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GPU failing after long use folding.

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28 Apr 2011
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Hello I'm using a VTX3D Edition X 7970 from OcUK in April and have just started to use it with BOINC and after 30 odd hours it crashed, pc was on and wouldn't respond.

When I have cpu bsod my pc usually restarts itself. GPU crashes always results in a system hang.(from testing higher clocks and previous cards)

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/ll5wj

Thing I'm worried about is that my GPU was at stock settings 1050/1450.

Is this a faulty GPU? I can't get it stable even 10mhz above stock on stock volts and perhaps then this factory overclock is too much? I know folding pushes hardware pretty hard, but it still should not crash. temps are averaging around 70c.

Cheers
 
TBH gaming GPUs aren't designed for extended periods of heavy compute useage (thats why you pay a lot more for the likes of tesla, etc.).

(Thats not to say it should be failing after 30 hours of running BOINC)
 
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Try setting it to reference clock speeds (925/5500) and then see how it goes, the factory overclock might only be stable for light loads such as games.
 
Just had the same crash as I was browsing through the steam sale :(

Event viewer shows the same cause as in my first post. Was using 925/1375 clocks this time. Lasted 25 hours, changed clocks down approx 8 hours ago.

Is this a faulty card?
 
Definitely the PSU, get a better PSU, thats borderline for just gaming where a 7970 system is pulling near 500W, that PSU is ok under light loads but the power delivery drops off, not sure how old yours is but when new it wasn't able to output 500W so I doubt it can handle boinc or folding.
 
Definitely the PSU, get a better PSU, thats borderline for just gaming where a 7970 system is pulling near 500W, that PSU is ok under light loads but the power delivery drops off, not sure how old yours is but when new it wasn't able to output 500W so I doubt it can handle boinc or folding.

Hmm it's two years old and what do you mean not able to pull 500w ?

I've got two 1.5 TB HDDS, 1 SSD, DVD driver, and 5 120mm fans and closed waterloop cooling in addition to cpu+gpu.

Surely if the PSU is at fault it will just cut the system out? When I try to voltage overclock my gpu the entire system shuts off as if I'd pulled the plug(going from default 1068 to anything over 1150)

Now I'm just getting system hangs when GPU fails.(after 20+ hours GPU BOINC) Is the PSU at fault for this then?

If so would a good quality 850w PSU be able to handle x2 7970s on my current system, with option of voltage overclocking both?

Cheers
 
You've got a lot drawing power, and with the symptoms you have it certainly sounds like a PSU problem, get a decent 850w psu from corsair or XFX and I reckon you'll be golden :)
 
It does sound like a PSU problem. Asaka is not really a top end PSU maker either. It should be able to run fine when in idle, but after a while as the temps within builds up it will cut out. Also sounds like something is damaged inside from your current symptons, probably caused by the folding bashing.

If you're planning to add another 7970 for folding/gaming, this PSU is a good choice:

YOUR BASKET
1 x XFX 850W XXX Edition Modular '80 Plus Silver' Power Supply £99.98
Total : £110.48 (includes shipping : £8.75).



It's manufactured by Seasonic, one of the best PSU manufacturers out there. And it's also on offer this week as well ;).
 
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