Please help with Nvidia Driver/EVGA cards

EVGAdominik · 10 Jul 2014 at 16:19

I would also suggest, when you install the driver again to go the custom way and only install the GPU and PhysX driver and skip all other drivers till your system is stable. By default the backplates barely lower GPU temps but if you tune them a little bit with more thermal pads at the backsite of the GPU that it will make a little bit preasure from the backsite of the GPU that it will get pressed better to the cooler it can help lower temps massive, if this is the issue then it could help. At the EVGA Youtube chanel you can also find some tutorial vids about precision, there is also a thread here at ocuk where someone did a very good explanation about precision and the different settings...

Curlyriff · 10 Jul 2014 at 17:19

Thanks for all the help that is great. Will be home in 30mins so will go through all the recommendations then

kedge · 10 Jul 2014 at 18:26

I tried the 340.43 beta drivers and had the driver stopped responding issue with evga gtx 780 sli, i went back to the 337.88 WHQL drivers and watch dogs is more stable on the 337.88, but other watch dogs gamers have had issues with various combinations of graphics cards and drivers are hit and miss most of the time for me personally, i would say it is an issue with the game more than anything else.

Flack88 · 11 Jul 2014 at 02:01

I have had this exact same issue on my Gigabyte 780Ti OC. Which I have sadly had to RMA due to it not being stable at the factory OC. I did the exact same thing as you by changing the drivers etc, due to the "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" error.

One of the easiest ways to tell if it's an unstable factory OC is to run the Sky Dive benchmark on 3DMark and see if it artifacts on factory clocks. If it artifacts its most probably your cards memory crapping out due to the factory overclock.

Edit: Just seen you have 2 cards, try one at a time in the 1st PCI-E slot and run the Sky Dive benchmark and see if any artifacts appear.

Also looking at google it seems you are not the only person to be having these problems:
http://forums.evga.com/GTX-780Ti-SC-ACX-Driver-Crashing-m2123903.aspx

https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/550506/evga-780-gtx-sc-acx-crash-on-every-game/

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1884307/crashing-games-evga-gtx780.html

Curlyriff · 11 Jul 2014 at 09:42

kedge said:
I tried the 340.43 beta drivers and had the driver stopped responding issue with evga gtx 780 sli, i went back to the 337.88 WHQL drivers and watch dogs is more stable on the 337.88, but other watch dogs gamers have had issues with various combinations of graphics cards and drivers are hit and miss most of the time for me personally, i would say it is an issue with the game more than anything else.

Cheers, honestly I thought it was a bad driver but it has been on every game other than Sims 3 at moment (That the misses plays).

I have also had the same issue with every driver I have rolled back to using DDU (which is really good by the way so cheers Gregster on the suggestion)

I have had this exact same issue on my Gigabyte 780Ti OC. Which I have sadly had to RMA due to it not being stable at the factory OC. I did the exact same thing as you by changing the drivers etc, due to the "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" error.

One of the easiest ways to tell if it's an unstable factory OC is to run the Sky Dive benchmark on 3DMark and see if it artifacts on factory clocks. If it artifacts its most probably your cards memory crapping out due to the factory overclock.

Only just seen this so will try this tonight.

So I have tried installing the drivers with a clean install. This hasn't helped.

Have run Precision X and nothing has popped up that would explain the issue. They run at maximum clock fine and the temps are below 75 degree for the hottest card.

The fan profile has been set manually to 80% and although it is not any more stable I can say that the fans never hit this before as the fans are very audible at this level.

I still haven't opened up the cards to change the thermal paste however I am loathed to do so considering the cost of them and the fact that they are not running at factory OC speeds with any stability that surely would have been tested by EVGA and passed fine. (Not having a go at EVGA, just saying that I would have thought that wouldn't be an issue because of testing).

PCI.E Gen 3 disabled didn't help.

Gregster · 11 Jul 2014 at 09:45

Did you use DDU?

mmj_uk · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:14

Does your system pass stability tests? just wondering if it might be memory incompatibility or something as I've heard 8GB sticks can be problematic? it seems strange that both card should crash the same on their own as you'd be highly unlucky to get two faulty ones.

