psolk

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Hi Everyone, first the setup
Liquid cooled
AMD 4000 @ 2700
2 gigs Corsair XMS 3500 LL @ 2 3 2 6 1T
Asus A8NSLI-Premium
Dual 7800 GTX non-SLI for 3 monitors
Dual Maxtor Raid-0 cual WD Raid-1
PC Power 510


So yesterday I recv'd a 7900 GTX and tried to swap it out for my primary 7800 GTX. AM3 ran no issues, 97000 and 3dM ran fine, 11,523. Prime 95 showed no issues but then 3 hours into a flight with FS I got a piercing screach through all my speakers. I rebooted the system but when it came back, I had no more sound through my X-fi and I had no networking. Neither of my onboard network drops seem to be working anymore. Prime 95 can no longer run for even 10 minutes. Is it possible that I completely fired my mobo? Even more-so, do you think it is a coincidence or the addition of the 7900 GTX in combination with the 7800 GTX? I do not want to rebuild only to put the 7900 GTX and end up with the same thing...

What a bummer...
Any help would be appreciated, I have never had a h/w failure like this.
Thanks,
-Paul
 

rodney_ws

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I believe I've seen similar posts to this one that reference the "scream of death" Based on previous posts all signs point towards the X-Fi being the problem. Lots of people complain about problems with the X-Fi's and NForce 4 based boards (like yours) I have an X-Fi and love it, but if my ever does the infamous "scream of death" I'm gonna turn my back on Creative and never look back.
 

psolk

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Hmm, very very interesting. The "scream of death" could definitely be soundcard but then why lose the NICS at the same time. Perhaps the soundcard fried the board instead of the board frying everything else.
I have done away with my O/C and Prime95 has been running for ~ 1 1/2 hours error free. With the O/C and the 7900GTX I could not get past 10 minutes in Prime95.

So now the question becomes as I am already replacing the mobo would you upgrade to an FX-57 @ 2.8 or the FX-60 Dual Core at 2.6 I am not concerned with Vista, there will be something new by then so I am strictly talking buying today for the next 6-8 months what would you do???

Thanks for the help,
-P
 

rodney_ws

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There is NO WAY IN HELL I would ever consider the FX-57 over the FX-60... the two are around $200 apart in price and I DEFINITELY believe the FX-60 is worth the added premium... that said, I'd personally buy neither processor... I'd get an Opteron 165/170 or X2 4400+ and overclock it to FX-60 speeds (or higher)

Dropping $1000+ on a CPU is pretty crazy... then again, they're still selling at that price so obviously someone has that kind of money to burn.
 

psolk

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I always said the same thing but bottom line is Overclocking is not looking good with this 7900 card. I have been able to recover back to the point where I have sound working again in a different PCI slot, my Marvell NIC is working again, RAM settings are back to 2.75V 2 3 2 6 1T but I can only Prime95 and run wihtout errors with my 4000 at Stock speeds. As soon as I attempt to O/C she is very very unhappy. With the Dual 7800 GTX cards I had been running @ 2.7 ~ FX 56.5 without any issues but as soon as I threw in that 690/1750 XFX 7900 GTX the O/C went to hell. Just curious why you are so aginst the FX-57. It runs at 2.8 opposed to the Dual Core 2.6 FX-60. There isn't a tremendous amount out there today that fully utilizes dual Core so if you are only buying for the next 8 months why not go with the 57? The FX-57 is down to $800 bucks thanks to the FX-60 and then I can run 2.8 without any Overclocking and this should be one very happy system...

Interested to hear your thoughts,
Thanks again,
-Paul
 

waylander

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Hi I'm not sure here but maybe it's the power? I know alot of ppl always blame the PSU but I'm not sure if the 7900 draws more than the 7800. With the system stable stock but unstable OC'd it might be something you want to look into.
 

yamagiru

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Hi I'm not sure here but maybe it's the power? I know alot of ppl always blame the PSU but I'm not sure if the 7900 draws more than the 7800. With the system stable stock but unstable OC'd it might be something you want to look into.

From what I researched that PSU has more than enough amperage on the 12v rail to cover the new 7900 so I would guess that's a non issue.
 

psolk

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This is really weird. I got the sound working again in a different PCI slot, ran Prime95 for 5 hours and then stopped without any errors. I shut down only to notice the sound was gone again. I have since removed the X-Fi completely and enabled OnBoard Sound.

Again at 225*12 I failed Prime95 immediately even without the X-Fi. Dropped just a bit to 220*12 (2640 instead of 2400)with onboard sound enabled, the Nic is still working and Prime95 seems to be running ok thus far... This is all very very weird but I still have the new mobo and FX-57 arriving tomorrow... Question is what do I do about sound???

