS artifacts as soon as I first bought it, but after resetting it they went away, I installed the nVidia drivers, played some games (performed very well), then I had to restart the computer after disabling two startup items. That's the the beeping thing started, now I have no video at all.

Two completely different issues surrounding the two cards.

Still, it seems odd that you'd get two bad cards. Maybe consider an HD6850 if it's not a lot more expensive at Best Buy. You might have better luck.

 

[HollowRopes]

The other GTX 460 that didn't perform well -may- have been a driver problem or something to that extent, possibly something else in Windows keeping it from performing correctly (I've performed a full reformat since I had the first bad GTX 460.

I guess the whole lesson that I should've learned is that when I first put the new nVidia GTX 460 in there and saw the artifacts in the BIOS, I should've just took the card back right then. Instead, I restarted, and the artifacts were gone so I went about my business. Should've realized it was a bad card when I first saw the artifacts as soon as the computer turned on. There were only a few of them (horizontal lines maybe 2.5 inches across) since I don't think much of it, though something might've been plugged in wrong.. So I just tinkered with the plugs for a second, turned it back on, the artifacts were gone. I figured I had fixed it at that point.

 

[HollowRopes]

Termie,

I actually had went to the Best Buy looking for an HD 6850 or HD6870, but the highest end ATI card they had there at the store was an HD 5770, so I laughed and went ahead and grabbed the GTX 460. The GTX 460 was also the best nVidia card they had there, they didn't have anything above the GTX 460.

 

[Termie]

Termie,

I actually had went to the Best Buy looking for an HD 6850 or HD6870, but the highest end ATI card they had there at the store was an HD 5770, so I laughed and went ahead and grabbed the GTX 460. The GTX 460 was also the best nVidia card they had there, they didn't have anything above the GTX 460.

If you want an HD6850, perhaps you can ask for a full refund rather than store credit. I'm curious about your PSU, though. Do you know what model you have?

 

[HollowRopes]

Yeah I'm most likely going to ask for the refund at first and if not, just deal with it.. Plus, whenv I'm ready to buy the card I'm going to decide to get, I'm definitely not going to be buying it from Best Buy or anywhere like, I'm basically just doing this because they had a lot of stuff marked down yesterday and I thought "what the hell, they don't have the HD 6xxx cards, I'll try another brand's 460 GTX and see if it was any better than that last one I had". If the card would have been successfull, I probably WOULD have bept it under that circumstance since it was marked down to $189. But yeah, when I'm going to definitely be ordering off of the internet when I make my final decision.

Anyway, here is a link to Newegg's information about my power supply, for some reason I couldn't find it on Raidmax' website.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817152030

 

[Termie]

Yeah I'm most likely going to ask for the refund at first and if not, just deal with it.. Plus, whenv I'm ready to buy the card I'm going to decide to get, I'm definitely not going to be buying it from Best Buy or anywhere like, I'm basically just doing this because they had a lot of stuff marked down yesterday and I thought "what the hell, they don't have the HD 6xxx cards, I'll try another brand's 460 GTX and see if it was any better than that last one I had". If the card would have been successfull, I probably WOULD have bept it under that circumstance since it was marked down to $189. But yeah, when I'm going to definitely be ordering off of the internet when I make my final decision.

Anyway, here is a link to Newegg's information about my power supply, for some reason I couldn't find it on Raidmax' website.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817152030

$189 isn't such a hot deal for a GTX460, so you can probably find a better price elsewhere. Keep in mind that if you mail-order a card, returning it will be MUCH more difficult, and that's why I'm curious about other parts of your system. And for that reason, you might actually want to pick up another card at Best Buy...but not a GTX460. These were not driver problems, and I'd be very surprised that two GTX460s made by different manufacturers were bad. If a different model of card (like a 5770) failed in your system as well, it probably means it is the PSU. Might try experimenting with that.

Your PSU is over-rated at 700w (it only has two 20amp 12v rails, which are what power the video card). It's closer to a 550w power supply based on specs. BUT...it should be sufficient for a GTX460. Still, the problems you had could all be caused by a bad PSU. Is there a way you can test your card in another system before you return it?

By the way, is this a new system? If not, what were you using for video before?

 

[HollowRopes]

Yeah, I meant that it was more of a "hot deal" for a place like Best Buy, I wouldn't be getting my final card from a store like that anyway. The problem about the specific Best Buy that I picked this card up had this as their top of the line card, they had no better cards at all in the store, they said I'd have to go online and order it through their website (I specifically asked for the HD 6850 when I got there and didn't see it on the shelf).

About the PSU, I know it's not the best one (hell, I got it at Fry's with some special $50 rebate or something too, so I wasn't expecting the best quality in the world). I will say this though, earlier last year I had a 9800 GX2 card that used both a 6-pin and 8-pin plugin and I -never- had problems with that card and any type of power issue, but I ended up selling that card to a friend of mine, so it's out of the question anyway (plus basically obsolete).

Here are the specs of the rest of my system.

Asus P5KC
Intel Core 2 Duo 6850 3.0@3.62
Patriot 1333 PDC34G1333ELK 7-7-7-20
No Video Card Presently (;p)
Hitachi Ultrastar 750GB 7200 RPM 32mb Buffer
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
Raidmax RX700 SS