Sudden death 9800 PRO?

[DaFOBulous1]

This is my 3rd one I believe that has crapped out on me.

The first one had the artic silencer rev 3 along with aluminum ramsinks. It worked but when I switched it out to another computer, it died or just stopped working.

This one is stock with ramsinks. I played some games for maybe 1-2 hours and then suddenly I see the screen turned blank. No signal...nothing. Wasn't overheating as far as I can tell.

Now this Sapphire I had for my gf's rig. It started to show some artifacts...just like the 2nd one, it's stockk, no overclocking. I know the heatsink for this is crap as it's not even good as the OEM from ATI. It has the L-shaped heatsink.

Im wondering is it maybe my PSU that is messing it up or just bad luck? I have a cheapo 480W Demon PSU which has 17A on 12W...so I know it's crappy.

Any suggestions?

 

[Budman]

it happens,I had 4 of them crap out on me,yes 4.

1. 9800 non pro (rma local seller)
2. 9800 pro RMA was DOA after waiting 4 weeks so wait an other 3 weeks for second replacement :|
3. 9800 pro xt core flashed to XT .
the 3rd one lasted me almost a year & 2 weeks ago just suddenly died on a OS shutdown,i wasnt even gaming for days. it just decided to not boot up the next day.

4. just got this RMA back 2 days ago & it's good so far.

Cant be cooling because i was using my VGA silencer the whole time & never had any artifacts of any kind,so yeah they just die suddenly in my case.

 

[PCHPlayer]

My 9800 AIW has been working flawlessly for over a year. Many hours of Far Cry, Half-Life 2, Half-Life Source, Serious Sam (first and second encounter) and not to mention constant internet use by my kids. Seems like bad luck for both of you. Good luck in the future.

 

[DaFOBulous1]

I have a question...my Sapphire started to show artifacts...you think I can put a Silencer in it? Im guessing it's artifacting because it's EXTREMELY hot when I touch the heatsink. I don't even OC these suckers. What gives???!

I wonder how easy it will RMA the BBA once since I just RMAed one just a month ago. I don't get these cards at all.

I really don't want to RMA two cards if I have to.

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: DaFOBulous1
I have a question...my Sapphire started to show artifacts...you think I can put a Silencer in it? Im guessing it's artifacting because it's EXTREMELY hot when I touch the heatsink. I don't even OC these suckers. What gives???!

I wonder how easy it will RMA the BBA once since I just RMAed one just a month ago. I don't get these cards at all.

I really don't want to RMA two cards if I have to.

Once the dammage is done to your core it cant be fixed.

When your card is cold after just booting up does it show artifacts or do they come on after a while gaming? if it's a while after then yes it may be overheating & then a vga silencer might help you,but if it's doing it all the time no amount of cooling will fix a dammaged core.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Budman

Originally posted by: DaFOBulous1
I have a question...my Sapphire started to show artifacts...you think I can put a Silencer in it? Im guessing it's artifacting because it's EXTREMELY hot when I touch the heatsink. I don't even OC these suckers. What gives???!

I wonder how easy it will RMA the BBA once since I just RMAed one just a month ago. I don't get these cards at all.

I really don't want to RMA two cards if I have to.

Once the dammage is done to your core it cant be fixed.

When your card is cold after just booting up does it show artifacts or do they come on after a while gaming? if it's a while after then yes it may be overheating & then a vga silencer might help you,but if it's doing it all the time no amount of cooling will fix a dammaged core.

DEFINITELY rma it!

IF you are going to put a Silencer on a videocard, DON'T put it on one that may be dying . . . your warranty may be toast along with your card.

edit
You might try cooling your case further . . . 17a is not "bad" on the 12v rail - depending on what else you are running and if it is o/c' . . . that said, if you KEEP on burning out videocards, it wouldn't hurt to get a quality PS . . . videocards are going to require more and more power.

 

[DaFOBulous1]

Crap...I think at first it did show artifacts when it was hot but I think it got worst.

What is the warranty on the Sapphire? I heard it's a pain in the....A$$.

 

[Whipped]

Does the 9800 Pro have a reputation as being unreliable? I hope not, I just bought one.

 

[DaFOBulous1]

Well...from my experience. It's hard since ATI cards are more modded not just to overclock but for myself, to cool it down and have it last longer. I mean the 9800 pro run REAL HOT. I have had 4-5 NVidia and not have failed. I added a heatsink to one...still doing good. The ATI has died quickly...I have owned and bought/traded over 7-8 ATI cards the past 3 months and half of them died. 2 of them were stock.

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by: Whipped
Does the 9800 Pro have a reputation as being unreliable? I hope not, I just bought one.

Not at all, don't worry about it.

 

[Miklebud]

I had 2 9800 Pro's crap out on me. RMA'd both of them and switched to nVidia.

 

[knyghtbyte]

9800XT rocks

still a little pricey tho i gather for what it does.....

if u playing dx8 based games tho it will kick ass compared to equivelant priced new gen cards generally.....but not so hot on dx9 (compared to new gen)..lol

 

[SilverTrine]

A lot of people who had 9800's 'crap out on them' installed an aftermarket cooler on them, specifically an Arctic Cooler. That thing was a death machine leaving dead 9800 pro cores in its wake left and right.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: SilverTrine
A lot of people who had 9800's 'crap out on them' installed an aftermarket cooler on them, specifically an Arctic Cooler. That thing was a death machine leaving dead 9800 pro cores in its wake left and right.

that's the FIRST time i heard this
:Q

WHICH Arctic Coolers?

