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Finicky X800XL please help!

H

Hangman

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 20, 2004
Messages
85
My Sapphire runs great in windows and 3Dmark, posting scores on par with similar systems, but during most games, the VPU recover has to kick in, sometimes several times.

I've reinstalled many drivers (standard ATI w/o CCC) using Driver Cleaner's directions, and those of this forum's FAQ. Later, sometimes after a week's gameplay, the game freezes, the screen goes black and my monitor's power light changes from green to amber, then I have to reboot. On BF1942, instead of getting a black screen, a grid of hundreds of squares is superimposed over the game screen(!!!), but still allows me to move around and exit the game.

I haven't overclocked anything, but cpu-z reports my cpu as as 2010mhz (10x 201), so could this be pushing my pci bus up? I have no other ideas as to the cause, so any ideas are appreciated!
 
Hangman said:
My Sapphire runs great in windows and 3Dmark, posting scores on par with similar systems, but during most games, the VPU recover has to kick in, sometimes several times.

I've reinstalled many drivers (standard ATI w/o CCC) using Driver Cleaner's directions, and those of this forum's FAQ. Later, sometimes after a week's gameplay, the game freezes, the screen goes black and my monitor's power light changes from green to amber, then I have to reboot. On BF1942, instead of getting a black screen, a grid of hundreds of squares is superimposed over the game screen(!!!), but still allows me to move around and exit the game.

I haven't overclocked anything, but cpu-z reports my cpu as as 2010mhz (10x 201), so could this be pushing my pci bus up? I have no other ideas as to the cause, so any ideas are appreciated!
Click to expand...

Sounds like it could be a heat issu. Are you running the stock cooler? You might try opening the case and putting a fan blowing in there, if that fixes it, you should buy a vf700 for the card, its quiet and cools very well.
 
What Catalyst version are you using? I had the exact same problem with the 5.9's and my AGP X800XL. I tried all the usual tricks (DC, uninstall/reinstall 5.9's). Rolling back to the 5.7's did the trick for me.
 
PNut12345 said:
What Catalyst version are you using? I had the exact same problem with the 5.9's and my AGP X800XL. I tried all the usual tricks (DC, uninstall/reinstall 5.9's). Rolling back to the 5.7's did the trick for me.
Click to expand...

Im using 5.10. I just installed and ran Serious Sam2 without a problem this afternoon. Maybe the temps were the issue - I saw little dust on the card and cleaned it off. Thanks!
 
nunyabiz said:
Sounds like it could be a heat issu. Are you running the stock cooler? You might try opening the case and putting a fan blowing in there, if that fixes it, you should buy a vf700 for the card, its quiet and cools very well.
Click to expand...

Thats the Zalman vf700? It looks pretty good. Thanks!
 
Usually when you get the colored blocks that means 2 things Bad video card or power Problems. Lets pretend card is fine. Now moving on. You have an antec truepower 550. Please tell me you have a 20-24 pin ATX mobo adapter like the one shown here;

http://www.frozencpu.com/cab-69.html

The extra 4 pins ARE required by pcie that's why I ask. The additional 4 pins are for; 1 additional +12v 1 additional +5v, 1 additional +3.3v & 1 additional ground. ;)

From your sig; Antec Truepower 550 (20-pin)
 
Hangman said:
Thats the Zalman vf700? It looks pretty good. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes thats the one. I have the alcu but they do have pure copper if you want a little better efficiency.
 
Lord_Exodia said:
Usually when you get the colored blocks that means 2 things Bad video card or power Problems. Lets pretend card is fine. Now moving on. You have an antec truepower 550. Please tell me you have a 20-24 pin ATX mobo adapter like the one shown here;
http://www.frozencpu.com/cab-69.html
The extra 4 pins ARE required by pcie that's why I ask. The additional 4 pins are for; 1 additional +12v 1 additional +5v, 1 additional +3.3v & 1 additional ground. ;)
From your sig; Antec Truepower 550 (20-pin)
Click to expand...
No, I don't use an adapter, but I do use the 4-pin aux.
 
Lord_Exodia said:
Usually when you get the colored blocks that means 2 things Bad video card or power Problems. Lets pretend card is fine. Now moving on. You have an antec truepower 550. Please tell me you have a 20-24 pin ATX mobo adapter like the one shown here;

http://www.frozencpu.com/cab-69.html

The extra 4 pins ARE required by pcie that's why I ask. The additional 4 pins are for; 1 additional +12v 1 additional +5v, 1 additional +3.3v & 1 additional ground. ;)

From your sig; Antec Truepower 550 (20-pin)
Click to expand...
You can take the plastic cover off of it and put a fan on top of the copper heat sink. It should lower temsp a good amount depending what the biggest fan you can fit on the copper heat sink. If that doesnt work than you can RMA it. It could be power supply and maybe other hardware confliting(I dont think confliting hardware would give the effects your geting though but meh you never know.).
 
Lord_Exodia said:
Forgive me Hangman, I'm not following you. What do you mean by 4 pin aux?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I should have described it as a 4-pin 12v ATX power connector. When I bought the power supply 3 years ago, perhaps before 24pin mobos were mainstream, the 4-pin power was called by some folks "auxilliary" power, since it often wasn't needed in those days. Now for my "new" K8N Neo4 mobo, the directions call for me to use it in addition to my 20-pin power plug. This takes care of the extra power needs, right?
 
hangman,

hey i did the same thing, i was experincing the same promblems and checked everything untill i realized the 20 pin connectors was doing it, spend the 5 bucks and by u a 20 pin to 24 pin converter and it will fix your problem. i am also using a ATI X800XL with an MSI motherboard.

Hoped this helps.
 
doug_7506 said:
hangman,

hey i did the same thing, i was experincing the same promblems and checked everything untill i realized the 20 pin connectors was doing it, spend the 5 bucks and by u a 20 pin to 24 pin converter and it will fix your problem. i am also using a ATI X800XL with an MSI motherboard.

Hoped this helps.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks, I'll give it a try. 5 bucks is nothing compared to a new power supply!
 
doug_7506 said:
hangman,

hey i did the same thing, i was experincing the same promblems and checked everything untill i realized the 20 pin connectors was doing it, spend the 5 bucks and by u a 20 pin to 24 pin converter and it will fix your problem. i am also using a ATI X800XL with an MSI motherboard.

Hoped this helps.
Click to expand...

It may have. I've been running Painkiller for the past 2 hrs with nary a problem, and it was my most troublesome game. Thanks everyone! :D
 
Lord_Exodia said:
Usually when you get the colored blocks that means 2 things Bad video card or power Problems. Lets pretend card is fine. Now moving on. You have an antec truepower 550. Please tell me you have a 20-24 pin ATX mobo adapter like the one shown here;

http://www.frozencpu.com/cab-69.html

The extra 4 pins ARE required by pcie that's why I ask. The additional 4 pins are for; 1 additional +12v 1 additional +5v, 1 additional +3.3v & 1 additional ground. ;)

From your sig; Antec Truepower 550 (20-pin)
Click to expand...

Hmm I used to run my X800XL with a TT 480W PSU without a an adaptor and it ran fine even when OC . . .
 
The_Dark_Abyss said:
Hmm I used to run my X800XL with a TT 480W PSU without a an adaptor and it ran fine even when OC . . .
Click to expand...

Imagine how much better that would work if you had it set up right then ;) I'm not saying it doesn't work. As obviously you can boot windows even run games at first. Just sometimes problems follow. All motherboards are designed different. But there are 24 pins for a reason. 24 pins is doing it right. It's pretty simple.
 
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