Odd video corruption - any ideas?

[Spudsdude]

Abit of history
I'm on my 4th gtx460 768mb card setup in the intel rig in my sig, cpu is not overclocked as I don't want to introduce more variables
The cards are from EVGA and are refurbished B stock
Other cards had different issues, from not even making it into windows, to hard locks, to blue screens, one set (the very first set of GTX 460's) actually worked for a few weeks, then stopped working

Swapping to a different card, 8400GT or 8600GT or GT 430 and there's no issues, no lockups, no corruption (don't have any other cards to try, but that should eliminate the system as the problem and point to a bad card)

One of the two cards artifacts all over the place in 3d, that one i'm sure is toast.

When they where in SLI, the screen was completely unreadable as soon as a game started.

I removed the card I know is toast, leaving just the other card in my rig. I'm seeing weird video corruption, and i'll be honest I'm sick and tired of dealing with these 460's

I've changed out my cpu's- No change (although the new 2500k does reach 5ghz so that's a bonus, back at stock speeds)
I've reinstalled Windows - No change
Reverted to different single hard drive with fresh Windows 7 x64 install - no change
I've swapped out my system memory with G Skill Ripjaws (no change so back on the Corsair XMS ram)
Tried with dvi -> vga and using vga cable, hdmi, and just dvi (no change)

Anyone have any ideas what would cause this type of corruption? (The red dot pattern shown in the image below)
Note: This is with one card installed, tried in both of the pcie slots


clearly visable when starting games as well as in games (noted in yellow in the image below)




-- Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Dots and lines usually point to bad video memory, I would suggest trying other things though, After several bad cards something tells me there is a possibility that something else is wrong.

1. Try having someone else test the cards in their rig and stress them in furmark etc..
2. Try another power supply with the cards in your system. A 750Watt Corsair is a great supply but it could be going bad.
3. Run memtest on your ram to see if you have a bad stick/s
4. Make sure the latest bios is flashed on the card

Use an old hard drive if possible and do a complete clean install of windows on it with the latest motherboard, and video drivers.

Finally I would say that I'm sure EVGA should be fixing and doing thorough burn in on these cards before re selling them as refurbished but keep in mind GTX 460s were overclocking beasts and a good percentage of the people who owned them were probably pushing the shit out of them until they used their step up or sent them in for RMA. It's possible it's a QA issue at EVGA and their refurbish dept. but if you isolate the problem to the cards via some of the steps I suggested then a talk with a manager would be a good idea to see if you can get the cards swapped for GTX 560s.

 

[Spudsdude]

Thanks Lord_Exodia

I'll give the card a try in another system I have here and try the other things you mentioned. I won't be able to test SLI, but should be able to see if the dot's and lines show up in the other machine.

I've also picked up some other ram to try, and will contact Corsair about the power supply. I have tried a few different hard drives and Windows installs (to no avail)

Does Evga have a list of current firmware for the video cards?

 

[Lord_Exodia]

You can ask about the firmware of the videocards, I was referring to the bios of the motherboard. The bios of the videoxcard I didn't think about but you can give them a go. Another thing you can try is to up the voltage of your gpu to see if the artifacts disappear

The main place I know of where you can find nvidia bios files are;

mvktech.com
http://www.mvktech.net/component/option,com_remository/Itemid,26/func,select/id,60/orderby,2/page,5/

The GTX 460 bioses start on page 5 (linked) and go through page 7 or 8. Make sure not to use a GTX 460SE bios as that's for a more gimped card.

You want to use nibitor and nvflash to do this

nvflash will back up the bios you have and flash the new one. If you want to flash a personally modified bios with a different voltage, clock speed fan profile etc.. nibitor is your friend.
.

 

[Spudsdude]

The same thing was happening on the other computer with the cards, so I've just spent another $25 to mail them both back to EVGA.

I requested different cards that are not the GTX 460's, we will have to see how that goes.

At this point I should have just gotten new cards instead of b-stock as I've spent way more then the new ones (with warranty's) would have cost me.

 

[Lord_Exodia]

The same thing was happening on the other computer with the cards, so I've just spent another $25 to mail them both back to EVGA.

I requested different cards that are not the GTX 460's, we will have to see how that goes.

At this point I should have just gotten new cards instead of b-stock as I've spent way more then the new ones (with warranty's) would have cost me.

At this point you should speak to a manager and see if they'll cover the shipping via a shipping label they can email to you. This is their fault and their quality departments fault for not verifying a card they are selling as used and refurbished. I'd pay the fee the first time around like you did but I'd fight at this point for them to cover the cost because it's their fault 100% this time around.

