New build crash (gpu/driver/psu?) *solved* - Aero

[CLite]

*solved* See last post for details, but the summary is Windows 7 Aero GUI sucks, so use Basic.

Rig
Intel i5-680 3.6Ghz (2 core because our software license only supports 2)
Msi P55-GD80
Seasonic X560 (46A on the 12V)
EVGA GTX580
Intel X25-M SSD
G. Skill 4x4GB Ripjaws 1066.
Windows 7 64bit Enterprise

Symptoms:
-Crashed while running WEI graphics portion (WEI worked with no graphics drivers installed), blue screen in games (dragon age origins all options 1680 x 1050)
-My old EVGA 8800 GT worked with WEI
-Ran 24 hour Prime95 (the 3rd test that does a lot of RAM) (temps stay below 55ºC while turbo-boosted 3.72GHz)
-Ran 69% coverage of memory with bootable MCI memtest, but I got bored since that took all night.

 

[Rifter]

run the OCCT GPU test and let me know what happens.

 

[Operandi]

What about FurkMark? Thats what I used to stress test my MSI Cyclone GTS450.

 

[mfenn]

If the old card works and the new one doesn't, it seems pretty conclusive to me. DOA's happen, just ask the vendor for an RMA.

EDIT: It could also theoretically be the PSU, but I doubt it. The X650 is a DC-DC unit that has tons of power on the 12V rail (as I'm sure you know).

 

[CLite]

run the OCCT GPU test and let me know what happens.

The test worked for 10 minutes when I used OCCT GPU v0.71, the GTX 580 seemed to stabilize around 76ºC, it might have gone higher but I didn't feel like running it longer.

One thing that I haven't tested thoroughly is that WEI crashed after a specific graphics test.... I will try to write down the order and run it again with the EVGA 8800 GT to see where exactly the GTX 580 crashes.

@Operandi
I only used 3Dmark, I haven't tried Furmark.

@mfenn
I will submit a RMA in the morning as I agree with you after all the headaches I've had trying to debug this build.

 

[betasub]

Intel i5-680 3.6Ghz (2 core because our software license only supports 2)

License for what software? Usually the EULA refers to processors as separate sockets, and does not prevent a single socket with multiple-cores.

 

[CLite]

This build is giving me gray hairs.

My computer has now crashed at some very random times. Once I was just flipping around my folders with no applications turned on and it went straight to my mobo screen like I pressed the restart button. Same thing happened when I was just looking at the internet, extremely random and instant restarts. This has all happened with the 8800 GT plugged in. A different failure mode than the BSOD I got with my game running on the GTX 580, however it's the exact same kind of restart that happened while running WEI with the GTX 580. Keep in mind that I ran Prime95 for about 48 hours with no problem (I had the 8800 GT plugged in).

The software packages are Abaqus & Star-ccm+, even their competitors use core based licensing.

 

[mfenn]

Try going down to 1 stick of RAM.

 

[CLite]

So I brought my computer into work today for our IT guys to tinker with it.

Windows 7 Aero GUI is the problem, when the GUI was set to basic the WEI ran fine with the GTX 580. The administrator was talking to me about how it was the problem and to demonstrate he was in the process of setting it back to Aero and as soon as he did it crashed straight to the mobo screen, just like all those random restarts I encountered.

Thank God for IT guys because I would never figure this random buggy crap out building a PC every couple years.

So a warning to future Windows 7 guys, avoid Aero like the plague.

 

[mfenn]

Aero has always been solid for me. I think that it's not so much that Aero is causing the problem, as it is that Aero is forcing the underlying problem to manifest. This may be a dumb question, but you are using the newest drivers from the Nvidia website right?

 

[CLite]

Aero has always been solid for me. I think that it's not so much that Aero is causing the problem, as it is that Aero is forcing the underlying problem to manifest. This may be a dumb question, but you are using the newest drivers from the Nvidia website right?

I have tried a combination of the following
1) Windows auto-detect
2) Nvidia website
3) EVGA website

I suppose I can call Microsoft in the morning to pick their brains. A random google search shows Aero messes with some games, so it seems to have some issues. The true tell-tail will be if I get any more random restarts and BSOD while playing games. All my stability tests MCI Memtest / OCCT GPU / Prime95 work, and even worked with Aero activated.