X1950pro problems continued - someone save me please

[Barrichello]

Wondering if someone can give me some advice, as I have lost patience trying to fix my current issue.

Basically it is in regard to my X1950pro card which keeps powering off – it’s a well known issue and there are threads all over the net, I even started one here below….

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.p...290#post935290

To summarize the above, basically once the card hits around 55-60c (ie in intensive games) the screen goes black – the pc stays on and you have to reboot.

The way to fix this problem seems to involve the VRM chips (as circled in the pic in the thread above) with the default bog standard cooler not cooling them enough. So lots of people seem to have modded their card etc and fixed their issues and I thought about doing this. For a while I continued using my card with the fan at 100% and overall it was ok – only “black screening” every now and then, but it seemed to get gradually worse. The games which seem to cause this most are BF2 and Company of heroes and HL2.

At last though it appeared that my saviour had arrived – not wanting to self mod my card I was pleased to see the new Arctic cooling Accelero X2 cooler (a version of its cooler that was specifically usable for my card - includes a custom heatsink for the VRM) here it is http://www.arctic-cooling.com/vga2.p...0&data=3&disc=

So anyway yesterday I take out my X1950pro remove the bog standard HSF, and carefully follow the instructions to the word, fit the actual hsf fine – fit the VRM heatsink, all seems fine. Card back in system – all looks good (in fact the new cooler seems to keep temps down a fair bit compared to old one which makes sense) but fire up BF2 and after 10mins of gaming – you guessed it “black screen power off” again 

I am now at a loss to what to do. Despite the mod all being perfect that I have done I am now thinking maybe it is something else that is causing my problem? The official thread on my issue on the sapphire forum keeps mentioning insufficient power supplies here - http://www.sapphiretech.com/en/forum...2&page=1&pp=10 although some people specifically went and got more powerful PSU’s but still had the issue. My PSU is surely not the greatest in the world but I am loath to shell out more money to try and fix this issue. Part of me just wants to throw this card out the window and go but a new 8800GTS or something. For info my PSU is as in “my system” sig details. It’s basically a 500w PSU here’s the details http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/829...ion/index.html I notice that when I opened my pc – the PSU has the following details on it….
+5V +12V1 +12V2 +3.3V
28A 16A 17A 30A

What does this mean and should it be able to power my system? The packaging of my card says 450PSU min with 30A+ on +12V rail.

I will add that yesterday I spend a long time trying different things, I have used a Antec spot fan blowing extra air over my graphic card, I have cleared the overclock of my core duo cpu etc to lessen power usage. I have tried countless versions of catalyst drivers but im still having the “power off black screen issue”. I’m now thinking that after having used my card for so long maybe it’s to late to have put the correct cooling hsf on my card, maybe its perm damaged from black screening from before. I have to say that apart from this issue my pc is absolutely rock solid stable – no other issues. To sum up, I think my options are the following….

1. Give up on this card and buy a new graphic card – I like the look of the 8800GTS.
2. Try a new power supply – although seeing other people tried this in the official sapphire thread and still have the issue

Sorry it’s been such a long thread – but any experience advice would be appreciated as always.

best regards
B

[danroyle]

if you think it could be a power issue buying an 8800gts will make your problems worse

i would sned the card back on rma and get it looked at

also if its the psu in your sig i would change that for a better quality one ocz enermax corsair or such

[Blitzen]

if you think it could be a power issue buying an 8800gts will make your problems worse

i would sned the card back on rma and get it looked at

also if its the psu in your sig i would change that for a better quality one ocz enermax corsair or such

That PSU is fine for that card...Its certainly not a power issue unless the unit is faulty.

[Warpy]

Hi Barrichello, I have seen this issue occur with 7800GT's around the same temperature you mentioned. I think an RMA is very convenient

[Agent]

That looks like its a "split rail" PSU - there good chance this could be causing an issue.

Most PSUs (or some like Tagan are selectable) offer all the ampage on one rail. This induces more ripple (as all the devices are on the same rail), but allows for a higher ampage on a single one.
Split rails try to overcome this and offer more stability, but with the disadvantage of if a device requests more power than the rail can supply, it will fall over.

See if you have an option for single rails. If not, try a single rail PSU before hand.

