Bad video card? Or bad MB? on A8N-SLI

[Wild1]

Having a problem with video card instability. System locks up and crashes even when only a 3D screen saver is activated. Runs fine in 2D mode though. Ready to RMA the board (6800GT) but evga says it could be related to IRQ conflicts. I checked the resources and the Audigy and 6800GT are sharing IRQs. Not sure if this is the problem so, Q1: can the audigy 2ZS and the 6800GT share an IRQ without problems? Q2: If not what is the easiest way to move one of them to a new IRQ. Other post indicate not a good idea to try manually steering. Is this true?

Audigy is in slot 3 of the A8N-SLI. Chose this slot because it had no other shared IRQs according to the manual and offered best airflow management. Would I be better with a different slot?

Thanks

 

[century child]

Try the middle slot, #2. That's where mine is and it's not sharing IRQ's. Also try disabling PEG Link Mode in the system BIOS.

 

[Wild1]

Well moved it to middle slot. Now only sharing with IEEE controller on audigy. I just disabled the IEEE through device manager. PEG link Mode is disabled. Still having the same problem though. Anyone else have any other ideas before I RMA?

 

[imported_BikeDude]

What kind of "crash"? Do you get a BSOD? If so, which bugcheck code?

IRQ sharing is common and difficult to avoid, even with today's motherboards that have an APIC (double the normal amount of IRQs). If there is a problem with sharing, it is usually the fault of the device driver -- try updating the Audigy driver... (the soundcard deserves an IRQ of its own IMO, but not for stability reasons)

Had it been me, I would have tried to get my hands on another video card of the same type and see if it behaves in the same way. Specially if the crash is easy to reproduce.

 

[Wild1]

The crash is a lockup and BSOD with auto reboot. The blue screen is only visible for a second. Had to use a camera to capture so I could read it. It says something like: ...NV4_disp caused an infinite loop problem....

-updated video card drivers to 71.84
-updated MB drivers to ver 1006
-Pulled out the sound card, only MB and Video installed
-cleared CMOS
-Memtest86 runs for 24 hrs no errors
-Prime runs 24hrs no problems
-3DMark - won't run

Could there be something in the BIOS I have wrong? Any possibility it is the MB or the PSU? If I have to RMA, I want to insure I get the right component so I don't have to do it again. Unfortunately the 6800GT is a PCIe card and I only have this one MB with PCIe so no availability for swapping components.

Any suggestions for other tests or possible fixes?

 

[Wild1]

Any input from the afternoon experts?

 

[imported_BikeDude]

I just read Tom's 6600GT review, and when I saw this page I couldn't help but think about your current predicament:
http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20050404/geforce_6600-27.html

Cards with GPUs damaged in this way often initially function without any problems. Only in 3D operation do the first malfunctions appear, in the form of errors and crashes. And an exchange of the card under guarantee is not possible with such damage.

IMO you should try a different card. And handle it by the edges this time, OK?

 

[Wild1]

Originally posted by: BikeDude
I just read Tom's 6600GT review, and when I saw this page I couldn't help but think about your current predicament:
http://www20.graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20050404/geforce_6600-27.html

Cards with GPUs damaged in this way often initially function without any problems. Only in 3D operation do the first malfunctions appear, in the form of errors and crashes. And an exchange of the card under guarantee is not possible with such damage.

IMO you should try a different card. And handle it by the edges this time, OK?

Thanks for the possible cause but I did remove the fan to check the heatsink for possible poor contact. Chip was fine with no damage. Called Asus, they said the problem is 50% the graphica card, 50% the PCIe slot. He recommended RMA both and that's what I'm going to do. Both in a box ready to ship on monday. :disgust: