Code 43 error?

[SilNate]

Asus Striker Extreme MB
Quad core 2.4
Two nVidia 8800 Ultras
Four WD 150GB HD, RAID5
Sound Blaster Audigy
HP LP1965 LCD screen

I used to run SLI for the longest time. When I started playing Age of Conan, the SLI setup would crash it constantly, so I disabled SLI and played with one card. I quit Conan, updated to the latest GPU drivers, then went to turn SLI back up. The option was not there. Checked the rest of the options, thinking maybe it was under a different/new name, nada.

Looked online, no one else seemed to have the problem, so I checked my device manager. Aha, one of the GPUs had an error. "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)"

Tried reinstalling the drivers, no change. Ran Mark3D Vantage, and my score looked low enough that I'm only running 1 GPU, so its definately running only one card.

Then I got an idea. I disconnected one card (the primary one I'd been using for Conan) and plugged in the one that had been sitting there unused. Restarted the computer, immediately noticed the BIOS, loadup, and Vista all have vertical lines on the screen. Look kinda something like this:


-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -
-- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- - -- - - - --- -

Depending on resolution, they are bigger at lower resolution, and smaller at higher resolution. Device manager shows the GPU there, detected, but the same error 43. While I'd like to think its just a device error, it doesn't explain why the lines would be there on the BIOS screen. I switched monitors, the lines are still there.

The temperatures on GPU are normal, and I'm typing this while the lines are on screen, so it doesn't seem unstable. I have no settings for the display, it appears I'm running on the backup standard VGA drivers right now. Ideas?

 

[jitpublisher]

Have you checked your BIOS settings? Could you have at some time cleared your BIOS or changed settings, and forgot to reset eveything for 2 video cards? Did you remove the card that worked, and simply replaced it with the one in question and tried it in the same slot? That would pretty much tell you if the card it's self has problems.

 

[SilNate]

The BIOS settings only asks about SLI-ready memory. Otherwise, the nForceware controls and modifies the settings by itself.

At first I just pulled out the lower (working) card and plugged in the top one, and it showed problems. After making this post, I shut down the computer, and switched the top card into the lower blue slot and the problems are persisting.

 

[SilNate]

UPDATE: I called a friend over, tested his 8800 Ultra in my system (with the lower, working card), and everything is working as intended. There is no error 43, SLI is available from the nVidia control panel, and of course, there's no lines.

So clearly its time to ditch the 8800 Ultra and move towards a 280. Any ideas why a card would suddenly, expectantly go bad? Especially since it was just sitting there in the case unused?

 

[Guest]

Bah, same problem. Looks like i need a new card then, I also have an 8800ultra, from looking round i have found a few other people that have had similar problems with all 8800 models, doesn't make much sence to me.

 

[secretariat]

8800 GTS just croaked on me also...was in a game, bluescreened, system restarted with vertical lines down the left side of the screen (before the OS load). It's been a good card for 2 years...

Picking up a GeForce 260 GTX OC today...

 

[coozie7]

When an electrical item is switched on there is a brief surge of power through it and this can, and will, finish off a weak component. It`s like lightbulbs, one could be working perfectly for years then one day you turn it on and-pop!

 

[bubbasteve8]

Oh my god I cannot believe I am reading this!

My 2 year and 3 month old BFG GTX 8800 just froze on me in the middle of gaming, I got blue lines as described above but they go away on the windows bootup.

But same thing code 43...

But did your fans on your card still spin? Mine are, if that means anything....

I don't know about you guys but I am @#$@ing flaming pist if my card is shot!

I didn't spend $579 on a video card that is only good for 2 yrs! I mean I bought an old used Radeon ATI 9700 Pro for $200 bucks back in 03 and its still running strong on my old machine with which my bro plays Counter Strike source.

If my card is fried you better F#$@ing believe Nvidia is gonna get a piece of my mind!!!

oh yeah

Asus P5N32-e SLI ready but only the one card
Intel Duel core P6700 2.66 GhZ
GTX 8800 768
2 G Ram
Cooling case w/Airconditioner
650 W PSU Nspire

 

[stvn758]

My XFX 8800 GTX has just gone the same, blue vertical dotted lines across the screen, BIOS text at start up vanishing and scrambled, tried old and new drivers and just end up going in a loop with a crash dump blue screen - have to go into safe mode to uninstall the drivers.

Lines are yellow when white web pages are up. Just reinstalled Vista 64 to make sure it's not a corrupt O/S. Wasn't really planning to upgrade just yet as the 295 is still pretty expensive and I'm worried I'll plug it in and the lines will still be there - then I will feel like a dick.

After a quick Google most people think it's graphics related, but it's all so vague.

 

[nightkot]

Same happen to my GTX 260. Once i just swich cards and it helps for 2 or 3 weeks, then i got it agan code 43.

 

[EmmaCulate]

I've got the same problem with my 8800 GTS card. It happened the instant I'd upgraded to Nvidia's latest driver - ends in '07' I think.
Blue dotted grid/columns all over screen and artefacts on boot screen. Cant re-install any version of driver now and am getting Windows Code 43
Nvidia are pushing some out of date BIOS angle at me but On-line tech support at PC Specialist who built my PC say no way, and reckon that somehow the update has damaged the graphics card - it's too big a coincidence that it went crazy straight after the update. 2 years that card has lasted !
I've ordered 9800 GT 1GB from them so let's see if that fixes anything.
Nice one NVidia ! I spend good money trying to keep out things that kill computers when it seems like the enemy comes from within !

