My BFG 6800GT dying? (Unique situation)

[Shamrock]

I'd say your power supply is the problem. I'm not sure how your computer is running with 3.68V on the 5V rail. I've recently had a powersupply problem and my 5V rail was dipping below 4.4V. As soon as it went below 4.4, the computer turns its self off. How did you measure you voltages? Did you use a multimeter?

BFG told me to download PC wizard, and view the meter icon on the left. However, the GPU temp isnt there, it's in the first icon, (video).

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3846.html

[SirGazzard]

It looks like I am suffering something similar with a july 2004 6800gt pny.
my +12.0v hovers between 11.7 and 11.9v though.
I was looking through the functions within NVtune last night and under the troubleshooting bit it seemed to be saying that my card is running at AGP x4 and I should change it to AGP x8.
Well there is no option in the BIOS to run at x8 anywhere, I look at the advanced properties under the display settings menu and it tells me that the bus is pci?
I am sure that i used to be able to see AGP 3.0 in there, I can find no reference to anything AGP x4, x8, or 3.0.
As I understand it AGPx8 runs at 0.8v but the only settings I have in the Bios are for 1.5v, 1.6v and 1.7v.
This is bugging the hell out of me as I used to run bf2 smooth as silk but now after about 20 seconds my frame rate drops to 15 and stays there (even at 800x600 resolution).
Any help much appreciated.
I have tried the nvidia drivers 77.77 and am currently at 81.98.

[ynnek]

BFG said to RMA it, I got the email today!, but they would only RMA it, if I bought a PSU. They are saying the PSU has damaged the Video card, and to get an RMA. It is not repairable.



Crocodile? why $105 for a 480w PSU? I am gonna get an ANtec Truepower 550w for $83!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103931
Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 ATX12V 550W Power Supply
Dual 12v rails, nVdia SLi Certified, 2 PCIe connectors, 3 yr warranty, and best of all, it has NO bad things about it. Out of 170 reviews, it still has 5 eggs.

ordering it tonight, then I am calling BFG for an RMA.

Actually, I read that email as, BFG is being extremely nice and give you a new card (even though most likely its cause your PSU broke it). However, advise you to get a new PSU or else you are simply going to just mess up the replacement card... and you may not be as lucky on the RMA the second time.

Either way, you probably need a new psu.

[Shamrock]

I already bought one. I got that Antec 550w with dual rails! :D in your quote. Already installed too!

The RMA card was delivered this morning to BFG. And yes BFG was nice all around! I cant wait to get it back actually!!! Try playing these new games on a GeForce 3 Ti200, is just well....Jurassic!

[CR0C0DILE]

That looks like a decent spec power supply. It does have rainbow spaghetti syndrome though. The neo power has sleeved cables that are detachable :D use only the wires you need the neo power 480 also keeps the voltage stable through specialised circuits so you never get power drops.

[ynnek]

I already bought one. I got that Antec 550w with dual rails! :D in your quote. Already installed too!

The RMA card was delivered this morning to BFG. And yes BFG was nice all around! I cant wait to get it back actually!!! Try playing these new games on a GeForce 3 Ti200, is just well....Jurassic!

Heh cool.. Glad things turned out good.. Its why I bought a BFG card too. (nana2)

[The Bigman]

I had a BFg 6800GT with the dual fans and gold colored HS with pipe on top and flashed it to an Ultra ran good for long time hell a year and it started to do checkered lines and what urs is doing. i Flashed it back and it worked fine

U could have a bad bios reflash or update ur BFG bios and see if that helps.

Enjoy.

[Shamrock]

I never flashed it, ever

[Shamrock]

Well, I got my Vid card back today. I WAS hoping for the 7800GS, but they sent me a replacement 6800GT. BUT, it runs better than the other one did. At same setting, everything seems smoother. Even my brother said "it looks different". I commented it was smooth!

[ynnek]

Well, I got my Vid card back today. I WAS hoping for the 7800GS, but they sent me a replacement 6800GT. BUT, it runs better than the other one did. At same setting, everything seems smoother. Even my brother said "it looks different". I commented it was smooth!

