Having issues with multiple video cards, can't find the fault

G

GhostCow

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
368
Since I've first built this system, I've had issues with my GTX 570. Mostly random BSODs. Underclocking the card increased stability, but I would still get the occasional BSOD.

I was willing to live with this until recently, at which point my computer has started to go straight to a blank screen once windows boots. I have tried formatting the computer multiple times and various driver versions, but the issue still persists. I can get video in safe mode, and even on a regular boot, but once I install the video card drivers, I get a black screen. This happens with both the most recent and the previous version of Nvidia's drivers.

I ended up throwing my old 4850 into the system to use while I RMA'd my card thinking that was the problem. The 4850 worked for a few days, right up until a few hours after I mailed out my 570. The 4850 works for the most part, but I will get random lockups every few hours, especially when watching videos. Received my replacement 570 today and it worked for about an hour, before going back to giving me a blank screen at windows bootup.

I can't seem to figure out what's causing this issue. It seems like a case where it could be either the motherboard or psu, but I don't really know of any way to test that theory. Does anyone have any ideas about what I should do?

System specs are as follows:

EVGA GTX 570 HD SC
ASRock P67 extreme 4 gen 3
8gb g.skill eco series (4x2gb)
Corsair HX Professional Series 850-Watt psu
Soundblaster X-fi HD
i7 2600k

Things I've tried that haven't resolved the issue:

Formatting
Replacing the video card
Various drivers
Bios Update
Disabling all sound devices and even pulling out my sound card
using different power cables for the video card
using different pci slots
 
Last edited:
Try a different motherboard? That is an older AsRock.
 
Are you overclocking by any chance? Seen some posts before where overclocking the PCI lane would cause issues.
 
More than likely the motherboard, I had literally the exact same issue with an ASRock board and it ended up being the board. The onboard display would work but none of the PCI-E slots would work better than intermittently. The RMA was fairly painless although I did get a replacement board rather than waiting. It sucks that its a P67 board as there is no onboard video to be able to test.
 
I'm not overclocking sadly. I'm no longer under warranty, so RMA is not an option. The comments in this thread seem to agree with my suspicions, so I guess I'll have to spring for a new motherboard. Right now the MSI Z77A-GD65 is looking like a safe bet.

Edit: I'll try removing some ram when I get home from work and see if that does anything.
 
Tried removing some RAM, but that didn't solve the issue. I'm starting to wonder if the video card I was sent on my last RMA is defective. After I turned off spread spectrum, the replacement card I was sent will load windows, but with green pixels all over the screen when connected with DVI. When connected with HDMI, there is a huge green line beneath the bottom of the screen. Trying to load anything that uses 3D results in a black screen or BSOD.

I tried swapping out my motherboard, cpu, and ram temporarily with some old equipment and found that I still had the same issue on a different motherboard.

I'm submitting for a second RMA, but I can't help but wonder if the motherboard is bad and killed it since the card did work fine for about an hour (until I tried to load something 3D) before it died. Right now the plan is to get that second RMA and then not install it until I have a new motherboard as well. If that doesn't solve the issue, I have no idea what to do.
 
You know, maybe we're overlooking the obvious:

Is your case getting enough airflow?

Sounds like you could just be routinely killing cards through accidental over heating. My thinking being that you say underclocking the card instantly improves things.

What is the fan setup in your case like exactly?
 
I seriously doubt it's an airflow issue. My case is a HAF 932 Advanced with all the standard fans that come with it, as well as an extra fan thrown into the bottom of the case since there was a mount for it. I also added a 5" bay adapater with a 120mm fan in hopes of increasing air flow around my cpu. My cable management is really nice. Most cables are hidden or otherwise out of the way of air flow.
 
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