Video Crashes

[Raife]

(Long, but please help)

 

Ok, frankly I am getting tired of the problems with my new computer. I dropped a buttload of cash for a nice (ok, very nice) computer and the thing constantly crashes.

 

Now I know there will be differing opinions on my choices of hardware/software, so please don't just tell me to go buy something different. You will also likely tell me to simplify everything - I have run this in a basic (read minimal) configuration and I still have problems.

 

So the setup is as follows:

 

Coolermaster Cosmos S Case

Windows Vista 64bit Ultimate

Intel Q9350

EVGA 790i Ultra motherboard

G. Skill 4gb (2X2gb) DDR3 1600

WD Raptor (150gb) x 2 in Raid 0 (OS and programs)

Samsung Spinpoint F1 (1tb) x 2 in Raid 1 (data)

Maxtor OneTouch III external drive for archiving

Samsung SH-203B DVD Burners x 2

EVGA 9800GTX x 2 in SLI

PC Power & Cooling Turbocool 1200

IFX-14 CPU cooler

6 X 120 Yate Loon fans

 

Logitech G15 Keyboard

Logitech G9 mouse

 

APC BR1200 UPS

 

Running latest drivers for everything including Nvidia 175.19. Using on-board sound as trying to install my X-Fi XtremeGamer ended up really messing everything up.

 

So problems definately seem to be video related. On the screen I get pixalization in the form of w's all over my screen. This sometimes occurs from bootup as the desktop is first being displayed. Doesn't always happen, but pretty frequently. During gameplay (Oblivion, Crysis, Gears of War, AOE III, WiC) the computer will randomly freeze after a variable amount of time. Usually the game freezes and the audio seems "stuck." However, sometimes it just freezes, with no audio. In addition, from time to time I get "The display driver has stopped and has recovered" type of message. If I get this message the computer usually freezes shortly after.

 

My temps seem fine (EVGA precision lists my GPU ~68 and ~62). Speedfan lists my cores as 45, 43, 52, 50 - I have reset the IFX-14 3 times and the temps remain the same. Believe the sensors are off a touch. There are no overclocks on the system as I have not yet gotten stock stable. Only thing tweaked is the RAM which I unlinked and set at manufacture settings.

 

I have started from scratch twice - new build and installation of all components and software.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated as I would like to get this thing working.

[capthowdy575]

have you tried using the bare components like one card one stick of ram. also this sounds like a gpu problem. i would also run memtest on the ram to make sure its stable.

[jaz]

I heard a lot of people were having problems with those drivers. Nvidia even recalled them, worked them over, and reposted them. I would try running a driver cleaner program in safe mode and re-installing the .16 drivers. I'm using them now. I just did what i posted right after a video bios flash and they're working great.

Edited July 14, 2008 by jaz