Graphics card gone the way of the do-do you think?

[Falcor]

I upgraded my computer a month or so ago:

CorsairHX620(from old pc)
Intel 3570k
Gigabyte Z77
Corsair 8gb ram(running on 32bit atm)
Noctua cooler

I didnt upgrade the graphics card, its a BFG gtx260, its been running BF3 etc fine and the other day i did 2 things, used my dual display for the first time since doing the new computer and i installed Stronghold 3. Ever since then i seem to be getting crashes with the colour pattern freeze screen and gotta restart, its probably just coincidence seems its an old card but thought it was worth asking.

Ive tried reinstalling the drivers and direct x to no avail, and it works fine until i start any game. could have something changed in the settings, or is it the card dieing?

 

[varkanoid]

what happens if you go back to single display ?

 

[Falcor]

Tried that, turned off the other display and its still broken, games work fine for about 5 mines then i get the crash and havto reset the pc.

Forgot to say im on a new corsair SSD HD too

 

[Muel]

Remove the card complete and test on the on-board would be my first check.

 

[Falcor]

Well i tested the ram and it seems fine.

Assuming the PSU is powerful enough(which i believe it is) Im pretty confident its the card, i had it working for a good 2hours or so theother night in BF3 so i installed dead island and its gone tempremental again. Im wondering if it got damaged in the warm weather pushing it over the edge tho its clean and its not an overheating issue unless its something inside. So tomorrow im going to prise it open give it a thorough clean and redo the thermal paste. If its still being tempremental new card time i think.

Atm is crashing to graphicy glitch screen thing(whats the actual name for that btw when its pixellated in multi colours.) as soon as BF3 loads.

 

[Monkeynut]

Might be worth underclocking the card. run it, at, say, half values or whatever you think is significantly lower than stock, and see if the problem occurs. That way we know if the card is at fault or the drivers.

 

[craarc]

if you have done everything else and when ur about to buy new try this

strip the cooler off the card and any loose plastic rubbish

preheat the oven to 180 and bake it for 8 minutes no more or less itll smell a bit as the solder reseals then put it back together and see if it works


have done it on an old card and it lastred a further 8 months or so google it for a full explanation its a trick that works..

 

[Nickolp1974]

Well i tested the ram and it seems fine.

Atm is crashing to graphicy glitch screen thing(whats the actual name for that btw when its pixellated in multi colours.) as soon as BF3 loads.

Sounds like a vram issue, could try removing cooler and adding new paste/thermal pads

And/or downclock it

My 280 did all sorts of weird stuff and all on bf3(the game i play 80% of the time)

 

[Falcor]

well i installed MSI afterburner and declocked the ram and processor by 50% and it worked in BF3 fine so i will strip the card and give it an MOT see if it helps. I think the hot weather we have had recently in the UK just pushed it over the edge.

Whos smart idea was it to put a graphics card in a plastic insulating case that makes cleaning it a pain anyway? seems stupid to me