Problem with Gainward GeforceFX 5900

[Alstair]

I just bought a Gainward GeForceFX 5900(not the Ultra). I just got the thing less than an hour ago. I pulled it out of the box, hooked it up correctly, and started the computer. What do I get. Parallel green lines in 4 places on the screen during the post and boot up. Then it won't even have a display in Windows(XP Pro). I know its not that my power supply isn't big enough(Have a thermaltake 420W). Does anyone know what might be causing this and/or a way to fix it? Please help. Just spent $400 on the damn thing and it doesn't work.

 

[dhlucke]

You spent $400 on a 5900 non-ultra?

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[eden]

That's the price anyways.

Oh brother, the FX5900 bugs start already... thought the FX5600 was the disaster card for stability. :frown:

If the card problem persists, return it, get a 9800PRO for less.

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[coolsquirtle]

oh shut up u people and try to help this guy.

try the card in other computers if u can, if they all show green lines, RMA the card and get a replacement (get a 9800pro AND DIE!!! LOL)

Proud Owner the Block Heater
120% nVidia Fanboy
I'd get a nVidia GeForce FX 5900Ultra... if i had the money and if THEY WOULD CHANGE THAT #()#@ HSF

 

[jiffy]

I was going to get the same card, until I read they had a batch of faulty capacitors on the Ti 4200, not that’s your problem though.

Are you saying you can’t get into windows, what about the BIOS? What kind of mobo do you have, maybe you need to update it, or set something in the BIOS. I would try reseating the card. Hopefully thing will get better.

 

[Unit01]

hm well you can do as someone already mentioned by trying it in another comp to see if it's the card.
Maybe it's heat related? Is the card properly cooled?
Is it running cool?
If the problem still persists after trying this try a RMA

Wooba Wooba

 

[Alstair]

The motherboard is an Asus P4P800. Latest BIOS revision. I know that cooling isn't the problem(5 case fans + plus the whooper of a heatsink on these cards). As far as getting an ATI card, no. I did that once and will never betray Nvidia again. I saw that the Radeon 9800 Pro was a tad cheaper and thought about changing my order but decided against it. Nvidia's driver support is way better than ATI's and usually they can increase performance from their cards 3-4 times a year with a simple driver. ATI, you need a new card(new Catalyst mostly just fixes incompatibility issues). Not to mention Nvidia has Microsofts back door to Windows in their field of play. I'm gonna try it in my roommates computer when he gets back and maybe play with it a little more in mine. Just pisses me off because if I have to RMA the card, that'll be my 5th RMA in 2 months.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Alstair on 07/17/03 05:23 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[coolsquirtle]

if it is..... then u should check out ur power supply, maybe that the cause of your 5 RMAs

Proud Owner the Block Heater
120% nVidia Fanboy
I'd get a nVidia GeForce FX 5900Ultra... if i had the money and if THEY WOULD CHANGE THAT #()#@ HSF

 

[Ryan_Plus_One]

What card were you running before?

It may take a repair of Windows to wipe out your old drivers....I dunno.

<font color=red>Proudly supporting the AMD/Nvidia minority</font color=red>

 

[SHARKMEAT]

You better make sure your drivers are install with out them you want get the display you mention "YOU SAID" [Then it won't even have a display in Windows(XP Pro)].By the way make sure you plug in the power plug.The plug is a tight fit,and if it,s not seated right it want have enough voltage to run it properly.yeah I agree with the other post also for a none Ultra $400 is steep,for afew more dollars you could got a Ultra,I have the ultra and it is a very nice card.I just wish the molux plug was a stright in rear instead on the side.It is hard to plug pushing side ways.if you slip you could break the card lol.

TREAD SLOWLY IN DANGEROUS WATERS

 

[Alstair]

What is wrong with the Thermaltake 420W PS? Don't post something that might be a problem and not tell what it is. Also, 4 of the RMA's were before I got that PS and was using the stock 350W Antec PS that came with the case(this was before I got a P4). The power jack on the back of the card was firmly plugged in(mines on the back, not the side). And my old card was a Geforce4 Ti4400. Uses the same 43.03 driver that the new FX cards use.

Anyway, I put the card in my old computer(Athlon 1.33GHz w/ 350W PS). It booted up with no lines at the post screen. Then had them when it showed the Windows XP logo while loading Windows. Same black screen after that though. Its graphics card was also the same Ti4400(Ti4400 came from old computer and just using it till I get a working new one). Card is going back to NewEgg to get replaced. I'm getting to be really good friends with the guys at the local post office I've been there so many times now.

 

[eden]

Card is indeed likely to be faulty.

