Solved Graphics card crash with HD 6970

[SilverNinja]

Whenever I am normally using my computer for web browsing or if I am trying to load up a game my graphics card will randomly crash and its fan speed will go up to 100%.
This issue only started about 2 or 3 days ago and I haven't changed anything that could make this happen. I have tried re installing all graphics drivers but that did not work. I have also made sure that it is not over heating by checking its temp which rarely goes over about 50C when it crashes. I re seated the graphics card as well but that still didn't fix it but I can go into to safe mode without the graphics card crashing.

Computer specs
MB: Sabortooth x58
CPU: Intel i7 960
WIndows 7 64
Ram: 16G
PSU: 620W
Disk: SSD 120G

 

[ionbasa]

Whenever I am normally using my computer for web browsing or if I am trying to load up a game my graphics card will randomly crash and its fan speed will go up to 100%.
This issue only started about 2 or 3 days ago and I haven't changed anything that could make this happen. I have tried re installing all graphics drivers but that did not work. I have also made sure that it is not over heating by checking its temp which rarely goes over about 50C when it crashes. I re seated the graphics card as well but that still didn't fix it but I can go into to safe mode without the graphics card crashing.

Computer specs
MB: Sabortooth x58
CPU: Intel i7 960
WIndows 7 64
Ram: 16G
PSU: 620W
Disk: SSD 120G

how did you measure the GPU Temp?
Try installing HW Monitor:
CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting
after installing HW Monitor run it and see what sort of temps you are getting with normal usage.
Also were you by any chance overclocking the GPU?

 

[SilverNinja]

I installed HW monitor and found that the normal temp I was getting was about 50C. I no I'm not overclocking mt gpu

 

[ionbasa]

Have you tried to re-install the latest drivers?

First download the latest amd driver and catalyst package and save it to your desktop. AMD Graphics Drivers & Software

Once this is done
Remove your ATI software normally through programs and features in the Control Panel using the Catalyst Install Manager (CIM). (Also called AMD Catalyst Install Manager)

Reboot the system in Safe Mode (F8) and do the following:

1 - Delete all ATI folders in C:\programs files and C:\programs files (x86) as well as the temp ati folder usually located at c:\ati

2 - Go to C:\Windows\assembly and sort by "Public Key Token". Locate the following Public Key Token "90ba9c70f846762e" Usually there are only two entries. However, there can be many just be careful here we are only deleting/uninstalling entries tagged with the "90ba9c70f846762e" token. (if deletion will not work right click and uninstall)

3 - deleting these policies in safe mode may result in a permissions error. The entries will only show up in systems affected by this issue.
This means that searching for these entries on systems where CCC is loading properly, should result in none found *(as per ati's dev team)

4 - Shut down and re-start normally.

5 - Reinstall the ATI Catalyst package.

This should fix the problem, if it was driver related, if not post back and let me know.

 

[SilverNinja]

I re installed and the drivers and got rid of any temp folders in safe mode but I still get the crashes. I did notice however that there were no public key token entries like the ones you told me to find when I was in safe mode getting rid of the temp ati folder

 

[ionbasa]

The only other 2 reasons for your GPU crashing would be:
a) PSU is slowly dying
b) GPU is going bad

Do you know what type of PSU you have? If it is a cheap/ generic brand don't expect so much from it. The PSU may not be able to provide clean power to you GPU or not suppling enough watts causing the GPU to crash, hardware failure. When your computer does crash do you get a Bsod?(Blue Screen of Death) or does the GPU crash causing windows to reload the GPU driver?

 

[SilverNinja]

The PSU I have is a corsair 620W which I have had for sometime but never had a problem with it. I just noticed however that I am getting a blue screen error whenever my graphics card crashes. I have attached the bluescreen error like it said to do in the instructions about posting so hopefully I did it right

 

[ionbasa]

You basically have the following: STOP 0x116: VIDEO_TDR_ERROR (0x00000116)
more info can be found here: http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lo...op-0x116-video_tdr_error-troubleshooting.html

Basically it can still be a software / driver issue, but most often is the signs of a dying GPU.
Do you know which company made your GPU and if it came pre-overclocked?

 

[SilverNinja]

The company that made my graphics card was gigabyte and it did not come pre overclocked

 

[ionbasa]

The company that made my graphics card was gigabyte and it did not come pre overclocked

DO you know if its still under warranty? You should be able to get your GPU replaced by filing an RMA with them, or return it to the retailer you bought it from and get a new GPU, since unfortunately it doesn't seem to be driver issue.

You could easily verify if it is a bad GPU by testing on another computer, if available.

 

[SilverNinja]

I don't think its still under warranty because I got the graphics card march last year. I think I will just buy a gtx670 or something else that's good for gaming. Thanks a lot for the help though

 

[ionbasa]

No, problem. Don't forget to mark the thread as solved!