9800 Pro overclocks deteriorating

[SocceRich20]

A few days ago, I was able to run my 9800 Pro at 490 core, 390 memory with no artifacts in any games or ATI tool. I am watercooling my 9800 Pro with a Maze 4 GPU block, and have six out of the eight ram chips equipped with ram sinks. Two of the ram chips are below the barbs of the Maze 4, so ramsinks dont fit. I don't recall making any major changes at all to my system, so I don't know why my 9800 Pro can barely run 430 core, 340 memory now. Will raising my AGP voltage make any difference? Right now I am running the AGP voltage at 1.55v, on my IC7-g. I have a 470w Vantec Stealth PSU.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Congratulations, you're slowly killing your card. Time to buy a new one.

- M4H

 

[sodcha0s]

490 core???? I think you pushed a little past the limit there, and that 390 mem isn't anything to sneeze at either. Better just throttle that thing back to stock speeds and nurse it along until you get some cash for a new card.

 

[AristoV300]

Usually raising the VAGP does nothing for the core but increases volts to the NB chip. 490 is insane for a 9800 Pro. Are your temps any higher than usual, and are your PSU rails solid?? Usually you will notice artifacting when your card is beginning to crap out.

 

[SocceRich20]

I didn't raise the voltage to the core at all. It ran 490 core in CS:S with a DVD burning at the same time, flawlessly. My CPU temperature never goes beyond 40C, and my 9800 Pro's core never leaves 42C. I could even run 510 core on my 9800 pro if i aimed a room fan into the side of my case. For now to be safe, I'm running it back down at the stock speeds, and it seems to be solid. It's a shame though, I'm down to 65fps in the CS:S stress test. Before, at 510 core, 430 memory, I got 137fps. Everything ran under 40C and was cool to the touch. I didn't raise any voltages, and have only ran these speeds for a week. It can't handle it for a week, yet my RAM runs at 2.8v, my cpu at 1.6v, 250fsb for each, and they have been going strong for a year, even with increased voltages. Is it possible for me to get my nice 510 core and 430 memory back?

 

[SocceRich20]

By the way, I have a Vantec Stealth 470w as I stated in the original post, which provides rock solid voltages to all of my components.

 

[BlueWeasel]

490 core? 510 core on air cooling?

:laugh:

Better hope Santa brings you a new card, because you've pushed this one a little too far.

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: SocceRich20
I am watercooling my 9800 Pro with a Maze 4 GPU block, and have six out of the eight ram chips equipped with ram sinks.

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Congratulations, you're slowly killing your card. Time to buy a new one.

- M4H

 

[SocceRich20]

But I've only been running it for a week, and haven't touched the voltage. I've kept it at a cool 42C load all the time. How could it possibly be crapping out?

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: SocceRich20
A few days ago, I was able to run my 9800 Pro at 490 core, 390 memory with no artifacts in any games or ATI tool. I am watercooling my 9800 Pro with a Maze 4 GPU block, and have six out of the eight ram chips equipped with ram sinks.

That is not a good idea - to outfit some but not all of the RAM chips with RAMsinks. Essentially, combined with overclocking, you are essentially forcing those uncooled RAMsinks to die early. The BGA RAM on the 9800 series runs hot, and having different cooling on different chips is going to kill the uncooled chips' life expectancy.

Will raising my AGP voltage make any difference?

Yeah, raising the AGP voltage will make your card more unstable and run more voltage through the Northbridge. It won't help your o/c a lick though, since this does nothing to add voltage to the core of the card itself - that is controlled on the actual video card's circuitry.


It sounds like you're pushing your overclocks too hard. Test out your max core speed first then your max memory speed, then run it at speeds backed down from them a tad. And see if you can do something about the RAMsink situation.

 

[SocceRich20]

SWEET! I just gave the tubing some slack, so the 9800 Pro is level again. I rebooted, crossed my fingers, and brought the core back up to 490. Clicked "scan for artifacts", and TADA, my overclock lives! What's even better is, my temperature dropped down to 31C. Do you guys think it's safe to run it at this speed, as long as it's not artifacting? I'm not giving it any extra voltage or anything like that.

 

[cbehnken]

It's only safe if you are willing to buy a new card soon. If you aren't willing to do that then run slower.

 

[Tiamat]

quickly run some hl2/doom3/CS:S etc benchmarks. Then run them at a "safer" 420mhz core and see if there is much difference. If the difference doesnt exceed 8-10fps then, i wouldnt chance it...

 

[VeXeD]

Originally posted by: SocceRich20Do you guys think it's safe to run it at this speed, as long as it's not artifacting? I'm not giving it any extra voltage or anything like that.

Congrats on that sweet mega OC. I think your card will last a couple of years if kept cool (maybe)... but I'm not taking responsiblity if your card goes pppttttt.

Also cbehnken has given you some VERY good advice.