Gecube X1950XT 512MB Woes: Please, someone take mercy on me...

[chucky2]

Ok, I'm at wits end trying to figure this out...I'm getting the bad feeling it's some weird incompatability and that it'll never work.

System: GA-MA69G-S3H (F2-F5 BIOS's), GeCube X1950XT 512MB, 2GB Mushkin DDR2-800 native 1.8v, 400 something watt FSP Group power supply, other modern components. Nothing is overclocked.

Problem: Notably Crysis (demo and actual game, w/ 1.1 patch) crashes to black screen with audio still playing. Most times it won't make it through the intro sequence to get into the actual game. If we spacebar through them, the problem will happen before even getting to kill the first guy.

Things tried:

1.) Taking GeCube card out and playing using onboard X1250 video. We can play all day long, and, while very choppy on lowest settings, it's rock solid stable. This would lead me to believe it's not an install problem or an audio driver issue.

2.) Leaving GeCube card in and trying Catalyst drivers 7.7 through the newest 8.2's. DriverCleaner.NET used after uninstalling, rebooting each time.

3.) Different GA-MA69G-S3H tried (I bought two to build two systems) with same results.

4.) Tried Antec 550W power supply, same results.

5.) Thought it might be heat, so took case cover off and pointed housefan on high at PC...no way could it be heat. Did this while #4 Antec 550W was hooked up.

6.) Thought it might be a weird Vista x86 thing, so used spare hard drive and did a Windows XP Pro w/ SP2 + .NET's (and all .NET patches) install...same exact problem.

7.) RMA'd GeCube card...replacement card does the exact same thing.

8.) Post here hoping someone has an idea...

Please, someone, anyone, take mercy on me...

Chuck

 

[agathodaimon]

I would say it would be a particular problem with the GeCube cards. Maybe the firmware/hardware simply does not like Crysis.

Does it happen with other games?

I mean, if it works with the x1250 video, and NOT with two different GeCube cards, then that would make me point my finger at the GeCube cards specifically.

 

[chucky2]

Well, it's my little cousins PC...and between the two of us, we don't have that many games. He does have Silent Service something or other, and that also glitches out when pumping all the graphics options up. Now, whether that's a SS + Vista problem or the same type of deal in Crysis, no idea. If he lowers some of the options though in SS, he can play with no crashing. Crysis though, even on the absolute lowest settings, crashes when using the Gecube card.

Another thing about the Crysis crash: When the screen blanks, the monitor goes to power savings mode...just like if it's getting no signal (which apperantly it isn't).

The problem is that I don't have another high draw PCIe card to put into the Gigabyte's PCIe slot and see if it's a power draw problem on the PCIe x16 slot of the Gigabyte motherboard, or, if it's a Gecube problem. Alternately, I also don't have another system with a PCIe x16 slot in it that doesn't have a Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H so as to rule out the board.

I'm starting to thing the only thing I can do at this point is to go to Worst Buy, buy a high end card, put it into the Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H, and see if all is well. Then, return the card to Worst Buy...which I hate doing because that's dishonest...they're paying for re-stocking on something I never was going to keep (then again, the amount they rip people off I don't feel that guilty). If that did work though, then I'd know it wasn't some power issue on the Gigabyte boards, and it'd have to be a Gecube problem.

What other options do I have? Any?

Chuck

 

[agathodaimon]

Have all the power connections hooked up to the card?
It sounds like it has some sort of power problem... Unrelated to your PC's power supply... Something possibly faulty in a batch of GeCube's cards?

I don't really know...

You could try picking up a card at BB and returning it... I wouldn't sweat it... heheh...

 

[chucky2]

Yeah, there's only one connector on the back of the Gecube card, and we've always had it plugged in. Same thing for the motherboard, all power connectors are plugged in.

If no one else has any ideas, I think I'm down to the Worst Buy route...not much else I can think of that it could be...

Chuck

 

[Denithor]

Just a comment, today's 8800GT/GTS and HD38x0 cards don't suck up as much power as the x1950xt does. Just looking at a couple of benchies from AT shows the x1950xtx at >300W under load and the newer G92-based 8800 cards at ~200W under load. You should try to find a 2900XT or something like that to test properly.

Better yet, sell the x1950xt for $100 or so and buy an 8800GS for $130 or a 9600GT for $160.