# Nvidia GeForce 9800 GT artifact pixels & failure



## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi!

I was reading for the past two weeks (as long as I've had problems with my video card) lots of forums and during that time I reinstalled 3 OS twice, I used a DriverSweeper and installed in Safe Mode lots of Nvidia drivers versions, I opened my PC case and dust it thoroughly, I checked my fans (perfectly working altogether all the time), I updated my BIOS to the latest version, I used an external cooling fan (I got a cold from that one) I used Ati Tools, EVGA Precission, 3DMark Vantage, SiSoftware Sandra, 3DMark 2006, etc. etc. etc.

So I'm an expert in trying everything I read without results.

Now, the problem. When I play games after a while a heavily filled with artifacts screen appears. Using some GPU drivers (including the beta ION drivers - the latest from Nvidia) cause crashing the game and being unable to quit to windows or use task manager.

Using the Gigabyte provided GPU Drivers cause the up-mentioned artifact screen but the game rolls on and on. I'm not a hardware-freak, so I ask for your help with many thanks upon succeeding in fixing my issue (whatever that is).

For a better understanding of my problem, I here upload some links with screen captures of different stages of my problem.

1. During Overlord II game:

http://www.thebrandingsociety.ro/personal/vp/01sa1.jpg


2. In the game menu:

http://www.thebrandingsociety.ro/personal/vp/01sa2.jpg

3.Dragging an application in windows:

http://www.thebrandingsociety.ro/personal/vp/01sa4.jpg

4. Upon opening a window (here is SiSpftware Sandra, but it does the same in explorer):

http://www.thebrandingsociety.ro/personal/vp/02sa2.jpg

After restart, everything's perfect:

http://www.thebrandingsociety.ro/personal/vp/afterrestart.jpg


Please, help!:upset::upset::upset:


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Here is a detailed description of my GPU:

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1520/gigabyte_9800_gt_zalman_edition/index.html


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Have you tried monitoring your temperatures? Use GPU-Z to monitor your temps both during a game and just sitting on your desktop:
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/

Also, what are your full computer specs?
Motherboard
CPU
RAM
Power Supply (brand, model, wattage)
Graphics card (exact model)

Most likely causes:
1.) Overheating graphics card
2.) Bad graphics card VRAM
3.) Bad power supply


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What temps are you seeing on the Video card when it artifacts?
Either from Ntune or one of the many sensor reading programs you have installed?
What are the rest of your specs, MB, CPU, Ram, PSU?


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi and thanks to your quick interrest in my neverending problem.

I updated my tech specs on my profile. you can view them there. I monitored my temp with Gigabyte Game HUD. There are small temperature increases, but I'll use your recommended tool right away.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Phædrus2401 said:


> Have you tried monitoring your temperatures? Use GPU-Z to monitor your temps both during a game and just sitting on your desktop:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/
> 
> Also, what are your full computer specs?
> ...


I tried using GPU-Z and it shows only the Core Clock & Memory clock. Am I doing something wrong? Here is a printscreen in the attachment.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

That's odd. The only time it ever did something like that for me was when the card didn't have drivers installed, and then it showed the clocks as 0MHz. Could you give us a pic of the information tab?


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

I attach the info tab.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

That's really weird. You said you had other monitoring programs? What types of temperatures do you see during games?


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

I am trying Gigabyte Gamer HUD which is the only app that shows me something about mu GPU's temp. In percent, not in degrees. A maximum 30% increase, but it shows it's safe. And the artifacts don't start just yet.


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

That's not really helpful, I'm not familiar with the program so I don't know what its parameters are for safe, or what the baseline is.

That Gigabyte PSU might be causing the artifact problem if it's unable to deliver sufficient sustained power under heavy load. Could you read the amperage information off the side of it? You'll have to open the computer up.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Use ntune or CPUz to get the temp reading in C> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1207/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.2.8.html


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

As I told, I am responsive but a total noob about hardware, so I took a picture. You can find it attached. Thanks!


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

wrench97 said:


> Use ntune or CPUz to get the temp reading in C> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1207/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.2.8.html


Nope. It reads the same. Only core and memory clocks. I'll try Ntune right away.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I wonder if the Gigabyte card doen't have the standard temp sensor, I've never had GPUz not read a temp sensor that was present so you may not get a reading with Ntune either.
The Gigabyte PSU is not one of my favorites but it not junk either and should power the 9800GT, have a look at the 12v reading then again when the card is acting up also, and give us the 2 voltage readings.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Here is a capture after NTune. I am not sure that it reads temperature at all.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You see something new everyday here, a 9800GT without temp sensors

Use the Gigabyte HUD and watch that and the voltages post what you get when the card acts up.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

While running the game maxed out (full res, full mem, full effects, etc) the system crashed badly. No Ctrl Alt Del, no Com D, no Alt Tab, no nothing. The sound was on and was damaged (repeating fast the same sound. I mean really fast, like a propeller or a washing machine) so I couldn't do any temp reading. I put my hand near the GPU and it was cool enough. The fan was moving normally and the blown air was chilly, not hot as I suspected. What should I understand from this?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That could mean a few things, the card is running cool, either because it's not working properly or losing power. or the heat sink is not transferring the the heat from the GPU because it's loose on the GPU in which case the heat sink will be cool while the GPU is hot.

