Has my video card died?

[ToRook]

One time I got my computer to start normally but this would happen randomly


http://[URL="http://postimg.or.../IMG_20130605_103111_212.jpg[/img][/url"

Booting after a crash
http://[URL="http://postimg.or.../IMG_20130601_143942_243.jpg[/img][/url"

The crash
http://[URL="http://postimg.or.../IMG_20130601_150418_046.jpg[/img][/url"

Running in safe mode with networking, I reached into my computer to gently wiggle my GPU and it would temporarily worsen or fix the lines (reseating hasn't helped)
http://[URL="http://postimg.or.../IMG_20130603_194038_871.jpg[/img][/url"


When I leave the computer with the PSU switch flicked off for an hour or so (call it a cold start) I'll start my computer and maybe, if I'm lucky, get to the Error Recovery screen before a crash. Any subsequent boot attempts after that result in my display remaining black with the orange lit power button meaning idle/no input. Despite my computer's fans, lights, and sounds all going off like they normally would (I mean hardware noises, not the windows startup chime) when I press the power button.

I wouldn't say the GPU is getting hot, at least not to the touch, but either way it's not running long or doing anything demanding.

I've tried uninstalling the drivers with hopes of reinstalling new ones while I was in safe mode, but the progress bar was stuck at half way for over an hour. However, I did get the prompt to restart for changes to take effect, but I haven't been able to boot successfully since. I should mention I've gotten to the screen to put my password in a couple times before the graphical errors start to show up and then crash.

I've blown everything out with C02 and reseated the card probably four times now.

I don't have anything else to plug into my DVI port on my display, but HDMI works just fine.

My System: All purchased Aug 2011
ASUS M5A97 -- AMD 970
Radeon HD 6970
AMD Phenom™ II X6 1100T Black Edition
4 GB [2 GB X2] DDR3-1333
Corsair CMPSU-750TXV2

So, do I need a new GFX card? Or what else could it be?

 

[dualsmp]

Maybe try a different PCI-E slot since your motherboard has two. You might have to do a fresh install if your drivers are borked.

Edit: OP check this thread as well, I don't know if 6970's have a problem with longevity or not. Maybe just a coincidence.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2321557

 

[WTSherman]

Possibly the monitor if you haven't tested it on another.

 

[bystander36]

You wouldn't happen to have another video card you could test. I've seen this problem a few times, all of which were bad cards.

 

[Termie]

What's the monitor make and model?

I once had an issue like this and thought it was my video card, but it turned out to be the monitor. Try to check it on another monitor if you can, or alternatively on the same monitor but different video card, as others have suggested.

 

[notty22]

You can run a console in to a monitor to eliminate that as well. Or another computer/ laptop anything with video out.
It's probably the video card.

 

[ToRook]

I don't have an extra GPU around to try, and the monitor works fine when I plug my phone into the HDMI port. Why would a faulty monitor crash my system?

I tried switching PCI-E slots like dualsmp suggested and it worked! For long enough to get my drivers installed and boot windows normally... Then graphical errors quick flashed on the screen followed by a message saying the display driver stopped working but recovered. Then a few short moments later it crashed completely.

Boot again and it crashes in half the time, getting shorter and shorter with each reboot. So I'm starting to think heat may be a factor.

The BSOD stop codes I've been getting are 0xa000001 and 0x0000116, both driver related.

Edit: Monitor is a ASUS PA248

 

[dualsmp]

I don't have an extra GPU around to try, and the monitor works fine when I plug my phone into the HDMI port. Why would a faulty monitor crash my system?

I tried switching PCI-E slots like dualsmp suggested and it worked! For long enough to get my drivers installed and boot windows normally... Then graphical errors quick flashed on the screen followed by a message saying the display driver stopped working but recovered. Then a few short moments later it crashed completely.

Boot again and it crashes in half the time, getting shorter and shorter with each reboot. So I'm starting to think heat may be a factor.

The BSOD stop codes I've been getting are 0xa000001 and 0x0000116, both driver related.

Edit: Monitor is a ASUS PA248

If you check the last post of the thread I linked Brekyrself seems to think the coolers and GPU die don't fit that great. You might need some new thermal paste on your GPU.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=35070836&postcount=43

Also I'm not sure if your memory thermal tape would need to be replaced if you take it apart, but you might plan for it if you go that route.

 

[BoFox]

Yeah, try replacing the TIM and let me know if it works man!

