NOOOO! 3x6800GT's in 3 weeks!

[drpootums]

D@mn!!! If u saw my post about 1 week ago or so u would notice that i had 2 go on me, but now my replacement 6800GT from BFG just went!!! I had it for 4 days!

Ok, at first i got a Leadtek GT, it worked great and i was happy with my new build until it went bad on me after about 3 days or so. I RMA'ed it to newegg (had a lot of artifacts and the monitor would flicker after a few seconds and then go off). Newegg didnt have any in stock so they refunded my money.

So, i went to my local BB and picked up one of the 2 BFG 6800GT's in stock. I was so glad when i got it home that it worked. But now after appx. 2 weeks it starts with the artifacts again while i was playing BF: Vietnam, and then it happens when i start it up again too. WTF???

Alright, BFG's tech support is really good (besides the 1 hr wait on hold) and they get me a replacement from the time i ship it out to the time i recieve it in 4 days!!! Wow! But now after 4 days i had the same freezing i had on BF: Vietnam (minutes before the artifacts) in Halo and 3dmark'01. It didnt start getting artifacts before i turned it off last night. Now, when i turn it on this afternoon it takes a while to start up, and then when it gets past my Lanparty's startup screen, it comes up with the safe mode warning thing, but except for the safemode message it comes up with something like "there has been a change in your hardware/software since the last time u started windows" and it gave me options of the start up. I picked the "start windows normally" and when it's done loading...BOOM...artifacts all over the screen again! After a bit the screen starts to flicker again and it freezes up...

I am completely ticked off and utterly confused! I cant seem to find what the problem is.

I have a few theories i suppose, maybe u guys/gals can help:
-PSU is killing my cards
-i have extremely bad luck!
-for some reason 68 C load is too much for my cards (that's the highest i've seen and i know it can go up to at least 80 C)
-i have gremlins in my room...

This is also in TechSupport, but it doesnt seem like much is going on there at this time of day, so i thought i'd try here.
but anyways, please help! I want to get this figured out. Hell, if my return to newegg thing was longer than a month (i've had for about 5 weeks, but 2 of those weeks were RMA waiting times) i would send it back and take the 15% hit. I am fed up with this. I need help!

 

[resStealth]

alright i have a few ideas. the gremlins sound like fun but i doubt thats the cause. first id try updating my video card and monitor drivers. if that dont help try your mother board drivers and flash the latest bios. if none of that works it very well could be your psu. it looks to me like your using the cheap psu that came with that thermaltake case. get an antec or other reputable manufacturer. btw i like your case choice but you really need a good psu and not the cheap aftermarket

 

[BentValve]

Maybe your mobo is overvolting the AGP slot.

 

[SunSamurai]

Are you OCing these?

 

[cubby1223]

I'd bet a beer that they all are overheating. Maybe it's time to check out the nv silencer or zalman vf700 if you want that level of performance from the video card. I swapped a vf700-AlCu onto my 6600GT and it was the easiest installation I'd ever done (compared to a GeForce2, Radeon 7000, 9000AIW, & 9600 Pro I've replaced HSF's).

 

[drpootums]

NOOO!!! Ok, thanks for help, but some of u are misunderstanding things. For resStealth, i'm using a Fortron 500w Blue Storm PSU. It cost me $79 on newegg, and fortron is an awsome manufacturer.

I'm not overclocking also.

And for cubby1223, i know that it is not overheating. 68-70 C is well below the threshhold. I know it's pretty hot, but nothing too hot AFAIK.

I'm using the shipped mobo bios, but on the DFI site this is the only one they have to DL, and i'm using nVidia's latest drivers, the 66.93 official.

 

[Theguynextdoor]

Read your mobo booklet. My mobo there's a warning that I didn't read and it says it doesn't take 9500pros. Well...guess what? It blew out my 9500pro.

 

[AxeMurderer]

I had a simular problem like yours. I had a chaintech MB, the 754 version. And after I installed it I would notice my video card was slowly giving me more and more artifacts every day. Then one day I booted up and had artifact all over the screen even during post. So I RMA'd the video card to BFG (I had it for about a year. gotta love BFG) Anyways I ordered a XFX 6600GT AGP to replace my other card.

