Monitor turning off in games - issue narrowed down to monitor, gpu, ram, mobo or psu!!

Tanin'iver · 9 May 2021 at 14:23

Since it crashed after only a few minutes in the Heaven benchmark I think we can conclusively say it's a hardware issue with the graphics card. As for what exact aspect of the card though and if there is anything you can do about it, that's another matter...

Using MSI Afterburner, rather than manually changing the core and memory clocks, try just setting the power limit lower (if this model of card allows that in Afterburner). Set it right down, about 60% or so, see if that makes a difference.

If it does, it might be worth trying a little more DIY repair on the cooling setup. If not, it's probably just dying

I had a look around online to try to find some pics or video showing the card with the cooler removed, is it this one?
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/palit-geforce-gtx-970-jetstream/4.html

If so, in this image:
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/palit-geforce-gtx-970-jetstream/images/cooler3.jpg

There is a heatsink at the left for the VRMs - make sure that makes good contact with them, I guess there would be a thermal pad between the heatsink and the actual VRM chips, which would be the one you replaced.

Also dotted around the GPU (in that photo, 2 above, 2 below, 4 to the right) are the RAM chips - they don't appear to have any cooling other than air blown down through the heatsink. As far as I can tell from those photos, they don't make contact with a heatsink anywhere, so applying thermal paste or pads wouldn't help them.

gupott · 9 May 2021 at 14:44

Thanks @Tanin'iver

That is the card, no doubt. I agree that the ram has no cooling to speak of, and the ram chips don't touch the heatsink.

But in some good news, I have just spent nearly 50 minutes gaming, with the card underclocked by 400mhz on both the core and the ram. I have a slightly more robust cooling profile and it seem to be now around 60c under load. 34c as I type now.

The only thing I changed was upping the Core voltage to 1218mV, this seems to have helped. I have just put the card back to stock, and then taken the power limit down to 70%.

Does anyone know how you set the core voltage in Linux?

Quartz · 9 May 2021 at 15:46

It's a long shot but have you checked the cable between the PSU and the GPU?

Firstly it's a fully modular PSU so you might check the connection at the PSU end for corrosion - or simply having come loose. Second, you might try another cable from the PSU to the GPU. Third you might try a different socket on the PSU.

gupott · 9 May 2021 at 20:05

Quartz said:
It's a long shot but have you checked the cable between the PSU and the GPU?

Firstly it's a fully modular PSU so you might check the connection at the PSU end for corrosion - or simply having come loose. Second, you might try another cable from the PSU to the GPU. Third you might try a different socket on the PSU.

Thats a good idea. It vaguely occured to me a few days ago and this prompted me to dig out the box. Looking through the cables, I think I might have one other I can try, I will give it ago and report back.

ninjag · 9 May 2021 at 23:51

Ah a Palit! I had this problem years ago with a Palit card, I think it was a 760 and I took it back to the shop (they always pushed Palit cards) and swapped it for a 970 and the same thing eventually happened again. I stopped buying Palit after that and never had a problem. Could just be a coincidence though. Twice.

ninjag · 9 May 2021 at 23:59

ninjag said:
Ah a Palit! I had this problem years ago with a Palit card, I think it was a 760 and I took it back to the shop (they always pushed Palit cards) and swapped it for a 970 and the same thing eventually happened again. I stopped buying Palit after that and never had a problem. Could just be a coincidence though. Twice.

I've just done a search on another forum I use and found some threads on the issue I had. The problem I had was the monitor signal wouldn't get through until after I had booted many times. When I did finally get a signal I could never turn the monitor off otherwise it would not get a signal again. It was Feb 2017 that I was having problems and can confirm it was a Palit GTX 760 and then a Palit GTX 970. After the second problem card I bought an ASUS GTX1050ti and never experienced the problem since. I still have this card as just installed it in my son's build yesterday and it's working great.

I think the general opinion at the time was that it was an HDCP handshake problem with the Palit cards if that helps with something else to look at.

gupott · 10 May 2021 at 10:12

Quartz said:
It's a long shot but have you checked the cable between the PSU and the GPU?

I have changed the cable, not too hard, but did involve scrabbling around on my stomach, very dignified! I managed to swap the cable, and also use a different socket on the PSU.

ninjag said:
I think the general opinion at the time was that it was an HDCP handshake problem with the Palit cards if that helps with something else to look at.

Thanks, interesting to hear how others have faired with the brand. My card has been fine until this latest episode. If I could buy something else I would, I have been on the hunt for a 3080 for months now, much like the rest of PC fraternity. In terms of choosing my next card, I think I would just grab what I could when its available, I suppose its getting desperate. First world problem though. Gotta love being a PC gamer.

gupott · 10 May 2021 at 10:14

Tanin'iver said:
Set it right down, about 60% or so, see if that makes a difference.

Forgot to say, set the card at 70%, and it crashed. Just set it at 60%, and it managed 25 mins.

mickyflinn · 10 May 2021 at 10:37

rosscouk said:
Forgot to say, set the card at 70%, and it crashed. Just set it at 60%, and it managed 25 mins.

Its certainly looking like the gpu if your happy playing with it then carry on but on the flip side it could potentially take out something else in your pc.

gupott · 10 May 2021 at 11:48

mickyflinn said:
Its certainly looking like the gpu if your happy playing with it then carry on but on the flip side it could potentially take out something else in your pc.

A good point. Then it becomes a question of whether I am willing to pay for something on the 2nd hand market I suppose. Or wait an indeterminate period.

mickyflinn · 10 May 2021 at 12:48

rosscouk said:
A good point. Then it becomes a question of whether I am willing to pay for something on the 2nd hand market I suppose. Or wait an indeterminate period.

You still could get something for your 970 someone may take a punt at it .

Then its up to you .

Sign up for discord gpu alerts.

ninjag · 10 May 2021 at 15:08

You could get a GTX 1030 for £109 just to get you by until cards are more available? This one is in stock it seems: Link here

There's a GTX 1660 in stock for £379 which looks cheaper than the used ones on Gumtree. Here's the link

gupott · 10 May 2021 at 15:44

ninjag said:
There's a GTX 1660 in stock for £379 which looks cheaper than the used ones on Gumtree. Here's the link

Thanks for looking those up, I actually bought the second one. I still need to a new monitor, so whilst gaming at 1900x1200 or 1900x1080, then this should be fine.

Anyone want a 'mint' Palit 970?

ninjag · 10 May 2021 at 21:07

rosscouk said:
Thanks for looking those up, I actually bought the second one. I still need to a new monitor, so whilst gaming at 1900x1200 or 1900x1080, then this should be fine.

Anyone want a 'mint' Palit 970?

Nice one. That looks like it's boosting a touch higher than mine when mildly overclocked and it's a great card, does a good job at handling pretty much everything I throw at it. It does get a little hot though which I'm working on.