Funny coincidence since a previous nVidia loyal Jiffy had bought a 9800PRO 256MB to try ATi out, and had a bad card. So Jiffy, still convinced ATi's got the only bad cards? :tongue:

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[kinney]

First, what you say of ATI and nvidia is all to true.
Many in these parts are jumping on ATIs bandwagon because this year nvidia isnt the cool thing to pick.
I've been ripped off by ATI also, but never by nvidia.
I trust the FX series to skyrocket with some driver revisions from nvidia later like all their other cards.


About your problem, like the other guys said something is causing it in your system most likely.

Were all those RMAs video cards? I'd check your power and see if you've got a ground also, you can get a tester for $2 at walmart, its a little yellow plug with a light on it.

You shoudl download some monitoring software and log the voltage lines on your PSU, see if there are any drops in any of the lines at any time.
I've had bad power supplies in the past do similar things.

If you do end up getting a new one (its not a bad thing to have an extra PSU around anyway), try an Enermax.

When you get your new one, try it in your roomies computer first, that way if it works there.. then doesnt work after its in yours, you can be sure that its not the cards being faulty themselves.
You could also pick one up at a retailer that does returns like best buy, try them and see if they do the same thing, maybe newegg dropped all theirs, who knows.

Athlon 1700+, Epox 8RDA (NForce2), Maxtor Diamondmax Plus 9 80GB 8MB cache, 2x256mb Crucial PC2100 in Dual DDR, Geforce 3, Audigy, Z560s, MX500

 

[Alstair]

No the RMA's were not all video cards.
Original Antec 350W PS that came with case:
- 2 Asus A7N8X Deluxes
- 2 x 512MB sticks of Kingston HyperX
- Western Digital 80GB HD
- AMD Athlon XP 2700+(not bad just returned when I decided to get the new P4)

Thermaltake PS
- 2 x 512MB sticks of Corsair XMS(bits 2-6 were bad)
- now GeForceFX 5900


I am on the computer in question right now. Voltages are as follows:
- +12V rail - 12.22 V
- +5V rail - 5.187 V
- +3.3V rail - 3.456 V
- VCore - 1.584 V

All within acceptable ranges. I would think if the power supply were the issue the computer would not run very stably with even with the current card in it. It runs fine though. Pulled a 5 hour SWG session last night with no glitches. I'm just gonna RMA the card and see what happens. Swear to god I think I pissed someone off and they put a damn curse on me. Either that or God just hates me when I try to indulge a little.

What I might do just to see for sure or not, is pull out my roommates computer and take his 400W(I think) powersupply and test it in mine, just to be sure. And yes its an Antec. I know Antec makes a great product, I just didn't have the money for one at the moment. Besides, the Thermaltake has 9 reviews on the NewEgg.com and all were good. The reviews on the Antec TruePower 430W though several were complaints. Not saying Antec's bad, just that a few reviews were bad.

 

[jiffy]

Well Eden I’m sure you know no matter what you buy there is always that chance of it being defected. I’m still going back though, maybe I'll get a Ultra or maybe an overclock Leadtek.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by jiffy on 07/17/03 07:51 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[dhlucke]

Do you have clean power? Are you using a GOOD if not GREAT surge protector or a UPS?

You're problems are far above the normal threshold.

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[Guest]

Good point.

I live in a building with ancient power outlets and some caused my PC to crash randomly. Had to mark which ones work and which don't. Power outlets/UPS's can be problems.

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[kinney]

Antec is pretty good.. I'm not a fan of TT but I'm sure that their stuff is ok also. Ive always used enermax, they always were the best but I dont know if they still are. I'd have no quarrel using an antec instead though, I wouldnt trade it for the TT though, just out of ignorant fear! But i've heard enermax isnt as good as they used to be either. I use all antec for everything else (case ect.)

I feel bad thats very nice equipment but a very strange problem.
hmm, I assume you dont get shocked by the case at anytime and theres never any sparking (silly question but...I am out of ideas!)

I had a problem with things dying but it was due to a lack of ground in my electrical outlet and the charge would build up on the case and shock my a$$

Most surge protectors will tell you if you have a ground also.

I can only suggest testing out some equipment that will get you clean, stable power.. try that other PSU from your roommate and maybe try a different surge protector. The more expensive ones have regulators on them.. I use an APC Back UPS

Athlon 1700+, Epox 8RDA (NForce2), Maxtor Diamondmax Plus 9 80GB 8MB cache, 2x256mb Crucial PC2100 in Dual DDR, Geforce 3, Audigy, Z560s, MX500

 

[Maverick494]

To me it seems there is a problem hardware wise with the GPU or the Mem. It could be power, but then other problems tend to arise before or at the same time as what you have described. I had a GF2GTS from visiontek that did a similar thing and when I RMA'd it they confirmed a bad mem chip and failing GPU. As a side note they ended up sending me a GF3 back because they weren't making the GF2GTS anymore at that point, yey for me.


