HELP !! Graphics compatability issue?

[keynote]

I built a system a couple of months ago and its given me nothing but problems since..

I did a fair bit of research to see if everything is compatible and believe I got everything right but I just keep on getting problems with my graphics card.

at random times.. the whole pc will freeze for a few seconds, screen will go black.. then come back on and i'll get a prompt about the ATI recovery. Now i believe this is due to the graphics card overheating? and its a safety feature?
This is can almost live with..

However... on the odd occasion, the whole screen goes mad and gets covered in coloured lines (see attached pictures). When this happens.. i cant do anything except hit the reset button and lose any unsaved work.
again, this happens are random times.. but it happened twice in the space of an hour yesterday.


here's the spec... plus ebuyer.com item codes in brackets


Coolermaster Elite 330 Black Case With CM eXtreme Power 650W PSU *SPECIAL OFFER* (148683)

Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3L iP35 Socket 775 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard (148800)

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 Socket 775 2.66GHz 1333FSB 6MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor (148545)

Sapphire HD 4670 512MB GDDR3 Dual DVI TV Out PCI-E Graphics Card (149184)



Here's what the screen looks like when i get the coloured bars!!!

 

[Outlander_04]

have you downloaded and installed updates for your drivers and the ccc?

Thats the first thing to try .

The second is to send the card back to the supplier for a replacement

 

[keynote]

yes i've tried all the updates to graphics.. currently got CCC 9.2 installed.

from the spec mentioned, do you see any reason that the graphics might not be compatible with the rest?

 

[tsd16]

yes i've tried all the updates to graphics.. currently got CCC 9.2 installed.

from the spec mentioned, do you see any reason that the graphics might not be compatible with the rest?

The only possible in compatibility is a weak PSU, or a mainboard that isnt PCI-E. Judging by whats happening to you, i would definitely send the card back for replacement. I mean I am not sure about the specs on this card or the PSU, but it "could" be that enough juice isn't available to power the card. More likely its a defective card.

 

[keynote]

Well.. my case has a 650W power supply (which came fitted with the case)
and i have noticed that the PSU does get a bit noisy now and then.. like its working overtime!!

i've just checked out the Sapphire website and it says the system requirement for my graphics card is 400W or greater.. so 650W should be enough right?

unless i need to take into account that other components (2 x HDD, DVD, Mobo) are all pulling power too.. so maybe i do need a more powerful PSU??

 

[tsd16]

Well.. my case has a 650W power supply (which came fitted with the case)
and i have noticed that the PSU does get a bit noisy now and then.. like its working overtime!!

i've just checked out the Sapphire website and it says the system requirement for my graphics card is 400W or greater.. so 650W should be enough right?

unless i need to take into account that other components (2 x HDD, DVD, Mobo) are all pulling power too.. so maybe i do need a more powerful PSU??

You need to check the amps on the 12v rail. That is the most important, check the specs on the card and see how many amps it requires on the 12v rail then see what your PSU is supplying. if your card for example required 32 amps on the 12v rail, and your PSU was only supplying 27 thats an issue. So its not so much wattage as it is the specifics with the 12v rail, a 650w is more than enough for your set up.

So in the end you can have a 2 kilowatt PSU, but it it didn't have enough amps on the 12v rail, all that wattage makes no difference.

 

[keynote]

You need to check the amps on the 12v rail. That is the most important, check the specs on the card and see how many amps it requires on the 12v rail then see what your PSU is supplying. if your card for example required 32 amps on the 12v rail, and your PSU was only supplying 27 thats an issue. So its not so much wattage as it is the specifics with the 12v rail, a 650w is more than enough for your set up.

So in the end you can have a 2 kilowatt PSU, but it it didn't have enough amps on the 12v rail, all that wattage makes no difference.

Thanks for the info.. i'll check that and report back soon.

I hope you've hit the nail on the head with that one!

 

[keynote]

RIght.. i had a look over the weekend and couldnt find anything about the amps... but then i dont really know what i'm looking for... "12v rail"??

one thing that may be relevant though.. my MOBO has some CPU power management software.. which i turned off over the weekend.. had no issues all weekend (but then i didnt do anything too heavy on the machine either)

could this CPU power management tool be affecting things?