5850 dead, residue found on back of card...

[HILLBILLY]

Hello everyone,
Just this week the XFX HD5850 I purchased for a mate decided to pass away, rather untimely considering it was only purchased in May.
I've tested the card in three computers (including the system it was originally installed in) and all pointed to the card being faulty.
The system specs of the machine it was working in are:
Intel Core i5 750,
Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3,
4GB of Kingston PC16000 DDR3,
Coolermaster GX 750 psu,
a Western Digital 500GB HDD,
and a CM Storm 'Sniper' case.

What I want to know however, is reguarding the back of the card. On the PCB, around where the GPU's componants have been soldered on, there is a grayish-white residue that has appeared there some time between when I installed it, and when it died. This residue, is reasonably easy to wipe away, and I'm not sure if this is some kind of residue left over form the manufacturing process, that only became aparent after the card has been running, or wether it is something else entirely.
The main thing is, I have no idea if this has anything to do with the cause of the card's demise.
So any ideas what I'm looking at here? Thanks in advance for any help.

(I've attached the best picture I could get of the back of the PCB... it's kinda hard to see, but there are two big portions of the substance in the photograph...)

 

[thefabe]

Your right it is hard to see could have been caused by overheating or just dust.
When you wipe it off use like a 70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol and cotton balls but just dab it don't rub it back and forth (well since it's already dead doesn't really matter) and see if it turns grey again.

One thing I don't see are the factory stickers and without them an RMA is going to be almost impossible.

If the person you purchased it from registered it on XFX site in 30 days of purchase it should have had a double lifetime warranty which means when he sold it all he had to do is unregister the card then you could register it and be able to RMA it but only if all the factory stickers are on it. And he provided you with the original sales receipt. Or can get a copy from where he purchased it.Or the box with the original proof of purchase sticker.

If this is the card Newegg.com - XFX HD-585X-ZNFC Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity

Or even this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150499
Fabe

 

[LiquidSnak]

My mind jumps immediately to burnt flux residue. Do you know how hot the card was getting?

It's very possible that the card missed a cleaning process /it wasn't done well enough.

RMA it to XFX as described by thefabe, and all should be well and good.

To ensure it does not happen again, you can wipe the rear of the card with denatured isopropyl alcohol prior to installation and allow it to dry.

 

[thefabe]

there is a greyish-white residue that has appeared some time between when I installed it, and when it died.

To me this is saying it wasn't their when you originaly recieved the card, correct?
If so then it had to be from either overheating, dust or something possibly wrong with the PCB board it's self that only presented itself after quite a few heating and cooling cycles.

Ive never seen this kind of thing before so it's only a guess. Fabe

 

[HILLBILLY]

Thanks for the reply fellas,
I'm not sure exactly how hot the card got, we're only just coming out of winter temparatures over here, and he assured me every time he games, he cranks the fan speed on the card and the case (the sniper has a fan-speed controller).
@ Fabe, all the stickers it came out of the packaging with are still in place on the back of the card,(there was only one, but it has all the serials on it.) this is it here:
Newegg.com - XFX HD-585X-ZAFC Radeon HD 5850 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card w/ Eyefinity
EDIT:

there is a greyish-white residue that has appeared some time between when I installed it, and when it died.

To me this is saying it wasn't their when you originaly recieved the card, correct?
If so then it had to be from either overheating, dust or something possibly wrong with the PCB board it's self that only presented itself after quite a few heating and cooling cycles.

Ive never seen this kind of thing before so it's only a guess. Fabe

No, what ever it is, wasn't there (if not, then entirely invisible) the day the card was purchased.
Thanks for the help guys.

 

[thefabe]

Left out a couple of RMA steps.
Once the card has been unregistered you will need to register on the XFX site then register the card. Once it appears on your list of registered hardware you'll need to submit a support ticket explaing that the card died. Then they will email you with the RMA process and links to the RMA paperwork to fill out and what is needed to submit it for RMA and a RMA number.
Fabe

 

[HILLBILLY]

An update on the card, it's been returned to the shop in which I bought it, they're handling the RMA procedure, no questions asked.
Thanks again for the posts guys, 'tis much appreciated.

 

[LiquidSnak]

No problem Awesome store to be handling the RMA for you!

 

[thefabe]

Glad to read everything is going to work out for you.
Fabe

 

[Lordbob75]

Looks exactly like Flux residue.
I would know because I just soldered a circuit board together Thursday and I had to get that all off.

Anyways, good thing they are RMAing the card. Manufacturers mistake regardless.
I don't know what could have triggered the flux residue though, except that they didn't get it all off in the first place and he remelted it.

~Lordbob

 

[MasterM40]

Hi i have been having problems with my 5850 as well and took it out a few minutes ago and found the same thing! i googled the topic and came across this forum! It definately wasnt there when i bought it and i never took it out of case the temps were all normal, really strange but i am def gonna rma it now for sure!

 

[LiquidSnak]

I read something about XFX having quality control issues. If I remember where, I will post it.

To avoid the issue in the future, clean the back of the card as I described earlier prior to install. This removes any residual flux that the cleaning process missed.