Question Does my 8-year-old Quadro need replacement?

[lentilburger]

Hello all -

I have an old workstation (System Specs below) that I built in 2012 for 3D modeling and rendering work back in school. I'm wondering if some recent troubles with my GPU can be fixed, or if i should even make the effort!

OS: Microsoft 10 Build 18363
CPU: Intel Xeon E5 2630
MOBO: Asus P9X79 LE
Installed Physical Memory: 32.0GB
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro 4000 (driver 10.18.13.5330)
Power Supply: Corsair HX750

After putting dozens of WFH hours per week on the system, I started getting screen glitches (on both screens) and crashes, pointing to bad driver installation. I assumed the Graphics card was causing the issue, due to the DPC watchdog errors naming "NVIDIA windows Kernel Mode driver". The GPU was running hot: revving up to 87degC periodically, so i dusted/cleaned/added a new case fan.

I also updated the nvidia drivers, and things seemed to return to normal - the crashes returned after a week. My computer would refuse to boot, even in safe mode, and my troubleshooting led me to do a clean install of windows. this helped for a few days, but after I started to reinstall my adobe suite, the glitches/crashes came back, and now every time i try to touch anything to do with the GPU (including a DDU clean driver install) my system shuts down and reverts to it's previous boot issues. Error codes include x133 DPC WATCHDOG VIOLATION and x116 VIDEO TDR FAILURE, along with device error code 43.

So, now, I have a restore point saved right after the windows reinstallation that I keep being forced back to, glitching and freezing intermittently. Interestingly, my display connected to the GPU via display port will display full resolution (before glitching), but my display connected via DVI, will only give me 800x600 resolution, but no glitches/freezing.

Is my graphics card just old and worn out? Perhaps it fried a bit when it was running hot a few weeks ago? I am content with getting 8 years of service out of a device and being forced to replace, but i thought i would ask here if i have anything left to try!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Error Codes below:

==================================================
Dump File : 051020-7312-01.dmp
Crash Time : 5/10/2020 12:10:58 PM
Bug Check String :
Bug Check Code : 0x00000116
Parameter 1 : ffff8f8632a11010 Parameter 2 : fffff8026bbd324c
Parameter 3 : ffffffffc000009a Parameter 4 : 0000000000000004
Caused By Driver : dxgkrnl.sys
Caused By Address : dxgkrnl.sys+23fcda
File Description : DirectX Graphics Kernel
Product Name : Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Company : Microsoft Corporation
File Version : 10.0.18362.778 (WinBuild.160101.0800)
Processor : x64
Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+1c2390
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\051020-7312-01.dmp
Processors Count : 12
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 18362
Dump File Size : 1,085,412
Dump File Time : 5/10/2020 12:11:53 PM
==================================================

==================================================
Dump File : 051020-7437-01.dmp
Crash Time : 5/10/2020 12:06:21 PM
Bug Check String :
Bug Check Code : 0x00000133
Parameter 1 : 0000000000000001 Parameter 2 : 0000000000001e00
Parameter 3 : fffff80104b73358 Parameter 4 : 0000000000000000
Caused By Driver : nvlddmkm.sys
Caused By Address : nvlddmkm.sys+220f63
File Description : NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 353.30
Product Name : NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 353.30
Company : NVIDIA Corporation
File Version : 10.18.13.5330
Processor : x64
Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+1c2390
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\051020-7437-01.dmp
Processors Count : 12
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 18362
Dump File Size : 4,141,948
Dump File Time : 5/10/2020 12:07:31 PM
==================================================

 

[Mooons]

Have you applied new paste to the GPU?

Whats the temps on your CPU?

 

[lentilburger]

Hi Jay_dog: I have not applied new thermal paste to the GPU. GPU temps are at 50-55 deg at idle, 83-84 deg at load.

CPU core temps idle at 40-45 deg, 50 deg at load.

 

[drivinfast247]

Hi Jay_dog: I have not applied new thermal paste to the GPU. GPU temps are at 50-55 deg at idle, 83-84 deg at load.

CPU core temps idle at 40-45 deg, 50 deg at load.

It's thermal throttling.

 

[Mooons]

GPU temps are at 50-55 deg at idle, 83-84 deg at load.

I would agree that it is thermal throttling.

 

[lentilburger]

Thanks, guys. So for thermal throttling (of the GPU?), would you suggest I try applying new thermal paste to the GPU heatsink?

I've read that there is some risk to that procedure. Should I bother with such an old card? I'd like to keep it running, but i understand there are diminishing returns with prolonging the life of hardware?