GTX 295 Problems.... ??

[DemonTraitor]

Hello people

Basically I am getting problems with my PC crashing while playing Call of Duty Black Ops, and running GPU stability tests.

Symptoms
=======
Black Ops:
1. Game freezes, with sound looping... Sometimes I can CTRL + ALT + DEL to bring up Task Manager, and the game comes back...
2. Screen goes black. The system does not seem to have frozen (clock on G15 still counting), until I try to CTRL + ALT + DEL, which completely freezes system.
3. In Black Ops Menu (not 3D), Screen goes black (loses source signal), then comes back to desktop - screen comes on as if source is back on...

FurMark
=====
Running Multi-GPU version, the test runs for about 4-5 mins, with temps getting to 98C, then the test freezes, but G15 clock still runs - CTRL + ALT + DEL freezes system...

Errors
====
I have once noticed an error "bubble" in the System Tray, saying "Display Driver Nvidia Windows Kernel Mode Driver Version 266.58 stopped responding and has successfully recovered"

3D Mark Vantage runs fine.

Temperature and Voltage Reports - Playing Black Ops until the game froze at 632 seconds >>>> CPU and GPU Graphs

Basically, I am trying to figure out whether it is a Hardware or a Software problem. I have tried a full system re-install and driver sweepers.

My Rig
====

Operating System: Windows 7 Pro x64
Motherboard: EVGA 132-CK-NF78 (Socket 775)
BIOS: P10 (30/12/2009)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 2.66GHz, Yorkfield 45nm Technology (O/C @ 3.20)
Cores 0, 1, 2, 3 @ 3599.7 MHz, Multiplier x8, Bus Speed 450 MHz, Rated Bus Speed 1800 MHz
RAM: GSkill 8.0GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 539MHz (5-5-5-15)
Graphics: BFG GTX 295
Video Forceware (Drivers): 266.58
Audio: SB Audigy Platinum
PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro M850

I hope someone can help or suggest anything :/

 

[DemonTraitor]

I installed 185.85 drivers - which basically halved my FPS in FurMark, but made in stable though.

I am now on 195.62, which has increased FPS, and also seems stable.

Going to look into Down-clocking too...


Thanks for reply

 

[DemonTraitor]

Thanks Sweeney.

I have MSI Afterburner at the moment - has a great On Screen Display feature too.

I have installed latest drivers again, and clocked the GPU all the way down, and am going to step it up as I go along....

I had an EVGA 8800 GTS 512 before this - ran like a dream

 

[DemonTraitor]

Please look at my graphs...

My Rig
====

Operating System: Windows 7 Pro x64
Motherboard: EVGA 132-CK-NF78 (Socket 775)
BIOS: P10 (30/12/2009)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 2.66GHz, Yorkfield 45nm Technology (O/C @ 3.20)
Cores 0, 1, 2, 3 @ 3599.7 MHz, Multiplier x8, Bus Speed 450 MHz, Rated Bus Speed 1800 MHz
RAM: GSkill 8.0GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 539MHz (5-5-5-15)
Graphics: BFG GTX 295
Video Forceware (Drivers): 266.58
Audio: SB Audigy Platinum
PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro M850

Please can someone look at my graphs.....

I was playing Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, and the game froze, then the screen went blank (lost signal), then everything returns - this happens in a period of about 3 seconds. This happened at these specific times.... (logs generated by HWMonitor Pro)

Screen Blanks (as above) @ 163 Seconds and 221 Seconds.

The game crashed @ 302 seconds...

I have full logs in CSV format too if anyone wants to take a look?

 

[DemonTraitor]

That is what I dont understand - everything looks fine. But I am no expert...

My CPU is clocked @ 3.2, but have tried it non-clocked, and I have even down-clocked the GPU.
I have not tried down-clocking the RAM - all this gets a but tiring after a while.

I may be sending the GPU to my son for him to check it, as he is the only other person I know that has a PC that has the umph to handle it.

