Galaxy 680 SOC, RMA or just something I'm overlooking.. (video)

[TechRookie16]

I traded for this card recently but I really think it's more so an error on my part. This is what has happened so far..

Every once in a while Crysis 2 or Skyrim will have little colors pop up on the screen. (both games modded with all mainstream mods, textures etc.) Usually followed by a tearing of the screen and I would say about 80% of the time the game reappears but the FPS drop from 60 to like 10-15 until I reboot. OCCASIONALLY, like 10% of the time it will say the driver has crashed. (I've tried clearing the driver, restarting and then downloading it again, version 306.23.
*The highest I've seen the temperature when it crashes is like 60, so I know it's not overheating. (Nor is anything else CPU, etc)

Here's where it gets interesting. I try Heaven benchmark, crashes everytime I try it (twice) and before it crashes I have the same colors popping up. So I go to the voltage (I've never OC'd or attempted to OC, but it is OC'd out the box) and I had read something earlier about adjusting voltage so I just jack it all the way up and boot up Heaven. Not only does it not crash but instead of avg about 45-52 FPS for the most part, it never drops below 60 and scores like a 1538. I immediately start reading in that direction and I see voltage can be harmful so I lower it to 1000. It's helped and I've noticed the game crashes a lot less but I'm still getting the annoying colors. (Only happens while gaming and the only games I've tried are Crysis 2 and Skyrim)

Here's an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLIHFqRfrLc

You'll notice right when the video starts a green dot in front of the man with the torch and then a grey one quickly following to the left. The girl dialogue is a little more obvious. I've seen the colors vary between grey, green, red, and yellow and it seems to vary depending on the environment. I was getting yellow on ice during the day and I tried to tape that but the game crashed.

Thanks a lot

** Couple side notes
- I'm wondering if my RAM could be the issue. I have 8 GB but only 1033 MHZ .. I know, it's the next upgrade.
- On my NVIDIA control panel I have power management to max performance and preference on one screen (using one 1080p)
- My PSU (which has never had a problem) is a Corsair 800

 

[blackened23]

You are getting driver TDR's because your overclock is too high. When you get a TDR, those exact symptoms happen. GPU speed is reset, usually to 2d clocks, and you will either lock out or be kicked back to the desktop with a TDR error in the system tray. Also, artifacts (the colors in skyrim) are also symptomatic of overclocks that are too high. You say that you're not overclocking, but is your card
modified in any way?

Maybe it needs to be RMA'ed? It should not be doing that at stock settings... Higher vDroop will definitely help stabilize overclocks (a factory overclock in your case). Does your card have a modded BIOS? Any other 3rd party overclocking software? What you are getting is symptomatic of an overclock that is too high, which will cause a TDR in games. I don't know what the other variables are that could cause this on your end (like I said - modded BIOS? overclocking software? maybe you should uninstall all overclocking software altogether)

What I would do first is uninstall all overclocking software and get your system clean, as to eliminate that as a cause.

 

[TechRookie16]

But it's factory OC'd even if it is really high

 

[TechRookie16]

The only thing OC'd is I have a i5 2500k unlocked that is overclocked to 4.2 ghz so it's not like I'm really jacking it up

 

[blackened23]

Did you get this card used? Did the original owner mess with it in any way ? IE flashing a different BIOS on it? You should not be able to adjust voltage on that card, only adjusting vDroop should work.

 

[TechRookie16]

Blackened do you have some kinda messenger program so I can do a little troubleshooting some of the stuff you're saying is a little over my head

 

[blackened23]

I have skype but i'm using it for WoW at the moment,anyway, first course of action - if you know how to overclock, try underclocking to see if your symptoms go away. This will tell you if the factory overclock is too high or if the card needs to be RMA'ed. Second course, if that fails, is uninstall all overclocking software (afterburner i'm assuming)? And see if the symptoms go away. If not, your card _should not_ require a higher voltage or higher vdroopp for stock settings. If you still get the same symptoms I would contact the seller or RMA it.

