BFG 8800GT Fire Hazard

[fjorner]

running my 8800GT at 100% fan speed for a couple hours.

a round, inch-diameter sticker with a large "OC" in the BFG font on it and "overlocked" printed under it got sucked into the fan.

It was stuck to the metal under the fan and the fan was clipping against it. I was alerted when the computer suddenly started giving off a ratcheting, clicking sound that slowed in frequency when i used nTune to slow down the fan.

BFG Tech support initially wanted me to uninstall nTune, which i thought was preposterous until I convinced him it had to be a hardware problem. I put the phone up to the fan to let him hear it as I booted up my computer again. I asked him if this could damage the card, he said the card was already damaged, so I asked him what the point of uninstalling ntune was. He said that nTune destroys cards all the time, and he strongly suggested I uninstall it anyway.

We discussed RMA's and how I could return it to Best Buy. I hung up, pulled it out and noticed the sticker in there, stuck crookedly behind the metal of the fan. A pair of tweezers removed the black with silver-writing silver, cardboard, with a white sticky back. Not sure where this sticker was - on the center of the fan? - but it got sucked in.

Biggest problem with that sticker resting where it helped up was a major fire hazard - a paper product with glue resting directly on a card whose core gets to 55 celcius? I'm just glad it got sucked in and rested against a surface that was in contact with the fan... had it come to rest deeper in the card, I would have never heard it, and it would have lit up by box (my house)?

 

[JBT]

The actual chip gets that hot sure but I highly doubt the paper would have caught on fire. The metal HSF does not get THAT hot.

 

[JustaGeek]

It would not catch on fire, but it could cause overheating of the card.

Good to know - will watch for the loose sticker!

Thanks, OP.

 

[Syntax Error]

I doubt there was a risk of your HOUSE catching on fire, but certainly, it's something that shouldn't have happened to operate the card safely.

 

[PCTC2]

Your card would have to get to 232 C for it catch on fire... that's well above the failure point of ALL video cards.

 

[DerComissar]

I read about this same issue before, about five years ago on the EVGA Forums. Was happening to the 6800 series cards:roll:

 

[LOUISSSSS]

nope, dont see this as a fire hazard, u should change the thread title.

 

[Seggybop]

If the computer was left unattended, it's possible that the card could overheat beyond the point of destruction but still continue putting out more heat, something I've seen happen with CPUs. Were this to be the case, it's easily possible that heat could build up beyond the point necessary to ignite the paper. This is a legitimate fire concern, remote as it may be.

 

[taltamir]

ntune destroys cards all the time? way to go dodging responsibility there.

As usual tech support was a colossal waste of your time.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: taltamir
ntune destroys cards all the time? way to go dodging responsibility there.

As usual tech support was a colossal waste of your time.

qfmft

 

[Cookie Monster]

Ntunes.. and sticker going through the video card fan.

Does anybody see the missing link here?

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Ntunes.. and sticker going through the video card fan.

Does anybody see the missing link here?

Increasing speed of the fan = more air suck = sticker sucked in.
Originally at 29% I think.

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Ntunes.. and sticker going through the video card fan.

Does anybody see the missing link here?

Increasing speed of the fan = more air suck = sticker sucked in.
Originally at 29% I think.

Sorry - it should not come off at ANY speed.

 

[dandragonrage]

Originally posted by: PCTC2
Your card would have to get to 232 C for it catch on fire... that's well above the failure point of ALL video cards.

Well, I suppose that PART of the card would have to get to about 232C for the STICKER to catch on fire, yes, but that sticker catching fire likely wouldn't have done anything notable anyway.

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN

Originally posted by: Cookie Monster
Ntunes.. and sticker going through the video card fan.

Does anybody see the missing link here?

Increasing speed of the fan = more air suck = sticker sucked in.
Originally at 29% I think.

Sorry - it should not come off at ANY speed.

Agreed. I'm not really sure what the deal is with all the stupid stickers on these cards anyway. I wish someone would just sell me a plain looking NVIDIA OEM card, and just charge me less.

What the hell is EVGA thinking with all this mess anyway?
http://images10.newegg.com/New...mage/14-130-312-03.jpg

What's wrong with this?
http://images.anandtech.com/re...A/8800GTS512/front.jpg

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Seriously, who actually cares whether their card has black or green racing stripes on it? IMO the side windows for computers look stupid anyway.

 

[MegaVovaN]

nitromullet - fan sticker is what's wrong with second pic.

I agree, OEM looking cards for the WIN. I get OEM cards from rma and they are really plain and uncatchy

I got a window in my case, but even plain parts look good.