BTW have you tried to check the temps and fan speeds to see if the card is over heating and also to up the voltage to see if the artifacts disappear on your pc?

 

[Spudsdude]

I'm going to call them on Monday to see what options I have, since I've already shipped them back earlier today there's not much point in asking for the shipping label. They replied to the ticket just saying that the new cards will be shipped in 3 business days, from the other rma's I know that means 3 days after they get the cards. They didn't say anything about which model, I'm hoping they can either refund the purchase price or give me something else (i.e. not another set of 460's). Heck i'd take 1 card that works at this point.

I'm really just considering picking up this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102951 and demanding a refund.

I didn't try increasing the voltage, but the temps where fine and the fan was adjusting normally.
I did make a backup of the bios, and compare the settings to the other bios from the site you linked, it appeared to have stock settings. I decided against flashing anything as I don't want any excuses from them when they get the cards back.

I did try underclocking the gpu/shaders and the memory to the lowest that evga precision would allow, and then set the fan to 100%, it didn't matter at all, the artifacts where there, even from a cold state (i.e. computer was off for awhile and card was at ambient (or as close as it gets)) and even in xbmc with no load. I did go as far as send them a video clip showing the corruption, i loaded the gpu with furmark in the video as it makes the corruption flash and easier to see

Edit: here's a video of the corruption in mkv format on rapidshare (about 1.5 megs)
https://rapidshare.com/files/2765335240/corruption2.mkv

 

[Lord_Exodia]

I'm going to call them on Monday to see what options I have, since I've already shipped them back earlier today there's not much point in asking for the shipping label. They replied to the ticket just saying that the new cards will be shipped in 3 business days, from the other rma's I know that means 3 days after they get the cards. They didn't say anything about which model, I'm hoping they can either refund the purchase price or give me something else (i.e. not another set of 460's). Heck i'd take 1 card that works at this point.

I'm really just considering picking up this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102951 and demanding a refund.

I didn't try increasing the voltage, but the temps where fine and the fan was adjusting normally.
I did make a backup of the bios, and compare the settings to the other bios from the site you linked, it appeared to have stock settings. I decided against flashing anything as I don't want any excuses from them when they get the cards back.

I did try underclocking the gpu/shaders and the memory to the lowest that evga precision would allow, and then set the fan to 100%, it didn't matter at all, the artifacts where there, even from a cold state (i.e. computer was off for awhile and card was at ambient (or as close as it gets)) and even in xbmc with no load. I did go as far as send them a video clip showing the corruption, i loaded the gpu with furmark in the video as it makes the corruption flash and easier to see

Edit: here's a video of the corruption in mkv format on rapidshare (about 1.5 megs)
https://rapidshare.com/files/2765335240/corruption2.mkv

Alright, I mean you did what you could and more than most would. I think they owe you something for all the BS you have gone through so far due to lack of proper testing. Their QA dept probably runs through a benchmark and walks away and if they see a decent enough score they stamp it qa passed. Sadly throughout the entire benchmark there was probably artifacting going on due to failed video memory. Now you have to lose $50 (total) shipping the damn cards back and forth now twice. The least they could do is replace the cards with 2 GTX 560s. Make sure you talk to somebody while the issue is still brewing and before they ship you back 2 more refurbished GTX 460's checked by captain benchmark at their QA dept.

Sorry your going through this dude, Good luck, BTW I know I'll never buy one of their refurbished cards now. Please post back with whatever solution comes about from all of this.

 

[risqu3]

this sounds more like a hardware issue, if it was a power supply, you would get gimped performance, and sometimes even reboots (happened to me with an OCZ elitexstream) Could be memory, but highly unlikely as it's only appearing in graphic intensive applications. So its either the motherboards communication with the video card, or the video card.

And seeing as how you already sent the cards back this was a waste to write! lol

 

[Spudsdude]

Talked to EVGA - No refunds, no model changes, and the warranty has expired on the cards (since it's based on original cards purchase)

In a week or so I'll get a different set of refurbs, maybe i'll get lucky and they will work, but seeings how the last set that didn't work and went through the "extensive testing" option I don't think I'm that lucky. Regardless I'm stuck with whatever they send with no warranty.

So for all you folks out there thinking about getting b-stock, do yourself a huge favor and don't do it.

And for those buying new cards, if you ever have to send the card in, you'll join the b-stock crowd if you don't buy the option to send a new card. (which only apply's to the original card and not whatever you get if it's replaced)

UPDATE: 8/16
Got an email from a rep there, they are going to swap them to GTX 460 1GB cards, so there is hope yet!

