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Diagnostics Tool For GFX Card?

Rozzy85

Rozzy85

Rozzy85

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Joined
27 Jun 2008
Posts
1,538
Lately I've be having problems with my GFX card generating artifacts during gameplay. Most of the time it's just texture corruption with green/black blotches appearing everywhere but now I'm getting geometry corruption and it seems to be getting worse as time goes by. Are there any tools available I can use to test for artifacts so I can confirm there may be something wrong with it? I know there's ATI Tool but it hasn't been updated for 3 years and won't work with my card (Radeon 4870).

Thanks.
 
Well, I scowered the Internet a bit more and found FurMark. I ran a stability test to see if the artifacts would appear and they did after about 10 minutes.

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2929/furmark000001.jpg

Is this a clear indication my card is FUBAR? Before I ran the test I unistalled the drivers, ran Driver Sweeper (twice) to make sure that nothing remained and installed the most up-to-date drivers (9.6). Also, do PowerColor offer any warrenty on their cards? I've heard that they either don't or it's very limited (like 1 year). I also checked my invoice and I purchased the card on the 6/7/2009 so I have like a week and a bit to raise a RMA if I need to.
 
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Furmark is a great diagnostics tool. 87c is pretty hot, but I don't think it's outside the realm of safety for a 4870. Have you tried upping the fan speed?
 
I just did a quick test with the fan speed upped to 100%. I let it cool as low as I could get it (57c) and ran the test again. It lasted about 2 minutes before the artifacts appeared. Max temp was around 79C.

rolypolyman said:
Is the card overclocked? Maybe ease it back a wee bit if it is.
Click to expand...

Nope. I've never overclocked the card since I bought it.
 
I changed the clocks speeds don't to the lowest CCC will allow (500, 450) from the stock (750, 900) and managed to play TF2 for over an hour without a hitch. I did the FurMark again and it lasted for 18 minutes staying at around 64c without any artifacts. I seem to have lost around 20-30FPS, atleast in the FurMark test anyway but will have to see how it goes with more intensive games.

Would getting a aftermarket cooler help?
 
Yeah, it should help. I think a few people have had problems with dust in the HSF, have a look it may just need a clean.
 
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I also checked my invoice and I purchased the card on the 6/7/2009 so I have like a week and a bit to raise a RMA if I need to.
Click to expand...

Don't wait - RMA it now - not worth messing about - if it's artifacting at stock it's broke! (And will only get worse.)
 
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