semi busted gpu? [update: Semi Busted Everything]

Big Classy

I bought an Evga gtx 460 1GB super clocked edition about a month ago and was swept away by the crazy good frame rates compared to the previous 5570hd. Lately though I noticed strange shading issues with shadows flickering and in some games, everything have a faint but very noticeable greyish outline.
Then I began noticing weird texture issues. I'm on my phone right now so I can't link the screen shots but if you clock my sig and view the screen shots I took today, you'll notice the texture on Ricos arm and a very faint shadowy outline on the bush in the saints row 2 shot. It actually gives me a headache because it causes a sort of wavy motion.

I've disabled the Nvidia HD audio driver, used driver sweeper in safe mode for it and disconnected all the components and put them back in again. Now I'm trying a full OS install in the hope that if it is a driver issue, it'll get sorted out through a fresh, clean install.

Evga tech support has already offered an RMA but I'd rather that be a last report and exhaust all other possible issues. Maybe its a BIOS thing, or something else.

My specs gtx 460 1gb
Amd Phenom x4 955 @3.2
2x2gb crucial 1666 Ram
Corsair cx600
Samsung 1 tb hdd
Samsung 160 gb hdd

Thanks guys.

Big Classy

Update! I did a full OS install for windows 7 64bit and the problem remains. So I went ahead with the RMA process and uninstalled the card, putting the old one back in. Ran driver sweeper and installed the new card. Same problem with this one. So its not the new gpu, but what else could cause these weird shadows?

Framerates are alright so I don't think its a CPU issue. Per supply Is also new, Corsair CX600. All the connections are securely in. Could the BIOS be defaulting to a PCI-E setting unsuitable? I really have no idea what it is anymore.

TychoCelchuuu

Looks like perhaps messed up RAM? Run a memtest on each stick individually?

Big Classy

Can RAM affect shaders and such? I'll run it tonight anyway because its a new adventure! But seriously, never ran memtest before so should be fun, its an iso now too. Good thing, I don't have a USB flash drive available

edit: Just tried mirrors edge and here's the weird shader in action
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/560920636653446708/A16D961F4F3BD6B446A3733FC6F9FDA75359B146/

Bear in mind it happens with the other graphics card too.

Big Classy

Just ran memtest and it came back good after the first pass. That said, I just realised I had DDR3 1333, does that make it terribad?

edit: prime95 ran fine with the tcpu temp sticking at 56C before i got bored. Also, I'm using a DVI-VGA adaptor since the card has no VGA output and my monitors both only have VGA connections. I have changed the cable and adaptor but I know you get loss of quality anyway when using an adaptor, could that be what's happening? But then it should be happening for everything and not just the shadows right?

Ego

Oftentimes, interference on VGA connections is much more pronounced on darker parts of the screen than on brighter ones. Considering you've tested two cards now, this might actually be your culprit. In the last ten years or so, VGA cord quality has taken a huge nosedive in terms of using thinner wires and less shielding against interference.

Don't suppose you have an HDTV you could use for a quick comparison with a digital connection? Likewise, try putting a dark grey background up on windows and see if you can spot interference when looking at it, as it should be present in 2d as much as 3d.

Big Classy

Yep and yep. There's definitely interference from the cable. Thing is I've tried two separate cables AND two separate adaptors. What I failed to do yesterday was try the old 5570 without the adaptor. Rather stupidly, or lazily even, I left the adaptor on the lead and figured using the DVI port would be fine (GTX 460 doesn't have a vga port whereas the 5570 does). I'll hook that card up again tomorrow and try it without the adaptor.

I do have a HDTV right in my room but its faulty, comes on and then switches itself off after 60 seconds or so. Plus there's no HDMI leads for it.

Big Classy

Tried the old 5570 again and this time with just the vga cable, no adaptor. Same strange shadows. I've also changed the PSU just now using the old 430w and its the same result. I'm thinking motherboard might be the culprit, namely the PCI-E port. The front audio cut out on it a while back so it could be faulty.

Big Classy

Errrrr okay. So I disconnected the previous GPU and PSU. disconnected all the leads from the mobo and then reconnected them and then popped in the new Graphics card and psu. Coretemp shows my cpu as



now, that's a high frequency :?

Stormwatcher

Do you have VERY old monitors?

Big Classy

LCDs, current monitor came courtesy of pabh and they both work great. Acer P223w made in 2007. But a screenshot wouln't capture the image off the monitor though, as far as I know.

Big Classy

LCDs, current monitor came courtesy of pabh and they both work great. Acer P223w made in 2007. But a screenshot wouln't capture the image off the monitor though, as far as I know.

Big Classy

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF damn it forum!

Stormwatcher

But Isy, 2007 monitors should have digital inputs.

Big Classy

Sadly this does not. Also, sending the gpu in as under clocking it seemed to fix the issue in burnout paradise. Weirdly I could not replicate the result a second time. Tech support told me it could be Psu but I've had no issue with power spikes and it is a Corsair cx600

Stormwatcher

Look again! Look HARDER!

tsmvengy

If underclocking the gpu fixes it, I would bet either your PSU could be dying, or your motherboard could be dying. You said the same thing happened with a different video card in, right? Probably your motherboard got borked at some point - RMA time.

Big Classy

I have my old Dell, could stick the gpu in their.... If I didn't put the hdd into the new computer