Hi,

This all started when I picked up BF1, booted it up and started playing the campaign.

After ~5mins of playing, this starts to happen https://i.imgur.com/QplUErV.jpg before black screening, then I have to force reset the PC from the tower. What's weird is that this was only occurring when the frame limit was set to 120FPS. I did find that underclocking the card by 20% (both memory and core) actually got rid of the artifacting and the black screening.

Picked up Titanfall 2 also, it's doing the same thing there, regardless of the framelimit (60 or 120) and the artifacting looks exactly the same as it was doing in BF1. It's also worth pointing out that in Titanfall 2, the fans are ramping up to 100% and the temperature was hitting as high as 87c. Under clocking in Titanfall 2 makes no difference either

I've even undone all my CPU overclocking, which has been stable for ~3years now, thinking that might have something to do with it. I've also tried an older driver to no avail.

Specs:
CPU: 4930K @ 4.5GHz [1.260v]
MB: ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition
RAM: Corsair 16GB @ 1866Mhz
GPU: MSI R9 290X Lightning at stock (16.12.1 Driver)

Can anyone think why this might be happening?

looks like the card IS dying tbh

you could try reseating it, maybe even try a different slot, but it sounds like you have done most of the easy tests already.

If its still under warranty, then I would be contacting MSI at this point.

87 seams kinda hot at stock for a triple fan cooled card at stock, but the card should take 87c anyways.

new boy said:

looks like the card IS dying tbh

you could try reseating it, maybe even try a different slot, but it sounds like you have done most of the easy tests already.

If its still under warranty, then I would be contacting MSI at this point.

87 seams kinda hot at stock for a triple fan cooled card at stock, but the card should take 87c anyways.

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Thanks for the reply. It's still in warranty, and I've already sent a message to Overclockers to initiate it (as I'm not sure if I need to go directly via MSI or OCUK). Just thought I'd bring up the issue on here as a last resort.

I would try reseating it, but I'm afraid this might void the warranty. Am I wrong to think this?

Nutkins said:

Thanks for the reply. It's still in warranty, and I've already sent a message to Overclockers to initiate it (as I'm not sure if I need to go directly via MSI or OCUK). Just thought I'd bring up the issue on here as a last resort.

I would try reseating it, but I'm afraid this might void the warranty. Am I wrong to think this?

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by reseating I mean simply taking the card out of the pci slot and putting it back in. its a long shot though

OCUK would probably be where I would start for a RMA, you are right.

new boy said:

by reseating I mean simply taking the card out of the pci slot and putting it back in. its a long shot though

OCUK would probably be where I would start for a RMA, you are right.

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Aha, my bad. Yes, already tried this and a different slot.

Don't know what case you have but you could try the side of the case off to see if you get better temps which reduce the issue.

Another thing which might help temps (by quite a lot actually) is undervolting at stock clocks. Mileage really varies but at -50mv my 290x runs about 5c cooler. Some 290x's really dislike it though and will blackscreen. Also I've noticed if you apply an undervolt using afterburner it also applies it to idle voltages which it really hates so you should apply the undervolt once there's load on the card.

Perhaps the thermal paste on the heatsink has just dried up, but if the card is still under warranty I'd RMA it before reseating the heatsink.

Edit: Also for comparison with -50mv, 1010mhz on the core my 290x gaming sits at 77c in valley bench. On stock volts (+13mv) that raises to 82c. As far as I'm aware the lightning cooler is far better than the one on my card and that's running 58% on the fan, so I'd say your 87c with 100% fan is suspect, like new_boy says though it'll handle 87c, I think the reference cooler runs hotter than that.

Pulseammo said:

Don't know what case you have but you could try the side of the case off to see if you get better temps which reduce the issue.

Another thing which might help temps (by quite a lot actually) is undervolting at stock clocks. Mileage really varies but at -50mv my 290x runs about 5c cooler. Some 290x's really dislike it though and will blackscreen. Also I've noticed if you apply an undervolt using afterburner it also applies it to idle voltages which it really hates so you should apply the undervolt once there's load on the card.

Perhaps the thermal paste on the heatsink has just dried up, but if the card is still under warranty I'd RMA it before reseating the heatsink.

