Is it my PSU, or something else?

[dragoon20005]

So I guess I have to refund it then..

 

Fucking hell, I've litteraly wasted more than a year of my life on GPU bullshit, first ASUS sends me 3 defective cards in a row, then turns out Powercolor's 290xes are shit.

 

 

Are you sure it's not your GPU crashing and not being able to connect back to the monitor again? Next time it happens check to see if your PC is on (check your actual computer, don't insta-restart when your monitor goes black).

 

If so then you'll need to RMA your card; it's a problem with the memory.

 

P.S. These issues are uber common which is why I'm scared away from the 290(x) cards . Ask for a card with Hynix memory, those cards have faaaaaaar less issues.

take fringie advice and check if there are other things causing you gpu to act like this

 

i will suggest taking it to another computer to try it

 

i may point to drivers or mobo issues

 

@Sonefiler

 

he also has the exact same GPU as you you can ask him for advice

[MintyTwister]

Are you sure it's not your GPU crashing and not being able to connect back to the monitor again? Next time it happens check to see if your PC is on (check your actual computer, don't insta-restart when your monitor goes black).

 

If so then you'll need to RMA your card; it's a problem with the memory.

 

P.S. These issues are uber common which is why I'm scared away from the 290(x) cards . Ask for a card with Hynix memory, those cards have faaaaaaar less issues.

It doesn't black screen, it freezes up and or Blue Screens.

 

Either way the PC always stays on and forces ITS SELF to restart. I never really do. So yes, it stays on when it happens for like 20 seconds before shutting off.

 

http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/43098990982526457/3724A21F9DFE9B4395AAD18F3358264F82161862/

 

It's crazy, I can run metro on max just fine at what feels like 60+ FPS for HOURS and no trouble.

 

Go on TF2 for like 20 minutes? Freeze, restarts.

 

Go on Firefox? Blue screen.

[Bowzaa]

take fringie advice and check if there are other things causing you gpu to act like this

 

i will suggest taking it to another computer to try it

 

i may point to drivers or mobo issues

 

@Sonefiler

 

he also has the exact same GPU as you you can ask him for advice

He's actually tested the GPU's he's had in my PC (Not the 290x but the 3 Asus GTX 660's) so I can vouch for him getting 3 bad cards in a row. As for the 290x I can't say much but I can try it in my system also, I just don't know if it'll run since my PSU is pretty maxed with a 280x Toxic.

 

AMD A10-6800k @4.6GHz

Corsair H100i @2600 RPM Pull config

Sapphire R9 280x Toxic @1150 Core Clock/1600 Memory Clock

Kingston V300 60GB SSD

2x WD Blue 224GB HDD 7200RPM

1x WD Blue 1TB HDD 7200RPM

2 140mm system fans, 2 120mm LED system fans

8 USB Devices

 

Based on my specs would it be alright to test it in my build?

[Sonefiler]

take fringie advice and check if there are other things causing you gpu to act like this

 

i will suggest taking it to another computer to try it

 

i may point to drivers or mobo issues

 

@Sonefiler

 

he also has the exact same GPU as you you can ask him for advice

@MintyTwister Sounds more like a PSU problem. maybe even a mobo problem with it not giving enough juice through the PCI-E lane. Try a different PCI-E lane or a different cpu+mobo. If youve gotten three 660s defective AND a R9 290X that seems suspicious on the mobo side. Its also possible to be temp throttling, so you might want to reseat the cooler or RMA. PowerColor has good RMA for their PCS+'s.

 

TF2 acts weird on newer GCN GPUs, period.

 

I don't have the 290X but I have the 290 from PowerColor and it works fine. So Primary suspects:

1. Motherboard

2. Drivers (Duh, AMD)

3. Power Supply

4. Thermal Throttling

[MintyTwister]

@MintyTwister Sounds more like a PSU problem. maybe even a mobo problem with it not giving enough juice through the PCI-E lane. Try a different PCI-E lane or a different cpu+mobo. If youve gotten three 660s defective AND a R9 290X that seems suspicious on the mobo side. Its also possible to be temp throttling, so you might want to reseat the cooler or RMA. PowerColor has good RMA for their PCS+'s.

 

TF2 acts weird on newer GCN GPUs, period.

 

I don't have the 290X but I have the 290 from PowerColor and it works fine. So Primary suspects:

1. Motherboard

2. Drivers (Duh, AMD)

3. Power Supply

4. Thermal Throttling

So what should I do to figure out what the issue really is?

