295 gtx possibly SLI Problem

[zniight]

Hi,
Ive had my computer for sometime and I have had this problem in the past but I fixed it somehow and now I am having the same issue. While running any game, took half life 2 as an example, upon the start screen or while playing the game there seems to be a transition between one image and another making it look like its moving. Really hard to explain so I uploaded video. Reason why I posted it in SLI troubleshoot is that when I disable mulit GPU it works fine or If I run in window mode it looks fine as well. Here are my specs as well. Ive been having thie problem for awhile and ive done research after research so now Im asking for help. Any help would be awesome!


Video of issue...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9gfZyySiBE&feature=youtu.be

Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.120305-1505)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: alienware
System Model: Area-51 X58
BIOS: BIOS Date: 04/24/09 17:39:43 Ver: 08.00.15
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.7GHz
Memory: 6144MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 6136MB RAM
Page File: 2840MB used, 9428MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 64bit Unicode


Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 295
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E0&SUBSYS_064E10DE& REV_A1
Display Memory: 3684 MB
Dedicated Memory: 873 MB
Shared Memory: 2811 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (59Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: ASUS VH242H

 

[Helltech]

I can't tell whats going on in the video, but there could be a number of causes for it.

I'm going to guess you're getting screen tearing? I couldn't really understand your question. If so turn on "v-sync" if the game allows it and try that. If the game doesn't allow it use a FPS limiter and lock the games out at 60 FPS, I'm not 100 percent sure if the new Nvidia options (adaptive V-sync) works with the 200 series of cards, if it does download the latest Nvidia drivers and use that, if not you'll have to find a different FPS limiter.

It could be not enough power to the cards, or a dying card as well, but go with the easiest problem to test first

 

[zniight]

Alright will, try that out thanks!

 

[swifty_morgan]

heat........... clean dust card and redope heatsink + hope it isn't finished.

 

[zniight]

750 watt corsair, turning on V-Sync help a little bit but its still there. How do u check the watt usage. And I have dusted card and inside case recently. Is it hard to redope a heatsink for the graphics card?

 

[zniight]

side note: Everything runs fine I can play all my games and run fines but it like there are two images front and back and they alternate really fast which almost causes the background to move. Wish I could explain it better. Screen is flashing. I did notice when I booted half life 2 up it would hit the logo screen which was fine, then my mouse would do that circle thing on windows 7 and go to black screen then when it goes back to game its all green and flashy

 

[zniight]

ok, wow Ive actually fixed it all I did was replaced the cord going from Monitor to computer with a HDMI cord. wow that was retarded anyone know the reason why it fixed it?

 

[zniight]

Thanks, appreciate everyones help!

 

[JackNaylorPE]

You're still underpowered.....running 4 GPU's, each pair pulls almost 300 watts alone......picking an Intel 920 as it was popular choice at time of the 295's reign.

289 x 2 = 578
Intel 920 = 130

That's 708 watts with nothing else.

http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-295/specifications

Minimum System Power Requirement (W) - 680
Maximum Graphics Card Power (W) - 289

680 + 289 = 969 watts ....

 

[JackNaylorPE]

?, No clue where you pulled that rather shocking theory from, but you are wrong...

I pulled it from nVidia site which was clearly indicated by the link. Personally, I'm never anxious to file a warranty claim by submitting my sales receipt which also has a 750 watt PSU on it while the manufacturer's web site clearly states that for two 295's it should be no less than 969 watts.

The site says 680 watts for one GTX 295...... an argument that the 2nd one, it only increases the recommended minimum size by 70 watts would not be rec'd well. You don't put a 700 watt load on a 750 watt PSU because it's not just about power draw on day 1 ..... it' about sizing for capacitor aging, and sizing for enough headroom to allow the unit to produce stable, ripple free power under all anticipated loads.

The OP titled this thread "295 gtx possibly SLI Problem " so I am assuming he has two GTX 295's in SLI. The 295's max draws is 289 watts (per nVidia site) ..... two of them - 578 watts.....If he hasn't SLI'd two of them then this is all moot. Personally, having a 295 upstairs, I would never SLI them as the performance boost is rather marginal.

Now add a CPU from that time (Intel 920 = 130 watts), cupla RAM modules, motherboard, optical drive, HD, SSD, fans, SSD, HD, account for capacitor aging and tell me what you get ...and then overclock it.

Extreme site is down so......Using this http://www.psucalc.tk/#calcpsu

That PSU calculator gives 849 watts as the recommended PSU size.....with no overclocking whatsoever ! With both CPU (4.0 Ghz, 1.375 volts) and GPU's overclocked (.68 and 1.2) and ya pass 975 watts

Stock Intel 920
2 GTX 295
Generic MoBo
3 Sticks RAM
1 Caviar Black
1 Generic DVD
4 100mA USB devices
0 500mA USB devices
1 1200 rpm 0.12 amp CPU fan
4 1200 rpm 0.42 amp case fans

I'd expect the actual PSU output to be in the neighborhood of 650 - 700 watts (800w "at the wall") under normal gaming loads w/o overclocking. That does not mean because ya have a label that says 750 watts, "it's OK".

1. Capacitor Aging - Even at the best quality units suffer from this effect as the machine ages.....using the minimum 10% allocation for the very best ones, that takes a 750 water down to 675 watts....personally 650 watt draw on 675 capable unit is too close for my comfort....and that's a best case scenario, something I'd expect out of a Corsair HX series. If it's a TX750, I'd use more than 10%.

2. Voltage Stability - The closer a PSU gets to a rated load, the more difficult it is to maintain stable voltages. I'd be real anxious to see what the voltage each rail is when under max load.

3. Ripple - A 700 watt load doesn't mean a PC will run reliably on a 750 watt PSU. Some models go out of spec at only a fraction of their load and lead to problems as was described by the OP. Note the quote here for example".

http://www.psucalc.tk/#calcpsu

For example the OCZ gamexstream 1010w has out of spec voltage ripple past around 50% load, so may not run systems reliably even though this psu calculator may indicate it could as HardOCP found out, whereas the OCZ proxstream 1000w in the same review was excellent even at 100% load.

 

[zniight]

update apparently I never did fix it. But I am only using a single 295 card. Ok, this is when I plug in my HDMI cord.
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8546/img0196bl.jpg
Now if I disable mulit gpu then its fine and same for when I go back to enable it. Just when It is first plugged in it all shadyish. Now this is the example of when I run a game with muli gpu enabled it goes from that to normal. Im process of uploading a video for more details. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[zniight]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmsvdOTp6rA&feature=youtu.be

 

[Sunius]

I think time to reinstall windows has come. The same thing happened to my friends computer after I experimented with own programmed viruses.. hehe. Not saying you caught one, but that's what happens when important files get corrupted.

 

[zniight]

I actually just recently reinstalled Windows due to this issue and I was having problems with one of my hard drives lol. I have no idea what this issue is getting old.

 

[swifty_morgan]

I actually just recently reinstalled Windows due to this issue and I was having problems with one of my hard drives lol. I have no idea what this issue is getting old.

if windows is fully up to date try seeking out new mother board drivers.

 

[Sunius]

If you reinstalled windows and it's still isn't solved then it's hardware: either monitor, cable or the card.

 

[zniight]

Best answer selected by zniight.