GeForce 6600 GT problem with 3D

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roamdog

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System:
DFI Lanparty UT nF4 Ultra-D
GeForce 6600 GT 128 PCIe
Windows XP
1GB ram
AMD Athlon 3000+
Dell 1905 FP (flat panel monitor)
500W power supply
Jumbo 120mm fan to keep things cool

I have not over-clocked anything.

2D (operating system, MS Excel, IE, etc.) works flawlessly. 3D does not work at all. I get the flickering-black-triangles syndrome (not sure what the technical term is).

I just downloaded and installed the latest drivers for the mobo and the video card. Still, 3D does not work. I cannot even get the most-basic Microsoft-supplied 3D screen savers to work unless I disable hardware 3D rendering (at which point the screen saver will work).

There is nothing running other than the OS and Norton (even turned Norton off temporarily). I tried completely turning off Anti-Aliasing and Antistropic Filtering. Also disabled tri-linear filtering. There is only one refresh rate option available -- so that is set to 60 Hz. Still not even the 3D screen saver will work. Also, checked GoogleEarth (just in case the MS Screen Savers were bad) and GoogleEarth also does not work. Nor does any game.

Clearly, this is not a top-of-the-line monster rig; however, it should have more than enough firepower to run a 3D screen saver with nothing else running. So, what am I doing wrong? What setting do i need to change? How can I fix this? Please help. My daughter is not at all pleased. :)
 
rodney_ws

rodney_ws

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It may be a long-shot, but I'd at least consider an OS reinstall... everything you've said points to hardware failure, but what do you have to lose at this point?
 
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roamdog

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PS is 500W and there is virtually nothing running on this machine. Hard to believe that PS is the problem. I can do an OS re-install but would only want to do that as a last resort as there is nothing else hinky going on other than 3D. Which leads me to believe that it is a setting related to the GPU itself or in the BIOS or a driver. Just not sure which one.




Most likely it's your power supply. The video uses much more power in 3D mode. The OS reinstall is worth a shot as well.
Click to expand...
 
rodney_ws

rodney_ws

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How about the brand of that PSU. Also how many amps does it provide n the +12v rail(s).
Click to expand...
If he were trying to run an 8800 class card I think this would be the right line of questioning... but a 6600 class card? Virtually any PSU out there should be able to drive it... but it IS worth a shot. As a previous poster mentioned, video cards operate in 2 modes and the 2D mode draws very little power. I'd say he should borrow a friend's PSU (it might not even be necessary to remove the PSU from the donor computer) and see how that works. Assuming it's not the PSU, reload the OS and if that fails you know you got a busted card.
 
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roamdog

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Super Flower (aka ttgi) SF-530T03. Came with a 5-year warranty. Specs are +3.3v@35A , +5v@50a, +12v@30a. But I read a comment from some other tech guy that, "Anything more than 26A on the 12V caused the rail to go WAY out of spec." Somebody else that actually measured said, "voltage fluctuations on the lines is less than it was with an Antec TruePower 430W."

Again I am only running one 6600 GT and NO SLI. Seems like that should be more than enough?


How about the brand of that PSU. Also how many amps does it provide n the +12v rail(s).
Click to expand...
 
R

roamdog

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Had it on about 4 hours (and have had it on much longer and gotten virtually the same readings). It is registering 49 degrees. Which seems to be about the midpoint of the green zone shown in the nVidia Control panel. The Control Panel mentions 127 degrees as the point where some kinda slowdown occurs. And while that seems kinda high to me, I was thinking that I was good to at least 70 degrees. So, I do not think that it is a heat issue. But please let me know if that is wrong thinking.




Could it be that the Video core is overheating? Try removing the HSF off the VC clean it up reapply thermal paste and the HSF.
Click to expand...
 