The symptoms you describe (artifacts, and TDR driver errors) are exactly what happens when overclocks that are too high - yet you aren't overclocking beyond the factory clocks so this shouldn't happen.

 

[TechRookie16]

Well the person that OC'd the processor did it through BIOS so just resetting BIOS to default should take care of that, correct?

Also I just checked my BIOS, and my BIOS in general is outdated. Do you think updating my BIOS will make a difference?

 

[blackened23]

Well, it seems that you have several things overclocked in your system.

90% of the time when your CPU overclock is unstable, your system will hang after a few minutes. I really think your GPU is the problem, not your CPU - so messing with your BIOS *probably* will not help. But you may want to contact your seller to see if he can offer a resolution. I wouldn't reset the BIOS for the motherboard just yet.

Focus on eliminating one thing at a time. Start with the GPU. Underclock it, see if that eliminates the issue. Then remove the GPU overclocking software (uninstall), see if that eliminates the issue. I really think the issue is your GPU, not your CPU - a CPU will cause a system hang most of the time. Your symptoms are that of a GPU that is overclocked too high.

TLDR:

Eliminate potential problems one at a time. Start with the GPU first, don't worry about the CPU or BIOS just yet. As I mentioned earlier, from what you are saying i'm pretty sure the GPU is the cause.

 

[hokies83]

Nothing wrong with the card played both those games with out issue.

And would complete Heaven 3.0 at stock every time on my system.

This is just the nature have having a powerful system sometimes things got to be tweaked a bit somewhere for them to run smooth.

However in Crysis 2 with the texture mods my current system can ahve some issues.. i point more towards driver issues.. It's a computer not a console nothing is perfect...

 

[RussianSensation]

Nothing wrong with the card played both those games with out issue.

And would complete Heaven 3.0 at stock every time on my system.

This is just the nature have having a powerful system sometimes things got to be tweaked a bit somewhere for them to run smooth.

Don't you have a history of having a massive failure rate of GPUs you buy, like you had 2 failed 7970s and couldn't even get them to work despite reinstalling drivers 7 times? And then one of your 680 was having problems too? That's a lot of GPUs not working properly in a very limited time-frame, no?

When you sold him the card, did you put more than 1.212V into the GPU, flashed it with an after-market/voltage unlocked BIOS?

 

[hokies83]

Don't you have a history of having a massive failure rate of GPUs you buy, like you had 2 failed 7970s and couldn't even get them to work despite reinstalling drivers 7 times? And then one of your 680 was having problems too? That's a lot of GPUs not working properly in a very limited time-frame, no?

When you sold him the card, did you put more than 1.212V into the GPU, flashed it with an after-market/voltage unlocked BIOS?

Yeah i had issues with 7970s.. The 680 worked fine just 1 fan did not spin..

That card is stock i never touched a thing on it i had it like 2 weeks.

He also said he turned the voltage down.. Kepler boosts so it needs all the voltage it can get set it to max it will do. it is not harmful that is the stock voltage.

 

[tviceman]

OP, I think blackend is right. Use MSI afterburner, downclock the GPU by 50mhz, downclock the vram by 50-100mhz (if it's overclocked) and retest. Driver crashes with Kepler are almost always a result of unstable core or memory speeds.

 

[zaydq]

It could be boosting too high for some reason. Downclocking could fix your problem, but I would still suggest RMA'ing it with the seller's help considering the card is faulty. I wouldn't be surprised if the seller sold it to you due to it being faulty.

 

[hokies83]

It could be boosting too high for some reason. Downclocking could fix your problem, but I would still suggest RMA'ing it with the seller's help considering the card is faulty. I wouldn't be surprised if the seller sold it to you due to it being faulty.

Im the seller and there is nothing wrong with the Dam Card. END OF STORY.

He has Under Volted the card not knowing what he is doing.. You did read when he set it to stock Max voltage there were no issues.

 

[RussianSensation]

I immediately start reading in that direction and I see voltage can be harmful so I lower it to 1000.