 

[ToRook]

When I woke up today I switched it back and forth between the PCI-E slots and now it's working fine. Even played BF3 for a couple hours which ended with the game freezing, but BF3 kinda always did that.

I was also monitoring the GPU temp in between games and noticed it get up to 187°F

Idk wtf to think... could it have fixed itself? I mean I feel like it's gonna start happening again at any minute.

 

[Face2Face]

When I woke up today I switched it back and forth between the PCI-E slots and now it's working fine. Even played BF3 for a couple hours which ended with the game freezing, but BF3 kinda always did that.

I was also monitoring the GPU temp in between games and noticed it get up to 187°F

Idk wtf to think... could it have fixed itself? I mean I feel like it's gonna start happening again at any minute.

86c sounds pretty hot. The game shouldn't freeze while playing it either, only time it froze for me is when my 9800GX2 was overheating playing it. I suggest you clean the dust out of the card and replace the TIM. This will at least keep you card from overheating.

 

[ToRook]

Well I don't have any and would need to orders some, and i think it would be a little silly ordering just one little tube.

So lets just say I was thinking of ordering another GFX card, and I was torn between picking between 660ti and a 7950. What would you think would be better with my ASUS M5A97 CrossFire mobo? I hear the 660ti is only marginally superior to the 7950 but I could CrossFire my system. But, I also hear that CrossFiring is more of a hassle than it is a performance increase.

 

[Face2Face]

Well I don't have any and would need to orders some, and i think it would be a little silly ordering just one little tube.

So lets just say I was thinking of ordering another GFX card, and I was torn between picking between 660ti and a 7950. What would you think would be better with my ASUS M5A97 CrossFire mobo? I hear the 660ti is only marginally superior to the 7950 but I could CrossFire my system. But, I also hear that CrossFiring is more of a hassle than it is a performance increase.

Why not? It's super cheap

I wouldn't say the 660Ti is superior to the 7950 unless you are using Nvidia technologies (PhysX and Cuda) The 7950 is a better all around card, that has some pretty good overclocking head room as well. Either way your stock clocked CPU would be holding both cards back some. I still would get a tube of TIM and see if you can fix the card you have.

 

[Eureka]

Well I don't have any and would need to orders some, and i think it would be a little silly ordering just one little tube.

So lets just say I was thinking of ordering another GFX card, and I was torn between picking between 660ti and a 7950. What would you think would be better with my ASUS M5A97 CrossFire mobo? I hear the 660ti is only marginally superior to the 7950 but I could CrossFire my system. But, I also hear that CrossFiring is more of a hassle than it is a performance increase.

Between the two, I would go for a 7950. 660 TIs just don't impress me very much. Jump to a 670 if you can find one or stick with a 7950.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Sounds like the op needs to blow the dust bunnies out of the fan and cooler.

 

[mikeymikec]

It's hardly a driver issue if the problem occurs before the card's graphics driver is even initialised.

My 5770 hits 100C when playing Crysis (a lot higher than any other game I've played), however since its idle temp is below 50C and the fan speed is what it always has been when idle (very quiet but not silent), I doubt it's a dust issue. Though a quick job with a vacuum cleaner is unlikely to do any harm.

The graphics card could be on its way out. I'm dubious about the idea of a reseat resolving an issue like that. If I was in the OP's shoes I'd probably run it until the stability issue really got on my nerves (after I had checked things like trying another PSU, reseating, etc).

BSOD 116 - IIRC that's Windows saying that your graphics card/driver has been a very naughty boy.

 

[SiliconWars]

100C is crazy high for a 5770. Take off the cooler and put new TIM on it and you'll be amazed at how far your temps drop.

 

[Puffnstuff]

He should also check his fan to make sure that it still works. I recently had a card do that and came to find out that the fan had failed letting the temps soar.

 

[ToRook]

Yes the fan works.

So I took it apart, blew out the dust bunnies, reapplied some TIM and when I got it all back together it still wouldn't work. So I ended buying a GIGABYTE 7950 which I just installed moments ago, only to find that it also won't work!! It sends absolutely no signal at all to my monitor, just a black screen with the orange idle light in the corner. Now just for the hell of it I decide to put my 6970 back in and this time it works! Well, about as far as the the password screen anyway.

So I'm pretty sure my new 7950 is D.O.A. but could there be something else wrong?

Possibly worth mentioning: The 7950 requires a six and an eight pin power connector, as does my 6970. But my computer is using a six + two for the eight pin. Not sure if relevant but I thought I'd mention it just in case people have had trouble with them.