GPU stopped functioning during a game (GTX 670)

[freedomagora]

While playing some Chivalry today, I suddenly saw rainbow, glittery sparkles appear all around me. I thought this was strange, and assumed it was something in the game (such as, perhaps, a hacker)--my game was not feeling it. It froze for a moment. Then action resumed. It froze again, this time much harder. A notification appeared in my task bar "Nvidia Kernel Driver stopped working." I thought what had happened was that a malicious hacker was peppering the server with game-crashing glitters. I reloaded the game, and crashed each time I loaded into the server. My monitor was losing input, going to black, and restarting multiple times as a result of this. Frustrated, I loaded another game, and saw the same problem manifest itself in the 3D titlescreen. Each time, I got the same error.

The problem has advanced now; I can't start my computer up outside of Safe Mode because my desktop flickers to black multiple times, monitor loses input, and after trying it will just restart and go back to boot. In Safe Mode, everything works fine.

I ran DXDiag, found that my GPU is not found by my computer whatsoever. I reinstalled my Nvidia drivers successfully, but even they don't recognize my GPU. My BIOS doesn't seem to recognize that I have a GPU (at least I couldn't find any settings for it).

My video card is a GTX 670, OS is Windows 7 64-bit. It's worked for years and today is the first time I had any problems. It's totally possible it's finally kicked the bucket and fried. But what should I do to troubleshoot this problem and potentially solve it?

 

[PuperHacker]

Don't shoot the messenger, but it seems to be dying. Just confirm that it is not overheating, clean it of dust and maybe even try it at another PC to confirm the malfunction. What you noticed must have been heavy artifacting, which accompanied by driver crashes and loss of signal is one of the strongest manifestations of GPU malfunction.

 

[freedomagora]

Thanks for your response, Puper! I'll avoid putting any rounds down range of you (or screaming sword-lunges if Chivalry is anything to go off of)! I figured it's likely the death of my GPU, after a good 5 years of service. I bought it as a mid-range GPU, and now it's a sad little low-ranger which was putting in so much work every time I used it. It deserves its rest.

I'll try to take it to a computer shop and see if they can let me plug it into another PC!

 

[PuperHacker]

Thanks for your response, Puper! I'll avoid putting any rounds down range of you (or screaming sword-lunges if Chivalry is anything to go off of)! I figured it's likely the death of my GPU, after a good 5 years of service. I bought it as a mid-range GPU, and now it's a sad little low-ranger which was putting in so much work every time I used it. It deserves its rest.

I'll try to take it to a computer shop and see if they can let me plug it into another PC!

RIP gtx670, after years of valiant gaming service. Hope you get it replaced soon!