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Problems with BFG 5900 128MB?

H

herald

n00b
Joined
Dec 28, 2002
Messages
38
Hi!

Well, BFG is sending me another 5900. This will be number 3.

Number 1 was evidently DOA - Bizarre graphics artifacts from day 1. :(

So I RMA'd it, and got number 2.

Sweet. Really good graphics. :)

Then I shut my machine down.

When I went to reboot the next day. Nothing. Nada. No Graphics. No picture at all. :mad:

Swapped back in my old trusty GTS2Pro. Everything was fine again.

So I called BFG, and they are "Expiditing" me another 5900 (#3).

The question is this: has anyone else been having any grief with their BFG 5900's?

For your info, my config is:
ASUS K8V deluxe MoBo
Athlon 64 3400 (not FX)
Enermax 550 watt PS (yeah, I checked, I have good power)
Forceware 56.56
Windows 2000 Pro SP4
I am hoping this is NOT some obscure incompatibility issue.

Help?!?!?

Thanks,
Herald
 
Hmmm rather odd, that many cards giving ya problems. Have had mine since they came out and no problems what so ever. Hopefully you have better luck with the 3rd one.
 
The question is this: has anyone else been having any grief with their BFG 5900's?
Click to expand...

friend of mine had one and his pc would randomly crash. i think it was becasue it demands alot of power. he returned it and got a 9800 pro
 
Going on 5 or 6 months with my BFG 5900 now, and it's been perfect.

It's definitely rare to have two bum cards in a row, especially the last one direct from BFG. You can bet they will thoroughly test out this next card they're sending you. If this 3rd card craps out also, then your computer is the murdering culprit, likely the PS.
 
I got my BFG 5900NU from gameve, and it was bad. Not sure if it was a return that they sold as new or what. I RMA'd it back to BFG and in 6 days I had another one. Its working fine.
 
Originally posted by Badger_sly
Going on 5 or 6 months with my BFG 5900 now, and it's been perfect.

It's definitely rare to have two bum cards in a row, especially the last one direct from BFG. You can bet they will thoroughly test out this next card they're sending you. If this 3rd card craps out also, then your computer is the murdering culprit, likely the PS.
Click to expand...

Well, That's pretty unlikely. My PS is a brand new Enermax 550 Watt,
and even with the 75 watts the 5900 draws I am only pulling 500 watts.
I tested the PS voltages, and they are all nice and close to spec.

What I truly fear is that it is some bizzarre incompatibility with the
card & my MoBo.

Herald
 
I got 2 DOA BFG 5900s from ENPC. First one was new but DOA. RMA'd it and the second one looked like it had been used for months. Smelled like cigarette smoke too. Had to blow the dust off the heatsink before I used it. DOA as well. Third RMA was for cash. Didn't RMA to BFG because I wanted credit card protection until I had a working card.

I've gotten 2 BFG 5900s from Fry's that have both worked great.
 
Originally posted by herald
The question is this: has anyone else been having any grief with their BFG 5900's?
Click to expand...
Nope, not yet. I got mine from enpc in the regular sealed retail box about 5 weeks ago.
 
my friend bought a 5900NU from some store locally here and it was DOA. then he RMA'd it twice and each time he got a faulty 5900NU. he finally called BFG a 3rd time and boy did we give them a mouthful. They sent us back a 4th card, but this time it was a 5900ULTRA 256MB with 2.2ns memory. :)

all i can say it thank god BFG's lower end cards suck, or he'd be stuck with an NU still
 
Herald why are you running Windows 2000? Just curious if fior some reason that would cause a problem, I got the same video card coupled with a Shuttle AN50R mobo, and a A64 3000 and have never had a problem at all.
 
Originally posted by Marcdaddy
Herald why are you running Windows 2000? Just curious if fior some reason that would cause a problem, I got the same video card coupled with a Shuttle AN50R mobo, and a A64 3000 and have never had a problem at all.
Click to expand...

