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8800GTS 640 - HELP! Have high computer knowledge please

Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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Going to try and explain this the best possible way...my own computer knowledge is: (1 being dumb, 10 being real good) = 9.


- I have two 8800GTS 640MB OC2. We are going to call one of them Graphics Card #1, and the other one Graphics Card #2, will make it easier. SLi randomly stopped working. Tested each card individually. One of them was busted.

- Ran my PC under 1 graphics card for awhile (#1), while the other one collected dust(#2). While running under the one card(#1), my computer would lock up ONLY in World of Warcraft after playing for approx. 1-2 hours. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. The screen locked up, sometimes the monitor would shut off, had to restart either way.

- So this finally made me send in the card (#2) that was collecting dust to BFG technologies to get a replacement, so I could then replace the one in my computer.

- Receivied the new card (#3), excited that I will have a working card in my computer. I start it up, works great. Everything is fine, go play wow for about 45min-hour and kaboom. Screen locks up, but this time it unlocks! but now I have triangles everywhere, textures messed up, and wrong colors everywhere. So im like wtf, so I restart. I reinstall the video card drivers. Did nothing, lines still appeared but this time after bout 15-20min.

- Now im pissed, so I put my old card (#1!!) in. I run a stress test on it, I run a benchmark on it, everything works just fine. But I am 100% positive if I were to play wow with it it will lock up after 1-2hrs playing. This doesnt happen in any other game.

SOOOO I thought to myself, MAYBE my PSU is putting out too much voltage for the cards and frying them (as to why #3 might have worked initially but then busted). Hooked up a voltmeter to my 12V rail and tested it. 12.1volts underload and in idle....so were fine there!!

so wtf? I am out of ideas. Is it possible that I have had the shitty luck of just 3 shitty cards? And when I contact BFG Tech for another 2 that those will finally work? Or is there something wrong with SOMETHING in my system that I am compeltely missing?

Computer Specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.66GHz (overclocked to 3.0) - keep in mind, i have put it back to 2.66 for all the testing above and same problems occur...so clearly not a processor OC problem

2GB Corsair Dominator
EVGA Nvidia nForce 680i sli motherboard


please help =[. if you think it is just shitty luck let me know, but if u got any thing else i can try let me know too, thanks

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The artifacting you described would point to an overheating card. Monitor your temps during games/stress test and see how hot it gets.

Also check you NB temps. I remember something about NB heatsink seating issues with the EVGA 680i or 780i boards.

In short, full system specs and temps for everything pls.
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Graphics card Authority

in addition, i would wonder if you need an OS fresh-reinstall, sometimes if the OS is a year or so old and you keep writing over the old video card drivers with newer ones, it becomes all uffed up. When was the last time you did a fresh OS reinstall?

My own rule of thumb - every 9 months i save all my important programs/files, do a fresh install of the OS then clean the dust out of my machine, all of it, that way everything is fresh and i can rule out software issues or dust issues right away.
Graphics card Master

OK first clean the cards and the rest of the system. Remove the coolers and replace the stock compound with AS5. Once done turn the fan speed up to max and test each card 2-3 hours each. Then test them in sli. I f problems persists check for problems with the board.

Thanks for all the responses - Really appreciate. I will do some temp tests etc. over the weekend and some more stress tests.

My case is extremely clean, all graphics cards are dust-free. My airflow in my case has been tested as well (used cigar smoke, lol).

- On a side note, I have my processor no longer overclocked at 3.0GHz, it is actually at the stock 2.66 (reset bios). I played World of Warcraft for almost 4 hours last night (possibly longer) and not a single thing happened.

So I am going to assume that my processor is burnt out? or just becomes unstable at 3.00GHz (I have watercooling, I highly doubt it's becoming too hot).

Almost forgot - My PSU is the thermaltake toughpower 850W

- I will take a look at the NB over heating etc., I checked the fan on it and it seems alright but I will do some research on that and try and get some temperature readings if possible.
Graphics card Master

bwilk87 said:
Thanks for all the responses - Really appreciate. I will do some temp tests etc. over the weekend and some more stress tests.

My case is extremely clean, all graphics cards are dust-free. My airflow in my case has been tested as well (used cigar smoke, lol).

- On a side note, I have my processor no longer overclocked at 3.0GHz, it is actually at the stock 2.66 (reset bios). I played World of Warcraft for almost 4 hours last night (possibly longer) and not a single thing happened.

So I am going to assume that my processor is burnt out? or just becomes unstable at 3.00GHz (I have watercooling, I highly doubt it's becoming too hot).



It most likely your board not being able to supply steady power to the cpu (common problem) so if it is stable ware it is now then your should be fine but if the rig acts up again ditch the board.

Quick update - Put processor to default 2.66GHz and computer still freezes up =[. Contacting BFG Tech to have them send me ANOTHER card ... dear god I hope it is a faulty GFX card and all this gets fixed cuz its getting on my nerves =[. :fou: 
Graphics card Authority

Do a temp test, a benchmark usually isn't longer than 5-10 min, so the heat dissipates rather quickly, however as you yourself said, after 2-3 hours of World of Warcraft the heat could build up.

word on the street -> wow shadows cause nvidia cards to crash even if they are on low settings

solution? custom drivers

ive run stress tests, prime95 for 6hours, checked for watchyamacallit uhhh on graphics card using ATi tool and so on...returned with 0 errors on everything. sooo i think this shadow thing is the issue, considering it ONLY happens in wow

thanks for all of your support! this MIGHT just be the solution (installing custom drivers after this post)
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