 

[SlowSpyder]

A while back I bought a BFG GeForce 6800OC nu from Best Buy. That card died on me with in a few months... as soon as I'd hit the power button on my PC all that would come up on screen was a bunch of colors and text characters. This was before Windows even would try to load. I called BFG and they insisted that it was drivers. I couldnt' even get into my PC's bios, but they insisted it was a driver issue. After hours on the phone spread over several calls and lots of hold time, I RMA'd the card. They sent me a replacement a while later, and that one was DOA. I haven't even bothered calling them since I went to PCIE, but I have sworn off every buying another BFG product. My experience with them was terrible in every way.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
A while back I bought a BFG GeForce 6800OC nu from Best Buy. That card died on me with in a few months... as soon as I'd hit the power button on my PC all that would come up on screen was a bunch of colors and text characters. This was before Windows even would try to load. I called BFG and they insisted that it was drivers. I couldnt' even get into my PC's bios, but they insisted it was a driver issue. After hours on the phone spread over several calls and lots of hold time, I RMA'd the card. They sent me a replacement a while later, and that one was DOA. I haven't even bothered calling them since I went to PCIE, but I have sworn off every buying another BFG product. My experience with them was terrible in every way.

Return DOA RMA, get another RMA and sell it in FS/FT?

 

[Lower]

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
A while back I bought a BFG GeForce 6800OC nu from Best Buy. That card died on me with in a few months... as soon as I'd hit the power button on my PC all that would come up on screen was a bunch of colors and text characters. This was before Windows even would try to load. I called BFG and they insisted that it was drivers. I couldnt' even get into my PC's bios, but they insisted it was a driver issue. After hours on the phone spread over several calls and lots of hold time, I RMA'd the card. They sent me a replacement a while later, and that one was DOA. I haven't even bothered calling them since I went to PCIE, but I have sworn off every buying another BFG product. My experience with them was terrible in every way.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.
You had it easy!

I bought an XFX 7900GS AGP from newegg.
5 weeks into it the card crashes during Bioshock and I get similar corruption to what you have described. I can no longer get into windows.
I post onto the Bjorn3D website forum, as they have sold out to XFX.
I was told to RMA it.
I do.
A week goes by and I ask what is happening with the RMA. XFX support on the Bjorn forum says it will be sent the next day. It isn't. I ask 2 days later. I am told it will be sent that day. 2 days later it gets sent.
I call to complain. The guy says "Our shipping company had some troubles. It wasn't our fault". I'm like, but it was YOUR responsibility to get the card sent out to me. He says No, "It was the shipping companys errors".
And don't get me started on the fanboy butt kissing that the Bjorn3D forums have going for XFX. It's like every one of those shmoes thinks that there are free cards getting sent out to the biggest butt kisser.
I am heckled, and told that 2 weeks is a good turn around for computer parts RMA.
I explain my average is probably 3 days in these situations for getting through the reciept of an RMA.

Whatever.
So I get the new card. And I start getting random BSODs.
I knew it was the card because I was completely stable before. My corruption did not make my unstable, just unusable.

I RMA that card.
I get the new card and still have BSODs - the process this time only took a week, because I demanded they cross ship.
I get the new card. Same thing.

FOUR CARDS into it, and I am still BSOD'ing and they are still able to confirm that the cards are indeed bad.

I ask, then demand to speak to someone higher up than the tech supervisor. I am told no. They refuse to let me talk to anyone higher.
I'm sorry, I feel like for my troubles they should at least be expressing regret.
And I feel like a good company might try tossing me a bonus for hanging in there.

I will NEVER buy another XFX product.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Originally posted by: Lower

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
A while back I bought a BFG GeForce 6800OC nu from Best Buy. That card died on me with in a few months... as soon as I'd hit the power button on my PC all that would come up on screen was a bunch of colors and text characters. This was before Windows even would try to load. I called BFG and they insisted that it was drivers. I couldnt' even get into my PC's bios, but they insisted it was a driver issue. After hours on the phone spread over several calls and lots of hold time, I RMA'd the card. They sent me a replacement a while later, and that one was DOA. I haven't even bothered calling them since I went to PCIE, but I have sworn off every buying another BFG product. My experience with them was terrible in every way.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.
You had it easy!

I bought an XFX 7900GS AGP from newegg.
5 weeks into it the card crashes during Bioshock and I get similar corruption to what you have described. I can no longer get into windows.
I post onto the Bjorn3D website forum, as they have sold out to XFX.
I was told to RMA it.
I do.
A week goes by and I ask what is happening with the RMA. XFX support on the Bjorn forum says it will be sent the next day. It isn't. I ask 2 days later. I am told it will be sent that day. 2 days later it gets sent.
I call to complain. The guy says "Our shipping company had some troubles. It wasn't our fault". I'm like, but it was YOUR responsibility to get the card sent out to me. He says No, "It was the shipping companys errors".
And don't get me started on the fanboy butt kissing that the Bjorn3D forums have going for XFX. It's like every one of those shmoes thinks that there are free cards getting sent out to the biggest butt kisser.
I am heckled, and told that 2 weeks is a good turn around for computer parts RMA.
I explain my average is probably 3 days in these situations for getting through the reciept of an RMA.