Black Ops seems to be running ok, with an Nvidia control panel profile set to disable multi-gpu, and with the Black Ops config edited to multigpu "0"....

 

[DemonTraitor]

does anyone think my voltages are ok?

 

[DemonTraitor]

Yes, was still crashing.

I am at so fed up with it all :/

 

[DemonTraitor]

Its a BFG GTX 295... you have a something like 70% chance of its developing BGA solder failure related issues which is exactly what your seeing - no idea why they are worse for it than other makes as they are essentially all off the same production line - sorry its bad new. It may or may not be possible to buy a little extra time with the "oven trick".

zoiks.

So will the oven trick fix it permanently or just a quick fix?

 

[DemonTraitor]

I have tried older drivers, but only so far. I went to the oldest possible, but that almost halved the GPU's power - I dont really want to go that extreme. Maybe I will try older drivers.

I have noticed one thing. When I first boot, NV control panel has PhysX set to a specific card, even though I have this set to Automatic. If I change it to Auto straight after a reboot, then the card seems stable in Black Ops, which has am NV profile of "use single GPU", and "PhysX to CPU"...

I know BlOps does not use PhysX, but this could be linked to a naff driver....

Well, maybe I will dedicate a day of raw testing... go back driver versions, and test, repeat until fade...

My 8800 GTS still runs fine on latest drivers.

 

[DemonTraitor]

The card is only about 2 years old, and has only really been used for 1.5 years

 

[DemonTraitor]

What warranty does this card have?

 

[DemonTraitor]

I have installed driver 197.45, and have no NV profiles, no special fixes in Black Ops - GFX to the max, and have been playing it all morning, not a single glitch whatsoever... I hope I am not talking too soon, but if I ran Blops like this on the latest driver, the game would not last long at all, blanking out every 30 seconds....

Go figure....

 

[DemonTraitor]

FizzX can do all sorts of strange things. Like suddenly decide you need one whole GPU dedicated.

Its best to just install the GPU driver on its own. If you need to use the other stuff installing it one part at a time will show whats causing the problem.

Goof Idea.. I will install the latest driver back on, and keep leave off 3D and "FizzX"

worth trying.....

 

[DemonTraitor]

The bloat ware in the Nvidia drivers needs to go, its way to much trouble.

How is the card doing DemonTraitor ?

Installed 266.58, with no 3D, or FizzX - still having problems. Black Ops goes blank every 10 seconds, for 2 seconds.

Going to take card out and put my 8800 GTS in, and send this one to my son to test on his PC.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

 

[DemonTraitor]

I do reccomend not installing the HD Audio drivers atm tho, several people have had issues with them relating to black screens or crashes.

Which HD Drivers? I have Realtek drivers installed for my mobo, or do you mean Nvidia drivers?

 

[DemonTraitor]

UPDATE:

Had installed my 8800 GTS ready to send the GTX 295 to my son so he could test it...

After a few days of having the GTS installed, I turned on my PC one morning, and it just sat in limbo: fans spinning, HDD led on, no screen... Then turned itself off after about 30 secs...

Opened case and tried again and found the MOBO (780i SLI) had "FF" displayed, which was fine, but there was a little tiny led lit up red near the CPU fan power connector....

Done some googling and found that people were putting this down to CPU problems etc, so I felt pretty crappy...

Then found someone who had the same problem, tried another PSU, and all was ok - so I dug out my old Enermax 500W and plugged her in, and the PC booted right away.

Shutdown and tried the new Coolermaster 850W again... problem was back!

I fiddled with the wires to make sure they were connected ok, and then suddenly the PC booted ok...

I then shut her down, and put the new PSU in again, putting the problem down to the plugs not set firmly enough, but then problem returned...

I poked the wires of the PSU and voila, the PC worked again...

So, I have RMA'd the Coolermaster PSU to Overclockers, in the hope that they will actually discover a problem with it and replace it....

PS. My whole booted fine with the Enermax 500W PSU, even with the GTX 295 in, but I assume it is not wise to use such a low-rated PSU with such a power hungry GPU?

Thanks

Demon