Ridiculously strange problem

[DoYouEvenModBro]

From time to time while playing Skyrim, I will get a freeze (pretty common, no big deal, I know), HOWEVER if I try to restart Skyrim, I will get graphical artifacts like crazy. Black lines shooting everywhere. The problem does not go away until I restart my computer and sometimes I get a c++ runtime error. This isn't my GPU's fault because after Skyrim artifacted, I tried running a Furmark stress test and everything was fine so I know it is only Skyrim that causes this problem. Any ideas?

[DoYouEvenModBro]

If it fails at even simple OC that other report works then there most likely is an issue somewhere.

 

Also it should not matter if it is OpenGL or DirectX that does a test... at least I have never heard of any issues in that regard.

But just in general if there is a grinding noise.... then the life time will drop quickly as the fan deteriorates and is not able to maintain proper temperatures. That and the horrible noise it makes.

Yea. I'm going outta the country for 3 weeks at the end of next month so I am just going to send it in right before I leave so that it will be ready for me when I return. It's definitely a weaker card. Could barely get the overclock that others get with no problem and if I change the voltage even a little, then I get artifacts like crazy. 

[Aiyen]

Sounds like a text book example of bad memory from everything you are saying!

Your issues are most likely because the cards components cannot handle the thermal stress they come under when you operate at peak performance.

This always translates into artifacts, errors, and crashing.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Sounds like a text book example of bad memory from everything you are saying!

Your issues are most likely because the tolerance levels of the cards components cannot handle the thermal stress they come under when you operate at peak performance.

This always translates into artifacts, errors, and crashing.

When you say thermal stress, do you mean heat? The card never goes above 60 C while playing Skyrim.  I still think the card is messed up though. I paid $440 for the vapor-x 7970 and could barely push 1150 on the core when others have gotten it up to like 1275 no problem on stock volts. I have been meaning to RMA it for a while but I'm waiting until my vacation so that I don't have to spend 2-3 weeks without a video card since I have no other backup right now.  

[Aiyen]

Yeah, it might not be because of the heat directly. Just the heats effect on some components which have lower tolerance levels due to poor materials used etc.

It happens all the time in electronics, since it is just not practical to stress test all components in a batch every time.

This is also why you never see any company offer much more then 1-2 years of warranty on their products. The few that do, normally require a bit extra payment for the service.

Of course some components, most notably in the audio industry, have been put together by hand and stress tested all the way though. Which is also why their price is so silly.

 

Other then that then I can relate to the waiting... it is annoying. When I had to RMA my card I had nothing but a playstation 2.... That was a horrible month.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Yeah, it might not be because of the heat directly. Just the heats effect on some components which have lower tolerance levels due to poor materials used etc.

It happens all the time in electronics, since it is just not practical to stress test all components in a batch every time.

This is also why you never see any company offer much more then 1-2 years of warranty on their products. The few that do, normally require a bit extra payment for the service.

Of course some components, most notably in the audio industry, have been put together by hand and stress tested all the way though. Which is also why their price is so silly.

 

Other then that then I can relate to the waiting... it is annoying. When I had to RMA my card I had nothing but a playstation 2.... That was a horrible month.

Sucks cause this card is only like 3 months old :-/. I'm surprised it's so screwed up already. I could tell it was crappy when I first got it though.

[MontyMM]

In my personal experience, healthy CPUs, GPUs and RAM only fail quite rarely, and usually due to some type of heat or electrical abuse. The ones that tend to misbehave often have something rotten about them right from the factory, as Aiyen says. I would definitely get it back to the supplier.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

In my personal experience healthy CPUs, GPUs and RAM only fail quite rarely, and usually due to some type of heat or electrical abuse. The ones that tend to misbehave often have something rotten about them right from the factory, as Aiyen says. I would definitely get it back to the supplier.

Will do. If I spend $430 on a GPU, it better be 100%. Luckily I can time the RMA right during my vacation :-P. Thanks for your help guys.

[stoppingby4now]

I concur. If you have a fan bearing making noise, that's not a good sign. It could even be hindering the fan so it isn't as effective at cooling as it should be.