Artifacting!!!

[AphexDreamer]

Ok, I just insatlled my Acrtic Cooler for my 2900 PRO and temps are recorded as ok yet I am getting all these afrtifacts, I don't know what to do!

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5230/whatui8.th.jpg (http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=whatui8.jpg)

First time boot was ok now I keep getting this.

Also the fans won't rotate on there own, I have to push them so they can start rotating again.

[jbunch07]

was it doing this before you install the new cooler?

[Steevo]

you perhaps got some TIM on the core or on something else. Or you put on too much and after the first run in when it phase changed to a more liquid and settled it flowed out onto something on the core.

[Dark_Webster]

Perhaps too much pressure to the core?? Just launching ideas... :)

[DOM]

Also the fans won't rotate on there own, I have to push them so they can start rotating again.
what fans ?

[AphexDreamer]

I have the Artic Cooler Accelero Extreme and I used a very very thin layer of Liqued Metal Thermal Paste. I just uplugged my PC for like 5min and booted up. I got a few artifactes and then they just went a way.

All is well for now, I am going to run a game see if its ok. I konw its heat cause it like 40C so maybe its something with the liqued metal. I don't know...:(

Wait never mind it artifactes randomly now.

[Kursah]

Try a different TIM that's non-conductive, like MX-2 or something...maybe that liquid metal is creating a contact point after seating that's shorting something on the GPU out?

If I were you, I'd rip the card out and remove the HSF and double check.

[DOM]

doesnt liquid metal eat some HS

[Dr. Spankenstein]

Did you test for contact first?

By that I mean, did you apply some TIM, press it down, remove and see how the contact was? Or did you just hope for the best?

Reason I ask is that IF you checked for contact, there are times when the TIM is in a gummy state and can act like gum stuck to your shoe on a hot day. Tiny little strands pull and stretch then break,drift and stick to everything around it.

Being "liquid metal" does make it sound conductive. I'd pull the cooler and swab her down with some lab-grade acetone or 91% isopropyl.

Hope you get this figured out soon!

[Kursah]

doesnt liquid metal eat some HS

Aluminum I'm pretty sure....I never purchased the stuff...never had interest in it as AS5 and MX 1/2 were good enuf for me!

[DOM]

Aluminum I'm pretty sure....I never purchased the stuff...never had interest in it as AS5 and MX 1/2 were good enuf for me!

cuz can the cooper have some in it or some other metal in it ?

[Kursah]

I'm not sure...I'd have to find the spec sheet and warning list on it, all I know is that stuff is not compatable with some metals and causes accelerated degredation and permanent damage...

[jbunch07]

it does eat aluminum!

[bundyrum&coke]

Also the fans won't rotate on there own, I have to push them so they can start rotating again.

Seems like your new fan is bigger than the old one and the card isn't giving it enough juice. Can you adjust your idle fan speed?

A deficiency of many components like graphics cards is that there is only one temp sensor but several spots that get hot. Just because the GPU is cold, doesn't mean the GDDR is. Can you try speed fan and check what is causing the artifacts? i.e. downclock memory and see if it goes away.
if so, check that all your RAM is being cooled evenly.

[newtekie1]

What TIM did you use on the memory? I hope it wasn't the liquid metal. My guess is also that the GDDR is overheating or possibly fried.

[Kursah]

What TIM did you use on the memory? I hope it wasn't the liquid metal. My guess is also that the GDDR is overheating or possibly fried.

Yeah that's a good point, I guess we'll have to hope that he didn't use that stuff for the GDDR...hopefully we'll find out soon...

[jbunch07]

man he is so screwed if he did

[rangerone766]

Perhaps too much pressure to the core?? Just launching ideas... :)

i changed the tim on a 9600pro turbo that i over tightend. at 2d it was fine for a few minutes the it would heat up/expand then artifac like crazy. loosening the screws a half turn each fixed it.

[Geonerd]

The lines all start at similar locations. This makes me think it's a memory access problem. I'm suspecting a cracked solder joint somewhere.

Fire up the computer, open the case, and grab the inside corner of the vidcard (ground yourself to the case first!) Gently flex the card a small amount. If the screen goes apeshit, you've got a physical problem with the card; a cracked joint or maybe a delaminated layer in the PCB.

If flexing the card had no effect, check for stray heatsink goop on the board, and double check physical contact between GPU and heatsink. (If GPU temps are good, this is almost certainly OK.)

You might also try pulling the card and cleaning the contacts with rubbing alcohol and a cloth. Again, observe static safety procedures!

Good luck.

[AphexDreamer]

Man this suxs soooo much. I went and took of my new Heat Sink and put back on the old HR-03 and it wouldn't even boot. My MB gave me the Beeb code you get when you have no GPU installed. So then I put back the Artic and still the same shit.

I think the Mem was Overheating as welll, but I was useing that padded stuff it came with that was ment to cool the Mem, I guess it didn't work well.

Now I think I have broken my card.:banghead: and for nothing, it wasn't even during an OC.:banghead:

Unless someone has some Magical Idea, I think I have lost this card for good.:(

Also trying to remove the RAM heatsinks that came with my HR-03 I used a Flat Head Screw Driver. I did scratch like two GDDR4 Mem Chips trying to remove it, but they are like very minor surface scratches. I just don't know what to think.

