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GPU problem or PSU problem?

Velexis

Velexis

Velexis

Associate
Joined
25 Jun 2009
Posts
126
The other week my graphics card stopped displaying during a game and ceased displaying anything on my monitor during start-up. I was going to RMA on my day off when I thought I would try one last time. I unplugged everything and plugged everything back in. To my surprise it worked and has worked on boot-up since!

You see now the problem has started again. I have the morning off today and tried to play some games, but the GPU seems to have a problem. The boot-up is fine and everything else is, but when I load a game I recieve no display at all. Some games it happens just after load-up (EVE and sometimes HL2) and some games it happens when I try to go into the game from the game's screen.

Things to note:

*I can hear sound in my headphones
*The GPU fan is spinning still
*Everything else is working
*Monitor IS on - just no display
*All drivers are up to date
*I can still watch movies with no problems
*Both the GPU and all other hardware are under 5 months old

Now, before I RMA again, I'd like to find out if this is a problem with the GPUs 3D display; it seems to happen when the game attempts to display something graphically intensive or 3D. Is it also possible my PSU is starting to die on me and is not providing enough power to the GPU?
 
Both hypothesis are possible, it could also be a temperature issue, what is the dust build up like, is there an airflow issue in or outside the case.


If you know what GPU and PSU you have could you post the names here
 
I have the Powercolor 4890 and 700W OCZ ModXstream PSU.

The dust build up in the case is not a huge amount, only a slight amount. I have the ATCS 840 with two additional 120mm fans on the HDD bay. The case temperatures are not high at all and ATi's CCC shows the GPU, at average, 55-58oC with 25% fan speed. I whack the fan speed up to 45-50% if I was able to game.

I have hardly any cables to block airflow. Here's a quick picture taken from my phone to show:

001.jpg


As you can see, not a lot of obstruction to the airflow inside the case. I moved my fingers along the bottom of the case to show the slight layer of dust, but there is none on the GPU or inside of it. Only a slight amount on the bottom of the case and on top of the PSU.
 
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