New rig with EVGA 7800GT, LOTS of artifacts...running hot???

[t-gunn6]

Just built a new rig, here are the specs:

XG Dragon CA-DRG-K-B2 Black 1.2mm Aluminum alloy ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 500W, Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811171080

eVGA 133-K8-NF41 Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard
eVGA 256-P2-N519-AX Geforce 7800GT CO 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Manchester 1GHz HT Socket 939 Dual Core Processor Model ADA4200BVBOX
CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model TWINX2048-3200
LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner W/LightScribe and 5X DVD-RAM Write Black ATAPI/E-IDE Model SHM-165H6S
Microsoft Windows XP Home With SP2

I'm getting alot of artifacts in both Windows and while playing FEAR and BF2. BF2 will get to the point that the game either just quits during play, or the entire rig will reboot.

Currently the Nvidia PNP monitor says the GPU is sitting at 54*C.

I tried reading some other posts regarding the 7800GT, and one user said the GPU requires a PSU that pushes 26A at +12V. The current PSU only pushes 14A at +12V1 & 2.

Performance is pretty good in FEAR and BF2, the games don't bog down, but it's fairly obvious something is not right because sometimes the artifacting becomes quite severe.

Need some help here, thanks in advance.

 

[swifty_morgan]

The first thing I would do is try a different driver. - video -

Make sure you go to invidia website and get the latest - motherboard -chipset driver updates.

If that doesn't work, go to evga's website and get the bios update for that card. You will have to register your card first, using the information off the back of the box. It worked for me, ( bios update ), it should work for you.

Some of those cards came through overclocked, and the bios update set it right.

You do have the card in the top slot...right ?

And you're not trying to max everything out right ?

 

[t-gunn6]

I did uninstall the drivers that came with the card and installed the latest driver's from nvidia's website, forgot to mention that. The card is in the middle slot, between the two PCIE slots for an SLI set up, isn't that how it is supposed to be?

Thanks for the speedy reply. Will definitely try the bios update.

 

[swifty_morgan]

Well' if you're not putting me on, no, it goes in the upper pci-e slot............hence, "pci-e graphics card"............

 

[t-gunn6]

Ok, EVGA does not have a bios update for this particular card (P/N 256-P2-N519-AX).

 

[swifty_morgan]

Yup, had to look for myself, they don't.............figures.........lol

 

[t-gunn6]

Well' if you're not putting me on, no, it goes in the upper pci-e slot............hence, "pci-e graphics card"............

ok, my board has 4 PCI-E slots, the small (x8?) one on top, and three x16 slots under it. The second and forth slots say "PE2 SLI" and "PE4 SLI". The third slot says "SINGLE". My card is in the third "SINGLE" slot.

 

[Heyyou27]

Some of the 7800GT COs come with memory clocked too high; this can be fixed with a bios flash, or you could clock it down with coolbits.

 

[swifty_morgan]

I think it's the board that come "free" with the card, no ? I'm sure it has only 2 or 3 pci-e slots, and 3 pci slots.... there is a difference. The book that came with the motherboard should tell you which slot to put a single card in. If there are 3 pci-e slots, and one of them is a different color, I would try that one first. What does the book say ?

 

[t-gunn6]

That's correct, this is the free board + card set up. Let me correct myself, there are four PCI-E slots, the first is x1, then x8, then x16, then x8. I have it in the SINGLE slot (x16), just triple checked the manual.

I'm going to try flashing the BIOS with the latest version, see if that does anything.

UPDATE - flashed the BIOS, still the same problems.

 

[Heyyou27]

What kind of shitty motherboard are you buying? 8O
That doesn't sound right...

 

[swifty_morgan]

The boards updates include support for dual core chip ?

The cards temps look ok for now, it's not burned in yet

I tried to take a quick look at the ps issue, didn't find anything in a hurry, but 14amps seems a little lite. Don't know anything about it though. Mine pushes 19amps and I'm not having problems, and I have 2 cards.

I don't know what to tell you at this point. If I had it here I could fiddle with it, and change some components.

I never used the evga mobo. It was a first run for them..... untested.......... I'm not trying to tell you it isn't anygood, it probably is.

Keep asking, keep looking at posts...........


HEYYOU... go to newegg, and look at mobo, goto man's site and you'll see the specs.