Topic: Update on Reply 5: The return of the GeForce 8800 GT card...

[MysterD]

Everything was fine and dandy, before I left to go out to eat tonite and everything. My PC shut down like normal and all of that goodness.

When turning on the PC, like most machines, it always made a sound for a few minutes to boot-up and stuff - and then stopped not too long later once Windows XP started booting.

So, came home from dinner - now the sound just keeps on going and going and the PC will not boot up period.

So, I dunno - if the motherboard's fried? Processor? Video card? Or what?

Advice?

EDIT:
It's the video card. We took the 8800 GT out of the PC.
We just put the 6600 GT back in - PC instantly booted-up. Wowsers.

[Cobra951]

Seems like a good time to revisit this thread.

[MysterD]

Seems like a good time to revisit this thread.

And also look at my BFG Limited Lifetime Warranty.

EDIT:
Thanks for bringing that thread up again, Cobra.

Definitely need to keep my eyes peeled on what vid card I might want and need for my next PC - I know that's coming down the line, just not sure when...

I mean, hell - this Win XP PC that has just a P4 3.0 Ghz single-core processor is like almost 5 years old here....

[MysterD]

Are there any good programs to see how hot your PC's system is running?

I've heard of SpeedFan.
Any good?

And what else is out there?

What do you guys reccommend?

[Xessive]

I just use CPU-Z for general CPU-related info. There's also GPU-Z for your GPU.

SpeedFan will give you more detailed info about temperature and fan revolutions though.

[MysterD]

Yay - a GeForce 8800 GT has made its way from BFG to me.
It's not the same exact one I had.
So, glad it's NOT just a repair job.

Though, they gave me a refurbished one.
Gonna go check this new card out.

My system seems much quieter, even when nothing's happening here.
Time to test this thing and throw some games at it.
Throw caution to the wind and stuff...

[iPPi]

How was the warranty handled D?  My 7900GTX is dying as well (I can't play games anymore or the fan goes up but it just blue screens) and would like a replacement over having to purchase a new card. 

[MysterD]

How was the warranty handled D?  My 7900GTX is dying as well (I can't play games anymore or the fan goes up but it just blue screens) and would like a replacement over having to purchase a new card. 

Who's your card's manufacturer? And what's their warranty policy?

I don't know about the other manufacturers, but BFG has a Limited Lifetime Warranty - as long as they're in business and as long as you are not at fault for some reason (i.e. you decide to overclock the card at a speed faster than what it was sold to you at; you took it out and just decided to throw it across the room; any other way you can think of in which you damaged the card; etc etc.)

Me and my dad dealt w/ BFG - and had my 8800 GT thrown into the RMA process. My dad pretty much handled it, since I was at work and all. Basically, he told me, it was pretty fast - he went online, filled a RMA form online, called them, was done in 15 minutes w/ the phone call, shipped it to them the same day via the mail, and then we waited...

...So, now it's a little over a week or so after the process of sending the card to them and them doing their tests and deciding what to do w/ it, I got another GF 8800 GT - though, like I said, this one is refurbished card.

I'm gonna go test things out, soon enuff...

[Pugnate]

If you have a lifetime warranty, then go for it. There is a slight chance that you may get something better in return, with your card so old.

[iPPi]

I guess I might try it.  The only reason I'm asking is because my 7900 GTX is manufactured from BFG.  

I'm just weighing options right now to see if it's worth the effort and time or if I should just continue to use my computer until it croaks and just buy a new one.

[MysterD]

Especially if you have another (likely older) vid card laying around that will fit into your PC slot or have another PC you can use, for the time being until they make their decision - yeah, I'd say "go for it."

Do you have a back-up video card just say laying around? I always keep parts around. I kept my GeForce 6600 GT around in one of those special bags and all, just to have a spare part laying around for whatever reason - say a part fails (8800 GT failed, in my case) and I need to install a "hold me over" video card (that is what happened); or I decide to say move my 8800 over to a newer PC I might later buy and want to put the 6600 back in this aging PC. You just never know w/ these things, you know?

Since you have a BFG, chances are you got a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

There's no reason for your card to be acting up, if you ain't at fault in any sort of way (like the stuff I mentioned a few posts above). If you ain't at fault, it should all be good, man!

What's the worst that can really happen?

You either wind up w/ the card you sent them back, not repaired. I'd doubt that, though.
They'd probably fix it/repair your card, at the very least.

They might do you what they did to me - send you another of the same card; either new or refurbished. They might just send you a different refurbished GF 7900 GTX. Who knows; they might send you a new one. Anyone's guess.

Or like Pug said - maybe they'll send you a better card. That'd be mad sweet.

[Pugnate]

I guess I might try it.  The only reason I'm asking is because my 7900 GTX is manufactured from BFG.  

I'm just weighing options right now to see if it's worth the effort and time or if I should just continue to use my computer until it croaks and just buy a new one.

Once you contact them it is a painless procedure.

Just lie if you have to to get the RMA. I know it sounds wrong, but you know you have a problem, they know you have a problem, but their procedure requires questions like "Have you tried the card on other systems?" etc etc.

Just say yes you have... whatever you have to do to get the RMA if you know your card is messed up. A few e-mail exchanges and you will have the RMA number.

Then you just mail it to them with the RMA on the package.

Worse comes to worse, you can sell the refurbished card on eBay. Enough to pay for a game or something.

[MysterD]

I'm running SpeedFan here...and it's got my GPU and core clocked at 63 degrees Celsius and w/ a hot fire symbol.

Is this normal? I'm not even running any games at this sec.

Though, my CPU and other things are either clocked w/ a "check mark" or with a "Blue arrow pointing downwards."

[Pugnate]

It really depends on the chipset and the card.

Generally speedfan and other such applications in my experience are too quick to raise the alarm.

My 8800GTX runs near 80C without issue -- on load mind you. 63 sounds pretty good for a card actually. You should be closer to 80 on load.

edit:

When googling to compare these things keep in mind that different applications show different temps.

[MysterD]

Good to know, Pug.
Thanks.

[Pugnate]

What is your load temp?

[MysterD]

What is your load temp?

Hmmm...SpeedFan ain't got a Load Temp, unless I'm blind...

According to GPU-Z on my GPU...
GPU Load % is now at 0%.
Fan Speed is at 30% w/ 2663 RPM
GPU Temp is at 65 degrees C.

EDIT:
From SpeedFan
GPU = 65 degrees C.
Core = 65 degrees C.
CPU = 39 degrees C
Internal Temp = 35 degrees C.
HD1 = 35 degrees C.
HD0 = 35 degrees C.

[iPPi]

...

To find your load temp run something.

[Pugnate]

haha yea

[Quemaqua]

65 with no activity would make me a little nervous, but I don't know your card.  That seems pretty high to me.  80 on load would make me nervous, too.  Looking at my Radeon 4850, I'm at about 60 with no load... that seems too high.  I'd rather get it closer to 55 or 57 or so.  I think this thing needs a good dusting.  I haven't blown the dust out of the fan/heatsink assemblies in a little bit which is probably why the temp has raised.  Usually it idles a bit lower than this.

EDIT - Yeah, I opened the rig up today to install a new hard drive, and took it outside with a can of compressed air to blow the fuck out of it, got a lot of dust out... now my card is running an idle temp of about 48-50.