Rev3 is a hellofalot better than the stock cooling.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: SilverTrine
A lot of people who had 9800's 'crap out on them' installed an aftermarket cooler on them, specifically an Arctic Cooler. That thing was a death machine leaving dead 9800 pro cores in its wake left and right.

that's the FIRST time i heard this
:Q

WHICH Arctic Coolers?

Rev3 is a hellofalot better than the stock cooling.

probably improper install. you know how artic support LOVES it's customers.

 

[apoppin]

i thought it was FUD on the AC coolers . . .
:thumbsdown:

and an improper installl is likely if you are careless.

 

[DaFOBulous1]

I doubt it's careless. Even in the best installs....it crapped out. You forget it was working for a 1-2 months with this setup...if it was, it would have burned out within hours or days.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: DaFOBulous1
I doubt it's careless. Even in the best installs....it crapped out. You forget it was working for a 1-2 months with this setup...if it was, it would have burned out within hours or days.

So the first one was 'modified' [and died after it was swapped]

the second one modified also, with ramsinks . . .

SO, you have only ONE "stock" Sapphire 9800p to complain about . . . the other could be careless, could be the modification, could be the crap PS . . .
:roll:

 

[DaFOBulous1]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: DaFOBulous1
I doubt it's careless. Even in the best installs....it crapped out. You forget it was working for a 1-2 months with this setup...if it was, it would have burned out within hours or days.

So the first one was 'modified' [and died after it was swapped]

the second one modified also, with ramsinks . . .

SO, you have only ONE "stock" Sapphire 9800p to complain about . . . the other could be careless, could be the modification, could be the crap PS . . .
:roll:

I doubt that because it was working for a while in these settings. If it was a careless install, it would crapped out instantly or within days.

ATI 9800 cards are great but IMO MORE fragile that I wish for....oh well, anybody have a 9800 pro to sell for cheap.

 

[Zenoth]

Wow ...

What's all this about 9800 Pro's dying all around here. Really that's just no luck.

The one I'm using (Reference model from ATi) has never ever let me down, and I did over-clock often. Not by a lot, but I did it often, and going back to stock in summer, then over-cloking back during fall, winter and spring.

Played the most demanding 2-D and 3-D games, at high resolutions, with A-A and A-F enabled.

It did show artifacts, but that was in summer time, only because my room temperature was really hot. So I put it back to stock speeds and no problems.

I'm planning to get the next nVidia GPU model (G70 I think) this summer (if actually available by summer that is), and I can tell that I will miss my dear 9800 Pro. It has served me very well.

 

[apoppin]

i'm not talking "careless install" - although that is a possibility. I'm talking 'modification' . . . ramsinks/aftermarket coolers.

You can get a new 9800p for ~$115 in Hot Deals . . . check FS/T [and look for an UNmodified one/NOT oc'd]

i won't be selling my [modified] 9800xt until the Fall.
. . . with the 9800xt at least you get a temp sensor
[i've been using an ArcticCooling Silencer Rev3 for over a year now]
:thumbsup:

and what's wrong with RMAing your GF's?

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: apoppin

and what's wrong with RMAing your GF's?

Wow i didnt know you could RMA a girlfriend.

How exactly does that work?
Do you send your old Girlfriend back to her mom & then she sends you a unused younger model?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Budman

Originally posted by: apoppin

and what's wrong with RMAing your GF's?

Wow i didnt know you could RMA a girlfriend.

How exactly does that work?
Do you send your old Girlfriend back to her mom & then she sends you a unused younger model?

you missed the 'apostrophe s'
:roll:

. . . and i always make them train their replacement(s) before i send them away





occasionally 'refurbs' are better
:heart:
:evil:

 

[Miklebud]

Originally posted by: DaFOBulous1

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: DaFOBulous1
I doubt it's careless. Even in the best installs....it crapped out. You forget it was working for a 1-2 months with this setup...if it was, it would have burned out within hours or days.

So the first one was 'modified' [and died after it was swapped]

the second one modified also, with ramsinks . . .

SO, you have only ONE "stock" Sapphire 9800p to complain about . . . the other could be careless, could be the modification, could be the crap PS . . .
:roll:

I doubt that because it was working for a while in these settings. If it was a careless install, it would crapped out instantly or within days.

ATI 9800 cards are great but IMO MORE fragile that I wish for....oh well, anybody have a 9800 pro to sell for cheap.

I Do! I do! It's fresh from ATI's RMA. $130 shipped. (OBO)

 

[SupraTT]

my 9800 pro's stock hs/fan died so instead of rmaing it right then i deceided to just order a artic silencer so if in the future i could overclock it if i wanted. well after having the artic hs/fan on the card for about 2 or 3 months the card died. so now i'm going to have to rma it. I personally think that this chipset could have a defect, or maybe it's just sapphire sucks?