My new PC and the Radeon HD 7970

[daemaro]

Okay well I got my PC and when I turned it on the first that that happened was within minutes the GPU fan started running at ridiculous speeds, abnormal ones, and the screen had some different colored lines across it, sometimes dots, usually purple. When it finally makes it to the desktop about two seconds later it gives me not THE blue screen of death rather a light blue screen that makes it impossible to do anything. I think have to phyically flip the PSU switch to even get it to turn off.

So I took the 7970 GPU out and used the on board. Works fine. So I put in my old Nvidia GTS 450 and it works fine. So obviously the problem lies with the card. My real question, is it actually the card or maybe I don't have big enough PSU to supply power to that card? Could that be the issue. I really don't want to have to wait to get a new GPU.

Here are my specs leaving EVERYTHING I ordered in so you can get all the information.

1 x Case (NZXT Phantom 410 Gaming Case - Black))
1 x Processor (Intel® Core™ i7-2700K Processor (4x 3.50GHz/8MB L3 Cache)))
1 x Motherboard (ASUS P8Z68-V/GEN3)
1 x Memory (16 GB [4 GB X4] DDR3-1600 Memory Module - Corsair or Major Brand - FREE Upgrade to Corsair XMS3))
1 x Video Card (AMD Radeon HD 7970 - 3GB - Single Card))
1 x Case Lighting (None))
1 x Power Supply (850 Watt - Corsair CMPSU-850TXV2))
1 x Processor Cooling (Certified CPU Fan and Heatsink))
1 x Video Card Brand (Major Brand Powered by AMD or NVIDIA))
1 x Primary Hard Drive (1 TB HARD DRIVE -- 32M Cache, 7200 RPM, 6.0Gb/s - Single Drive))
1 x Data Hard Drive (None))
1 x 2nd Optical Drive (None))
1 x Optical Drive (24X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW Drive - Black))
1 x Sound Card (3D Premium Surround Sound Onboard))
1 x Speaker System (None))
1 x Network Card (Onboard LAN Network (Gb or 10/100)))
1 x Monitor (None))
1 x Keyboard (Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Gaming Keyboard))
1 x Mouse (Razer Naga Epic 17-button MMOG Wired/Wireless Gaming Mouse))
1 x Operating System (Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium + Office Starter 2010 (Includes basic versions of Word and Excel) - 64-Bit))
1 x Warranty (3 Year Standard Warranty Service))
1 x Rush Service (Rush Service Fee (not shipping fee) - [RUSH !!!], Ship Out in Next Business Day))
1 x Advanced Build Options (Professional wiring for all cables inside the system tower - Achieve exceptional airflow in your chassis))
1 x Advanced Build Options (Professional wiring for all cables inside the system tower - Basic Pro Wiring))
1 x Advanced Build Options (Professional wiring for all cables inside the system tower - Advanced - Power Package (Individually Sleeved 24-pin ATX, 8-pin CPU, and SATA Drive Power Cabling)))
1 x Advanced Build Options (Professional wiring for all cables inside the system tower - Advanced - Video Package (Individually Sleeved 8-pin and 6-pin PCI-E VGA Power Cabling)))
1 x Advanced Build Options (iBUYPOWER Specialized Advanced Packaging System - Protect your investment during transportation!))
1 x Advanced Build Options (Tuniq TX-2 High Performance Thermal Compound - The best interface between your CPU and the heatsinks))
1 x Video Camera (None))
1 x Headset (Razer Carcharias Gaming Headset))
1 x Meter Display (None))
1 x Flash Media Reader / Writer (None))
1 x 2nd Monitor (None))
1 x Free Stuff ([Free Game Download] - Battlefield 3 - Free with purchase of Intel 2500K, 2600K, 2700K, 3930K, or 3960X processor))
1 x iBUYPOWER Labs - Noise Reduction (None))
1 x iBUYPOWER Labs - Internal Expansion (None))
1 x iBUYPOWER PowerDrive (None))
1 x USB Expansion (None))
1 x Intel Smart Response Technology (None))
1 x Case Engraving Service (None))

I have removed and reinstalled the card at lest 4 times now with no change. The power pins seem to be securely in place. I just don't know what to do. I work from this computer and if I have to send it back for repairs it's going to keep me from working. (currently using a really old half broken laptop, keys missing etc)

Someone please help!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rocknrollz]

Your PSU seems fine. 850W is enough to power the system, and the brand is one of the best manufactures.

It may be a driver problem. Install the current latest drivers from AMD if you haven't already. AMD has yet to release a good driver for the 7970 and 7950 cards since they are new. So I say hang in there until AMD releases the drivers, if the problem still persists after you install the drivers they will release I say RMA it.

Edit: I re-read your problem. And it really may be a bad card. The fans shouldn't just go up like that, and the things you are experiencing on the display part doesn't seem right.

 

[daemaro]

Yeah I was afraid of that. I did some goofing around and tried to insall windows update/drivers while my onboard was working then switched over, still no difference. Such a shame the card came faulty. I waited so long for this computer and now I have to wait some more to get a new card. It was also supposed to be QA tested and everything looked over.

Oh well I guess tomorrow I'll call and see what I can do.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Given the descriptions, ("major brand") it would appear to be a vendor built system. Call Tech Support and have them solve the problem.

 

[daemaro]

Yes it is, but it's sunday and I'd rather not send back the whole system if its just the card. I'll talk to them tomorrow and see what they have to say I'm just unsure at this point if they know what they're doing, it was supposed to be tested and I paid for extra packaging so its not like the card was bouncing around. I have this creeping feeling it wasn't tested.

 

[daemaro]

Best answer selected by Daemaro.

 

[pkthekiller]

Hi there, i,m having a similar problem....my config is:

CPU: FX 8120
COOLING: CORSAIR H80
RAM: 8GB CORSAIR VENGENCE 1600 CS9
MB: CROSSHAIR V (BIOS 1102)
GPU: XFX RADEON 7970 3GB
PSU: COOLER MASTER SILENT PRO 850M

My problem is that i get the vga led red all the time (after cpu and ram leds flash for once). I dont have any signal on the monitor. The fan on the gfx is spinning full speed. The PSU has 6 "6 pin to 6+2 pin PCIe connectors. As you might know te 7970 need 8+6 for juice. In the first 2 pcie slots, card wont work at all. In the 3rd one it actually worked quite some times. I was able to get into windows but the screen had flashing lines/ artifacting all along (from post to windows - though only for a few cold boots and then it was ok as long as the colours were 16bit or less. But this was only with catalyst installed(the windows part only). with standard vga drivers, no such artifacting. On top of that, the card was always downclocked (core 300 and mem 150) with catalyst. Lauching anything 3d would bring the artifacting back and eventual full system hang.
I have tried everything (like clearing CMOS, plugging the additional 4 pin molex for gpu on MB even though it should not be required, reseating everything, boot with only 1 ram in the last slot, boot with no I/O connected etc)
And now.....its not working at all.....vga led is devil red......
Just to check, i tried my old radeon 4870 512mb (6+6 pin).....and it works flawlessly....
So guys.....is it the GPU, the MB or the PSU......