graphics card crashing, drivers installed and reinstalled windows same

[Chatta66]

My comp keeps crashing on me. I've tried all of the trouble shooting i've found here from these forums and am still having problems. I've done about 30 fresh installs of windows in the past 6 months trying to get it to work properly. Doesn't matter if i'm running of my onboard video or my added vid cards. Doesn't matter if I run one or both RAM sticks. Doesn't matter if I run one or both vid cards. The pop up I get in the corner is what I've gone with for looking into trouble shooting. It refers to the graphics drivers crashing and then recovering. Doesn't matter if nothing is happening or not. Can sit fine for days, can turn it on and get 10 seconds out of it before it crashes. If i had any codes that it would give me I would help more on the situation. But when it crashes and doesn't recover I get no video; on either monitor. I'm getting very frustrated, this is the first time I've ever had this happen. This is the 4th computer I've built. First to involve any windows newer then XP. XP doesn't run my comp the way I would like it to. Some of the programs I use don't work with the 64-bit XP OS.

 

[Chatta66]

As an addition to my first post I would also like to add that I am using correct CrossFire configurations when I have it all hooked up with multiple GPU's on the motherboard.

 

[bassfisher6522]

The first thing to come to mind was the PSU...but looking at your specs, that's fine. When it crashes, do you get BSOD or just go to blank screens? Do you get in colored horizontal lines at all when it crashes? Have you tried installing the latest AMD driver for your GPU from the AMD website? It sure acts and sounds like a driver issue.

Double check the GPU, to make sure that it's firmly seated all the way in the PCI slot and it's in the "right" PCI slot (x16 slot). Then make sure that all the power connections are in place and firmly seated. Specs say one (1) 75 watt 6 pin connector for single card and two for cross fire. Make sure you have the right wattage power connection to GPU.

The only other thing that comes to mind is it's over heating. Has the GPU been cleaned out recently? Do you have enough air flow inside case to keep it cool. Making sure your not just circulating warm/hot air. Sometimes the heatsink can get so gunked up with dust it will just cause it to over heat and get the results your having. You may have to take it apart to inspect the heat sink.

 

[Chatta66]

I only get black screens when it crashes completely, the computer continues to run but doesn't display anymore. No horizontal lines. I've taken out and put back in the video cards multiple times but it does it even when it's running from the onboard video as well. Have tried new and old drivers many times over. Dust isn't an issue because it's been doing this since day 1. I keep the area where my computer is situated cooler than the rest of the house by a quite a few degrees. I don't have a heat monitor but the ambient temp of the room is under 17 dergree celcius. It will crash when the computer first starts up after sitting off over night. I have all the right connectors O made sure of that when I purchased all of the parts. Like I've mentioned before this isn't the first rig I've built, just the most powerful.

 

[Chatta66]

I've also attempted trouble shooting the problems from Radeon's support areas.

 

[Chatta66]

I'm not trying to shut out your idea at all Bassfisher, I will try these things again. Thank you for your input.

 

[Chatta66]

One thing i just remembered that I had neglected to mention before is that when streaming video online the screens would both flicker often. Never horizontal lines but flicker to black and back multiple times per minute.

 

[writhziden]

Since you are getting the same behavior out of your graphics cards and your onboard graphics, I'm leaning toward one of four possible problems:

1. A corrupted Windows install
2. A bad motherboard
3. A bad PSU
4. A bad CPU

Run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html up to three times to fix all errors. Post back if it continues to show errors after a fourth run or if the first run comes back with no integrity violations. This will pinpoint any bad Windows files or corrupted Windows files.

 

[bassfisher6522]

I'm in agreement with writhziden. I'm leaning towards the mobo as the culprit.

 

[CB]

Another one, try return the BIOS setting to default. Just ruling out.

 

[Chatta66]

i had to reset BIOS to default to run my HDD's properly it was factory setup to have it with Raid on the SATA ports on the motherboard so that rules out resetting that. I am about to try the file checker. Thank you for the input guys!

 

[Chatta66]

First run shows no integrity violations.

 

[writhziden]

So you did or did not reset the BIOS to defaults after Kevin Ismail's suggestion?

If you did not, I understand because RAID is a bit of a pain. Why RAID is (usually) a Terrible Idea - Puget Custom Computers comes to mind...

I just would like to be clear on what steps you have done so far so we know what to recommend next.

 

[Chatta66]

I had reset my BIOS last july when I had first gotten all the parts, I couldn't get windows installed without doing so because I couldn't get both my disk drive and my HDD's to read because I only had two SATA ports on the board that didn't function in RAID. So no I have not reset my BIOS since the suggestion was made.

 

[writhziden]

Alright, I would recommend backing up your important data before resetting if you decide to go that route.

 

[Chatta66]

well i've had the problem since resetting my BIOS so I doubt that will do anything at this point.

 

[writhziden]

The other option is to backup your important data and then flash the BIOS with the latest non-beta update. Even if you already have that version installed, flashing the BIOS again may resolve the issues you are having.

 

[Chatta66]

ok i'll try that too then. Other than that from what you had said before it looks like i'll have to RMA my board, correct?

 

[writhziden]

Correct. It looks more motherboard related than anything else. It could be the PSU, but that seems unlikely given the behavior and the PSU you have.

 

[Chatta66]

ok good to know. Thank you!