[ONSLOW]

Just bought a Sapphire 1950pro and having the same problem.
Its annoying after being trouble free with my old Aopen 6800gt.
My PSU is a 600w but it was only a cheap one so I've ordered
a new Trust 520w and hope this does the trick.
Has anyone else managed to solve same problem??

[Subhuman.jose]

I also have the same problem, recently bought HIS X1950pro card to go with a complete new setup. Made sure i had the correct PSU, updated drivers etc. Started to play Medieval 2 and nothing but endless problems. Screen goes black, PC crashes, Games flicker and distort, type distorts. I am really annoyed as i have been using an old Gforce 7600 for ages and have been looking forward to having a decnet VGA for ages. There is no way i can return the card as i burnt the packaging at work whoops.There must be something i can do???? So can anyone out there help me?

[ONSLOW]

Hope this helps, It might well be overheating, I managed to get mine running by having a case fan blowing side on across the card, and using ATI TOOL the best bit of free software on the net. I have the cards' fan settings adjusted to have it at 100% by the the time the GPU temp hits 45 . You could buy a custom cooling fan but i did not fancy
taking a screwdriver to my card and it would probably void any warranty.
Hope your lucky!

[Blitzen]

That looks like its a "split rail" PSU - there good chance this could be causing an issue.

Hmmm....i just think its a poorly designed card with regards to airflow and cooling.

ATI cards ALWAYS run hot and this looks like no exception.

[Barrichello]

Hello guys

thanks for all the replies - just to let you know i have given up completley on the card (and wish i rma'ed it in the first place) Has totally turned me of ATI, and looking forward to getting a new 8800gts this weekend.

Onslow a word of warning, i used this work around with ATI tool with fan at 100% i also used a antec spot fan as well. This was fine for about 2 months but even with all of the above it started crashing again (almost as if it gets steadily worse) - also i am disregarding all this talk of power supplies, i also tried a Enermax Infinit 650w (30A rails) and it still crashes. My adivce would be to rma.

[Blitzen]

also i am disregarding all this talk of power supplies, i also tried a Enermax Infinit 650w (30A rails) and it still crashes

and so you should

The PSU argument only holds so much water and the ATI fans seem to use that excuse alot. Its all it is really....an excuse.
Even a weak PSU (something with 22A+ on 12V would/should run the card for a while as a tester let alone 30A

[CrazyMonkey]

Ok people here is what sorted my problem, lets hope it may sort yours:

I have a 520W Corsair PSU (More than enough)

- To start with i uninstalled the ati drivers and put Omega drivers on there-http://www.omegadrivers.net/ati.php (Make sure you install ATI TOOL when asked)
Add some more cooling, ive got a 92mm fan blowing on the card, if you have no additional case fans then open up the side of the case and get a desk fan blowing into it.

Reboot the PC, go into ATI Tool and have the fan hit 100% @ 47Cish...
Check the temperature of the card, check all is ok then fire up a game.
Hopefully your problem will be solved - If you used the deskfan, buy some more cooling

[Dreaming]

I've been having this problem.... just posted in hexus.help.

Should I RMA it? I'll only get another card though, and if they're ALL faulty then I'm buggered.

[Agent]

and so you should

The PSU argument only holds so much water and the ATI fans seem to use that excuse alot. Its all it is really....an excuse.
Even a weak PSU (something with 22A+ on 12V would/should run the card for a while as a tester let alone 30A

Its far far from an excuse mate - its fact Disregarding any potential cause without investigating it first doesn't make sense, irrelevant of what component it is.
A lot of split rail PSUs can simply not supply the amps needed at startup to boot the system, ive seen it many times.

Its not to say that every issue like this is a PSU fault, but its certainly worth checking


Oh and im far from being an ATi fan - I prefer NV myself

[Vowo]

Barrichello, can you post a pic of your actual card please?

don't worry, theres method in my madness

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=109785

Just wondering if your card is the same as mine

[Dreaming]

So what is the best course of action? From what I've read on the internet, it seems to be a failure to cool the VRM bits? Apparently the newer versions have heatsinks on them. But on the original card they do have holes to attatch heatsinks, so I may buy some... any suggestions? My PSU is an Antec NeoHE 550 (one of the newer revisions I think)