boju :
The 680 was crashing by simply opening jpeg files, is that still happening?
As its crashing more in 3dmark11 than furmark are you using the latest version of 3dmark11 1.0.3?
http://community.futuremark.com/forum/showthread.php?159546-3DMark-11-patch-1-0-3
Do you have another spare hdd you could try reinstalling windows on? Iron out both operating system and hdd itself if possible, might not be a hdd fault but just in case the 680 is somehow making any faults more prevalent, software or hardware glitches.
Could try legacy drivers also, could be something nvidia have done. Would be good to know if gigabyte did use the same drivers as you or they know something you/we don't.
http://www.geforce.com/drivers/beta-legacy
Lastly would be no choice but to try the new psu imo.
boju :
if by chance the new psu did the trick. It might be an idea not to throw out the older psu as it might not be it's fault by fluke design incompatibility.
Seeing as many people are having unsolved issues with the 680, it just as well might be the card and how it interacts with the psu. Like how the motherboard communicates with the psu, sending a signal to keep power on after a successful start up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Good_Signal
It's a wild guess but gota wonder if its even remotely possible the 680 isn't receiving the correct operating wattage and amperage at any random given time. Hopefully whatever it is, problem is not present with the new psu.
OK, so thanks for the replies mate.
1. I contiued the testing and got it to crash again of 3dmark, but after an hour of looping tests. (on old PSU) - I am using the layest version, and it crashed on it on both this pc and the old one, so i m sure it it not a direct softwae issu like a corrupt instal
2. I cannot say if it would crash on furmark, but I only did 2 x15 min benches, and it may well have done if i left it fr longer.
3. As I have not really "used" my pc since building the new one I have not expereinced the crashes outside of bench tests, as that is all i have been doing.
4. No hdd, just SSD. OS was installed on a new 256gb SSD on old machne, and when building the new one I bought a second 128mb SSD and used that for the OS instead. So it has falted on two SSd's and two fesh, seperat instals of Windows.
5. annoyingly GB did not se the same drivers as me. I was using the whql from October 306.97. they chose to use the new 310.70 drivers that came out the day I sent it to them.
6. I did wonder about it being some random isse like you say, although I have little knowledge of such things. It couldexplain why one card works and another does not.
7. I was not aware of that many people having issues. Could yo pnt me in the direction of any other thread? - if things do go bad then any spport in terms of others having issues would be helpful.
8. New PSU is in and working. going to leave it running overnight and see wht happens.