Need Help: Artifacts in BIOS and random Reboots (no OC)!!?!?

[Miklebud]

My Rig in question:
Athlon XP Barton 2500+ 2.2ghz, 1.8ghz, and 1.1ghz Running VERY cool (SP-97 cooled)
BFG 6800 OC Fresh from RMA, not OC'd at all running a cool 50C Idle
FORTRON 350 Watt PSU
ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe Rev 2.0
512 OCZ PC3500 DC

All righty, this all began about 2 weeks ago. I started getting artifacts in Windows, just idling, no gaming. I had my 6800 OC RMA'd, because I figured that was the problem. I had uninstalled Rivatuner, to make sure it wasn't interfering, and things still artifacted IN BIOS. So I RMA'd it.

Get the new BFG 6800 OC, install and it was fine; no artifacts. But it started to randomly reboot IDLING. I had my Barton OC'd to 2.2, so I set it back to stock 1.8. Restart and it reboots again, randomly surfing the internet. AT Stock Barton speeds. 🙁 Downclock it to 100 FSB (1.1)? and it randomly artifacts in BIOS. Argh.

I tried the 6800 in my second rig, but it only has a 300 watt Antec PSU, and it artifacted using that too.

At the moment it's running, a 1.1ghz and a very very stock BFG 6800 OC. It's been running for about 12 hours but has just been idling and I opened up Guild Wars for 4 minutes and it was fine. Everything is running chilly, 6800 OC at 50C idle, and Barton at 10C over Case (so mid 30's).

I am out of ideas...PSU maybe?

 

[ghidu]

Originally posted by: Miklebud
I am out of ideas...PSU maybe?

Yes. 350 it's not enough

 

[Miklebud]

But it was working for about a month. 🙁 Can they get progressively worse, so they end up putting out less and less power?

 

[Bozo Galora]

you should have put a little mark on the card to see if they sent you back the same one.
sometimes they just test it IN THEIR KNOWN WORKING SYSTEM and send it back to you.

I always run MEMTEST 86+ as a first option in troubleshooting.

Do not use 77.72 drivers

uninstalling vidcard from Dev Man, reinstalling chipset drivers sometimes works (especially VIA) then the vidcard drivers so that they can redetect each other apart from previous config.

also, on some of the early 6800's the bios didnt seem to "stick" , if you can find exact same bios - I would reflash the card. Dif bios would invalidate warranty.

And you are really going to have to buy a decent size PSU - the PSU doesnt give out less and less, but insufficient power at load could corrupt the vidcard bios.

 

[Matt2]

I guess then 6800GT is the deciding factor here, but I ran a 1700+ @ 2.2GHZ with a 9700 and all the optical drives you could want, 2 HDs, blah blah on a 350watt Raidmax PSU... Yes a Raidmax, you know, the kind that comes with the $50 cases.

No problems, that PC is still rockin.

 

[Bozo Galora]

I have never understood people who say "Yeah, I use my trusty old $15 Zoomblatt 250Watt PSU on my dual core X2, dual 7800GT SLI setup, and it works flawlessly, even during brownouts"

Shouldnt one's goal be to err on the SAFE side, so that one doesnt run into POTENTIAL problems?

Just a rhetorical question - no answer necessary.

 

[Matt2]

Thinkin out loud again huh?

 

[Miklebud]

It is a different 6800, well at least the BIOS is different. The previous one was way back from January 2004, so I'm sure things have changed since then...

So, is the PSU generally the first thing I should check out?

 

[Bozo Galora]

You have two choices - borrow a bigger PSU from someone to try
Install an el crappo PCI $20 vidcard (Trident/SIS) to make sure everything is good EXCEPT vidcard.

 

[Chadder007]

Bad video card memory.

 

[Miklebud]

Originally posted by: Bozo Galora
You have two choices - borrow a bigger PSU from someone to try
Install an el crappo PCI $20 vidcard (Trident/SIS) to make sure everything is good EXCEPT vidcard.

I've got a Ti-4200 on it's way (should be here tomorrow).

 

[Miklebud]

Mkay, it was the RMA'd 6800 causing the problems. It artifacted in 3 different systems (300w PSU, 350w, and 430w). Got my Ti-4200 and it works fine...