Is this a motherboard related problem?

zeliscar · Nov 20, 2017

Hello all. I have a problem with my almost 6 year old gaming rig that worked perfectly until yesterday. While it looks like it's a GPU problem I am worried there could also be something wrong with the motherboard and would like to make sure before I go shopping for a new video card. I also received no replies on the GPU forum.

Symptoms:

- Computer crashes with vertical lines on the screen
- GPU idle temperature is 40°C but goes up to 90°C if active (playing a game)
- All crashes happened during browsing while the GPU was not overheating but it did not crash in around 5 minutes of testing at 90°C
- GPU fan doesn't increase its speed at any temperature and increasing its speed manually does not decrease GPU's temperature.

So far I've only had 3 crashes with first two happening within 5 minutes of each other while browsing. The third crash happened about 5 hours later with GPU temp at around 70°C. It hasn't crashed again (24 hours later) but it's probably because I'm not doing anything that would increase the temp to dangerous levels.

Is this a GPU or a motherboard problem, does anyone recognize the symptoms? Should I borrow a GPU from a friend to test it on my motherboard first or is that too dangerous?

Thanks in advance.

rocktalkrock · Nov 21, 2017

What is your motherboard. Your description sounds like your motherboards fan speed controllers in the BIOS or the software in Windows that controls your fans.

PC Tailor · Nov 21, 2017

Please post your entire system specification. Including power supply make and model.

It initially sounds like a GPU problem, so I would find a spare GPU and test that first.

zeliscar · Nov 21, 2017

PC Tailor :

Sorry, I didn't post the specs because the rig had been working flawlessly for almost 6 years so I figured it's a single component failure.

Motherboard: Gigabyte P67A-UD4-B3
CPU: Intel i5-2500k @ 3.30GHz
GPU: AMD Radeon HD6970
RAM: 8GB
PSU: I can't really check without taking it out, but it's a 650W Corsair that was considered good around 6 years ago

I will try to borrow a GPU to test it tonight, if the problem is not with GPU I should be seeing exact same symptoms, right?

PC Tailor · Nov 24, 2017

zeliscar :

It may be a single component failure, but the manner in which components interact can suggest what the failure is. I.e. a GPU overheating can also be the sign of a PSU failing in some cases.

Try the GPU - you may not see EXACTLY the same symptoms, but you should see similar symptoms if the GPU is not at fault. But as i said, it can relate to how components interact. So if your PSU was failing with a high end GPU, swapping and testing with a low end GPU may not exhibit the same symptom, as the low end GPU isn't stressing the PSU as much as the higher end.

Hope this makes sense, just trial each component themselves. Starting with the GPU.

zeliscar · Nov 29, 2017

Thanks for your answers so far. Today my computer finally died (wouldn't turn itself on).
Turning it on will turn the lights on motherboard for a sec then it all goes dark, but this happens just on the first turning on.

I removed the GPU and added a low-end GPU (couldn't borrow a high-end one yet) and the computer works fine.
I would also like to add I haven't experienced any problems like rebooting in the last week, but I have been straining the card a few times at 90C.

I guess I need to test it with a high-end GPU to see if the problem could be with PSU but I am wondering if there is still a possibility the motherboard is at fault or is that out of the question now? If not, is there a simple way to test it?

Thanks again.

zeliscar · Dec 2, 2017

OK I need help.

Today I got an old computer with a decent graphics card (GTX 570) to test my components.

-I put my GPU in his computer. Didn't even turn on, card looks to be dead.
-I put his GPU in my computer and there were problems from the start. First the computer rebooted immediately after turning it on, but then booted fine. Then the display went dead after few min while I was downloading the drivers, had to reboot. After multiple tries in safe mode and deleting old drivers with ddu I finally managed to install the drivers and the card worked fine. I checked the temperature - 30C. I ran Overwatch to test it which would put my old card to 80C, it was only 55C. But as soon as the action started the screen turned green and computer crashed. After reboot there was no display upon entering Windows (black screen).
-I took his PSU and connected it to my computer but the problems were the same except this time the computer always crashed while installing the driver (screen went black) so I could not even install it.

-After returning his card back to his computer, the card would no longer work. 8 beeps from BIOS and no display. This was all before any PSU changes so everything was connected correctly, additionally the low-end GPU (GT 220) I have worked (on both computers) just fine. His card still works after putting it back into my computer, but with same symptoms as before.

So what happened here, the first GPU died and we killed the 2nd while testing it? Although it technically still works, just not on his computer.
Or is my motherboard at fault here and his got damaged during these tests (it's rather old)? Again strange both work fine with an old card.