When I put in the new card in it booted up fine, restarted the PC and boom, artifacts gallore. After that I decided it had to be the AGP slot, because I used a PCI card fine during the time down. Got a new MB (DFI like yours) and got my RMA's back and I have not had a problem since.

So my guess would be that the AGP slot is frying your cards.

 

[Ike0069]

Originally posted by: AxeMurderer
So my guess would be that the AGP slot is frying your cards.

I agree.

 

[drpootums]

Ok, so u guys think that my mobo's overvolting them or something? The only things i'm aware of drawing power off my mobo also is my 2x512mb ram sticks, my cpu fan, and my modem.

Anyways, i thought my card got power directly from the PSU ONLY, i didnt think the mobo still gave it power...

O well, thanks for ur help, and if u know anything more please let me know!

 

[AxeMurderer]

The PSU plug in the back of the card is just extra power for the card. It draws most of its power from the MB. Alot of AGP cards don't even need the extra power from the PSU, because they get all there power from the AGP slot. If I where you I would RMA your MB and I bet that fixes your problem and saves you some cards. Do not put anouther card in that MB or you will probably fry it.

 

[drpootums]

Ok, i just emailed DFI and told them my problem, as i also called Fortron. I hopefully will hear from both of them tomorrow.

Do u think DFI will cover the cost of my mailing the cards back and forth? Do u think BFG will give me my 2nd replacement in 1 week?

Thanks!

 

[Snoop]

At first glance to me this definitely seems like a PS issue. Maybe someone here can explain this, but I noticed your PS comes with two separate 12v rails. One rail is 17.1 amps and the other is 15 amps. These are both rather marginal numbers (taken by themselves) for this wattage PS. For comparison, an Antec 480 watt has only one 12v rail but it produces 22.1 amps.. ---I am guessing one rail is feeding the motherboard and the other is feeding the power connectors, but if this is the case, what abilities does a video card possess to 'balance' the load between the external power connector and the its motherboard specific power?

I would say, go to Compusa or other store, buy an Antec or other high quality ps, and try it out. IF it does not help, return it.
DFI forums: Thread on vid issues/ PS problems

 

[imverygifted]

check out your bios settings on your AGP Slot and also try coolbits to check the default clock speeds. my k8n neo2 would overclock my video cards default clock speeds and i didnt know about it until i installed coolbits. i forgot which setting in the bios it was...

 

[Chosonman]

I have a similiar problem but not as serious on my 6800NU. Occassinally my screen lights up with small artifacts gradually growing to a full blown outbreak, hundreds of little Christmas lights and my screen is whacked. Then my computer flickers turns the screen off and on and I'm fine again. I'm like WTF? I can't figure out what just happened. I turned all my overclocks off. The only thing I have is my 16/6 Pipes and shader turned on thanks to Rivatuner.

 

[Melchior]

Its your mobo or your PSU. Most likely your mobo. (Shot AGP slot)

 

[Insomniak]

Originally posted by: Chosonman
I have a similiar problem but not as serious on my 6800NU. Occassinally my screen lights up with small artifacts gradually growing to a full blown outbreak, hundreds of little Christmas lights and my screen is whacked. Then my computer flickers turns the screen off and on and I'm fine again. I'm like WTF? I can't figure out what just happened. I turned all my overclocks off. The only thing I have is my 16/6 Pipes and shader turned on thanks to Rivatuner.

May be that your card isn't 100% amiable to being unlocked. You may have faults in some of the pipes or Vertex units, hence why Nvidia turned them off in the first place.

Try "locking" it back up and see if that solves the problem.

 

[MrCodeDude]

I'd bet it's the Lanparty. And if it turns out it isn't, it's probably a bad PSU. Not saying Fortron/Source is bad, but there are always oddballs out in the market.

 

[drpootums]

alright, nice to know it's either the mobo or PSU.

I'll ask for a replacement from DFI, and another one from BFG (d@mn...). If it goes again then i'll get a refund from Fortron.

but, how many different replacements am i allowed from BFG?