R

roamdog

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Excellent quesiton. I built the system about 12 months ago. And apparently only checked out the 2D before turning it over to my daughter. She does not remember if it ever worked in 3D or if it stopped working at some point (and if so when that point would be). She does remember that it has not worked in 3D for a looooong time and thinks that probably it never did. The card was brand new when I put it in so I am still thinking that there is some kinda setting/driver/BIOS issue. I am just not quite technical enough to know what it is or even how to do a logical sequenced diagnostic. Was hoping to avoid cracking the case open and swapping cards or doing OS re-installs if it was just a matter of some settings.



My question is when did this start happending? Did you just build the PC or has in been running for a while then boom it started giving this error
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Captain_Soviet

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This does sound like your card failed. I had a problem like this when I built my current rig, the first 6600 GT I got (made by MSI) had corrupted memory, and that caused ridiculous amounts of artifacting in any 3D game. The 2D part of the card still worked fine though. This probably was the case with this card too, and if it is still under warranty, you should RMA it. Lesson learned: always test your components!
 
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chogo

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What make & model is the 6600GT?

What version of Nvidia Forceware are you running (91.xx)?

The 6600GT is a rather power hungry card (BTW, I have an AGP version). Have you connected a PCIe power connector to the card?

You can download and install RivaTuner 2.0 Final to monitor GPU temps. My card used to run 58C idle and 78+C when loaded with 23C ambient until I installed a Zalman VF700Cu and now it only reaches 58C when loaded. You can monitor core temp, core VID, memory clock and core clock using this tool so you can at least see if the GPU is trying to enter 3D mode.

By default you shouldn't have to adjust any Nvidia settings to get 3D to work so like most of the other posters, I suspect a hardware problem.

Either it is a graphics card issue or a power supply issue. So test using a different power supply (same machine) and test the GPU in a different machine (if possible).

How old is the PS? My GPU's retail box indicates a 450W power supply requirement.
 
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betunn

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the 500w psu that u have is more than enough to power the 6600gt.

I have a bfg 6600 gt oc (factory oc), on a p4 3.0 ghz with a 300w psu,

and haven't had any trouble with it.
 
bydesign

bydesign

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If the power supply isn't failing it way more power than you need. If you have another PC just do a quick swap and you will know. If the PSU doesn't solve if swap replace the card.
 
R

roamdog

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Still 49-50 degrees.
(Msg. 11) Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:34 am. Had it on about 4 hours (and have had it on much longer and gotten virtually the same readings). It is registering 49 degrees. Which seems to be about the midpoint of the green zone shown in the nVidia Control panel. The Control Panel mentions 127 degrees as the point where some kinda slowdown occurs. And while that seems kinda high to me, I was thinking that I was good to at least 70 degrees. So, I do not think that it is a heat issue. But please let me know if that is wrong thinking.

Could it be that the Video core is overheating? Try removing the HSF off the VC clean it up reapply thermal paste and the HSF.
Click to expand...


B4 doing anything rash like replacing the card first check the operating temp as someone else has pointed out.
Click to expand...
 
choknuti

choknuti

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my bad. Should have read your post carefully :oops:

127C is waaaay too much. Your card is overheating and producing artifacts. Check the HSF. If it is properly mounted and fan is working try removing it cleaning and reinstalling the HSF.

It happened to me a while back with my old 4200. After fixing the artifacts vanished.

Good luck!
 
R

roamdog

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No. My card is at 49 degrees not 127. The Control Panel just suggests that if it ever does get to 127 that bad things will happen.


my bad. Should have read your post carefully :oops:

127C is waaaay too much. Your card is overheating and producing artifacts. Check the HSF. If it is properly mounted and fan is working try removing it cleaning and reinstalling the HSF.

It happened to me a while back with my old 4200. After fixing the artifacts vanished.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
 
choknuti

choknuti

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ooops sorry again i miss read your post :oops: So what is the temp like under load? you mention 70C in your post but it is not clear if it is your guess or an actual temp.

If it is an actual reading (70c under load) then the most likely explanation is that the vc is kaput :(
 
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