 

[Spudsdude]

I'm just not having much luck these days.

They where going to upgrade me to the GTX 460 1GB FPB (which are an upgrade from the GTX 460 768MB FPB cards I have been having the issues with), which I was cool with and I am really glad that Rob at EVGA was helping me out.

I checked the RMA system and it's set to the GTX 460 SE cards, arggg.

 

[Outamyhead]

meh, there okay, my nephew is happy with his, plays Stalker (and it's additional content) without any problems, I'd have one of those over my 260's.

 

[Spudsdude]

Latest news, the correct GTX 460 1GB cards arrived yesterday. They look brand new, all the plastic was still in place, connectors don't look like they have ever been in a motherboard.

The real test, and that's if they work, won't be until next week (waiting on the new PSU to arrive)

EVGA swears all the cards I returned work properly, which I disagree with, but to ensure they can't blame it on any part of the system, the GTX 460's are going into all new hardware (dev box 2 in sig)

Meanwhile dev box 1 (where I had all the other cards that didn't work) is working perfect with the 9400gt (in my mind ruling out that it was any part of my system that was the issue)

Livid will be an understatement if they don't work.

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Very nice, good luck though. Interesting that they are saying the cards you returned all work. I mean how are they testing them? I bet they are booting the operating system with them and then shutting down and pulling them.

There are obviously aware that you don't like to pay shipping them back and forth and the down time. Who needs that... I mean, I guess they just want you to be aware of their testing so that you can try something else if the newer returned cards also act up.

 

[eK-XL]

I tend to think when someone goes through multiple processors or video cards it's usually human error rather than the companies fault. Usually. EVGA have been pretty solid for me, haven't had a single problem with the 4 cards I've had experience with from them.

I got a B-Stock 768mb 460 from EVGA for $90 to power my dad's new system and it works great. No problems.

 

[Spudsdude]

I tend to think when someone goes through multiple processors or video cards it's usually human error rather than the companies fault. Usually. EVGA have been pretty solid for me, haven't had a single problem with the 4 cards I've had experience with from them.

I got a B-Stock 768mb 460 from EVGA for $90 to power my dad's new system and it works great. No problems.

The only reason I changed cpu's was that I had the one for a secondary rig, nothing was/is wrong with the cpu.

While I agree that it's odd to have so many bad, there's no way that I'm at fault for the video cards (although you could say I'm at fault for buying b-stock)

I can't count the number of machines I've built in the last 20 years, hundreds, I'm sure it's not my error.

Heck I've still got that hole punch somewhere around here to double the the floppy disk size .. I remember the old days, press play on tape, load "*" ,8,1 .. bbs, sim's are in pairs, each motherboard jumpers where different, drivers where video card make/model/bios level specific, ahh the old crazy days, it's so much easier now.

 

[Spudsdude]

So I got in the new Power Supply, Corsair HX850
I spent a good few hours getting everything wired up, tidy and neat, cables routed, etc.

I try to boot into windows, reboot. Try safe mode, works. Odd.
I tried various things for a good hour or so, then just decided to reinstall, this time I'll put on 32bit Windows 7, I have not tried that on this rig anyway.

Keep in mind, this is the new rig, dev box 2.

Reinstall Windows without a hickup, get drivers loaded for the NIC, grab the latest drivers, leaving video for last. No problems so far.

I install the video drivers and reboot, windows comes up, I enter the password to login, and hard lock.
I reboot and retry, same thing.
I bring it up in safe mode, nothing in the logs at all.

So yeah, this is yet a different issue with a different set of EVGA b-stock garbage.

I really am dumbfounded at this point.

Update: I've submitted yet another support ticket and requested it be escalted to the highest level.
I am demanding either new, non-refurbished (not b-stock) 560's or a refund, I will not accept another set of non-functional cards.
Here's a thread on nvidia forums with the lockups - http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=187401

At least some of the other cards made it to the desktop, although not all of them did.

I am DONE being there video card testbed.

 

[Lord_Exodia]

So I got in the new Power Supply, Corsair HX850
I spent a good few hours getting everything wired up, tidy and neat, cables routed, etc.

I try to boot into windows, reboot. Try safe mode, works. Odd.
I tried various things for a good hour or so, then just decided to reinstall, this time I'll put on 32bit Windows 7, I have not tried that on this rig anyway.

Keep in mind, this is the new rig, dev box 2.

Reinstall Windows without a hickup, get drivers loaded for the NIC, grab the latest drivers, leaving video for last. No problems so far.