Kepler is safe even up to 1.212V. Why would you lower it to 1000mV? Do you get any issues, color popping or otherwise at stock voltages from the factory or at max voltage? Did you increase PowerTune to max? Did you try PCIe slot 1 or 2? Did you try different driver versions?

 

[zaydq]

Up the voltage and play, the card is being undervolted.

My apologies Hokies.

 

[TechRookie16]

Ok before I left for work I changed the voltage to 1175 and ran the benchmark for Heaven about 4 or 5 times, everytime it crashed. The FPS with max voltage did have a significant jump to about 70-90 on average. I'll try using an older driver when I get home.

Quick note about Hokie though, in no way do I feel slighted. He has attempted to help me in every way and whenever I send him an email he almost immediately responds. I don't want to make it appear like he's done anything sketchy, I really appreciate all the guidance and like the username says I'm sure its more error of operator.

 

[blackened23]

Tech, honest question: why are you messing with voltage? There is absolutely no reason for you to mess with that stuff. Adjusting voltage is for seasoned overclockers. You shouldn't even have that on your PC to be honest.

You should uninstall ALL of that crap from your PC, uninstall afterburner or whatever over volting software you have. You should NOT be messing with that unless you completely 100% know what you are doing and the consequences of such actions. Manipulating voltage can cause more problems than it solves.

In short, uninstall whatever overclocking software you are using -- ALL of it. THEN see if you get errors. You need to eliminate the possibility that your OC software is causing this - you want to operate your card at 100% stock settings. Software that manipulates clockspeeds / voltage can and will affect your stability if you don't use it properly. You should not be using it.

To be clear: your card should not require over voltage for stock settings. Any GPU requiring over voltage for stock operation should be RMA'ed. Your PC should not require any GPU overclocking software. Uninstall all of it - it sounds like you're not completely familiar with how to use it and the consequences of doing so. Now if your card continues to act up while at stock settings WITH the overclocking software uninstalled - your GPU has issues.

I do believe that hokies will agree that a stock card with no overclocking software should operate properly. On that note, I'm sure hokies is a standup guy and will help you work through these problems, i'm not trying to say anything bad about the card - if he says it works fine there's no reason to believe otherwise. I honestly feel like your problem is caused by external variables unrelated to the card - that is why I suggest running it at 100% stock settings with all OC software removed. It sounds like your voltage adjustments are causing more problems than they are solving.

 

[hokies83]

With me id say id had run Heaven 3.0 about 25x with that card and it never failed unless my OC was to high as i was benching it for Rankings over at OCN.

With the card he has i was # 18 in 3D Mark 11 Scores.

 

[tviceman]

Stop messing with your voltage. Unless you have some kind of modded bios, adjusting voltage via afterburner or evga precision or any other GPU tweaking program is MAKING ZERO DIFFERENCE.

Drop the clocks like EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS THREAD IS SAYING TO DO. Drop both the core clocks and vram clocks.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Yeah i had issues with 7970s.. The 680 worked fine just 1 fan did not spin..

That card is stock i never touched a thing on it i had it like 2 weeks.

He also said he turned the voltage down.. Kepler boosts so it needs all the voltage it can get set it to max it will do. it is not harmful that is the stock voltage.

With me id say id had run Heaven 3.0 about 25x with that card and it never failed unless my OC was to high as i was benching it for Rankings over at OCN.

With the card he has i was # 18 in 3D Mark 11 Scores.

OP, put the voltage to auto.

 

[hokies83]

OP, put the voltage to auto.

Umm Yeah bro Stock as i never touched the Bios.

 

[zaydq]

Voltage at auto, whats your psu?

 

[TechRookie16]

Ok I had a second to run home, just ran it twice. Both time got some colors popping up, at the very end got some very large green colors popping up before it crashed.

I uninstalled Precision X and restarted before I ran this test. I don't have any other sort of overclocking program such as afterburner. I never attempted to OC the GPU, ever.