New x1950 Pro causes artifacts - PSU too weak?

[adinar]

Hey all - I just picked up an ATi (Visiontek) x1950 Pro (256MB) PCI-e video card and was hoping to use it to upgrade from my current Nvidia 6600GT. However, after I installed it, I was getting artifacts immediately upon powering up. Is that indicative of a underpowered PSU or could something be wrong with the video card?

I'm currently using an Antec TruePower 2.0 430w PSU (16A +12V1, 16A +12V2) which came with my Antec Sonata case. Other system specs: AMD X2 S939 3800+, 2GB RAM (4 DIMMs), DVD-ROM, DVD R/W, SATA HDD, 2 IDE HDDs, TV tuner card, Epox Nforce4 Ultra mobo.

Just wanted to make sure it was the PSU and not the video card.

After some more experimentation, I found out that if I use the PCI-e 6-pin power cable to power the card, I get artifacts immediately. If I use the adapter that splits the 6-pin connector into 2 4-pin molex connectors - and power the video card from 2 different rails, I can get into Windows just fine, but the system artifacts/crashes/locks up whenever I do something graphics intensive (video, games, etc).

Would the Sparkle ATX-400PN-B204 PSU be an adequate replacement PSU? Not looking at spending a lot of money here.

Thanks for whatever feedback y'all can provide!

 

[stevty2889]

I am guessing your PSU is too week. My 450W Antec blew when I went from a 7800GT to a 1900XTX on my X2 system..and your card uses more power..your 430W isn't enough, so you want to use a 400W as a replacement? I would have to say NO it won't be adiquate..I am currently using a 500W Antec NeoPower with my X2 and 1900XTX.

 

[MarcVenice]

Heh, check the antec TP for blown/bulging caps, if that's the case, send it in for RMA to antec, and pray you get an antec earthwatts 430/500w, both should be okay for your videocard.

Buying that sparkle is like going from bad to worse

 

[adinar]

Thanks...I had a friend test it out on his rig tonight (he's already running a x1950 Pro) and he was getting the same problems. So it looks like it may be a defect in the card itself.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: adinar
Thanks...I had a friend test it out on his rig tonight (he's already running a x1950 Pro) and he was getting the same problems. So it looks like it may be a defect in the card itself.

That sucks, hate it when that happens

 

[oynaz]

Artifacts are almost always due to defective cards. ATI cards are particurlarly susceptible, in my experience.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: oynaz
Artifacts are almost always due to defective cards. ATI cards are particurlarly susceptible, in my experience.

It can happen to either. I've had both nvidia and ATI cards be defective.

 

[mooseracing]

Mine gets artifacts while loading but is fine once in windows. And it crashes when trying to run the vista experience and loading games. BTW mine is a 1950 with 512

 

[Cerberuuus]

Hi, you could alsot try to check your AC Input. This was happening with me after upgrading from a video card to a stornger one, and it started to feeze and beep. After I removed one power chord from my voltage stabilizer (the monitor one) and put it directly into the AC input, letting the stabilizer only for the PC, the problem stopped. This used to happen (Until yesterday) whenever there was something graphics intensive too, like a game.

 

[MaDMvD]

I am having similar issues. My first nVidia 7950GT started artifacting so bad, it would change the colors of the BIOS screen/fonts. Upon completion of the boot sequence, Windows would crash right away. I was issued a replacement card, which worked for about 2 hours of moderate use. Now I get artifacts when running full screen Direct3D/OpenGL applications. No artifacts when windowed - very strange. XFX tells me there's no way they would've sent a bad replacement card, but it looks like that may be exactly what happened. BTW, Cerberuuus, what voltage stabilizer/conditioner are you using?

P.S. - I have a Mushkin 550W modular power supply. I doubt this is causing the problems... It has 20A +12V1 and 20A +12V2.

 

[MaDMvD]

Figured out the problem - or at least the fix. I noticed that when I changed bit-depth (from 16-bit to 32-bit or vice versa), the artifacts would go away. The same applies for when you change the resolution from within full-screen made to another resolution, although this method sometimes takes several tries for the artifacts to go away. Kind of an annoyance, but at least I won't have to RMA my card again. Then again, it hasn't done it in a few days, so here's to hoping. Good luck - hopefully someone with the same problem will stumble across this page via a Google search.

Keywords:

XFX
nVidia
7950GT
pci-e
pci-express
pcie
Fullscreen Artifacts
Full-screen Artifacts
Fullscreen Artifacting
Full-screen Artifacting

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: oynaz
Artifacts are almost always due to defective cards. ATI cards are particurlarly susceptible, in my experience.

BS statement here.

Artifacts are generally caused by the card overheating.

Most of the stock coolers that came on X1950 Pros just sucked horribly, and this is the fault of the manufacturer, not the chip set maker.

I have a system running with an Asus X1950 Pro right now on a SeaSonic 430 watt PSU and it runs just fine. I doubt the PSU is the problem.

 

[Super Nade]

Sparkle units are better than the Epsilon designs. The only problems are, they are inefficient and are based on an outdated design.

 

[maluckey]

x2 for poor heatsink performance. Artifacts are most always from overheating or overclocking. If your card isn't overclocked, then check the heatsink. It can come loose during shipping and/or during installation. Take it off, clean it and reapply with good HS compound. IF the problem remains RMA the card.

 

[Iron Woode]

I had to RMA my x1950 Pro PCI-e card due to artifacting in 3d applications only.

There are lots of reasons why cards artifact, but 90% of them is due to a failure somewhere in the card itself.

My temps were 51 at idle and 70 under load, so overheating was not an issue.

The best advice is to get a real good PSU as it helps for future upgrades. Just check the side of the box on the x1950 Pro: 450 Watt PSU or greater and 30 amps on 12 volt rail. This is a power hungry card. I got myself a PCP&C Silencer 610. It maybe overkill for me but it doesn't hurt if I want to do some upgrading later on.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
Just check the side of the box on the x1950 Pro: 450 Watt PSU or greater and 30 amps on 12 volt rail. This is a power hungry card.

The X1950 Pro is not power hungry at all and only consumes ~66W under load.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images...wer_1950pro_7900gs.gif

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
Just check the side of the box on the x1950 Pro: 450 Watt PSU or greater and 30 amps on 12 volt rail. This is a power hungry card.

The X1950 Pro is not power hungry at all and only consumes ~66W under load.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images...wer_1950pro_7900gs.gif

I know, but over at Sapphire (the maker of mine) they claim under heavy load the x1950 series pull 12A or 145W.

either way it makes sense to get a good PSU and eliminate it as a source of issues.

 

[Makaveli]

I ran my x1950Pro my current system a Opteron 170 @ 2.75 Ghz on a Enermax 420watt Psu no problems.

just don't use a cheap PSU!