EVGA Gtx 970 crash problem

Arkahm

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2010
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Hi everyone. Having some serious issues since I upgraded. Here is a listing of my experiences below. My PC build is :

Fx-8350

EVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC ACX 2.0+ 4GB GDDR5 256bit, DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI, DP SLI Ready Graphics Card 04G-P4-3975-KR

8 GB HyperX RAM

78LMT-USB3 motherboard

Samsung 850 EVO 500GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E500B/AM)

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit System Builder OEM


Upgraded SSD from HDD - Clean windows install. No problems. SATA 3 isn't supported on my mobo but that's fine. SSD is still running like a dream.

Upgraded from 660ti to EVGA GTX 970. Issues:

Booting up GTA 5. Get to settings/menu. Able to adjust, etc. Hit start:
- initially game would start opening scene but crash almost immediately. Black screen with hanging/stuttering audio (like an echo)

- Reinstalled Drivers. Reinstalled GTA 5.
- Turn Post FX on Normal - High
- Turn Shading from Very high to High
- Most other settings on Very high
get to first explosion and same PC crash.

-Unplugged GTX 970 and put my old 660 back in
-Downloaded drivers
-No crashing. Didn't do extensive testing
-Plugged my 970 back in
-Skyrim started working. No crashes all night where crashes had previously been, though I had also disabled ENB RealVision.

GTA 5 finishes reinstalling
-Went to Nvidia Control Panel and set PhysX to CPU dedicated, rather than adaptive or GPU.
-Had settings on just a little higher than normal. No crashes. Get outside in first prologue mission. Set Post FX and Grass to Ultra. No crash.

Alt tabbed to check temps/task manager performance. All Okay. Tabbed back in and same crash occurs.


- I play another MMO called Aion. It works perfectly. No issues. Not once.

Had to go to work.

Any idea? Do I have to RMA the Gtx 970 with EVGA/Amazon in hopes they replace it? Or am I just overheating?
 



There is special programs for checking your temps if everything is okay with heat then I'm gonna ask if your GTA 5 is legit copy or pirate? If GTA 5 is cracked then that's the explanation.
 


GTA 5 is legit. I use Openhardware Monitor to check my temps. Generally nothing goes over 60c on load. I think mobo went as high as 68 at one point but that wasnt too much different from my old 660ti. My case has bad flow. I do worry it's overheating, but I can just use Precision X to manage the cards fans right?

I dont have any pirated software on my PC.

ADD: Going to check to see if there's a dump file or something that will help. I'm only intermediate with this stuff haha,

The black screen audio echo crash thing is apparently identified as a Blue Screen.


The main problem with checking my temps is that sitting idle in game on the settings screen doesn't push load at all.. so I don't see it adjusting my temps if nothing is being done. Not that I've experienced anyway, I also don't get any sort of messages or warnings or anything. By the time the game has crashed, well, it's too late for me to check what's going on with my temps.


I've heard about the fans in the gtx 970 needing to be tweaked however.
 
I will run some tests when I get home. but via a discussion with a friend I am leaning towards it being an over heating issue. I know it isn't drivers I've reinstalled those three or four times and rolled back.

I know it isn't PSU because Skyrim (where it used to crash) runs perfectly fine now heavily modded (no ENB might try to stress test tonight) at max FPS. no issues.

I don't think it's the gfx card itself because, again, Skyrim runs fine and Aion is no problem. Both are older games and Aion is more CPU heavy but my fx8350 is fine.

Heat is the only answer. As the day got cooler was around when Skyrim started functioning fine. My mobo has been warmer than usual but I think that's because the gtx 970 installs with it's board facing upward toward the Mobo/CPU. If it puts off more heat as its fans run less to cool it unless altered via precision X it would cause the mobo/cpu to heat up more..etc..

I just have to actually be able to check my temps as the problem is occuring. Mind you I'm running on stock fans. 1 exhaust, 1 over the cpu, 1 large frontal intake low bearing (bad case really), no side fan but I have the side panel cracked open at an angle with 2 external fans blowing more air in. I dont have air conditioning and it's been like 33C outside all week. Sigh. Perhaps I need to look into water cooling

ADD: I will try moving one of my extra fans to help with exhaust. Having only one there and essentially 3 intakes is probably too much.
 


You can just purchase new case and more fans for cooling. Like this one is nice and low cost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4wDrw7qqEs
 
I will probably end up doing that. I need to for sure.

Next steps:
- Rearrange my fans to have more exhaust. Apply a new side panel fan.
- Install Precision X and adjust GPU fans



If all else fails, reinstall my 660ti and game with that and my new SSD while:

I either RMA current 970 for a FTW model which operates better, apparently. Or, since the current 970 is likely not malfunctioning and it's just a heat issue, hold on to it until I upgrade my case/cooling systems. May look into upgrading from my 600W PSU to 700/750 PSU.









Any and all input or opinions is appreciated!
 



Which PSU do you have?
 


xtreme gear 600w. I havent heard great things. I know the 970 is 500w req but i heard the fx8350/amd cpus pull more voltage? I doubt this is the problem. Really leaning towards (hoping) its heating and i can just keep the card for later.
 



Yes, AMD cpus aswell as gpus requires a lot of power and you risk to damage your other components with this PSU. If it's not the heating problem then It means that PSU can't handle your system very well. If you will buy new PSU in the future then take XFX or Seasonic.

 
GPU issue finally solved with my trusty friend, Openhardware monitor!

Using this to watch my temps while playing, I noticed my GPU fans were not starting up at 60C. I manually set them to 75% and on near max graphics (a few lowered because FPS 🙁) my GPU is not surpassing 55C. :). Mobo around the same. All other Temps 45C <. (Its hot out! 30C and no AC).

So happy. Annoyed I may have to manually set the fans via this or Afterburner but hey! It works like a charm! New PC build - Complete!!!
 


Glad you solved that. :) But one more thing.. You really need to upgrade your PSU if you want to play safe all the time.