Please help, now I have TWO computers not working and can't figure out which component is at fault. What to do next here?

rocktalkrock · Dec 2, 2017

zeliscar :

Can you give me more detail about your PSU and the power supply in your friends computer? Both graphics cards you are using require a lot of power.

You say "I put my GPU in his computer. Didn't even turn on, card looks to be dead". Was his PSU powerful enough to run your graphics card? His GPU requires two 6-pin power connectors, while your card needs a 6-pin and an 8-pin.

While i can only guess at what is causing your problems, i would suggest the possibility that your PSU is starting to fail, and therefore is not able to provide enough power under heavy load. On the other hand your friends PSU may be fine, but just not powerful enough to run your graphics card. Meanwhile both PSU's can deliver enough power to the low end card, which doesn't require much power. Just a guess on my part.

zeliscar · Dec 2, 2017

rocktalkrock :

Hi, even guesses are greatly appreciated at this point.
My PSU is Corsair TX750W and his is LC600H-12, both should be able to run my card. Additionally his card requires a similar amount of power and has worked fine until now, so I think it would be a too big of a coincidence. Unless it's possible that testing my card on it damaged it somehow?

rocktalkrock · Dec 2, 2017

zeliscar :

rocktalkrock :

Hi, even guesses are greatly appreciated at this point.
My PSU is Corsair TX750W and his is LC600H-12, both should be able to run my card. Additionally his card requires a similar amount of power and has worked fine until now, so I think it would be a too big of a coincidence. Unless it's possible that testing my card on it damaged it somehow?

The site jonnyGURU.com reviewed the Corsair TX750W in late 2007. This model received very good reviews at the time, but was limited to a 5 year warranty. It's asking a lot to expect it to still be running your system after 11 years.

zeliscar · Dec 2, 2017

rocktalkrock :

I don't know what year was mine manufactured but it's been running less than 7 years. Admittedly 24/7 though.
It also doesn't explain why there's no difference with the 2 year old 600W LC, infact it's even worse.

Which makes me think, could there be something draining the power from PSU, like a faulty motherboard? Although this doesn't explain why the card no longer works on the other computer. Bah.

rocktalkrock · Dec 2, 2017

zeliscar :

rocktalkrock :

I don't know what year was mine manufactured but it's been running less than 7 years. Admittedly 24/7 though.
It also doesn't explain why there's no difference with the 2 year old 600W LC, infact it's even worse.

Which makes me think, could there be something draining the power from PSU, like a faulty motherboard? Although this doesn't explain why the card no longer works on the other computer. Bah.

Do you have any peripherals plugged into your computer that are draining the power from the PSU?

zeliscar · Dec 6, 2017

rocktalkrock :

No, I have nothing connected. I was thinking if maybe a faulty motherboard could be draining the PSU.

Anyway, I've put the secondary GPU in my computer again. These were the results:

-I was able to install the drivers without any problems and the computer worked fine.

-I was able to game, no card overheating

-After about 3 hours the screen went blank for few seconds and windows made the hardware disconnecting/connecting sound

-After about 6 hours the screen went blank again, no display this time. After forced reboot, the windows would no longer open other than in Safe Mode (the spinning circle freezes while loading each time)

What is this, PSU or motherboard?

rocktalkrock · Dec 6, 2017

zeliscar :

I can't really say, but your not considering a 3rd possibility that the problem is your Windows OS has become corrupted. It may be worth it for you to reinstall Windows or at least run the Repair Windows option.

zeliscar · Dec 6, 2017

rocktalkrock :

I'm not considering it because there's also problems that have nothing to do with Windows such as computer rebooting itself immediately after being turned on or rebooted (with this card inside) occasionally.

It's a hardware problem, I'm sure.

rocktalkrock · Dec 6, 2017

zeliscar :

Well if i had to choose between the PSU or the motherboard i would always suspect the PSU. With a dead power supply, the computer will look dead. A faulty or failing power supply will cause odd, random issues that don't seem to follow a clear pattern, which makes finding a cause for the problems hard to diagnose.

zeliscar · Dec 6, 2017

rocktalkrock :

Ok thanks I'll try to test it with a new PSU. If it doesn't help I guess it's the motherboard..or the GPU. Sigh.

rocktalkrock · Dec 6, 2017

zeliscar :

rocktalkrock :

Ok thanks I'll try to test it with a new PSU. If it doesn't help I guess it's the motherboard..or the GPU. Sigh.

Where are the easy answers when you need one?

Is this a motherboard related problem?

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