I install the video drivers and reboot, windows comes up, I enter the password to login, and hard lock.
I reboot and retry, same thing.
I bring it up in safe mode, nothing in the logs at all.

So yeah, this is yet a different issue with a different set of EVGA b-stock garbage.

I really am dumbfounded at this point.

Update: I've submitted yet another support ticket and requested it be escalted to the highest level.
I am demanding either new, non-refurbished (not b-stock) 560's or a refund, I will not accept another set of non-functional cards.
Here's a thread on nvidia forums with the lockups - http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=187401

At least some of the other cards made it to the desktop, although not all of them did.

I am DONE being there video card testbed.

Have you run memtest on your ram? This is unbelievable. I mean there can't be that many bad cards at a company deemed fine. I'm at a loss for words.

 

[Spudsdude]

Have you run memtest on your ram? This is unbelievable. I mean there can't be that many bad cards at a company deemed fine. I'm at a loss for words.

Yup, I have tested all the memory, with memtest (no errors) and for giggles with the test built into the bios, I also tried the sli cards with the G-Skill Value as well as the Corsair XMS3. I disabled the HD Audio (as was stated to work for some over in the nvidia forums, it doesn't even get to the login prompt with it disabled)

I need to take a picture of memtest, i'll run it overnight and do that.

Yanked the cards, using the onboard one now, booted right up into windows without any problems.

Here's a pic of the system, I'm sending it to them (with the pic of the other one) to prove I have in fact tried everything I said that I did hardware wise.
My blackberry doesn't take very good pictures, sorry.

Before instal into case


All neat and tidy (too bad it does not work)


And in the OS without the video Cards, proving the system works

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Yup, I have tested all the memory, with memtest (no errors) and for giggles with the test built into the bios, I also tried the sli cards with the G-Skill Value as well as the Corsair XMS3. I disabled the HD Audio (as was stated to work for some over in the nvidia forums, it doesn't even get to the login prompt with it disabled)

I need to take a picture of memtest, i'll run it overnight and do that.

Yanked the cards, using the onboard one now, booted right up into windows without any problems.

Here's a pic of the system, I'm sending it to them (with the pic of the other one) to prove I have in fact tried everything I said that I did hardware wise.
My blackberry doesn't take very good pictures, sorry.

Before instal into case


All neat and tidy (too bad it does not work)


And in the OS without the video Cards, proving the system works

Try disabling your realtek nic in the bios, boot into the os and remove the driver for the realtek nic listed in your 3rd pic, then run driver sweeper and sweep all realtek traces from your system, put the geforce cards back in and try again.

There are several documented issues with realtec nic and realtek audio devices and nvidia GTX 400/500 series cards.


Here is a post specifically related to SLi and how the realtek has issues with it.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=182996

 

[Spudsdude]

Thanks, I'll give that a try in the morning. (have to put the cards back in as already took them out)

 

[Bladestar]

Have you run memtest on your ram? This is unbelievable. I mean there can't be that many bad cards at a company deemed fine. I'm at a loss for words.

Not unbelievable, I had something like this happen to me, but, this was with supposedly brand new cards. I went through 3 RMAs, and in total, it took 1 1/2 months to finally get a working card.

The only thing left for the OP to try is to take the mobo out of the case, and place it on some cardboard, and THEN install all the vid cards and everything else.
That way, he can rule out short issues.

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

Thanks, I'll give that a try in the morning. (have to put the cards back in as already took them out)

Try them one at a time to see if any issues pop up. Preferably in a different machine as well.

Setting up the motherboard on a piece of cardboard is not a bad idea either. Maybe with just one hard drive and one stick of ram.

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Thanks, I'll give that a try in the morning. (have to put the cards back in as already took them out)

Anything yet, I stood in my flooding basement trying to get the water out yesterday from hurricane Irene and held on to one thought in order to survive, your thread and response to what I suggested to try

 

[Spudsdude]

(wow on the water, best of luck with that, so much more of an issue then silly video cards)

Here's the latest
I was able to get one of the cards to let me into Windows by flashing the bios to the one posted in the EVGA forums, it's still not working correctly but I did get into Windows now.
The other card will not flash, says no supported models

I installed one game (Supreme Commander Forged Alliance, and patched it)
With the GTX set for use (d mode for virtu) and the virtu control panel disabled (as it would crash with that enabled) I can start up the game, but it crashes to the desktop if i try to change any settings, same issue with virtu disabled (i.e. just using the GTX). With the GTX's out of the system the game plays as expected with the HD 3000 onchip gpu, no crashes or issues at all, settings all work. If i set the settings with the HD 3000, then reboot and switch over to the GTX in the bios, the game will startup and play for abit before hard locking the system.