Ugh, frustrating,
-P
 

psolk

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Yeah, while I definitely appreciate any and all advice and thank you for taking the time to post, the PCPower 510 is equivalent to most 650W power supplies. I spoke to them direct and they said that it should cover my load fine. If I loaded up a few more HD's they said to move up to the 850 or 1k but for now I should be fine. Well, even at 2640 Prime just died after ten minutes...
It is like I can not OC at all ever since adding this card. The Nic is a non-issue but the X-Fi is still not working.

I just think this mobo is on the fritz... Either that or for some reason the 7900 GTX is slowly taking down my entire system but since installing it, first my sound came to a screaching halt. Then I rebooted all networking was gone and the sound was gone. Disabled SATA 3 and 4 and nic came back. Moved X-Fi to a different PCI slot sound came back. Ran Prime 95 for 5 hours at stock speed, no errors but again sound dissapeared. Shut down, removed X-FI, nic still works, onboard sound works, can Prime at stock but crash immediately at any OC.

On we go...
-Paul
 

jelly1228

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I would try putting the 7800 back in and see if that fixed the problem. If that did fix it then it would be ether you 7900 or psu.
 

psolk

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Thanks Jelly, good call... I am doing a Prime 95 run right now with Onboard sound and default clockspeeds. I will kill that, shut down, disable onboard, swap the 7900 for a 7800 and put the X-Fi back in. We will see what happens,
-P

***********EDIT**********
I just pulled out the 7900 and put a 7800 back in and put the X-Fi back in as well. I could not even post with the X-Fi installed. (This was with dual 7800's) Removed the x-fi and could boot again. I am now back in XP with no sound temporarily and trying Prime95 at 2640 with dual 7800's.

As of right now though it is looking like my x-fi is really fried. I could not even boot when it was physically installed.
It looks like I can run the 7900/7800 combo and Prime95 for hours at default CPU clock speeds without any issues.
I can not run the 7900/7800 combo in any OC mode at all, I will error out in 10 seconds to 10 minutes.
I am running prime95 right now with the 7800 dual combo and a moderate OC of 2640 and have just completed a full pass, which I was unable to complete with the 7900/7800 in an OC.
SO, I can either run a 7900/7800 combo at default or dual 7800's with an OC but NOT a 7900 and a 7800 together with an OC.

Could it be the PCPower 510 is not enough?
Could it be the video card? It runs fine at default clock speeds...
It is like a weird combination of things right now...

I might end up having to run the 7900/7800 combo at default clock speeds which means I am really going to want the FX-57 at 2.8 so I do not have to OC anymore. I doubt the X-Fi has a voltage regulator so perhaps that took a hit with all the OC and the voltage mods I was doing... I just don't subscribe to the crazy coincidence mindset so I want to know WHAT caused this chain of events.

I definitely agree though, I do not think it is the mobo but I also don't think it is XP. I think it could have been self inflicted with the OC.
-Paul
 

psolk

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Thanks Jelly,
I just pulled my video drivers and pulled the primary 7800 GTX replacing it with the 7900 GTX again. I am uninstalling the X-Fi drivers now.
I have tried it in multiple slots as well. No luck there.

Once I am confident I am back to a stable 7900 GTX/7800 GTX combo at default clocks I am going to come back to the X-Fi. Hopefully I can get that working and then I already have the FX-57 and the PCPower 850 coming tomorrow. If this combination does not like Overclocking I will go with 2.8 at default.

This has been a long day, thanks for the help. I will let you know how I make out with the X-Fi as the night progresses. Funy, I am sitting here typing and I still have the static strap on my wrist lol
-Paul

EDIT, there was only a $20 difference so I went with the PCPower 1k
 

jelly1228

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when you put you x-fi in a diffent slot reinstall you drivers. I had a prob with my card, when I changed the slot that it was in nothing, but when I reinstalled my drivers it worked fine. Best of luck. P.S. you just like the feel of that strap.
 

psolk

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Thanks Jelly,
I am almost ready to move back to the X-fi. The 7900/7800 with my 4000 at 2.4 seems stable again... My Nic is working fine and Prime95 seems to be happy thus far. Now it is just the X-Fi and if I can get that working the only thing I will swap tomorrow will be the Processor.
Thanks again,
-Paul

I do like the damn static wrist strap for some reason...