[Dr. Spankenstein]

Also trying to remove the RAM heatsinks that came with my HR-03 I used a Flat Head Screw Driver. I did scratch like two GDDR4 Mem Chips trying to remove it, but they are like very minor surface scratches. I just don't know what to think.


There is a little more pertinent information. That kind of prying action surely could have broken some of the BGA contacts as Geonerd suspected.

Kinda confused as to why the mobo would give you a beep code with the card installed...

[AphexDreamer]

You know what I think I did wrong... I must have installed the Padded Thermal stuff for the RAM wrong. Like put them on upside down so it was not removeing heat correctly.

Now that I think I have found out the issue, my card won't even work... AHHHH! I HATE MY SELF!!

Anyways guys thanks for the kind info and support. I'm going to have to pray for my card to magicly work again.:respect:

[Dr. Spankenstein]

Not to pour salt into an already open wound, but how does one apply the thermal pads wrong?

[newtekie1]

I don't think you can apply them wrong. There is no set direction they have to be applied in.

My guess is that the RAM was damaged during the prying off of the old ram-sinks.

[AphexDreamer]

I don't think you can apply them wrong. There is no set direction they have to be applied in.

My guess is that the RAM was damaged during the prying off of the old ram-sinks.

Iono, Its like a very very small 2mm scratch on it that didn't even puncture the RAM Chip.

I don't think that was it, I just doesn't seem like it. Now if it were really deep and like bit of the Chip had come out I would think so.

But the thing is now I'll I see is a blank screen, no post, no BIOS or anything.

I'll just have to find out what my options are here.

[Dr. Spankenstein]

I don't think we are talking about the scratch on the top of the chips, we mean the contacts under the chip are much more delicate than say your average IC that has the soldered down legs. Couple of contacts were probably broken with the prying action.

No POST now?!? or you just can't see it happening without the VGA? Are you HDD spinning up?

[AphexDreamer]

Yeah everything is OK, just that now with the GPU installed I get no post on my Monitor.

Everything is in right.

I don't know if my HD is spinning, I don't think they are. I get the same Beeb code as if I had no Graphics Card installed.

[AphexDreamer]

Anyone know were I can find out what the Red Light on the card indicates.

When I turn my PC on, the Red Light Blinks like 5 times and then stops and the MB give me the No GPU Beeb sequence.

[jbunch07]

ouch man sounds like a fried card but i could be wrong

[AphexDreamer]

Well some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that the card was in fact broken. I don't know if I fried it or if I damaged it myself, but its gone.

The good news is that it hadn't been a year since I purchased it from Newegg and I RMAed it:D

I just sent it back today and going to get a bran new one.:rockout:

I want to try to use this cooler again, but with all this bad luck I have had with it should I? I did pay money for it. This time I'll try with the RAM sink the other way.

[Th3-R3as0n]

You got lucky there mate.. I think you might have applied to much thermal paste and got some onto the core.. Or like everyone else has stated a scratch on the card anyways man.. Glad you getting a new one :) Happy speeling

[jbunch07]

its good thing you could rma it!

[AphexDreamer]

You know what I think it was. I don't think it was the thermale paste getting everywhere if anything it was not contacting the core well enough, the only thing that tells me it was not the core over heating is because Riva tuner never recorded going over 45C.

My guess toward the Artifacting is that the GDDR4 was overheating, due to the thermal padding touching the wrong side of the RAM chip. I really need to make sure what the problem was so I don't repeat it on the new card.

If it was a scratch, that won't happen again, if its something with the thermal paste f!@# and if its because the cooler suck then double F!@#.

Also something to note, when I took off the heatsink for the last time, the freaking metal square ring came off!!! For no reason what so ever, its like the glue wore off or something!! it just fell right off??? I love AMD, but that looks like cheap manufacturing to me.

Oh well, thanks for the input guys.

[AsRock]

Well besides what everyone else has already said. I had issue's with my 2900XT in my ABit mobo were you plug the card in and would not post and had to resit it differently. However i never had the issue with the ASUS mobo but MAYBE the 7900GT was a thicker v card which made this happen ?.


Other wise as most said remove that thermal greese make sure it all gone. and use MX-2 this time around and make sure you do not over tighten.

[HighEndToys]

The only time I have seen something like this happen is when the cooler was installed with too much pressure on the card.

I would also NEVER put thermal material on a video card that conducts electricity -ever.

[Steevo]

I used AC5 on my X1800XT and it still runs fine, just a very small amount and checked the seating. I even lapped down the standoff legs of the MOSFET cooler and used it on that to cool them better than the thermal tape.




Thermal tape has no directionality other than taking off the plastic covering the adhesive, but it won't work without doing that. So it is pretty failsafe.

[AphexDreamer]

Well they are out of stock of the 1GB Pro so they said I will be giving an item of equal value/performance or my money back. Kool thing is, if I get my money back thats like $330 and I'll be able to buy an HD3870X2!!!!

Bad thing is my HD2900 Cooler I just bought will be useless to me and so I just wasted my money on it.

[HighEndToys]

I would be willing you bet you could sell it pretty quickly in the forums. If not then just think of it like you spent 30 dollars and stepped up to an X2. lucky bastard!