gtx660 twinforzriii problem help

Try removing all the drivers with this and then installing the latest ones: http://www.guru3d.com/content_page/guru3d_driver_sweeper.html

What is the temperature of your GPU while gaming? And what power supply are you using?

Well those temps are a bit high, try manually setting the fan speed higher with something like MSI Afterburner.

After the driver fix mentioned, if that doesn't work:
Try lowering the gpu speeds in the drivers (adjust core clock down first, them memory if core doesn't help). It sounds like a heat issue not so much a driver one seeing you say it's at 4-5min repeatedly. A driver just would probably crash period, not after a repeatable amount of time in all games especially knowing another NV card works fine.

As you play it gets warmer probably all the way to 1/2hr+ as temps rise in the box and on the card (as shown by heat affecting AMD radeon 290x by toms, now people are testing for longer or after warmups). I'm assuming you have the 2x6pin connected to the card right? It should throttle and not just crash period but either way easy to try. 660 gtx pulls about 110w itself avg. The GTX 216 is about 60 more so that really doesn't make sense to be watts (which is why I say heat maybe). With the 260 pushing so much more it's likely not the heat in the box but the gpu itself (maybe bad application of grease/tim?). I've had grease applied so badly under a hot gpu that a simple switch to Arctic Silver fixed everything and dropped temps a well below normal for the card. Though to be clear, under warranty you'd RMA but you may call the vendor and ask if you can modify the grease etc as XFX would allow something like this and note it in your file (they will allow mods even and note it in your file so you don't lose your warranty later if you need an RMA). If they approve of your solution, you're free to mod their stuff. Not sure others do this, just a thought and worth a call rather than deal with RMA if allowed.

In fact, I'd probably adjust the cores first. Then mess with drivers as the cores is so easy to adjust in AMD/NV driver panels. I think the same drivers are downloaded for 660 and 260 so not sure the swap would matter much. I've upgraded from AMD to AMD and NV to NV and they just get re-ID'd so to speak and no change needed, assuming both cards were supported by the driver I was had already installed. Many generations are supported in each sides drivers making this fairly simple if both cards are pretty recent and thus supported by the same driver.

Does your card work in another PC if you have one handy? While this is easy for me, it isn't for everyone and this would be after drivers, mucking with speeds, checking power plugs connected. IF the speeds fixes it, then I'd wonder about the grease/tim being in there correctly or just a faulty chip that can't hack it's job at rated speeds. It can happen.

Is this a new card or did it just start doing this after 6 months or something? Just trying to get a better idea of the situation here. Drivers get corrupted too (and not sure if you're even on the latest version), so I'm not saying the OP suggestion isn't good (it is valid). Just giving you some more options to get more data for us and avoid an RMA if it's new and simple as a grease fix, or power not hooked up etc.

Hope this helps

Ooops, had the post open while I left, didn't refresh first before submitting. Even so, temps should just throttle a card not blow out constantly. PSU is fine if your 260 works as it draws a lot more.

I'm leaning toward RMA especially if it's new and can be returned for a new one (some places that's 30days, some 7 etc). NV cards will throttle just like AMD when taxed to death in something like furmark etc. So even heat shouldn't cause your issue, thus after pondering a bit more...How easy is it to RMA (under limit for a new one, or are you past that time frame?)? It sucks to be just outside RMA for refund, and instead getting someone's repaired part when yours is brand new. Better to RMA rather than test for days and land outside this IMHO. It could just be incompatible with something in your system also (board most likely in a vid card case). It's not common but not impossible either.

