# Graphics card keeps shutting down



## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

hello here is my problem i have a geforce 280 gtx oc graphics card. and well it started just shutting down it would seem to only do it when watching a movie or playing a game then it started getting worse to the point it wouldn't work any more i was running it for a year with no problems so i called bfg and they replaced the card for me i was happy for like 2 days and now my brand new GC is doing the same thing so im wondering if something in my PC is slowly killing my GC also when it dose shutdown my PC like quickly resets it self and my monitor says its getting no signal and when i reboot it it doesn't work i have to wait like 15 mins then i get a signal i thought maybe it was over heating but its not that i have 5 fans in my pc and my GC has its on fan any help would be great cause i don't want to kill another GC


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

What are your full system specs?
Motherboard
CPU
RAM
and most importantly
Power supply brand, model, and wattage.

An underpowered or low quality PSU could very easily be killing your graphics card.


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

Mother Board = MSI P35D3 Platinum

Processor = Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9450 @ 2.66GHz, 2669 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)

Power Supply is ocz technology game xstream 850w

i have 2 1g ddr3 cards


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

if i need to write down anymore info just let me know my problem is getting worse and its only when i watch movies or play games and i don't wanna void my GC warranty my computer was on for like 13 hours yesterday and then the first 30 seconds of watching a video boom it went dead then i waited 15 mins and now its working until i play another movie or so i'm baffled and don't know what to do i don't know much about the hardware parts of computers more of a software guy any help would be great


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Ok, download and run GPU-Z and tell me what your GPU temperatures are while sitting at the desktop and also during games.
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

Ok but now it seems to be shutting down even when not playing a game or watching a movie i went to install that app you gave me and it shut down I'm on my other pc now I'm waiting to see if my other pc will give me a signal if it dose I'll write down the GPU but i don't think i can do it during a game cause as soon as i start one it shuts down on me I'll try though


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Well, it could be overheating. Buy a can of compressed air (you can find them at most hardware stores) and give your computer a thorough de-dusting, especially the case fans and graphics card fan.


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

GPU Core Clock = 300.0 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 100.0 MHz
GPU Temperature = 44.0 C
PCB Temperature = 36.0 C
GPU Temperature = 36.3 C
PCB Temperature = 36.5 C
Fan Speed = 40%
Fan Speed = 1379 RPM
VDDC Current = 6.0A
VDDC Slave #1 Temperature = 37.0 C
VDDC Slave #2 Temperature = 42.0 C
VDDC Slave #3 Temperature = 38.0 C
VDDC Slave #4 Temperature = 41.0 C
VDDC Slave #5 Temperature = 39.0 C
VDDC = 1.1125V


These are what i got while not playing a game I'm try and see if i can get a game running and then post them again just going to post this quick before it shuts down on me again


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

i did clean it thoroughly no dust at all also those are the temperatures i got when i just turned my pc

whoops wrote all that for nothing didnt know you could upload a pic of the screen here is what its at after 10 mins of being on 

http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/09/09/03/e46.png

http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/09/09/03/3b8.png

http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/09/09/03/5pd.png

Just tried to play a game and as soon as the game started my GC went off
so i wont be able to send the stats when playing a game


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Doesn't look like it's overheating, though it's hard to tell without load temps. It shuts down as soon as the game starts? Like, as soon as you run the program or as soon as you start playing?


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

it shuts down about 30 seconds after i run the program i don't even get to start the games and also when watching movies. sometimes it takes longer but it seems to be getting worse


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Make sure the graphics card fan is spinning, watch it while the computer is on. Just in case.

One more clarification, when the card shuts down, does the whole computer shut down as well? As in, can you still hear sounds, are all the fans still spinning, the hard drive light still going, everything is normal except you have no picture? Or does everything shut off?


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## nomadic soul (Sep 2, 2009)

i have checked the fan on the GC it is on but when the card shuts down my computer stays on everything is on except the GC and when it goes off the fan on the GC stops spinning

this happened on my first card it worked for a year and now its happening on the brand new one that BFG sent me so im pretty sure the GC is fine and something else is screwing it up


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## Phædrus241 (Mar 28, 2009)

Ah, that puts things in a bit of a different perspective. I'm thinking maybe your power supply is killing your graphics cards. The OCZ GameXStream power supplies are not that good, passable, but not great. Here's a review of the 700w version: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/397/8 It's possible that due to the lack of surge suppression, or excessive noise on the +12V rail, it's been causing your card to deteriorate over time and eventually fail. It's impossible to tell for sure, but that's what I'd bet is the problem.

I would send the card back into BFG for another replacement if possible, then get this power supply as a replacement: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139009 $140 - $20 mail in rebate, that's an excellent price and the TX850W is one of our most recommended models.

Here is a review of the HX850W, which is the same as the TX850W only with a modular cable system. http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/741/10


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## Darkpig (Oct 9, 2009)

Just registered to let you know i have the exact same issue with a BFG 280 card. My power supply is a toughpower 750W. Same as you i have it since january and it started to go downhill like a month ago. BFG tech support asked for my power supply first so maybe theres something to it. i´m just talking to them so i havent changed it yet. so let us know if it solved your issue.


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