Curlyriff · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:14

Yep used DDU, the program itself worked great but still having same issues after a clean install.

I tried 4 different driver releases with no differences at moment.

Curlyriff · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:16

Does your system pass stability tests? just wondering if it might be memory incompatibility or something. I've heard 8GB sticks can be problematic? it seems strange that both card should crash the same on their card as you'd be highly unlucky to get two faulty ones.

I have ran Memtest86 and all is fine there. Prime95 is fine also after 4 hours. CPU does get a little hot when OC @ 4.7GHz but I am back at stock speeds at the moment.

Gregster · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:18

I also wouldn't want to re-apply TIM and it wouldn't help either, as your temps are fine. I think from what you have tested and done, you have 2 faulty cards.

Curlyriff · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:23

I was really hoping it was a driver issue.

Gregster · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:32

Curlyriff said:
I was really hoping it was a driver issue.

Me 2

At least with EVGA, the turnaround is very quick

EVGAdominik · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:35

lot of game developer do also kick out games too early before programming is perfect and then it occurs issues with factory OCed cards... Anyway, we can also offer to exchange the cards and test them to make sure you have two fully working units. Just register the cards to your EVGA Account and drop an Email to [email protected] to start the RMA

Curlyriff · 11 Jul 2014 at 10:41

Me 2 At least with EVGA, the turnaround is very quick

lot of game developer do also kick out games too early before programming is perfect and then it occurs issues with factory OCed cards... Anyway, we can also offer to exchange the cards and test them to make sure you have two fully working units. Just register the cards to your EVGA Account and drop an Email to [email protected] to start the RMA

Thank you both for all your help. Cards are already registered so that's OK.

I was hoping it was an issue between drivers/watchdogs but then every game apart form Sims 3 seems to be the same.

Will be in contact with EVGA tonight then.

EVGAdominik · 11 Jul 2014 at 14:46

The EU office is working today till 17 o'clock we will then return on monday again

Curlyriff · 14 Jul 2014 at 16:51

OK I have had a bit of a rough personal weekend. Misses in the hospital and lost mobile phone I haven't really had time to look much more into this apart from I ran Heaven bench mark with custom 4K res and everything on ultra, Anti Analaysing on 2x.

Results were average 30fps, highs 45fps and lows 7fps.
Dropping down to 1440p and I was getting double that on average.

Further reading around a lot of people are stating that the Sli bridges may be an issue? Is this also maybe a factor for myself.

I have managed to reduce the issue of flickering etc in 4k when running one card with a clean install of windows & drivers but obviously getting 10-15fps means can't play with one card, so that is why I am thinking maybe the standard cable bridge is an issue.

If so what do I need to buy to have a go at this?

Silent_Scone · 14 Jul 2014 at 17:11

Not read all the replies but sack off 340 drivers. They were cack for me at 4k. Had lockups as well in the same fashion.

Edit: Reading fail. (On phone)

Least oh went with EVGA. Great warranty

bemaniac · 14 Jul 2014 at 17:24

Curlyriff said:
OK I have had a bit of a rough personal weekend. Misses in the hospital and lost mobile phone I haven't really had time to look much more into this apart from I ran Heaven bench mark with custom 4K res and everything on ultra, Anti Analaysing on 2x.

Results were average 30fps, highs 45fps and lows 7fps.
Dropping down to 1440p and I was getting double that on average.

Further reading around a lot of people are stating that the Sli bridges may be an issue? Is this also maybe a factor for myself.

I have managed to reduce the issue of flickering etc in 4k when running one card with a clean install of windows & drivers but obviously getting 10-15fps means can't play with one card, so that is why I am thinking maybe the standard cable bridge is an issue.

If so what do I need to buy to have a go at this?

I'm still searching for one lol I've got a pile of sli ribbons on my desk! working on testing some more next few days

Curlyriff · 15 Jul 2014 at 08:15

I'm still searching for one lol I've got a pile of sli ribbons on my desk! working on testing some more next few days

Alright, well if you could keep me up to date that would be great. I am not going to get chance to do anything till next weekend.