Hi guys

My son was playing an RTS on a PC that has the following specs:

  Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.120830-0334)
                 System Model: P5K SE/EPU
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 03/14/08 11:20:57 Ver: 08.00.12
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E8400  @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
             Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4096MB RAM

The GPU is a Ge force 9800GTX

He was playing an RTS with too many factions and too many variables enabled- he'd made it so it was immensely memory intensive, and it kept crashing the PC with memory errors.  I told him to stop doing that, but he wouldn't listen.  So, 2 days ago, disaster struck and we got the blue screen of death. 

Since then, the PC doesn't recognize the GPU anymore, no matter what i do.  I've reinstalled the latest drivers, i've installed earlier drivers, I've done 2 system restores to earlier dates, I've repaired disk errors, i've defragged.  The only thing i haven't tried yet, is that I haven't repaired or re-installed Windows which is my next step  (we just want to backup our most precious files first).

I do still get graphics, but it's obviously from the onboard integrated graphics chip.  As soon as i try to play any game except for Flashplayer games (Machinarium plays, for instance), it tells me the game cannot initialize, bc i don't have the necessary video unit.  Also, when i go to my Nvidea control panel, it won't even start up, telling me that i don't have an Nvidia device installed.

My dxdiag picks up nothing in the display device section- the values are just blank.

I've checked that the GPU is properly seated and properly connected--it is. When the PC goes on, the mobo seems to be fine with the unit, the right LED's go on, the card seems to be working, it's fans are spinning, etc.  Which is why i thought (and hoped) that it might just be a software error brought on by the BOS.

If the Win repair doesn't work, the next step is a new GPU, but i'll have to go for the Radeon HD 7770 due to budget constraints.  (I've checked a bunch of reviews and it seems to be a faster card on lower resolutions than the Nvidia GTX650, which is comparable in price.)

Sadly i won't be able to afford the RADEON 7850 or the Nvidia GTX 660 or GTX670.

Anybody got any ideas as to what more i can try?  ...or must i just accept that the GPU got fried inside?

This is my MHO, but how much VRAM (video RAM) is on that video card that seems to have gotten fried? Perhaps he was over-taxing the card's VRAM, and this may what could have fried the GPU. 

Does your GTX show up in the device manager? (Start-Computer-System Properties-Device Manager-Display Adapters)

If it does, is there a yellow "!" sign next to it? If so, you may be able to set it back to default from there (by selecting "properties").

 If I remember correctly there is a troubleshooting feature somewhere in the device manager.

Originally Posted By MKB (8 JAN 2013 10:21pm)

Does your GTX show up in the device manager? (Start-Computer-System Properties-Device Manager-Display Adapters)

 

If it does, is there a yellow "!" sign next to it? If so, you may be able to set it back to default from there (by selecting "properties").

 If I remember correctly there is a troubleshooting feature somewhere in the device manager.

 

 

Hi MKB.  It does, and yes, there is a yellow ! sign next to it.  When i go to the error message there, it tells me:  "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported an error".

Right there in device manager, i uninstalled the driver, and then re-installed the latest driver for the card.  I hoped that by doing a system restore to a much earlier date, i would be able to override the fact that Windows was blocking the card, but two system restores later, i still got the same error message, which is leading me to be inclined to agree with AlienBZ in believing that the VRAM got fried. 

What my son was doing with the GPU is exactly the kind of thing that would have taxed the VRAM to it's utmost. 

Here are my MHO's/thoughts on this issue -

Is this the GPU that got fried?

GeForce 9800 GTX

Isn't this card SLI-ready? 

from the specs over at Newegg, it can handle 2 way, & 3 way SLI. 

Here is a FAQ about SLI from Nvidia: GeForce

I think the solution (my MHO) would be either to upgrade the GPU to a higher VRAM, or get 2 (or even 3) of these cards and enable SLI mode. Perhaps this would help. But then again, I don't know is if this the computer's mobo model or not, and from the specs, it doesn't look as if it supports SLI.

If you decide to upgrade to a GPU with a higher VRAM/a different card, check its specs to mke sure of what kind of PSU it requires.

Here is a GPU benchmark cart. GPU performance chart Based on the performance on this chart, the next higher ranking card up would be GeForce GTX 660.

Traveler, regarding upgrading, I found a GPU over at Newegg with 2 GB VRAM Geforce GTX 660

If your PSU is at least 450 watts, this card will be suited by your PSU.

Thanks, Alien.  Yes, that PSU is 600Watts, i've already checked that it and the mobo will support a GTX570,  (the Wattage will just-jyjust be enough- (the 570 eats power, but that system has only one smallish hard drive to support) .

I have the GTX 570 on my other PC, and i'm trying to get a  GTX 680 for myself- i saw them going for a good price, but if they're sold out, i'll just settle for a GTX660Ti for  myself, and move my current GPU over to their PC and  rather get myself a new one.

- and yes, my system can support a 680, i have an 800Watt PSU, btw. 

Thanks

I would like to report that the GTX570 actually seems happier in it's new home where it has to run a smaller screen and lower resolution- it's running cooler there; while the new GTX 660 ti that i had to fall back on since the nicely priced GTX680's were all sold out,  (The GTX570 is simply too expensive for me, sorry) is making my games look breathtakingly beautiful- (i often stop just to admire the textures) AND it is running at least 20-30 Celcius cooler at load than the GTX570 was doing.  In fact, high temps was why i was getting worried about the 570 and decided rather to upgrade myself and hand that card  down for the other PC.

Originally Posted By Traveller (12 JAN 2013 1:18am)

I would like to report that the GTX570 actually seems happier in it's new home where it has to run a smaller screen and lower resolution- it's running cooler there; while the new GTX 660 ti that i had to fall back on since the nicely priced GTX680's were all sold out,  (The GTX570 is simply too expensive for me, sorry) is making my games look breathtakingly beautiful- (i often stop just to admire the textures) AND it is running at least 20-30 Celcius cooler at load than the GTX570 was doing.  In fact, high temps was why i was getting worried about the 570 and decided rather to upgrade myself and hand that card  down for the other PC.

Trav, is this the card I linked you to (curious)?

If it is, I can tell that you seem to like it.