***********EDIT*********
The X-Fi is dead, tried it in two different XP installs and neither saw it.
 

Gavinmh

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Is it just me or can you NOT mix gfx cards when in SLI? I thought you had to have 2 7800s OR 2 7900s, not mix one 7800 and 7900. I know with the new patch they got rid of having to buy 2 of the same from the same manufacturor with the EXACT same specs, but I believe you cannot put 2 different kinds of cards altogether. Please correct me if I'm wrong
 

psolk

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Nope, you are right but I do not run SLI. I run 3 monitors so I am just running them as independant cards. I can Prime 95 forever with the 7900/7800 combo, got an 11,523 in 3dM05 and a 97000 in AM3.
I am back to onboard sound for right now, have the 7900 and 7800 working together no issues, nic is working again and I am taking a pain killer and going to bed!!!
Thanks for all the help eveyone, have a great night or day depending on where you are...
To be continued.... Waiting on PCPower 1k, FX-57, just have to figure the sound out and then I should be good to go. LOL
-Paul
 

psolk

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Wusy is definitely right, they did make the 7900's less powere consuming than the 7800's. I don't think that is my issue but like I said with 4 HD's, 4 HD coolers, 4 fans, dual video cards, liquid cooling and Overclocking I was probably pushing the 510 pretty hard. The 1k is just so I never have to worry about power again ;)

I am running the 1009 BIOS. The only thing newer is the 1011 Beta and I have read of ALOT of people having issues with it so Bios is as up to date as possible.

I was able to run Prime95 all night long ~ 13 hours with 0 errors and 0 warnings minus the deceased X-Fi so the system definitely appears to be stable at default clocks. Only issue is now I am running at 2.4 instead of 2.7 and Benchmarks have dropped significantly. I will see how the FX-57 changes my scores but as of right now I would rather be back with my dual 7800's and OC than the 7900 GTX and stock... I found another guy on the FS forums saying the exact smae thing. His 4000 chip will not OC with the 7900 GTX in there....

Weird,
Thanks again everyone, I am waiting for the FX-57 to arrive this am and then I will run out and grab another X-Fi just for testing...
To be continued...
-Paul
 

Thar

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I have not read every reply to this thread. So if this has already been brought up sorry.

Let me make sure I have the facts straight.

You were running matching geforce 7800 cards in SLI mode and all was fine and dandy. Then you stuck one 7900 and one 7800 in and have problems.

Does it occur to you that for cards to work harmoniously in SLI mode they need be a matched set?
 

psolk

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Nope you didn't read the thread LOL I was running matched 7800's in NON-SLI. I use dual video cards to power multiple monitors... The cards are in no way connected.

And actually, Nvidia latest drivers support SLI for cards from different manufacturers.

-Paul
 

psolk

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So I think I MAY key word being MAY have just pulled off one for the ages. It looks like it was the mobo. I noticed immediately as I was pulling her apart after all my playing around there was one drop of liquid that looks like it got into a PCI slot. Coincidentally it was the X-Fi's slot (go figure)
I guess that was enough to do it....

Here is what is amazing... Theory actually turned into reality. I got the exact same mobo, used the exact same components (substituted the Audigy 4 for the X-fi and set the system right back up. Son of a birch it actually worked. I did not have to re-install ANYTHING!!! That was the theory as everything was exactly the same and placed back in the same spot but who thinks it will actually work LOL. This time both of my OS's picked up the new soundcard and installed no problems, nics were working and everything was happy. AM3 scored a 97813 and 3dM was an 11423.

Prime 95 is running right now.

Looks like all my issues are solved except I still can't OC and pass Prime95. I am wondering if it is the OC'd 7900 GT's. I know my buddy could not OC his cpu with the OC'd 7900GTX, got another 7900 GTX that is not OC'd and had no issues. I wonder if I can slow this puppy down and see if then I can OC my cpu... DOH, I am still running the 84.25 drivers, maybe I should go back to the 84.21 like suggested. Looks like I have some testing to do still but as for right now, I am fully back up and running with the 7900/7800 combo and pulled almost 98k and 11,500 so even if I can't OC, I am good to go at this point...

What a 48 hours this has been. Thanks for letting me vent here everyone,
-Paul
 

psolk

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Well, All definitely appears to be well now. With the new mobo (Wusy is right again) I just blew a 102k out my butt in bungholiomark. I have the FX-57 running rock solid at 250X12 with the 7900/7800 combo (NON-SLI). This box is absolutely screaming right now so I guess it was all worth it.
Thanks again,
-Paul

Liquid Cooled
AMD FX-57 @ 3.0
2 gigs Corsair XMS 3500LL
XFX 7900 GTX 690/1750
XFX 7800 GTX 515/1350
Raid 0+1
24 inch widescreen LCD Dual 19 inch Samsung LCD's
PCPower 510 upgrading to 1k