Grating noise from new PC and game brown screens

Zeal01 · 18 Jun 2011 at 12:13

Heya,

Just built a new PC with these specs:

Z68 Extreme mobo
2600K CPU
SLI GTX580s (ASUS DirectCU2)
Xonar DX2
8gb corsair vengeance RAM

Have only played BF Bad company 2 and AssCreed Brotherhood on it yet and both run well.

However there have been points in both games, (once in AssBro) where the screen as 'browned out' like a pastel brown for BC2 accompanied by lagging and a screeching grating noise from the PC when I look up or down.
AssBro had a grey out and returned with Ezio wearing only half his equipment.

There was another level in BC2 where all enemies suddenly lost there heads. Literally.

To me this sounds awfully indicative of a GPU problem but I'd love to hear some other opinions before I make a new thread in The Graphics section.

Thanks,

Zeal

Surveyor · 18 Jun 2011 at 12:26

If you think it's a GPU problem then try each card individually to see if one is faulty.

If the problem remains with both cards individually then the issue likely lies elsewhere as you'd be very unlucky to have 2 faulty GPU's.

ricky · 18 Jun 2011 at 12:30

What psu are you using?

Zeal01 · 18 Jun 2011 at 12:50

OCZ 1250W

Checked speed fan while alt tabbing - reads 92 and 63 degrees fro the GPUs with a little fire symbol beside them.

Zeal01 · 19 Jun 2011 at 15:00

Alright so using evga precision to up fan speeds hols the hotter GPU stable at around 96 and would seem to prevent glitches.

Is it worth trying to find another Z68 board with a wider GPU spacing?

Reaper 392 · 19 Jun 2011 at 15:10

how much space is there between the GPU's currently? if it goes (from the top) PCIe x16, something, something, PCIe X16, then dont bother because thats the best your going to get. if it goes PCIe x16, something, PCIe X16 then you could find better boards (except for mATX boards)

Surveyor · 19 Jun 2011 at 15:10

Zeal01 said:
OCZ 1250W

Checked speed fan while alt tabbing - reads 92 and 63 degrees fro the GPUs with a little fire symbol beside them.

Zeal01 said:
Alright so using evga precision to up fan speeds hols the hotter GPU stable at around 96 and would seem to prevent glitches.

Is it worth trying to find another Z68 board with a wider GPU spacing?

The temperature of the hotter card seems too high compared to the cooler card.

Your motherboard has decent spacing for SLI with a 1 slot gap between the cards. The difference in temperature shouldn't be that great.

Try swapping the cards around and see what the temperatures are like then.

The card you have in the top slot now may still run hotter. I assume it is the card in the top slot which is running hotter?

Maybe the cooler isn't seated properly?

Edit

Ignore most of the above.

Triple slot cards - pain in the bum in SLI - no room for the top card to breathe.

Reaper 392 · 19 Jun 2011 at 15:13

i've just noticed your listed your board in the OP. your not going to get any better than that. the graphics cards are the problem - they are triple slot cards. if you could replace one for a dual slot with similar specifications, for example the MSI twin frozr 1.5 or 3GB (whichever has the same VRAM as your current card) and use that as the top card you would see better results

i am 99% sure that mixing different brands of the same card is just fine for SLI

Surveyor · 19 Jun 2011 at 15:22

Reaper 392 said:
i've just noticed your listed your board in the OP. your not going to get any better than that. the graphics cards are the problem - they are triple slot cards. if you could replace one for a dual slot with similar specifications, for example the MSI twin frozr 1.5 or 3GB (whichever has the same VRAM as your current card) and use that as the top card you would see better results

i am 99% sure that mixing different brands of the same card is just fine for SLI

Yes, I didn't notice that the OP had triple slot 580's.

Having two cards right next to each other will cause the top card to run a lot hotter.

I can see that these triple slot cards might offer better cooling when used individually but when used in SLI or Crossfire they seem a right pain in the bum.

If you've had the cards for less than 7 working days (and got them mail order) you could send them back under the DSR and get some dual slot cards.

Zeal01 · 20 Jun 2011 at 23:45

Nope had em longer than 7 days now. Just over. Using EVGA precision and the higher setting on the case fans I can get the hot card down to around 84-97 in game. That's with card fans at 75-100 speed though.

Other ideas or lifespan expectancies for a card running that hot? Shame I can't mount one in the bottom slot to get some space between them. Case is an inch too narrow.

MouthBoy · 21 Jun 2011 at 01:21

Are you not able to contact where you bought them from and explain the problem. If you have had them just over 7 days I cant see a problem why they wouldnt expect a return. You might be able to say, but dont quote me on this, that they are not fit for purpose in SLi due to the problems you are having?

Surveyor · 21 Jun 2011 at 01:25

Zeal01 said:
Nope had em longer than 7 days now. Just over. Using EVGA precision and the higher setting on the case fans I can get the hot card down to around 84-97 in game. That's with card fans at 75-100 speed though.

Other ideas or lifespan expectancies for a card running that hot? Shame I can't mount one in the bottom slot to get some space between them. Case is an inch too narrow.

That's seven working days so doesn't include weekends.

Where the supplier complies with regulation 8, the cancellation period ends on the expiry of the period of seven working days beginning with the day after the day on which the consumer receives the goods.

So if you received the goods on a Monday your 7 working days start on Tuesday and the last day you can notify cancellation is the following Wednesday.

You don't have to return the goods in that time but you have to notify the seller within that period in writing.

This is OcUK's guidance:

Under the Distance Selling Regulations (2000) you have the right to cancel the contract relating to your order at any time up to the end of 7 working days after the goods are delivered. To exercise your right of cancellation, you must give written notice to Overclockers UK by letter, fax or RMA WebNote giving details of the goods ordered and date received. Notification by phone is not acceptable. If you exercise your right of cancellation under the Distance Selling Regulations (2000) after the goods have been delivered to you, you will be responsible for returning the goods to Overclockers UK at your own cost. The Distance Selling Regulations (2000) places a duty on you to take reasonable care of the goods once you have exercised your right to cancel. Returned items must be packaged properly and shipped in a plain outer box. Please try to include all internal packaging, cables, manuals, drivers and protective bags, however small. Overclockers UK will refund you within 30 days for any sum that has been paid by you or debited from your credit or debit card for the goods. If after exercising your right under the Distance Selling Regulations (2000) you do not return the goods as required, Overclockers UK may charge you a sum not exceeding the direct costs of recovering the goods. When exercising your right to cancel under the Distance Selling Regulations (2000) please return goods to Overclockers UK (Esnet Ltd), 4 Axis, Millenium way, High Carr Business Park, Newcastle-under-lyme, ST5 7UF.