 

[Snoop]

Originally posted by: drpootums
alright, nice to know it's either the mobo or PSU.

I'll ask for a replacement from DFI, and another one from BFG (d@mn...). If it goes again then i'll get a refund from Fortron.

but, how many different replacements am i allowed from BFG?

Why not just pick up another PS (I would recommend NON dual rail) from a local vendor and try it out before RMA'ing all of those parts? Your video card and mobo may not be broken, just underpowered. If the PS you buy locally does not solve your problem, just return in original box with a few days for full refund. Then start RMA'ing everything.

BTW, as I stated above, there may be an issue with the dual rails on your PS. THere is a thread about dual rail ps's here on anandtech talking about this issue.

edit:
Dual Rail problems
Quoted from the other threads:

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
The basis I have is lots of people unable to run dual or sometimes even single high end cards on this board with dual rail PS's. I know of at least 6 people who have RMA'd their dual rail PS's. And many others who RMA'd the motherboard before they figured out the problem. One particular guy finally saw the light and RMA'd the PS while on his third A8N.

And to your second point. Amps are not additive 15a+15a=15a NOT 30a! If you have two rails each running 15a and connect them to the same device, you still only have 15a! If you don't beleive me read an electronics book. Dual rail PS's are esentially two smaller PS's in one box, thats why it is cheaper to build dual rail PS's than high amp single rail units.

Dual rails not working correctly.

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Generally, each power distribution cable (the thing with all the molex/SATA/PCIe plugs hanging off of it) is attached to one +12V rail or the other. The motherboard connector is usually attached to the "first" one (+12V1), but you should check your documentation for more details.

With a modular PSU, each modular socket would be assigned to one or the other +12V rail (this should be marked on the PSU, and/or described in the manual). It can be tricky to get an appropriate load on each one, however, unless you look up the specs on your hardware and do the math.

 

[drpootums]

Ok, thanks. I'll try picking up an Antec true 430w from the local BB and see if it works. If it does, then yay!, if not, then i'll RMA my mobo and PSU (do u think Fortron will give me a refund instead of a replacement?), and my video card again.

I'll see what happens, and keep all of u posted (if u care!)

 

[Bozo Galora]

430 will be not enough IMHO
get the 520 OCZ
that card sucks juice big time.

basically these probs boil down to 3 things.........
It all started with MSI cards, and I thought it was all solved by now - guess not.

cards come with weakly flashed bios, or bios that overclocks
solution: reflash with generic bios
running core and mem synchronously seems to help greatly (425 425X2) - especially with sound probs.
solution: set with coolbits reg hack
not enough amperage to slot
solution: higher amped SINGLE line PSU

http://msihq.designlab.info/th...dd81b4f1557900f4d97434

Note you have had same prob with 3 cards, so another one wont help.
I dont think its dfi board

During the original probs with the 6800 cards, it turned out you needed to refresh the chipset drivers with the card in, especially the VIA ones, or the card would shut down the computer. But that is not related to your sit.

 

[BoleCailey]

Your temps seem high for a non overclocked bfg 6800gt. Mine is overclocked 420mhz and 1100ghtz and i am seeing the same peek temps as your factory clocked card. Underload i have not peeked of 68c

 

[drpootums]

Ok, i got off the phone with BFG.

They are gunna let me RMA and are going to test it at their...place? Anyways, in the meantime i'm hopefully gunna RMA my board (i dont care if i dont know for sure it's the problem, the thing is is that i dont want a 4th dead card and i'm not taking any chances) and i'm gunna get a refund from Fortron (if they'll let me).

Do u guys know of any good single rail PSU that uses a modular system for around $80-100?

Thanks for all ur help u guys, it's really making this a lot easier to deal with!!!

 

[drpootums]

Ok, being i'm gunna replace it and would want a modular design, how do u guys think the OCZ Modstream 520w PSU would be? It looks good and stable (along with 28a on the 12v rail) and the modular design is looking really good compared to what i have now.

Opinions are appreciated!