Help: Symptoms of a bad video card?

[cantstopme]

hello, I'm fairly new to this forum. I hope to get some advice before I purchase any new hardware. This is my situation:
 - whenever I load a game, my computer instantly freezes and vertical stripes run down my monitor as soon as I enter the game.
 - funny thing is, once in a while, I am able to get games to work just fine.
 - I've experienced this issue on all games from non-demanding (maplestory) to very demanding (bioshock 2, crysis)
 - however, I've never had a problem with mass effect 2 (weird)
 -most of the time, it's the initial load that causes the problem.
example: maplestory: after you select your character, and u enter the world, the game freezes, or when you enter a portal.
example2: SC2 beta: after loading screen, when your about to see your base, it freezes.
example3: crysis: after load screen, you enter play, it freezes.

computer specs:
gateway FX6800-01
-added 3x2gb corsair RAM
-replaced PSU with 750W corsair
-I've updated my BIOS, motherboard chipset, and ATI catalyst(10.3) drivers to their lates ones, ran a mtest.

What I'd like to know is, is it my video card at fault here? or is there something else that may be causing this freezing...

[Calum]

First off, welcome to the forums
It sounds to me like the issue lies with either drivers, memory, or the graphics card.
You've already run Memtest and updated your drivers, so I think we can mostly eliminate those two variables.
The next step I would try is to run Furmark in the stability test mode, check the "Xtreme Burning Mode" box to put maximum stress on the card, and run the test for an hour or so.  If you don't experience graphical corruptions, crashes or lockups, also try OCBase GPU test.
Do note down the temperature your card (what card is it, by the way?) gets to and post them here too.
If neither of those gives you issues, try OCCT's CPU test, again run it for an hour or so and note down the maximum temperature your CPU reaches, and post it here.
Hopefully those tests can point us in the direction of where the fault lies.


Post edited by request...

[Accessless]

Is this the original Specification? http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668210.php

If so it's an ATi Radeon 4850

[cantstopme]

It is an ATI 4850
ran both GPU tests maximum temp was 84-85C(high yellow zone) and there were no errors,lockups, or crashes.

I've also ran a Speedfan test, all numbers seemed normal except temp1 which yielded an abnormally high temp: 103C. it started off at 93C when i started up my computer and stabilized at 103C.

CPU test: I've only ran it for 10minutes since I have some things to do, seemed to stabilize around 61-62C

[Accessless]

Unfortunately Temp0, Temp1, etc seem to vary from machine to machine. You will have to match that temperature to one in your BIOS' hardware monitor. For example on my PC Temp1 is motherboard temperature.

[Calum]

Your temps seem fine to me, and you being able to run both stability tests seem to indicate your card is working fine.
temp1 may or may not be a "real" reading, I can't imagine anything running at 103C but equally if it wasn't a real reading, it shouldn't change.
An idea just occurred to me - it may be the VRM on your graphics card.  Download and run GPU-Z and look on the Sensor tab to get a readout of that temperature - although again, it shouldn't be causing issues if you can run both of those tests, it wouldn't hurt to check it.

P.S. can a kind moderator please edit my post above?  I seem to have failed to use the [url] tag properly ...

[cantstopme]

yep, so it was my video card that caused all the problems. Bought a 5770 and everything works perfectly now. I've also disabled smartfan in BIOS so my CPU fan runs at 100% and the 103C temp dropped to 68C...can't imagine that my CPU has been 103C for over a year....

[Calum]

Ah, that's interesting that your card could run those stress tests yet it caused those issues.
Glad you've now solved it anyway.
Also that seems very odd that the temp dropped like that ... I can't imagine that your CPU has been at 103C either as the i7 chips throttle down or shut off to prevent damage at 100C.
Still ... at least it's sorted now.

P.S. thanks for the edit patio.

[patio]

You got it Calum.....