Edit: Also for comparison with -50mv, 1010mhz on the core my 290x gaming sits at 77c in valley bench. On stock volts (+13mv) that raises to 82c. As far as I'm aware the lightning cooler is far better than the one on my card and that's running 58% on the fan, so I'd say your 87c with 100% fan is suspect, like new_boy says though it'll handle 87c, I think the reference cooler runs hotter than that.

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I will have a tinker with undervolting and with the case panel off (though I honestly don't expect this to make much difference). Case is a Corsair 760T by the way.

Edit: Oh, and I know the temp is a problem, for one it's idling at 44-48c and my CPU idles at 28-30c so I don't think it's airflow in the case. It didn't get this hot when I first got the card and the fans are a lot louder now (with the speeds ramping up to compensate). Something's definitely not right. I've cleaned it as much as I possibly can of dust too, didn't make the slightest difference.

Could be the temperature that's causing the problem. That's extremely hot for a 290x Lightning, mine ran in the 60s during gaming.

Somebody had the high temperature issue and it was Bitcoin mining malware.

I would install Malwarebytes and see if it picks up anything.

CAT-THE-FIFTH said:

Somebody had the high temperature issue and it was Bitcoin mining malware.

I would install Malwarebytes and see if it picks up anything.

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Good shout. Worth a try.

A scan with Malwarebytes and ESET brought up nothing.

Lets remember a 290x can handle 95 degrees constantly. Yes it throttles when it gets up there but its fine but i do agree 87 is hot for that card. My 290x Sapphire Tri-X never got that hot. 74 degrees was the hottest i ever recall seeing it with a custom fan curve. I think its the memory tbh. Could be the power delivery even to the memory (VRMs that are getting a tad hot?) Either way i would try downclocking memory first and seeing if it still does it. If not try just the core and see if it stops. When you down clock the core try dropping the votage in small increments too.

Have a look at the graphs in MSI Afterburner i have a second monitor so it makes it easy for me but just see if u can take notice of temps etc.

r7slayer said:

Lets remember a 290x can handle 95 degrees constantly. Yes it throttles when it gets up there but its fine but i do agree 87 is hot for that card. My 290x Sapphire Tri-X never got that hot. 74 degrees was the hottest i ever recall seeing it with a custom fan curve. I think its the memory tbh. Could be the power delivery even to the memory (VRMs that are getting a tad hot?) Either way i would try downclocking memory first and seeing if it still does it. If not try just the core and see if it stops. When you down clock the core try dropping the votage in small increments too.

Have a look at the graphs in MSI Afterburner i have a second monitor so it makes it easy for me but just see if u can take notice of temps etc.

Click to expand...

I think you might be on to something. Left the core at stock, incrementally decreased the memory and the artifacting is relieved. Though this method didn't work for Titanfall 2 :S - although the artifacting stopped, the temp just reached up to 90c and black screened... this is on 100% fan speed too!

Overwatch is about the only game I have right now isn't causing me any problems.

Yeah, I've had stability problems with a 290x that was fixed by downloading the vram too.

If the cooler is clogged with dust this would explain the issues you are having, not just with the GPU cooling but also the cool air to the memory and VRM's will not be getting through making them run too hot causing them to crap out. I don't know if this is something you have looked in to but it would be my first port of call.

Idk how it's getting to 87c. On 1.3v benching on air even in a really long benchmark like heaven it would get around 70c.

RMA'd the card directly with MSI. They shipped a refurb the day after receiving it - quite impressive turn around!

Just waiting for it to arrive now.

You got lucky then lol

Last time I RMAed a card with MSI it vanished and they couldn't find it. The retailer looked in to it, got no where and ended up having to give me a refund.

Nasher said:

You got lucky then lol

Last time I RMAed a card with MSI it vanished and they couldn't find it. The retailer looked in to it, got no where and ended up having to give me a refund.

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Argh

I was quite worried at first, as they initially told me they had nothing in stock for me and were working with HQ to find a solution, then a few hours later I got a shipment notification for a refurb of the same card. Very odd!

DPD is delivering it today, woo! I can finally game.

Nutkins said:

Argh

I was quite worried at first, as they initially told me they had nothing in stock for me and were working with HQ to find a solution, then a few hours later I got a shipment notification for a refurb of the same card. Very odd!

DPD is delivering it today, woo! I can finally game.

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Is it another 290x?