Yep, I am running Windows 2000 Pro SP4, and DX 9.0b
I have the Forceware 56.56 drivers.

I am running Win2KP, because I don't like or trust XP.

Furthermore, I am running a SCSI system, and SCSI performance
under XP truly sucketh.

Wheras under Win2KP, my SCSI RAID 0 screams, especially with
the new ASUS K8V MoBo & A64 3400 :D

Herald
 
Really, in my main system, FX51, im running 4 Raptors in raid and i almost crapped my pants the first time i loaded windows in took all of a couple seconds to get into it. Also i can never go back to a NON-RAID setup for my primary computer the speed overall is just so noticable, so im sure your SCSI setup just plain halls balls.
 
Originally posted by Marcdaddy
Really, in my main system, FX51, im running 4 Raptors in raid and i almost crapped my pants the first time i loaded windows in took all of a couple seconds to get into it. Also i can never go back to a NON-RAID setup for my primary computer the speed overall is just so noticable, so im sure your SCSI setup just plain halls balls.
Click to expand...

hoo daddy, yeah.

Got myself a pair of Seagate 36 GB 15K Cheetahs in Raid 0,
and a Seagate SATA 150 120GB for my data drive.

Yeah, it screams.

Got my #3 5900 and slapped it in. So far so good.

3DMark03 - 5406
3DMark01 - 17,321
AquaMark3 - 38,330


I'll really abuse the card for a few days, as a burn in, and hopefully
this will be the end of my problems.
 
:eek:

Well, it seems I spoke too soon.

Card #3 worked fine for about 1/2 an hour, then hung up
while I was playing Medal of Honor: Allied Assault

After that, on reboot, I got no signal.

Nothing.

I am VERY frustrated with this process. I have verified with my
motherboard manufacturer (ASUS) that there are no known issues
with any AGP 8 card, or any BFG cards.

BFG is RMA'ing me card #4

Does anyone out there have any insight?

Herald
 
Replace your motherboard and/or PSU. It's frying video cards.
 
Ok, it is definately something with your system. You are going into insaine odds right now if it is in fact not something you own causing it.

I know you said you tested the PSU, but really to me, that feels like the culprit. The only thing else I can think is your Mobo is jacked and frying whatever you put into the AGP slot.

Is everything in your computer AND house properly grounded? Get a UPS while you are at it, because you may be suffering from spikes or sags in your house.

Edit: pxc beat me :)
 
Like I originally posted after card #2...........it's the PS.

And, I'll bet BFG will limit their warranty to card #4.
 
Alright, to asnwer your first question:

I am running my system through a top of the line Belkin
"Isolator" surge protector & filter.

My power supply is an Enermax EG651P rated at 550watts.
Measured output volatges are 11.968 on the 12V
and 5.026 on the 5V.

How the devil can I test the AGP slot?

My old card (the GTS2-Pro) is running fine.

Help?!?!

Herald
 
Even though Enermax is a quality name, it is possable that you have a dud. Showing you meter reading, also do not show or prove that the rails are not fluxuating.

I am not sure if surge protecters can protect from any but the briefest of power sags. They are great for the spikes though. a UPS can save you from low power.

The Old Card defence a very good metric either. Typically as technology progresses, it tends to get more precise. An often unwanted side effect is that they also get more finicky.
 
Well, after much ado, and much testing, I am pleased to report
that Card #4 is running great. I put it through 3 days of
torture testing (running Aquamark & 3DMark03 in continuous
loop at hi res), and it has performed flawlessly.

While waiting for this card to arrive, I hooked up a strip chart
recorder to my power supply and recorded it's output.
Rock Steady. Maxium deviance .16 volt on the 12 V, and .055
on the 5V.

Suffice it to say, BFG has a serious QA problem. I must now
wonder what the hell happened, but one thing is for certain.
It was definintely NOT my system that was killing those cards.
 
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