# Trying to tell if my graphics card is dead



## Linz (Sep 12, 2005)

Hey, 
So good having places like this exist. Just sad that it takes a problem for me to go to one =( I feel like such a user so I'll try and stay regular once my problem is fixed. In the meantime thanks so much to anyone who can help! 

Ok.. the problem. I first noticed it while playing World of Warcraft. It can happen anywhere like the main menu or in game and starts with random polygons flickering flourescent colours. Sometimes it stays at a constant rate although now it seems to slowly increase. Once it increases enough (anywhere from 2 to 20 seconds) the my pc does one of a few things. Most often it locks up for 15 second intervals, then works for 2 seconds, then locks for another 15 continously. Other times it just straight out restarts. Sometimes it locks everything up and i have to hit the reset buttons and then lately it seems to only lock up whatever 3d app is being used, however after a few minutes it grinds the system to a halt.
At first I thought it was World of Warcraft so I updated, uninstalled, reinstalled, no luck. This was around a month ago. It then randomly started working again until a few days ago. Now the problem will not go away.

Also I've tried running 3D benchmark tests. 95% of the time it halts them a second or 2 in and then un-freezes once they have completed giving me frame rate scores of 0.25 and things like that. Other times it locks up all together. Then very very rarely, as in only twice out of 30 or more runs, it completes the test without any hitches. The benchmark software by the way is PerformanceTest v6.0 from www.passmark.com
*NOTE* 2D graphics scores run perfectly *NOTE*

My setup can be seen in my profile... nothing has been overclocked or modified. 

As far as drivers go I have tried Versions 66.93, 71.89 and 77.77 and none make any difference to the problem.

Also just to make things more confusing last night I left the computer off all night incase it was heat related. After turning it on this morning I immediately ran the 3D test and it locked up. Later on today the computer was off for about 2 1/2 hours. When I turned it on I tried again and was able to run World of Warcraft for 5 minutes before the problem occured. From then on its been screwed.

So can just the 3D side of the card screw up while leaving the 2D side untouched? Because you wouldn't even know the problem existed until you run 3D apps. After posting this I'm going to trawl these forums a bit and see what I can run that you guys have sudgested to others to provide more information... thanks for any help and suggestions anyone has!!


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## Linz (Sep 12, 2005)

*Some 2D and 3D benchmark test runs*

Current device driver is the Nvidia supplied version 6.6.9.3

using PerformanceTestv6.0 I ran a 2D test run, fine as usual....
Graphics 2D - Lines - 82.1
Graphics 2D - Rectangles - 205.0
Graphics 2D - Shapes - 22.0
Graphics 2D - Fonts and Text - 142.6
Graphics 2D - GUI - 184.6
ran 3 more times, all roughly the same... but now for the 3D test.
Run 1 (froze on each individual test after 1/2 second)
Graphics 3D - Simple - 7.1
Graphics 3D - Medium - 1.8
Graphics 3D - Complex - 0.32
Run 2 (froze on first 2 after less than 1/2 second, ran 3rd for around 1 1/2 seconds before freezing)
Graphics 3D - Simple - 13.3
Graphics 3D - Medium - 0.58
Graphics 3D - Complex - 2.8
Run 3
froze on first 2 tests, restarted PC instant the third started. Now for one more run after the restart..
Run 4 (froze after around 1sec on all tests)
Graphics 3D - Simple - 12.7
Graphics 3D - Medium - 6.6
Graphics 3D - Complex 3.0


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## keymaker (Jul 12, 2005)

hmmmm.......it could be a driver issue. try downloading an older version of videocard drivers. i remember when i had the geforce 4 ti4200 i was using the detonator 53.03 drivers.

do a search for these drivers, install it, and see if the problem still occurs. also check out www.majorgeeks.com and download a program called "driver cleaner". use driver cleaner to properly uninstall the current drivers for your videocard and install the new version.


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## Linz (Sep 12, 2005)

*Thanks for the quick reply*

Thanks for the advice! Thats what most of the WoW forums had sudgested, back to the 66.93 ones but going back further mighta helped too! However, i think I know my problem and not finding it earlier came down to luck and me not checking enough....
Every other time I've checked the fan on the video card its been going but I just had a look now with my card underclocked and running fine and the fan is dead! So it must be running intermittently! So glad I checked it again as otherwise I wouldn't have known. I guess that would explain the problem occuring on and off seemingly randomly!! So now hopefully I can replace the fan or something to cool the card and clock it up back up and hopefully even overclock it if the new cooling is better!

Does anyone know what the optimum temps are for my graphics card and CPU??


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

For a card that old I don't know. A modern CPU like an Athlon XP or 64 you want in the high 30's to mid 40's.


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