The only way I was able to get that somewhat going was to enable Virtu with i mode (so it uses the onboard GPU), disable and remove all Nvidia Drivers, disable the Nic after telling my system it was an intel nic (so it would stop loading the drivers) and then ending task when it found new hardware (which it still loaded the nvidia drivers), boot into safe mode, disable all the Nvidia HD Audio drivers, then back in normal mode (with Virtu enabled), and then flash the video card.

The other card just reboots the system, no love with that one.

Borrowed my buddy's EVGA GTX 460 1GB card (A retail one he got a few months back), my system booted right up without any problems and everything worked perfect, I even tried MediaExpresso with that card (wow that's some fast re-encoding, 12mins from 1080p to Apple TV 2 format). It's running the same bios that was on the EVGA forums, that's what gave me the idea to use that one, that and it's supported by EVGA so they can't freak over it.

All in all, two more cards that don't work right, both came with the same bios, one I could flash, but it's still not working right, the other won't flash.

Here's an idea for EVGA, update the bios on the cards before you send them out.

I've got a call tommorrow with one of the EVGA manager's

 

[Spudsdude]

Today's update...
EVGA says all cards I have returned worked fine and where tested by running benchmarks on them, 3d Mark was a given example.
The also state that the cards they sent me where tested before they where shipped to me.

I disagree.

I was able to get one of the cards working, after flashing and reinstalling Windows 7 x64, turning power setting to max performance in the drivers and power off on pcie to off in power management settings. So one card works, so far.

The other is not working, I forced flashed it with the bios from the other card, it doesn't cause Windows to hardlock or reboot now, but also doesn't initialize the screen (i.e. blank screen), windows does load in the background and I can shutdown it by hitting the power button (gracefull shutdown).

It's not the the folks at EVGA aren't trying to be helpful, but they stick by the "we test every card" story. I asked if they tested with MSI motherboards, no, test with P67 or Z68 in SLI and the answer was they test "with all kinds of systems".
I offered to send the whole PC to them, they declined of course.

This has been a huge waste of my time. I'm going have to think about what I'm doing next as this RMA after RMA is just not something I'm not going to keep doing, even if that means I'm out the cash for the card.

 

[Lord_Exodia]

Today's update...
EVGA says all cards I have returned worked fine and where tested by running benchmarks on them, 3d Mark was a given example.
The also state that the cards they sent me where tested before they where shipped to me.

I disagree.

I was able to get one of the cards working, after flashing and reinstalling Windows 7 x64, turning power setting to max performance in the drivers and power off on pcie to off in power management settings. So one card works, so far.

The other is not working, I forced flashed it with the bios from the other card, it doesn't cause Windows to hardlock or reboot now, but also doesn't initialize the screen (i.e. blank screen), windows does load in the background and I can shutdown it by hitting the power button (gracefull shutdown).

It's not the the folks at EVGA aren't trying to be helpful, but they stick by the "we test every card" story. I asked if they tested with MSI motherboards, no, test with P67 or Z68 in SLI and the answer was they test "with all kinds of systems".
I offered to send the whole PC to them, they declined of course.

This has been a huge waste of my time. I'm going have to think about what I'm doing next as this RMA after RMA is just not something I'm not going to keep doing, even if that means I'm out the cash for the card.

Request a refund and buy cards from someone else.

 

[Spudsdude]

And the final update, getting a refund (less a restock fee and return shipping)

Lesson learned, don't buy refurbished.

 

[eK-XL]

6 cards across different models with the same error? You'd almost think EVGA planted the bug just to fuck with you. My 768mb 460 is still working flawlessly, and I'd recommend EVGA's B-Stock cards to anyone looking for a bargain.

 

[Adzsask]

Hmmm , my used ASUS(folded 24/7 for 10 months) and EVGA b stock 460 768MB are working flawlessly, only gripe I can come up with is the EVGA overclocks 20MHz lower, plus runs slightly warmer(not so bad without card shroud)

 

[Mav451]

I'm dealing with some issues where I can see blue/yellow/green lines snaking through videos. This is independent of video player (VLC, MPC-HC), flash video (Firefox, Chrome), and even independent of drivers. It got over 400 artifacts on OC Scanner, so it's getting RMA-ed. Hopefully I have a happier ending lol. I'm back on my older card, which exhibits none of these symptoms.