 

[maximiza]

swollen capacitors

 

[awesometown]

I've got a 8800 BFG 512mb GTX and have recently had the same problems with code 43.

Started a few weeks ago.. was playing cod and my game froze... which was weird for me cause the 2 years I've had my system it's maybe froze once or twice... this time was different though, lines shot across the screen horizontally and then the system seized up...

Next reboot my vista screen comes up w/ horizontal lines and resolution is like 800x640ish and won't let me change higher... icons huge... screen artifacts a plenty... the lines are not static ... check device manager... code 43 - there is something wrong with this device (paraphrased)

5 days later or so the card randomly starts working again... lasts maybe a week or so in which time a few good sessions of cod... then i start getting weird artifacts on my desktop... like grainy stuff kinda appearing around icons... then i get a full blow freeze with a ton of horizontal white lines

another 5 days or so of low res crap.. so couple days ago i turn off the computer and blow in at the card and area... kinda give it a little jig in its slot... attempt a boot and booya its working...

but.. I get a little bit quick on the draw and fire up cod ... it lasts for like 5 minutes then starts getting weird ... eventually it goes to like blue and red and i can see outlines of the levels prominent features for a few seconds... then freeze.. upon reboot back at code 43 bs

anyways.. the long and the short is it seems to be able to go back to full usage ability... but it's quite irritable and will also die for days rendering it almost fully useless....

pretty frustrating... spending $100's on a card... 14 months after buying it essentially its hit and miss...

hope this gives some insight... any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[theredsox]

Just to add to the trend here. Installed a new game, Mass Effect, and decided it would be a good time to update the drivers as well. So I updated to the latest release from nVidia's website. Next day was playing about 2 hours, artifacts leading to a blue screen a minute later, upon restart ascii characters in the bios and green vertical or red horizontal lines

I've had this pc about 3 years. I use it for nothing except gaming and have had no issues with it except Vista hogging all my memory. I tried everything suggested;

-reseeded cards, memory, connections to rule out loose connections
-memory scans and different memory sticks to rule out ram
-made sure all fans are working effectively to rule out overheating
-booted from both my OS's; vista, xp to rule out OS issue.
-inspected the video card closely. Don't see any discoloration on the board

Really hate to replace a card that can still play any game on the market and is still seemingly functional minus the artifacts. I expected to use this one for a couple more years. To me it feels like a shotty hardware component is at play. I'd guess these hardware companies don't worry about longevity in their parts as they'd rather have you buy a new card every 2 years anyway.

 

[Guest]

Those blue lines means your video RAM(part of you video card, not normal RAM) is screwed.

http://www.playtool.com/pages/artifacts/artifacts.html

Scroll down to the second picture.

 

[number1ontheweb]

I've got exacly the same problem here, had 2x 8800GTX running in Sli for a very long time and suddenly one of them is failing to start (error code 43).

If I connect the VGA cable to the one which fails to start I get green vertical dots as described but only at the BIOS boot screen (this is the only place I see the dots). Once I'm passed the BIOS screen everything seems fine (no more vertical green dots) only problem is the graphics driver won't start.

I've flashed the graphics cards EEPROM with the latest 8800GTX BIOS and no change, I've cleaned off all the dust and carefuly checked for visably faulty components (i.e. capacitors) but can see none and have tryed the card in a different machine but there's no change.

I've fixed graphics cards with leaking capacitors before, my old Ti4600 started crashing in games frequently upon inspection it had leaking capacitors, after replacing all the capacitors the problem was solved.

Has anyone here who's encountered this issue before found a fix (i.e. a resitor or capactior which tends to blow after the card reaches a certain age). I'm going to use a multimeter and see if I'm able to find anything unusual comparing the results with my other working 8800GTX, but please anyone with experience in repairing an 8800GTX please point me in the right direction.


Many Thanks,
Shaun

 

[Mousemonkey]

Old thread is old, start a new one.

 

[number1ontheweb]

Not to worry, I've fixed it now, solution is as follows.

I found a few differences in readings on the bottom rear section of the board, but it's literally filled with loads of tiny components it would be a very hard job to narrow it down to a single component since they're all connected on the circuit board and it's been a long time now since I was doing fault finding for my diploma in electronics.

Rather than replace all the components on that section of the board I followed someone else’s guidance that’s also experienced this problem:

1) Removed the heat sink and I/O shield so the card was naked
2) Made four metal balls of aluminium foil
3) Pre-heated my over to 385oF
4) Placed the card on a metal baking try using the balls of aluminium to support the card on four corners (not touching any components)
5) Waited for the over to reach the correct temperature then placed the card in the over for 9 minutes
6) Removed the card from the oven once my stop-watch had reached 9 minutes and placed on the side for 1 hour to cool down
7) After waiting about an hour I re-attached the heat sink and I/O shield then tossed the card back in my computer and voila problem solver, no more vertical green dots on boot and no more error code 43

Please note: This is not a guaranteed fix and although this has worked for me and many others this might not work for your card and could potentially cause more harm. If your card is under warranty then send it back to be properly repaired, but if you're not going to get your card repaired and you're only going to throw it away anyway then it might be worth giving this a go.

 

[Mousemonkey]

Great, now we can put this thread to bed.