Has my GFX card died

RLCCM

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May 10, 2015
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Hi all, just wonder what you all think:
I have a Gigabyte Radeon HD 7850 that always worked perfectly in my old machine, that two days ago, I took out from my old computer, to place into my fresh new build:
i7 4790k w/ coolermaster 412s
Asus Z97-AR
2x8Gb Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400
500 Gb Samsung 850 EVO
Fractal R5 Case
(temporarily, as taken from the old machine) a Coolermaster RS 500W psu (yes its old and cheap, but has always worked so far, running for several years in the old machine - an E8500 - with this same Gfx card)

Now this build has honestly been a problem child, on start-up initially I've had all sorts of problems, notably not always starting on "power up" at all (i.e. fans whirred but nothing on screen), then "Overclock Error" message on the start screen, as well as the computer rarely being able to restart itself, and a few occasions of cycling itself "on/off". First thing I did was to update the BIOS (from version 0702 to 0902), which then caused more problems - after "windows loading" message the screen would just go black again (no signal received).

I used a 2nd graphics card (a Radeon 4550 i had lying about) to get by into windows, and d/l the BIOS again to the latest version (that it hadn't done automatically the first time!). The latest BIOS fixed almost everything, including the overclocking error (I had realised this was due to incompatibility with the RAM under the first BIOS versions, as the bios wasn't recognising the RAM clock speed at all). It also fixed the power-up and power-cycling/restarting problems. I then went and fixed all the Windows issues I was having - all the updates etc I needed. The last problem was that a very old/untaxing game - ran very blocky, so then I updated the graphics card BIOS and drivers, which also seemed to fix that problem!

So after several hours of hassle and work, all was happy, an fast machine, running perfectly, problem free, and quietly for a day and a half.

Until this afternoon - I was playing said old (windowed) game and my display started flickering, faster then faster... and before I could close down the computer the screen went blank (no signal detected). Now on bootup it appears to work fine, windows logo appears on loading, but as before, screen goes blank instead of the desktop appearing. So I've been through the following steps to try to check it:

Radeon 4550 in the new machine works ok.
Running from Onboard graphics works ok.
Using split monitors (one onboard and one with HD7850) - works with onboard but not with HD7850 screen.
Placing the HD7850 into the old machine, I get the exact same problem (goes blank before desktop appears).
The gigabyte/ati utility programs don't recognise the HD7850
Device manager says the HD7850 is running properly.

So in all your expert opinions - is this a dead card?

If so what to replace it with? AMD or Nvidia as a preference for a midrange card.

thanks!







 
Solution
What operating system are you running?
What game were you playing?
Have you tried flashing it a new BIOS, or hitting the reset (if it has one)?
Have you tried completely uninstalling your drivers with DDU and them doing a fresh install?
Have you tried using a different capable (HDMI vs. DisplayPort, etc.)?
Have you tried using a different port (a different HDMI/DisplayPort/DVI port)?

A couple of those are solutions... a couple of those are things that can help me try and diagnose the problem. Get back to me as soon possible, let's try and fix this before we jump to expensive new cards.
What operating system are you running?
What game were you playing?
Have you tried flashing it a new BIOS, or hitting the reset (if it has one)?
Have you tried completely uninstalling your drivers with DDU and them doing a fresh install?
Have you tried using a different capable (HDMI vs. DisplayPort, etc.)?
Have you tried using a different port (a different HDMI/DisplayPort/DVI port)?

A couple of those are solutions... a couple of those are things that can help me try and diagnose the problem. Get back to me as soon possible, let's try and fix this before we jump to expensive new cards.
 
Solution
Hi, thanks hugely for the response -
in answer to your questions:
- Windows 7 sp1, 64bit - same OS on the old machine and new.

-I've tried to downgrade the bios back to the next most recent, and that hasn't done anything (though admittedly at the moment its hard to do even this as its own software doesn't recognise its existence!). No resent as far as I can tell.

-Was playing neverwinter nights in windowed mode when it died (which is tremendously old I know!), It was running fine before that. Now, as I cant get it to work, I cant try it with any other game either. I'm currently running with onboard graphics via HDMI and nothing works very well at all, because he onboard doesn't appear to run 3D graphics (makes me wonder if I have correct onboard drivers)

-Trying the complete uninstall now, will report shortly.

-I've been running it via display port, I'm a bit limited on what cables I have though I did try an HDMI alternative.

-attempted using the 2nd display port in gfx card, though didn't change anything, I also didn't pay it too much attention as I flicked the cable from one to the other and back again (you could hear the windows pings telling me something was unplugged and re-plugged but nothing more then that).

Also for reference the monitor is a Dell U2711 usually running at 1440p
 
To update now since running further tests as you ask- the results confusing me yet further.
After uninstalling all drivers and AMD software via uninstallers:
- usual happened with both display ports "windows loading" screen then blank screen as desktop is meant to appear.
- via HDMI it actually worked, going into Desktop at 1080p!

So with no installed driver, it works via HDMI but not DP. Now, after installing drivers, this same scenario persists, I can currently run on HDMI at 1080p but not DP.
 
This may seem like a bizarre thing to try, but I had this issue not too long ago on my system, I was running Zoo Tycoon of all things on my computer and after I shut it down with the disk (yes the disk) still in the drive it would just freeze/go black on boot after the Windows Logo. I fixed the problem by going into Safe Mode, removing both the driver and the old game (and removing the disk) and this combination fixed my problem. I then reinstalled the driver and it booted just fine. I'm not sure if that will resolve the problem but apparently AMD (or windows or.... who knows what) has problems with running older games. Maybe this will work, I make no guarantees, but it's worth giving it a shot.

 
Just tried and failed. I've done some research and think there is a chance it could be to do with EDID (though from there the fix seems quite complicated).

I also picked up an ancient DVI cable from the office, and having no idea if the cable is good or bad, it works - however, I get a pretty fuzzy image, particularly text is difficult to read using it.

I'm now somewhat worried that even if I throw the towel in and buy a new card, that I may get the same problem all over again!
 
some small progress made tonight after hours of trying.

Firstly I tried a DVI cable via the old spare gfx card lying about - result, I could run 1440p but with some distortion. I worked out by the monitors own OSD, that the monitor itself was running 1280x1440, despite the computer asking for 2560x1440, hence the bad picture. This i then duplicated via DVI on the HD 7850, as so I increasingly feel it's less a GPU issue, but a monitor problem.

So setting the monitor as 2 displays (the dell U2711 has a function to run as 2 seperate screens, via separate inputs) I managed eventually to get the "2nd display screen" working by killing the resolution/refresh in AMD catalyst, then carefully getting rid of the first (HDMI) instance.

So now, I have the monitor running again via DP BUT, only at 1080p. It gives me the option of 2560x1440, but if I try that it just goes blank, before reverting under timeout.

Also in AMD catalyst, I can try to set the desktop resolution to 2560x1440, however it autmotically reverts back to the 1080p HDTV setting.

From the additional reading i've done, it sounds more and more like an EDID problem in the monitor... but how exactly to fix it, I am still at a loss... any EDID experts who can help?