Whatever.
So I get the new card. And I start getting random BSODs.
I knew it was the card because I was completely stable before. My corruption did not make my unstable, just unusable.

I RMA that card.
I get the new card and still have BSODs - the process this time only took a week, because I demanded they cross ship.
I get the new card. Same thing.

FOUR CARDS into it, and I am still BSOD'ing and they are still able to confirm that the cards are indeed bad.

I ask, then demand to speak to someone higher up than the tech supervisor. I am told no. They refuse to let me talk to anyone higher.
I'm sorry, I feel like for my troubles they should at least be expressing regret.
And I feel like a good company might try tossing me a bonus for hanging in there.

I will NEVER buy another XFX product.

7900GS'es aren't exactly known to be huge power drawers, but what kind of power supply are you running?

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: Lower

Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
A while back I bought a BFG GeForce 6800OC nu from Best Buy. That card died on me with in a few months... as soon as I'd hit the power button on my PC all that would come up on screen was a bunch of colors and text characters. This was before Windows even would try to load. I called BFG and they insisted that it was drivers. I couldnt' even get into my PC's bios, but they insisted it was a driver issue. After hours on the phone spread over several calls and lots of hold time, I RMA'd the card. They sent me a replacement a while later, and that one was DOA. I haven't even bothered calling them since I went to PCIE, but I have sworn off every buying another BFG product. My experience with them was terrible in every way.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.
You had it easy!

I bought an XFX 7900GS AGP from newegg.
5 weeks into it the card crashes during Bioshock and I get similar corruption to what you have described. I can no longer get into windows.
I post onto the Bjorn3D website forum, as they have sold out to XFX.
I was told to RMA it.
I do.
A week goes by and I ask what is happening with the RMA. XFX support on the Bjorn forum says it will be sent the next day. It isn't. I ask 2 days later. I am told it will be sent that day. 2 days later it gets sent.
I call to complain. The guy says "Our shipping company had some troubles. It wasn't our fault". I'm like, but it was YOUR responsibility to get the card sent out to me. He says No, "It was the shipping companys errors".
And don't get me started on the fanboy butt kissing that the Bjorn3D forums have going for XFX. It's like every one of those shmoes thinks that there are free cards getting sent out to the biggest butt kisser.
I am heckled, and told that 2 weeks is a good turn around for computer parts RMA.
I explain my average is probably 3 days in these situations for getting through the reciept of an RMA.

Whatever.
So I get the new card. And I start getting random BSODs.
I knew it was the card because I was completely stable before. My corruption did not make my unstable, just unusable.

I RMA that card.
I get the new card and still have BSODs - the process this time only took a week, because I demanded they cross ship.
I get the new card. Same thing.

FOUR CARDS into it, and I am still BSOD'ing and they are still able to confirm that the cards are indeed bad.

I ask, then demand to speak to someone higher up than the tech supervisor. I am told no. They refuse to let me talk to anyone higher.
I'm sorry, I feel like for my troubles they should at least be expressing regret.
And I feel like a good company might try tossing me a bonus for hanging in there.

I will NEVER buy another XFX product.

4 cards all giving u BSODS. and u dont think that there is another problem with ur computer? LOL how long did this whole process take from u?

 

[spittledip]

2 weeks is a reasonable amount of time for RMA I think. Three days is crazy.

Yeah, and it sounds like the problem is most likely not the video card...

 

[SlickSnake]

WARNING!

The BFG 8800 GT OC 512 card has problems with cooling due to a bios problem AND the fan itself can be defective!

BFGR88512GTOCE BIOS - Update Version: 62.92.00.18 Posting Date: 12/18/2007 File Size:272KB Description: Update the the thermal senor fan control to reduce the operating temperature of the GPU. This is recommended only for users with thermal- related concerns and an older BIOS version.

BFG Tech 8800 GT OC link: Go to SUPPORT for Bios Update!

On mine which I attempted to install today, the fan motor itself appears to be defective, and it feels like when turning by hand that something metallic in the fan motor is scraping something. It makes a horrible metal scraping sound when installed, too. It's amazing it did not burn up upon installing it. I just hope BB has another one in stock!

(Yes, I know I posted this in multiple threads, but it needed to be posted, me thinks.)

 

[Lower]

PSU is an Antec 430 True Power.
Plenty of PSU for a single card, more than adequate for THIS card, as confirmed by the XFX support staff themselves.

As to the naysayers saying the trouble lays elsewhere in the computer, let me point this out again in case you missed it;

A) With the original card, I had NO BSODs, and was 100% stable for 5 weeks.
B) All RMA'ed cards have been proven faulty by XFX own RMA department, so it isn't like I'm dreaming up that they are causing the BSOD's.

And again; I don't know who you guys are dealing with for manufacturers and retailers, but 2 weeks is NOT an acceptable time frame, and I refuse to do business with anyone that thinks it is.