Need HELP with GRAPHICS CARD problem

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RockyCoast

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Oct 1, 2012
28
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Hello, I'm sort-of a perpetual noob; and a Geezer, bordering on Ancient. Have had a computer since CP/M but am definitely not a Geek. Couple years ago I put together a computer. Now I think my graphics card [4096MB ATI AMD Radeon R9 380 Series (Gigabyte)] is dying. For olde times sake, I'm playing Oblivion and I'm getting artifacts. When I hit something with a spell, the green or white blobs of light persist for a LONG time afterward. Doors open horribly slowly. When I crouch I get a green mist I can hardly see through. Short-duration black screens; crashes. Other stuff, none of which is normal.

Is my graphics card dying after only 2-3 years? I definitely don't overclock or anything. And, living in Maine, it never gets particularly hot. (And I've started using SpeedFan.) And I've updated the drivers. So, do I hafta buy another card already? If so, is there a reliable one in the $200 range? (I searched the forums and it seems like all the answers to questions like mine are from 2013.)

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

MY COMPUTER SPECS

Operating System
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i7 4770K @ 3.50GHz 40 °C
Haswell 22nm Technology
RAM
32.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 666MHz (9-9-9-24)
Motherboard
ASRock Z97 Extreme6 (CPUSocket) 35 °C
Graphics
S23C350 (1920x1080@59Hz)
4096MB ATI AMD Radeon R9 380 Series (Gigabyte) 52 °C
Optical Drives
HL-DT-ST BD-RE WH16NS40
Audio
High Definition Audio Device
 
Solution
R
SOLVED, sort of. Turns out it's an obscure Oblivion glitch known variously as the ABOMB, ATOM BOMB or GLITCH of DOOM. When one has been playing close to 500 hours, symptoms like mine appear - doors open and spell effects dissapate REALLY slowly. Other stuff. BUT, when I started a new game (after deleting all my old saves [from two old games plus the one I was playing now]) the ARTIFACTS returned. MS Afterburner reported 52C for the GPU. Any ideas?
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dontlistentome

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Sep 5, 2016
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What I'd do is run something like MSI Afterburner, so I monitor CPU and GPU clockspeeds and temperatures onscreen. Then I'd run a non game stress test, like Furmark or something. Then I'd watch what happens. Obviously you're looking for those anomalies AND trying to see if they correlate to some change in temps or speeds.

One other thing, that card sucks up a lot of power. So your power supply is important. Make/model?
 
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RockyCoast

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Oct 1, 2012
28
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RockyCoast

Distinguished
Oct 1, 2012
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Jeeze, Speccy didn't list the power supply; took me a while to find my original build list. Power supply is Corsair HX750 750W 80+ Gold Modular ATX Power Supply. Wife is dragging me off to bed - 10:30 and 6:00 comes early. THANKS. More tomorrow. PS - I just downloaded Afterburner. Lots to do tomorrow.
 
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RockyCoast

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Oct 1, 2012
28
3
18,545


 
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RockyCoast

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Oct 1, 2012
28
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Well DANG! I ran DDU, removed the graphics card, plugged into the motherboard video (HDMI) and started the game and it STILL DIDN'T WORK. Now I AM flummoxed. What, besides the graphics would cause this problem?

By the way, I went to Steam and "verified [my local] files". My only other option is to reinstall the whole game. Or try another game. (Wife correctly sez, "There are Things Which Also Need Attention around here; tap, tap, tap... [I thought things slowed down when you got old but friend says, "No, YOU slow down."] Sigh.)
 
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RockyCoast

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Oct 1, 2012
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Back again, at last. (My wife still has a job so I keep the home fires burning.) I finally got Oblivion reinstalled; no change. I tried each RAM stick individually; no change. I put 'em all back AND reinstalled the graphics card. Now I can load Oblivion but all I see is what looks like a red wall and the cursor (cross-hair) doesn't move - though the compass indicator at the bottom of the screen DOES, when I turn about. Haven't tried a different game yet. Am running down; crawling under my desk isn't as fun as it usta be. Hope still springs though new ideas are hard to come by.
 
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RockyCoast

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Oct 1, 2012
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One problem solved. Game back but still no change from ORIGINAL problem. (Red wall, cursor problem was because I had run DDU and hadn't reinstalled the drivers.) I just downloaded HWINFO; will learn & use it tomorrow. Thanks AGAIN.
 
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RockyCoast

Distinguished
Oct 1, 2012
28
3
18,545
Well, I'm still puzzled. My computer isn't overheating. The only game that appears to give me trouble is Oblivion, doing things it's never done before. Must be Oblivion's problem. I will look further. THANKS for your help; I've learned a few things and that's always good.
 
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R

RockyCoast

Distinguished
Oct 1, 2012
28
3
18,545
SOLVED, sort of. Turns out it's an obscure Oblivion glitch known variously as the ABOMB, ATOM BOMB or GLITCH of DOOM. When one has been playing close to 500 hours, symptoms like mine appear - doors open and spell effects dissapate REALLY slowly. Other stuff. BUT, when I started a new game (after deleting all my old saves [from two old games plus the one I was playing now]) the ARTIFACTS returned. MS Afterburner reported 52C for the GPU. Any ideas?
 
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