Two weeks huh?

Guess what.. I think my 6800GT bit the dust.. I turned on my computer this morning to switch training skills on EVE Online.. and after a few minutes, the screen got garbled and the computer froze..

Tried rebooting it, and ndow it gets garabld on windows load screen.. :(

Didn't get to troubleshoot it, since I had to goto work.. Hopefully, it just needs another cleaning.. although Ihave a feeling this card is dead now. :(

[Shamrock]

yep...If your card is dead, I'll sell you the one I have, It's only been used since March 8th...I bought a 7900GT :D

[ynnek]

yep...If your card is dead, I'll sell you the one I have, It's only been used since March 8th...I bought a 7900GT :D

Thats alright, I already shipped it over to BFG for the RMA...

[ynnek]

yay, got my replacement.. They gave me a 6800GT with the dual fan and copper heatsink (i had originally had the first bfg cards with the one fan ref design) Took me about 10 business days, from the second my replacement card left my hand at the ups center, till I plugged my replacement in my system . Took 5 business days to reach them, and BFG had the replacement out the door the day after they actually recieved my card... and back on my doorstep in a few days via UPS... nice!

[BigE4u]

Funny thing... i bought a used 6800GT OC AGP8X card from a friend last week that had it for only 2weeks after RMAing his regular 6800 AGP8X card, BFG sent him the GT model in return. Well, needless to say, it worked perfectly fine for him when he had it, but 3days after i took possession of it, out of the blue, it locked up on me in windows and i had to do a hard reboot. Next thing i know, i've got vertical lines during bootup and it gave me nothing but a black screen when in windows... mind you that this card was never OC'd and running at stock speeds(370/1000). It too had the all copper heat sink with twin LED fans, idle temps were at 60c and 72c under load... from what i hear, this heat sink is worse for cooling over the reference one fan design. I called it in for an RMA and now the card is on its way to BFG, hopefully i'll get a brand new replacement 6800GT AGP8X card, or better yet if they are completely out, a brand new 7800GS AGP8X card in return. I tell ya, theres something seriously wrong with the 6800GT models by BFG...so thank goodness for the lifetime warranty, i'll give them that. This kinda reminds me of the infamous vertical line pinkish/blue screens that the gainward ti4200 cards used to produce, all because of faulty pcb capacitors.

[ynnek]

Honestly, I think ALL 6800GT's and Ultra's are cut it close even stock temp wise.. 60C idle, may mean in reality, after hours of playing temps rise closer to 90C.. Not necessarily a BFG fault...

Since all these vid cards now, and in the future seem to be hot runners, I'm probably going to stick with BFG and their lifetime warrenty.. Unless there is a drastic change and vid cards run drastically cooler, which they probably won't because every generation demands more processing power and ram. Lifetime warrenty on a $300-500 part is awesome.

[snowmanwithahat]

yeh, from what i've seen all the 6800 GT's and Ultra's have been pushed high with the stock coolers, i'd be afraid for mine if i didn't have this Zalman on it. I've seen so many "my 6800 GT/Ultra is dead" threads that i really think they had performance for the short-term and not quality for the long-term in mind when they designed the stock cooler, if you take one off and apart, it's crazy how small the aluminum block is, it truly seems inadequit

[BigE4u]

Newer video cards comming out should start to run cooler over cards of old due to their 90nm design= less transistors= less power= less heat. The 6800GTs were made on the 110nm design, so thats why it used more power and created more heat. Now, the manufacturers having installed a cheap design HSF doesn't help any getting rid of the access heat. Way of keeping costs down i suppose over the already expensive to make video card.

[loafer87gt]

As per BFG's suggestion I had to run my 6800GT card at 330 core clock. Even though they told me that their cards are safe up until 120C, running my card at stock speeds the temps would easily hit over 110C under load and I would get severe artifacting. Running the card at 330 it is mostly artifact free, unless I am running max details with taxing features like AA and AF enabled.

[The Bigman]

I found out my BFG 6800GT had a bad ram module i will be RMAing that thing soon so i can sell it for a decent buck.