Radeon 9600XT crashes, 3dmark01 fails...

[axemanxt40]

Hey guys, I was running 3dmark01 SE in a infinite loop to burn in my graphics card...see if it is defective. And apparently something is wrong, because it is 2 for 2 in doing this.

I am not sure how long it takes for the crash to occur because I am away from my PC at the time, but I come back to find the ATI VPU Recovery process has taken place message, and then it says you are currently running in software rendering please restart your machine. And in 3dmark01 SE I get a pop up error message saying fatal error, unable to execute directx commands (something along those lines).

Here is my computer rig:
Antec 350 watt PSU trueblue
P4 2.6C
1024 Corsair XMS PC3500
Asus P4P800 mobo
Sapphire Radeon 9600XT
2 x 80 GB Hitachi SATA 7200 RPM drives in RAID 0
Sound Blaster Audigy

Running the Catalyst 3.9 drivers, and I haven't overclocked anything in this system at all. Everything is at stock speeds including the graphics card.

So I was wondering, what could be the problem? Everything other stability test worked just fine, and it can run instances of 3dmark01...but whenever it loops it for a period of time it crashes. So I am thinking its either the drivers, the card itself, or I don't know if this would cause a problem but my graphics card and USB Host controller are on the same IRQ.

 

[axemanxt40]

bump

 

[vailr]

As a wild guess, I'd say the PSU may be a little weak; try upgrading to a 400 Watt, or more, PSU.
Maybe: Remove the Audigy card, and only use one HD (if you have a spare, non-raided); then see if you get the same video failure.
Could also be due to case/video card overheating. Try running with the case side panel off.

 

[axemanxt40]

Right now I am running with the 3.8 drivers...see if it can go the night without crashing. Otherwise I guess its either the PSU or the card itself.

 

[Vonkhan]

get the 3.7s cats, or better Omegas

 

[axemanxt40]

Omegas?

Also is the general consensus on the most stable catalyst release 3.7?

 

[dguy6789]

goto omegacorner.com and get the newest. The best drivers are the omegas based on the 3.9s.

 

[axemanxt40]

These omega drivers are stable I assume?

 

[Blastman]

Assuming you uninstalled your previous graphic card/drivers properly, ??.then maybe it is a defective card.

 

[axemanxt40]

Originally posted by: Blastman
Assuming you uninstalled your previous graphic card/drivers properly, ??.then maybe it is a defective card.

As for that comment, I used ATI's cat uninstallers, its listed in their utitilies section. I think that is the best way to completely remove the drivers.

And I called newegg.com tonight, requested an RMA. I figure the easiest way to determine if it is the PSU or the graphics card is try get a new one, see if that works, and if not assume its the PSU.

Also I probably would run a test by unplugging unnecessary components to free up power like the optical drives and the sound card...I will post back next week when I get the card and get results!

 

[axemanxt40]

Ok here is the update as promised, I got my new card from newegg yesterday, installed it, set it up to loop 3dmark01 SE...and after 12 hours it is still running perfectly.

So it was just a defective graphics card, thanks for all the opinions guys.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: vailr
As a wild guess, I'd say the PSU may be a little weak; try upgrading to a 400 Watt, or more, PSU.
Maybe: Remove the Audigy card, and only use one HD (if you have a spare, non-raided); then see if you get the same video failure.
Could also be due to case/video card overheating. Try running with the case side panel off.

doubt it. that antec can handle that setup with EASE.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: nick1985

Originally posted by: vailr
As a wild guess, I'd say the PSU may be a little weak; try upgrading to a 400 Watt, or more, PSU.
Maybe: Remove the Audigy card, and only use one HD (if you have a spare, non-raided); then see if you get the same video failure.
Could also be due to case/video card overheating. Try running with the case side panel off.

doubt it. that antec can handle that setup with EASE.

Easily.

 

[CraigRT]

glad ya got it sorted out !
i honestly wouldn't have guessed it was a defective card.

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: PorBleemo

Originally posted by: nick1985

Originally posted by: vailr
As a wild guess, I'd say the PSU may be a little weak; try upgrading to a 400 Watt, or more, PSU.
Maybe: Remove the Audigy card, and only use one HD (if you have a spare, non-raided); then see if you get the same video failure.
Could also be due to case/video card overheating. Try running with the case side panel off.

doubt it. that antec can handle that setup with EASE.

Easily.

 

[ViciousCircle]

Well glad that you solved your problem. I have another Radeon 9600Pro and since i bought it is a hell. Most of the games crash after 30 seconds of playing. I should check it maybe is defective, but i have the same problem as people in http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/8596/?o=1000
Guess that the new catalyst will solve our problems, but dont know if i will wait until they release them
And yes i have tried to remove all unnecesary hardware attached to my pc, modified all the pertinents options in the bios and in the ati control panel but the games still crashing (like Neverwinter Nights, Chaos Legion, C&C...)
Anyone has any idea?

 

[Sideswipe001]

The new Catalyst is due out today, by the way.

 

[ViciousCircle]

Yes, the new catalyst has solved our my problems