I've seen compatibility issues with ram but again VERY rare when you can't just do manual as these are mostly SPD issues which I never use (direct timing input works 99%, spd's? Not in my vocab), but I've seen manufacturers call out certain ram as not working period. I've seen DVD burners which needed firmware update in a few cases (pc just hung when playing videos with an audio cable hooked up, unhook it and they ran through), and also a Mboard bios update in a case or two for them to work together, and PSU's zapping boards all weekend until they found out it was incompatible with MSI. Many local shops were blowing MSI's right and left, & we're talking 100's over a week before discovered. I personally blew 3 in the same PC and said What the hell (vender call...LOL)? Powered on once or twice then dead, but made it through 3 days burning in no problem (which I usually don't shutdown once built many times, you just burn in for days and pack up), and was only killed via shutdowns...LOL. I was delivering one thinking it was fine but one shutdown at their location - pfft...dead. etc etc. In that case I actually gave them my box so the distributor could use it themselves and ship to MSI/SPI for further testing. They weren't communicating properly on how to shutdown the board. Odd, but fixed with a new rev of the same PSU a week later.

Just some examples of weird crap that happens in a pc shop...LOL. I'm not surprised by much these days though compatibility is FAR better today than even 10yrs ago (and MILES ahead of 20yrs ago). They used to call plug-n-play plug-n-pray for a reason...ROFL.

It's not dangerous, but I wouldn't go any higher with it. Your GTX 660 is clearly having some issues since it's heating up and only working with lower clocks. The card is still only 1 year old so warranty should cover it; I'd send it back to the place you bought it from and ask for a replacement.

Well then you're going to have to run it with the lower clocks. You can try turning up the fan speeds of the GPU and setting the clocks even lower if the temps bother you.

Keep the temps under 80C and you're fine. I can't tell you how low you need to set the clocks since your GPU is faulty and I can't say how bad it is. Try experimenting with it.

Yes, lowering the clockspeed will decrease your fps.

?

You have to buy a new one if you don't have any warranty left (or live with the issues of the old one).

Sorry, but it's not.

Are you sure. I thought MSI was 2yr warranty but I may be mistaken.

The only other option you have besides buying a new one is to see if the heatsink is removable and check the paste under it. If the grease is not applied properly or completely missing you can fix that perhaps. That is better than just tossing it if you're pondering that idea or even buying a new card. I'd certainly attempt it before buying if that was my next step. It can really change temps on a card.

You don't need the box to get an RMA. You merely need to pack it appropriately according to company standards for the product you're shipping (just check their RMA section on their website for this info). Usually an ESD bag with peanuts on top/bottom of box or bubble wrap around it is most likely all that's needed. But you need an RMA authorization number before shipping and that takes a phone call or web submission.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127699
newegg says 2yrs labor 3yrs parts. Why would this not apply to you? There is no question of the receipt when they are guaranteed it is not 2yrs old as it hasn't been out that long. It was reviewed ~sept 2012 around the web though it may have come slightly before that. I'd call and see if you can get an RMA immediately. Most websites (if bought online) have your entire order history and all that is needed is a reprint at newegg/amazon etc. Even an email of the invoice will suffice for most. I save all those invoice emails anyway even though the sites still have them showing, just in case. No way to predict how long the card will last hotter than normal. If you have no warranty just bring them down as best as possible by the grease or upping fan speed in the drivers until it annoys you.

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-GeForce-Graphics-N660-TF/dp/B0094CX8QI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402489667&sr=8-1&keywords=MSI+N660+TF+2GD5%2FOC
If this is the model# Amazon says day first on amazon:
Date first available at Amazon.com: September 13, 2012

Like I said, guaranteed not over 2yrs old for another 3 months. They'd have a hard time arguing it was out of date even with no receipt if you take use this info and attack them properly with it

Hope this helps. Vids on applying grease can be found on youtube. Don't touch the card grease wise until you find out about the RMA! Don't want to void it if you have one.

You can get a static bag cheap at fry's etc, local shops and they may even just give you one if you ask or pay the front desk guy a buck or two for one...LOL (or use your old ones, I have tons and keep a lot on hand for Mboards, vid cards, HDs etc). Don't ignore how they say to ship it (ESD bag is instant void and they'll return it to you most likely).