Here's what I posted on a Reddit forum:
Is my video card dying / damaged?
- Computer Type: Desktop, custom build
- GPU: Geforce GTX 560, 2 GB RAM, eVGA brand (all I really know about it as I didn't build the rig, no overclock as far as I know)
- CPU: Intel Core i5 3570k, overclocked to 4.2 Ghz/core
- RAM: 2 x 8 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 RAM running at 1600 Mhz.
- Motherboard: ASUS P8Z68-V LX
- PSU: 550W Antec Basiq
- Operating System: Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit
- GPU Drivers: Recently updated to NVidia 382.53
I've been using this Geforce GTX 560 card for several years and haven't had any problems with it. It's handled all of the games I want to play just fine. Two days ago I saw a few screen glitches, like a couple little boxes suddenly showing up and flickering on the screen. I pretty sure I rebooted. Then I tried to play Planetside 2 and the graphics wouldn't render properly - it's like I saw sheets moving when I looked around.
So I thought I might try updating the driver since it had been over a year. (In retrospect, this was probably a troubleshooting mistake.) When I load Planetside 2 now, I don't get those sheets, but the FPS is very low after putting it on the lowest settings. It's almost like the video card lost its processing power or some of its pipes and is now a very weak card. I did remove the card and tried to clean some dust off with a lens wipe. It didn't seem to be too bad. That seems to have had no effect.
Also, it seems like it takes two or three times as long to load Windows (8.1 pro, 64 bit) whereas before it was almost instantaneous. <EDIT> I timed it - it now takes 100 seconds to get to where I can start using Windows from a cold start whereas before it was about 30 or 40 seconds. I was able to load up and play Fallout New Vegas but for some reason instead of the full screen setting I have large black bands on the top and bottom like it's in movie theater mode, but I haven't run that game for over a year, so it's hard to draw any conclusions.
I'm tempted to conclude that the video card has issues since I did see a few flickering boxes and a graphical issue in Planetside 2 is what led to the driver update. However, I'm not convinced that it's the video card and not the driver or game settings and I'm pretty sure that I installed the correct driver.
So what do you guys think? Does it sound like a dying video card? Power Supply issue manifesting itself as a video card problem? Drivers issue? Or what?
What would explain the increased time to load Windows? (Main (boot/C drive is a 128 GB Kingston HyperX SSD)
I can handle having to replace the video card if it's dead. I'm fine with that, but the uncertainty is killing me and I'd hate to shell out $100 for a new video card (that's not at a hot/Slickdeal price) only to find out that something else is wrong (like a problem with the motherboard or PSU). A bad video card actually seems like a good problem to have relative to the other alternatives. I guess if I had to replace it in an emergency, this one seems like a decent option for my needs:
MSI GeForce GTX 1050, 2 GB RAM, 128 bit for $89 or $94 shipped after rebate with Rocket League (a $5 value to me).
<EDIT> I ran the DDU program and did the clean install, but nothing has changed. It still takes 100 seconds to boot up and the FPS is still very low in Planetside 2.
<EDIT> I haven't played Skyrim for over two years, but Skyrim runs horribly now, too. It also takes a very long time to load up.