WTF happened to my video card in this pic?

[extremepilot]

Video card is EVGA 9600GT Superclocked.
Check this picture:
http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wtf1p.jpg
I am assuming the white material is a thermal compound. Well a few days ago my computer began locking up in games approx. 30 seconds after launching a game, but I can still hear audio in background. Assumed it's a video card problem. I suspected overheating. Set fan to 100% - no difference, still locking up. I suspect video card memory to be at fault. Tried 3dmark 06. After about two minutes, image freezes up. Suspecting memory to be the culprit. No other games to test with. Opened the case and took out video card, tried in different slot. No difference. Checked to make sure no overclock was applied to the GPU. No difference. Underclocked GPU. No difference. Removed CPU overclock (E8400), set it back to 3.0Ghz. No difference. Set BIOS defaults. No difference. Took out video card, took a closer look.
The white material in the first picture? Extended to the edges of video card, creeping from under the metal fan housing... but not noticeably. Took off the metal fan housing, removed all of the white material and the GPU thermal compound. Applied Arctic Silver 5:
http://img22.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wtf2lth.jpg
Noticed I applied some thermal compound on the wrong parts, removed, and applied where it should be. Made sure all areas that had the white material as well as the GPU have thermal compound, so I know I didn't miss any of them. Remounted the metal fan housing, moved it to squish some of the thermal compound around just a tad, and secured the metal case mount.
Turn on computer, same thing.
...any hints?
EDIT: I did Prime95 tests to make sure it wasn't the memory

 

[LordGestle]

Did you blow out the heatsink with compressed air? From the bottom I can see some the bottome edge of the fans have some dust bunnies on them and depending on the condition of the rest of the case, and environment, could be possible the GPU heatsink is clogged. Might be your having a GPU issue that would require RMA, but something you should check.

Only seen it a few times, and may not apply to your situation, but had a brother in-law complaining of lockups and opened up his case and everything appeared ok at first until I looked closer at the CPU heatsink. The entire top layer was caked with dustbunnies. Bios was reading 60-70c with fan on high on idle. Took some compressed air to it and it reduced to 30-35c.

BTW, spreading Artic Silver 5 is not advised on items outside of the gpu core (even then you need to be carefull). Reason being is if any makes it way under one of those memory chips your toast. Obviously you had a problem prior, but just fyi.

 

[faxon]

yea if you're using a thermal compound for direct chip contacts i highly recommend using something other than AS5, since AS5 is also electrically conductive due to the density of silver particles in it, and silver being the single best conductor of electricity as well as heat (sans diamonds).

 

[MrK6]

Originally posted by: faxon
yea if you're using a thermal compound for direct chip contacts i highly recommend using something other than AS5, since AS5 is also electrically conductive due to the density of silver particles in it, and silver being the single best conductor of electricity as well as heat (sans diamonds).

No it's not, it's just slightly capacitive.

OP, sounds like a driver failure maybe, did you try a different driver set or re-installing the ones you're on? What were your temps like before and after re-doing the heatsink?

 

[extremepilot]

I found a program called OCCT that can be used to test GPU Memory - found over 2,000 errors. I ordered a new video card, will try to sell this one for parts maybe

 

[MrK6]

EVGA has a lifetime warranty. You can just RMA it and they'll give you a working one.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: MrK6
EVGA has a lifetime warranty. You can just RMA it and they'll give you a working one.

Had a lifetime warranty. Pretty sure once the OP removed the factory installed TIM and liberally applied AS5 he invalidated his warranty.

 

[NinjaJedi]

Originally posted by: Idontcare

Originally posted by: MrK6
EVGA has a lifetime warranty. You can just RMA it and they'll give you a working one.

Had a lifetime warranty. Pretty sure once the OP removed the factory installed TIM and liberally applied AS5 he invalidated his warranty.

removing the stock heat sink does not void warranty for evga graphics cards. Neither does installing an aftermarket cooler which would involve installing new TIM