Artifacts = GPU or PSU?

[Khadras]

I have found a few threads that more or less concern the same issue, but seeing as my hardware is different, I figured I would register and ask myself.

Backstory
I installed windows 7 about 4 days ago after having windows 10 and I had no problems until today.
After a PC crash, I had blue vertical lines on my screen at startup and the screen went black before it got to the windows logo.

Uninstalling the GPU driver in failsafe mode made the artifacts disappear and I was able to get into windows again, it was rather slow though.
The GPU and my secondary HHD had disappeared in windows and I couldnt see them in BIOS either.

I reinstalled windows without problems and the GPU and HHD showed up again.

After installing every driver/update I could, I installed the GPU driver and after a few secs it got artifacts again and crashed like before. Same result when I tried older drivers.

In failsafe mode it also had artifacts directly after a crash from windows.


Im guessing that my installation from windows 10 to windows 7 cant be the issue, but is just a coincidence.


So from what I have read so far, its most likely a bad GPU or PSU.
The GPU was only at 50celsius, when windows crashed, so cant be overheating.

Specs:
GPU: SAPPHIRE R9 290, I got it during spring 2014
PSU: Corsair CX600M, I got that around 2013/2014

MOBO: Asus z97 pro gamer - 2015
CPU: I5 4690K - 2015

I have been gaming and video editing on it about 10 hours on average each day since I got the first part.
I believe the PSU was bought back when I had a i5 750 CPU and a 8800GTS GPU.


Questions
1. Is there a way to test which part may be faulty, without having access to spareparts?

2. Is 3 years under medium to heavy load enough to have killed either one?

3. If I try and use a way smaller GPU, wont I risk not having a problem and believe its the GPU, just because the dying PSU still has the power to run the lesser demanding GPU?

4. If it was the GPU dying, why wouldnt I still have artifacts without the driver and can the GPU even make windows crash like that? Wouldnt I just lose the picture?




That got way longer than planned.
Any feedback is appreciated and I will post if by some miracle I get it fixed.

 

[elbert]

You probable should get a new PSU with your next videocard. The 290 only needs a 500w with a 8 and 6 pin PCIE power plug. Here is a great deal on a good quality 520w M12II. Get it and test the card then get a new card if you need. Its all you need for a rx580.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $34.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-25 00:36 EDT-0400

 

[Khadras]

You probable should get a new PSU with your next videocard. The 290 only needs a 500w with a 8 and 6 pin PCIE power plug. Here is a great deal on a good quality 520w M12II. Get it and test the card then get a new card if you need. Its all you need for a rx580.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic - 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $34.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-25 00:36 EDT-0400

I got a HD 6970 card some time ago, when I bought some PC scraps for about 15$.
Was told it didnt work, but I tried replacing the R9 290 with it and to my surprise, its been running fine so far ^^

Still not sure if thats just because the PSU has an easier time with what I would guess require less power.
A friend has a PSU I can borrow to see if it will make any difference with the R9 290.

Still hoping I wont have to buy a new GPU, because it seems rather expensive to get a good upgrade from the R9 290 :O


Thanks for the feedback

 

[Khadras]

Update -.-

So the "fix" with another graphics card worked for 4 hours :/

Now it get either artifacts in so big an amount, that I cant see anything but several random colours or the screen just becomes one colour like yellow or blue for like 1 sec before it crashes.

Maybe the card was actually broken, but im still able to hang out in failsafe mode and can see im getting a critical kernel-power error, which seems to be related to the PSU, so 80% sure now that it must be it.

 

[elbert]

Do you want a upgrade or just a good replacement at about the same performance as the R9 290? A 1060 3GB or a rx570 is on the same level to possible a bit faster. Unfortuantly the M12II went off sale but they still have the S12II which just isn't modular. The S12II/M12II are good tier 2 PSU perfect for gaming and overclocking. Also this 1070 would be a huge step up. The 1070 works great with a 500W PSU with plent left over for overclocking.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card ($434.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $469.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-25 10:28 EDT-0400

 

[Khadras]

Do you want a upgrade or just a good replacement at about the same performance as the R9 290? A 1060 3GB or a rx570 is on the same level to possible a bit faster. Unfortuantly the M12II went off sale but they still have the S12II which just isn't modular. The S12II/M12II are good tier 2 PSU perfect for gaming and overclocking. Also this 1070 would be a huge step up. The 1070 works great with a 500W PSU with plent left over for overclocking.
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Video Card: Gigabyte - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB G1 Gaming Video Card ($434.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $469.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-07-25 10:28 EDT-0400

If im "forced" to buy new hardware, I want a upgrade and I think this time im gonna try and go for something that may help its life expectancy.

Sadly I have to pay a vat tax of 25% in Denmark, so the prices may seem a bit to high 😛
Video Card:Zotac - GeForce GTX 1070 8GB AMP! Extreme Video Card
(626.41$)
Power SupplyEVGA - SuperNOVA G2 650W (117.30$)

Card have good cooling it seems and the PSU seems to be made of quality components, hopefully it will make a difference.
My GeForce 8800 GTS lasted 7 years before dying, so only 3 years for the R9 290 physically hurts my heart ^^

 

[elbert]

Looks good and the G2 is great. You could get the 550w G2 if its a better price. The 1070 doesn't need more than 500w. The 650w can handle a 1080ti.

 

[Khadras]

UPDATE!!!


After I applied new thermal paste (Arctic MX-4), the card has been functioning most of the time.
The artifacts still show up from time to time, when I enter windows after boot. Usually a reboot fixes it.

I probably applied the thermal paste the wrong way (I used a lot), because now the temperature get to 95c within a few mins and keeps climbing, if I enter a game and only hangs out in the main menu.
I use MSI Afterburner to compensate for the high temperature and it now stays at about 75-79c in the most demanding game sessions.

 

[elbert]

Paste you only need about a rice size amount. If its not the power supply you could try reflow solder with an oven.
[video="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP2_w5Mebe8"][/video]