7800 GTX playing up

[Hiks]

I recently got a 7800GTX and its really playing up, when i first installed it it lasted about 5 minutes on need for speed then locked up. thought it might of been my overclock so took that back to default and tried again, locked up after 10 minutes of 3dmark.

Reseated the card and wiped the strip, checked all the power connections powered back up and managed to loop 3dmark for a good half an hour or so only to have it lock up within 5 minutes of medieval II.

Spec of this PC...

Opty 144 - 2.8 (returned to default to test)

1 gig corsair

DFI SLI-DR

2x 250g sata maxtors

Tagan TG530-U22

I know its easy to blame the psu but the 530 tagan should be capable shouldn't it? i only ask becuase it wouldn't even boot at first and i checked the switch and had to switch it to combine the rails just to get it to boot. My Voltage rails seem quite off as well but have only checked with software, will get a multimeter over the weekend.

also the card is watercooled on a temporary loop of its own (had no aircooler for it) so used a DD nv78, 1250, 240 rad. Temp is idling at 35.

any idea's what i could try? and does anyone else think it may be the PSU?

Cheers

 

[Pat123]

PSU is the easiest to blame and probably the most likely. But im not 100% sure. Maybe with the 2 loops running off the PSU aswell its getting abit dodgy. Try taking out the 7800 and putting a older gfx card in see if its definately the card. At first i would have said heat but if it idles at 35 then it cant be. Anyway wait to see what some of the more experienced guys say. Ide probably upgrade the PSU anyway.

 

[AmBush]

Dificult to say m8

You'll know if your PSU is to blame when you test it like you say "the 530 tagan should be capable" i'd agree there it Should definatly be up to it.

Are you not able to put another G Card in ?

 

[Hiks]

Thanks for the replies, i'm only running the one loop at the moment with just the gfx card. The case is a WIP and i just wanted to test the card so knocked something up fast.

And i haven't really got any other card that will draw the same amount of power as the 7800, This pc has had a x800 in it for ages and has ran fine, its used for older games that my brother likes but the 7800GTX was cheap so i thought i'd just get it, maybe it was a bit to cheap thinking about it now.

Am i right in thinking you can't test rails with software? are they a total no go or just a bit off? its just Everest and pc wizard are reporting my 12v line as 11.02 Thats why i thought of the PSU if its a true or even close reading.

Basically can you trust software a little bit? or are they just pointless and make things up?

 

[AmBush]

Software Voltages are reasonably good but NOT accurate

I HATE electrickery and it was only since being here i got brave enough to use a multimeter (THX FragTek now im puttin my probes in everything) that i found how Truly unreliable software reports are.

Make a not of your voltages now and when you put a metre on see how out it realy is.

 

[Ham]

Did you fit the water block yourself? If so check how tight youve screwed it on. And what TIM did you use?

Yes, DMM the rails. But that shouldn't be an issue.

Is it just freezing? or BSODing?

Check the PCI-E settings in the bios - you know how bloody comprehensive DFIs are.

Finaly, clean install of windows with 81.9x drivers. I Say that version as i ran (and still run) my 7800GT on thoughs, flawlessly for probably about a year.

 

[Hiks]

cheers ham, i didn't fit the block myself it came with the block so i might take it off and reapply it. I just figured with a temp of 35 and it will be fine but i'm open to anything at this point.

I got a multimeter today on my way home from work, never done this before and i got the cheapest one i possibly could, is that ok? or am i going to blow it? also have no idea what to set it too but i'm have a look later.

yeh its full on freezing, not even sound stutter just total freeze.

good call on the bios i never thought of that will have a look.

and thanks for the tip on the drivers, downloading now will check them out.

 

[Ham]

In terms of the TIM im wondering if they person who fitted it was foolish and used AS5 (or another conductive paste) everywhere. For bare dies and memory it should be non-conductive (ceramique).

 

[Hiks]

yeh i've always used ceramique for my graphics cards but i didn't occur to me the other guy might not of, will take it off later and have a look.

Just did the multimeter test...

Everest reports 5v - 5.05 12v - 11.61v

PC Wizrd reports 5v - 5.05v - 12v - 11.13v

multimeter came back with...

5v - 5.20v

12v - 12.22v

I have no idea how these look, isn't it 5% either way?

 

[Ham]

Those values are perfectly fine. Under load they will drop to closer too the speced level.

 

[Hiks]

wow, i dont know if i ran over any kittkens yesterday but holy crap what i night was defineatly getting paid back for something.

first off after checking the rails i thought i would just try it with a 2 molex to pci-e adapter instead of the PSU plug, it booted up and froze after 5 minutes. Did a power off and it refused to boot up after that, no fans, no nothing, totally dead.

Removed the battery and unplugged everything from the board and let it discharge for a while and turned my attention the the graphics card.

Ham, you was right but i think you will be surprised by the extent. If i wasn't so

ed off that i may of just blown my board i would of laughed when seeing it as i removed the waterblock, the whole block was a silver paste, i wouldn't say AS5 it was to runny and clammy but it was a silver paste. It was absolutely everywhere, the core, memory, voltage heatsink and even had fingerprints all over it from what the guy was obviously using to apply it.

And the best bit? the danger den acrylic hold down mount on the back of the card? compound on that as well! what the hell is that about?

I'll defineatly never use fleabay for components again, i only did becuase i couldn't find that sort of card on my regular forums.

I just checked my board as well, i can't believe i've killed my DFI SLI-DR for the pleasure of this experience, gonna be hard finding a decent 939 board again.

also gotta go through the whole refund thing which is always fun.

 

[Ham]

Good lord, got any pics?

I though it mita just been a bit of interference on the ram or a resistor shorted...

Edit: And pyro is selling a DFI LP CFX3200 pretty cheap here. I know its not an NF4 but it was prety dam close in terms of OC and performance iirc.

 

[Hiks]

Borrowed my camera to my sister, will have to get it back it was just crazyness.

Yeh i was actually in line for that board from pyro last week but my car got clamped and £200 later it was a bit tricky, but i'm gonna have to sort something out.

cheers for the help though mate, appreciated