GTX260 problem: crashes

[ThornFalconeye]

I just got a GTX260 after my 2900XT died, and it:
-crashes instantly after loading a level in Call of Duty 5
-crashes about 10 seconds into TF2
-crashes in CSS
-crashes anywhere from 20 seconds to 1 minute into Left4Dead
-randomly kicks me out of wurm online after maybe 20 minutes

^ all tested in empty servers I made, or single player

Works fine on Company of Heroes.
Running windows 7: 7100 x64
PSU: 750W corsair
CPU: Q6600 @3.0
Mobo: Gigabyte P35C-DS3R

heat- is fine, around 50C

The 2900XT ran fine in this version, and because the card runs in Company of Heroes, I dont think it is the card itself, so I thought it would be a driver issue- but I have tried the 186.18/186.08/185.85/181.71 drivers, properly uninstalling each in between and used driver sweeper.

The best one was the 185.85, as one time it actually let me play TF2 for 10 minutes.


Is the card bad for some reason? Is it just nvidia drivers and I should patiently wait for better ones to come out? I have read the reccomeneded driver thread here and it did not help- Can I use windows x64 drivers?

would moving to x32 w7 solve all of my problems?

 

[Lordbob75]

Is the card bad for some reason? Is it just nvidia drivers and I should patiently wait for better ones to come out? I have read the reccomeneded driver thread here and it did not help- Can I use windows x64 drivers?

would moving to x32 w7 solve all of my problems?

I doubt the card is bad, though it is possible.

You are using x64 OS, are you using the x64 drivers?

~Lordbob

 

[ken9122]

Are you running the crad on default settings? As soon as I started overclocking it got flaky. Also you want to move up to a newer build of Win7 this got a lot easier when I went to 7229.

 

[ThornFalconeye]

Yes I am running the card on default settings- and am using x64 drivers...



Where would I find the versions beyond 7100; when I looked for them 2 days ago to download my version of windows, they just said to use 7100 and that it is the RC version. And would it be worth it to move down to x32- despite having a quad core and playing a lot of high end games?

 

[zigzag3143]

newer 32 bit

Yes I am running the card on default settings- and am using x64 drivers...



Where would I find the versions beyond 7100; when I looked for them 2 days ago to download my version of windows, they just said to use 7100 and that it is the RC version. And would it be worth it to move down to x32- despite having a quad core and playing a lot of high end games?

Hi and welcome to SF.

There are newer builds in 32 bit. Last I saw was 7260 and you can search in general discussions. BTW the next rev is supposed to be out on July 13 if you can wait that long. I would also do a search on your graphics cars here @ SF someone might have the same problem and may have solved it

Hope this has helped
Ken

 

[ThornFalconeye]

ok installed windows 7 x32... and running some tests to see if it will actually work

 

[ThornFalconeye]

nope- switched to x32 and after about a day I get the same exact problems.... Can I use any of the vista drivers for windows 7?

 

[ThornFalconeye]

ok just RMAing the card- third time is the charm and never buying nvidia again

 

[Lordbob75]

ok just RMAing the card- third time is the charm and never buying nvidia again

NVidia makes great cards, never had a problem with them (my last ATI card crashed and burned after about a year).
It might very well be the card, but I really don't know.

~Lordbob

 

[AstaLaVista]

I have the EVGA GTX260 (regular core) and I couldn't be happier with it, perhaps it runs a bit to hot for my liking but everybody at EVGA says they all do that and that my temps are even below what others run it at.

I am kind of surprise that someone running ATI will run Nvidia next, I guess I am the only freak that sticks with a brand and doesn't switch . At any rate, only thing I can think off (aside from blaming the card right away) is that there are still some remants of the ATI driver. Did you actually uninstalled the drivers or just yank when the pc was off and installed the new one? Did you actuall went to the Bios and clear Cmos, rebooted and then shut off and install the new card or hot swap them out?

I am not saying this is what is wrong with it, just throwing things out there that may or may not conflict with it and are now presenting themselves as problems.

 

[screwballl]

temperatures are a killer for these cards... if your system is sealed off or has poor airflow then it may be choking off the video card before it has a chance to get to full performance...

It may be that specific rail from the power supply that is killing these cards too... especially if they keep dying or having problems again and again, and I bet you will continue to have this problem even with AMD/ATI based cards, IF this is the problem.

 

[ken9122]

It may be that specific rail from the power supply that is killing these cards too... especially if they keep dying or having problems again and again, and I bet you will continue to have this problem even with AMD/ATI based cards, IF this is the problem.

Your correct about the PSU. These cards need 2 power connections and a PSU that is designed for them to reach peak performance. So many problems are caused by overheating or lack of clean power.

Ken

 

[Schizoid]

I had the same problem with my GTX260 EVGA. The problem was indeed my PSU aswell, although it was a 650W PSU, it did not provide enough AMPS on the 12+v rail, the GTX260 requires a total of 36A on the 12V rail and mine was only pumping out 28A. Windows worked okayish but as soon as you put the GFX card in 3D mode. *BSOD*.

I ended up buying a 800W with 4 x20A 12v rails.