Also I have used Nvidia cards and ATi cards. My current card is a 9500. My last card was a Ti4200. Now unforunately Nvidia this time around just didn't meet the current standards like they used to. I say if you are going to RMA the card, you should atleast consider either an upgrade to the Ultra or an ATi 9800 Pro (If they will let you). Band wagon has nothing to do with a lot of peoples' decisions and I hate it when people say that. I used Nvidia cards from the TNT all the way up to a Ti4600 (breifly because I sold it and got a Ti4200). ATi has just done more for less at this point for my needs. I will no doubt still consider an Nvidia product the next time either company releases a "NEW" card and I am in the upgrade market. The deciding factor will be price to performance and track record. Nvidia IMHO has started to go the way of ATi a year or two ago, products not quite up to par until about 3 to 6 months after release due to drivers(mainly) or support. So I will be waiting and watching how each company does and then I will make an informed decision about which card is right for me and my budget. Who knows maybe it will be a Matrox then (LOL).

Just a computer junky

 

[jiffy]

I think your talking to Alstair. Since I had the ATi 9800p 256 mb which gave me a checker board affect. Things might have been different if I had gotten the 128 mb version, since the only thing they added to the 256 mb was heat.

One minute you say you don’t think Nv meets the current standards, but suggest to make an upgrade to an Ultra card or 9800P, and then say you will be waiting to make an informed decision. I think that is sum what being offensive. It’s like saying the people who buy these cards now aren’t making a informed decision, yet with out people like me buying these cards, people like you wouldn’t be able to make an informed decision.

Maybe it’s time you upgrade that Rambo 9500 card you have and help us inform people, instead of sitting on the side line telling people what to do, that your unwilling to do yourself. :tongue:

 

[daddywags214]

What did you end up doind jif?

You said ATi has terrible driver stability? You can't get your card to even work and you're worried about <b>ATi's</b> driver stability??? What the hell...? Not that nVidia has driver problems, it's just that if you did your research, you'd see that in this round of the competition, ATi's drivers are just as reliable as those from the big N.

The reason I'd prefer the 9800 Pro to the 5900 isn't because ATi is "in," or because I'm an ATi fanboy. It's because I believe that ATi offers the better product, because it's just as fast, just as reliable, quieter, and offers better image quality. Here's an example, comparing the 9800's IQ/Power to that of the 5900Ultra. ATi's Antialiasing quality is found by most to be far superior to nVidia's. ATi's 6x looks a lot better than nVidia's 8x. Their Aniso is virtually identical. So look at these number's from HardOCP's reviews.

<A HREF="http://hardocp.com/article.html?art=NDcyLDE=" target="_new">Here</A> and <A HREF="http://hardocp.com/article.html?art=NDk2LDM=" target="_new">here.</A>

Every time they crank up to 6x/8x (ATi) and 8x/8x (nVidia) the 5900's framerate drops considerably, often becoming unplayable. Not only that, it doesn't look as good as the ATi!!! (At least when comparing AA)

Those links have numbers and pictures to back up my statements. If your goal is to play every game at 150+fps, that's fine, but I prefer to max everything out because I want my games to look amazing and play smoothly. When you turn everything up to the max, the 9800 Pro looks better, runs faster, and is quieter and just as stable. Make sense?

Tit for tat, butter for fat, ATi's dog kicks nVidia's cat

(Maximum PC)

 

[jiffy]

What the h@ll are you talking about, you’re a couple threads off aren’t you? Yeah, I think ATi drivers are terrible, since YOU mentioned IT. I still bought an ATi thought didn’t I?

In case you haven’t notice, I didn’t start this thread nor do you see me asking for anybodies opinion on the ATi card. If you did a little research yourself you would see that’s been played to death. Don’t you ever tire???

 

[phial]

oh shut up u people and try to help this guy.

agree

we sound like ATI salesmen here sometimes.

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[SHARKMEAT]

Sounds logical to me,if you not helping get out the kitchen.

TREAD SLOWLY IN DANGEROUS WATERS

 

[shadus]

You know, in building computers for the last ~10 years, I don't think I've had that many rma's on a single pc ever... I don't think I've ever had more than 2 infact... you got a much more serious problem than a faulty video card. Bad power, Bad Power Sup, Bad Ground, Bad Case Short, crapped out something. Strangely enough, I had a keyboard that managed to kill 2 motherboards before I figured out hte problem... never figured out *HOW* it killed two motherboards, but it did...

Shadus