Xfx 8800GT game crash

[togified]

symptoms: Whenever i play certain games that require heavy load in graphic, after about 15-60 min the screen would go blank, either grey, black or orangish, the sound would continue for 1-2 sec and goes into a machine gun like sound loop. The computer would lock up and i would have to restart. When i restart my monitor would get no signal and would have to leave the computer off for 10-15 min before turning it back on for my monitor to display.

My computer runs fine for months without turning it off when i play games like starcraft 2 beta, heroes of newerth, silkroad online (5 different clients which brings my ram up to 70-85% running and runs for a week straight) i also did a memtest86 and have some mem error i dont know if it is the cause of the crash since i run other things and it runs fine.

Only when i play heavy graphic games like ghost busters and alien vs predator that the error occurs and i also set all the graphic on low and resolution is 1600x900 (my desktop resolution is 1680x1050)

I have looked around the web and found many issues related to my symptoms. Im wondering if it can be a overheating issue, voltage issue, ram issue, bios issue or nvidia driver issue, or my monitor (im using a samsung monitor and i found that some samsung monitor has problems with the DVI causing no signal).

Specs:
OS: Windows 7 x64
Mobo: MSI K9N SLI V2
CPU: AMD Phenom quad-core
GPU: XFX 8800 GT alpha dog edition (driver 196.21)
8G ram
PSU: Antec truepower new 750w

 

[Maziar]

If memtest is reporting errors then if you have 4x2GB then test them one by one with memtest and see if it gives you errors with all of them

 

[Guest]

I suspect this is your GPU or memory modules on the card overheating, I've had the same issue with my 8800GT and I got the Thermalright HR-03, with or without the 92MM fan - it solved it right up, more over games are running much more smoothly.

I suggest you under-clock the card with Rivetuner and try it again - if it stops happening(or time frame until crash grows longer), we know its an over-heating issue.

Also check idle temp, if it stands on 55-60 in idle - its a problem, from my attempts card PCB fail-safe kicks in at around 80-90C to prevent damage and that's probably what you see as the symptoms.


http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=167228


http://www.guru3d.com/index.php?page=rivatuner


Good luck.

 

[togified]

thanks, i just finished testing my ram and i ended up with 3 bad sticks and 1 good one. good thing patriot has lifetime warranty on thier memory sticks and going to rma it. i tested the game with the good 2gb stick and the game still crashes but with a bsod and memory physical dump. it crashed about 5 minute after i checked the temp and the temp was 100c playing the game. My Gpu idles at 65c I have read other forums that 8800 GT should run fine around 100c.

Now i need to decide should i buy a new heatsink like that thermalright or should i jsut spend an extra 80 dollar and grab a brand new video card. i think 8800 GT are getting a little out dated but gotta go check the new specs on the new nvidia cards. If theirs a big difference better performance better temp ill probably go with a new video card instead. But if i find people getting overheat with the new GPUs ill probably jsut buyt he heat sink time to do more research on new GPUs

 

[togified]

i decided to spend 20 dollars on Artic cool Accelero Rev2 VGA cooler for my 8800 gt instead of a new video card going to install and find out the result

 

[Guest]

From my research:
The maximum PCB temperature that can be tolerated depends on the quality of the components. Commercial grade components are guaranteed to function safely at 70 C ambient temperature. Industrial grade components are classified for 85 C.


So in other words, and we are assuming every PCB board out there for GPU's is considered commercial grade: 60-65 IDLE while above 85C at load is extremely unwise - and would probably damage your board if it won't cut itself off.

Hope the Accelero did the trick.