What did you see for voltage readings?


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

It wouldn't be a problem to buy a new card, although the store that sold me the computer has bankrupted for about a moth :normal: but I want to be sure it's the GPU and not other component. I am a Mac user and I trust Macintosh completely (I have a G5 for about 3 years and it didn't broke once - hardware or system) but I needed the PC for gaming, Corel Draw and 3DSMax. I cannot afford to dabble with components without knowing what's the cause of the failures.

I played the game for about a hour on windowed mode (setup from game config not from Windows shell) and, except for a tiny little artifact scene (for about 2 secs) it ran smoothly. Everything was maxed out (shaders, reflections, shadows, bloom, anisotropy, 8x antialising, etc.). Could it be the monitor? I have a brand new LCD Flatron W3334S which runs at a native res of 1600 x 1050 px at 60 MHz. I hadn't any problems with it when it was attached to my Mac. Or it could be Vista? Which is set to best performance, no screensaver, performance power scheme, classic Windows theme, performance through Nvidia control panel, etc. Set for performance, not quality, just to see what's the problem with the stupid artifacts.

I recently played ES Oblivion maxed out without incidents. NWN 2, Gothic III, Call of Juarez BiB, also on high quality and without problems. What could it be? :sigh:


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Sorry, I forgot. Nvidia monitor view showed nothing about temp and very small fluctuations in CPU, HDD & RAM. When I played Overlord II in windowed mode. The processor maintained at 22-25% usage, RAM at 33% and HDD between 5% & 15%. I think that my GPU has not a temp / fan sensor. Which is a pity.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

It's most likely a defective card, but I would like to see the voltage readings, under volting a card can damage the ram on it.
It should be covered by warranty but without a receipt listing the card specifically it may be hard to get it RMA'd.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi

I tried all day long to find a tweaker / reader / monitor / software or something that could read my GPU's temperature / fan / voltage. Nothing. And nobody talks about my model, so I ask you again to recommend me an application that could do that. On the manufacturer's site - nothing.

Anticipated thanks, people. Thank you for trying helping me out with this itchy card thingy problem (sort of speaking). :4-dontkno


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I don't think the card has a conventional sensor, that's why the HUD shows percentage instead of the temp reading so it doesn't appear we're going to find a program to give us the temps.

The voltages I'm referring to are the 12v, 5v, and 3.3v rails on the power supply Sensorview or Everest should report them as well as the Bios on the PC Health page as a starting point for reference.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi

I installed sensor view and made a capture shown in the attachment. Please tell me if it helps.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Check them in the Bios if the 12.90v(Spec is 12v +/- 5%, 11.4v-12.6v either extreme is not good, best is 11.85v- 12.15v) is correct it's way too high, the Bios should be the most accurate which is why it should be used as a reference or base line.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

For a better reading, I took a photo of my bios which I upload here.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That looks better, now with the other sensor reading programs you have find the one that matches the Bios reading the closest with the system at idle.

I think we're looking at a card issue is there warranty on it?


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Yes it is in warranty but the retailer bankrupted about a month ago. I'll purchase a new video card, but I do not which one would perform better under my system specifications. I work in 3D and play lots of games, so I need a good and reliable video card. Due to the fact that all my other components are Gigabyte I fear that I'll need to buy also a Gigabyte card. A friend of mine recommends Asus. What do you think?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You do not have to use a Gigabyte card, Asus cards are ok, for Nvidia I prefer EVGA here and I hear Gainward is very good in Europe but gave never used them.


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## Radu Boeru (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi

I listened to your advice and bought a new card. Upgraded it precisely, since I don't trust 9800 GT anymore. I have read tons of problems related to those cards, so I bought a ENGTX260 one. Here is the info: 

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?/gpu_displays/asus_engtx260_top_896mb_nvidia_gtx260/1

Anyway, thanks for your good advices and I hope it will work better and be more stable than the older one.:wave:


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Good to hear you have it working.


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## WishMasterMaxi (Mar 4, 2007)

Well I have the same card, and a very similar issue. So I'm guessing that it's definitely a card problem, and I'll be taking mine back for a replacement, thanks for the thread guys.


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## MalcolmGibb (May 24, 2012)

9800gt's are prone to this kind of artefacting. I had a PNY 9800gt and it started doing this after it crashed during a game of BF3. I thought it was dead, but I heard about a technique of putting it in the oven, i have written a guide about *how to fix a 9800gt in the oven*. 
It sounds crazy, but it does indeed work! Although it is a short-term fix, artefacts came back after a couple months, I ovened it again and it worked. I finally got rid of that card and bought another 9800gt, still my favourite gfx card.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That like the xbox reflow would only be recommended as a last ditch effort, since it's also possible to brick the card as well.


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