 

I have like to weeks or so to get a refund from Newegg, what's the best option from here?

[Sonefiler]

So what should I do to figure out what the issue really is?

 

I have like to weeks or so to get a refund from Newegg, what's the best option from here?

Try to get a refund/RMA for your motherboard. Also RMA your GPU. They'll send the same one back if it works fine for them, and then you know that its not an issue with the thing they just sent back.

[MintyTwister]

Try to get a refund/RMA for your motherboard. Also RMA your GPU. They'll send the same one back if it works fine for them, and then you know that its not an issue with the thing they just sent back.

I mean I can refund the GPU on Newegg, I've had the Mobo for a year or two now.

[Sonefiler]

I mean I can refund the GPU on Newegg, I've had the Mobo for a year or two now.

Try RMAing the GPU. Also, do you have warranty info for your motherboard? Most warranties last for at least 2 years

[dragoon20005]

He's actually tested the GPU's he's had in my PC (Not the 290x but the 3 Asus GTX 660's) so I can vouch for him getting 3 bad cards in a row. As for the 290x I can't say much but I can try it in my system also, I just don't know if it'll run since my PSU is pretty maxed with a 280x Toxic.

 

AMD A10-6800k @4.6GHz

Corsair H100i @2600 RPM Pull config

Sapphire R9 280x Toxic @1150 Core Clock/1600 Memory Clock

Kingston V300 60GB SSD

2x WD Blue 224GB HDD 7200RPM

1x WD Blue 1TB HDD 7200RPM

2 140mm system fans, 2 120mm LED system fans

8 USB Devices

 

Based on my specs would it be alright to test it in my build?

I have a good idea

 

why don't you take his GPU and PSU to test on your PC?

 

that way you can verify if his PSU or GPU is truly faulty

[MintyTwister]

I have a good idea

 

why don't you take his GPU and PSU to test on your PC?

 

that way you can verify if his PSU or GPU is truly faulty

That won't work, his rig has a really power hungry CPU. I mean really fucking power hungry. Him and I have the same PSU, as he said.

 

Buuut.. Trying the PSU is still an option. And trying his on mine is as well. Maybe that's what you were saying, blarg.

 

 

ALSO, UPDATE ON ISSUES. I've been playing Metro more without issue and completed the game, I never had a crash while playing it. And after wards played TF2 all day without issue.

 

But today my TF2 froze and the sound rapidly looped before my PC forced ITSELF to restart.

 

I've had no more blue screens. That one was hopefully the last.

 

And seeing how nothing happened when stress testing with Unigine, I take it it's just been TF2 fucking with my rig..

[MintyTwister]

And that's why I got rid of my 7970's and bought a GTX 780 ti... I would get a refund. Then buy a GTX 780 or 780 ti. Or you could buy another R9 290X from another vendor, it seems like Sapphire has their **** under control with the 290X's.

I got 3 Defective GTX 660s in a row.. Tried them on friend's PC and they still couldn't run.

 

I also dislike Nvidia with how much they impose them selves.

[MintyTwister]

Ah well then, I would try another vendor with the refund money. Personally I've never heard anything good about Powercolor, but that's just me lol. Good luck with your GPU search.

Yeah I'm refunding it, I started crashing more and more often.

 

Gonna get a R9 290 Saphire instead..

[dragoon20005]

Yeah I'm refunding it, I started crashing more and more often.

 

Gonna get a R9 290 Saphire instead..

if the new GPU does not help

 

I will point to the mobo as the main suspect

[MintyTwister]

if the new GPU does not help

 

I will point to the mobo as the main suspect

Yeah, most likely.

 

If it comes to that, if I crash once, I'm gonna immediately take the current card out and put the old one in again and work on a new Mobo and PSU.

[dodger4000]

i`m sorry for the late response.

 

you really need to monitor gpuz while it happens, afterwards gpuz will just show how the system is taxing your system while idling.

for the psu, its right there on the sticker. if it says 12v1 and 12v2 etc its multirail, and if it says 12v with a high amp value like 45 or something its a singlerail.

 

 

but after reading your follow up posts, maybe a clean instal of your drivers might help also.. ive had some weird stuff happening too. like gpu staying at idle clocks while starting games.

you could try overclocking with afterburner a few mhz to force the newe clock speeds.. that worked for me temporaraly and permanetly fixed that with a fresh driver install.

so if forcing clocks with afterburner solves the problem in current sessions, a new driver instal might work..

 

best regards.