What is frying my graphics cards?

[spawn39]

Hi everyone,

I am on my third Graphics card in 9 months. I keep on losing graphics cards for an unknown reason. Needless to say, the supplier is getting fed up with the returns. I was told to test my motherboard and power supply to see if it is causing this problem, so I went to the motherboard supplier and one of their experts assured me that a motherboard "can not kill a graphics card"

I went to 3 different suppliers to have the power supply tested, but no luck. Either they do not have the equipment, or it is broken or they just do not want to help.

Is there some application that can monitor the power the card receives from the power supply to see if there are any fluctuations or problems?

Unfortunately I have never received feedback from supplier or Manufacturer about the diagnostics of the previously returned cards.

System: (Detailing PSU as it is the possible problem)

Intel DX79T0 Lga 2011
Core i7 Lga 2011
Kingston HyperX Predator Ram 1866 (4 x 4gb) - (only running at 1600 as Mb only supports 1600)
Gigabyte R9 290X OC (Not being overclocked)
Power supply Antec High Current Gamer 900 w HCG -900 (with full industrial protection suite : - Over current protection (OCP)
- Over voltage protection (OVP)
- Short circuit protection (SCP)
- Over power protection (OPP)
- Over temperature protection (OTP))

 

[TheJackah]

Does your build have adequate cooling systems? Fans and ventilation, etc.

 

[spawn39]

Does your build have adequate cooling systems? Fans and ventilation, etc.

Hi TheJacah,

Thank you for the response. Yes, my chassis is the Bitfenix Shinobi XL with 3 x 120mm fans and 2 x 140mm fans.

Graphics card is windforce technology with 3 fans and CPU has Intel water cooling system

Everything runs within safe parameters.

 

[Ithaca]

I'm thinking that there are two possibilities; PCIe voltage and cooling.

How are your temperatures (Ambient, GPU)?

What is your PCIe voltage setting in BIOS? It is entirely possible for a motherboard to fry a PCIe card. It's a simple matter of upping voltages.

 

[spawn39]

I'm thinking that there are two possibilities; PCIe voltage and cooling.

How are your temperatures (Ambient, GPU)?

What is your PCIe voltage setting in BIOS? It is entirely possible for a motherboard to fry a PCIe card. It's a simple matter of upping voltages.

Hi,

Ambient temp averages 75.2 Fahrenheit (24 Celsius), and I must mention the first card was replaced in winter when ambient averages 62.6 Fahrenheit (17 Celsius).

Running 3DMark 11 extreme benchmark test, the card reaches 150.8 Fahrenheit (66 Celsius).

Please excuse my ignorance on the BIOS voltage settings. I could only find the following:
-Memory : 1.65v
-System Agent voltage: 1.05v
-Processor I/0: 1.05v
-Processor PLL: 1.80v
-PCH Core: 1.10

 

[Ithaca]

No worries - you had been told otherwise (never trust a supplier when they say it's not their fault)
I'm assuming that System Agent is your VCCSA voltage. This was previously known as VTT does not look out of place. If this was the culprit, your CPU would be at risk too.

Are you able to find anything along the lines of "PCI Express Voltage"? It could be defined as IOHPCIE, MCHPCIE, PCH or the like?

Next up: The PSU. Can you measure the output of the PSU to the graphics card? I'm slightly concerned that it may be receiving more volts / amps than it should.

If we end up ruling that out as well, I'll have to get creative.

 

[spawn39]

No worries - you had been told otherwise (never trust a supplier when they say it's not their fault)
I'm assuming that System Agent is your VCCSA voltage. This was previously known as VTT does not look out of place. If this was the culprit, your CPU would be at risk too.

Are you able to find anything along the lines of "PCI Express Voltage"? It could be defined as IOHPCIE, MCHPCIE, PCH or the like?

Next up: The PSU. Can you measure the output of the PSU to the graphics card? I'm slightly concerned that it may be receiving more volts / amps than it should.

If we end up ruling that out as well, I'll have to get creative.

lol, there in lies the problem....I have no way of measuring the PSU and tried 3 different suppliers to get it tested or measured, but no luck.

That's why I was wondering if there might be an application which can monitor the power that the card receives from the PSU. No such luck?

 

[hang-the-9]

If you can't find anyone to stick a meter on the power supply, you will need to find a computer similar to yours and test the power supply there or a different power supply in yours.

Only issue with testing your power supply in another computer, if it is the issue, you could kill the video card same as yours have been.

 

[spawn39]

Thanks hang-the-9 and Ithaca,

I phoned a few suppliers now and managed to find one that will test the PSU for me for a few bucks.

I will take the PSU there next week and post the results

 

[Ithaca]

Sounds good. Otherwise, buying a meter and testing it out for yourself would have been an option, if you felt you were up for it

In order to definitely rule out your motherboard, I would still like a screenshot of these details in your UEFI/BIOS, if you have them: Are you able to find anything along the lines of "PCI Express Voltage"? It could be defined as IOHPCIE, MCHPCIE, or possibly PCH.

 

[spawn39]

Hi Ithaca,

How do I post a screen shot of the BIOS?

 

[Ithaca]

If it's an UEFI ("new" BIOS) it should have a Capture feature.

If not, check here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1052568/how-to-take-bios-screenshot

 

[spawn39]

Tried to take a screen shot using F12, no luck. I took a picture on my phone.

How to post it? When I use ctrl + p, it is asking for an url.

Paste does not work....sorry really new to forum scene.

 

[Ithaca]

You want an upload service like this: http://postimage.org/

 

[spawn39]

You want an upload service like this: http://postimage.org/

Thank you. Postimage is blocked at my work by forefront. Lol.

I will upload and post pic as soon as I get home

 

[spawn39]

Hi Itacha,

Here is the pic of BIOS.

Not sure if it is related but FYI the new graphics card I received does not work correctly. *sigh* 🙁

I loaded newest AMD driver, gigabyte generic driver and lastly Snappy driver detector / loader.

When dragging a window across other windows it leaves stripes and shadows across second window.

Also if I drag it quickly left and right, the back window minimizes. If it is not related please ignore, I am taking my chassis to supplier on Monday, so they can also look at that.

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