GPU needs underclocking to stop making games crash?!

[TheXplayer]

Hello everyone,

I have a problem with my GPU. Most games run fine but some more demanding games such as Just Cause 2, CoD Ghosts and others always crash after a couple minutes of gameplay.

My PC specs:

CPU: Intel Core i5 6600K @ 4.5Ghz (Overclocked)
COOLER: Cooler Master Seidon 120V (ver.2)
MOTHERBOARD: Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 3
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM @ 2133Mhz
GPU: Zotac GTX 650 Ti

 

The GPU runs at 1033Mhz under load (up from the reference model 928Mhz) which is unstable and crashes with demanding games. I underclocked the card to 940Mhz with MSI Afterburner which seems to be stable, or at least it stopped games from crashing. I have not touched memory speed. Core voltage doesn't help with stability at 1033Mhz (even when the slider is all the way to the right). Is this normal for old GPUs or do I have a partially faulty card?

[RileyTheFox]

2 minutes ago, TheXplayer said:

Hello everyone,

I have a problem with my GPU. Most games run fine but some more demanding games such as Just Cause 2, CoD Ghosts and others always crash after a couple minutes of gameplay.

My PC specs:

CPU: Intel Core i5 6600K @ 4.5Ghz (Overclocked)
COOLER: Cooler Master Seidon 120V (ver.2)
MOTHERBOARD: Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 3
RAM: 16GB DDR4 RAM @ 2133Mhz
GPU: Zotac GTX 650 Ti

 

The GPU runs at 1033Mhz under load (up from the reference model 928Mhz) which is unstable and crashes with demanding games. I underclocked the card to 940Mhz with MSI Afterburner which seems to be stable, or at least it stopped games from crashing. I have not touched memory speed. Core voltage doesn't help with stability at 1033Mhz (even when the slider is all the way to the right). Is this normal for old GPUs or do I have a partially faulty card?

 

It most likely can't handle it. Also, you are probably getting huge bottlenecks from the GPU because it's too old

[XenosTech]

1 minute ago, EvilCat70 said:

It most likely can't handle it. Also, you are probably getting huge bottlenecks from the GPU because it's too old

This plus not enough voltage

[i_build_nanosuits]

4 minutes ago, TheXplayer said:

 Is this normal for old GPUs or do I have a partially faulty card?

yes it's normal...degradation will occur overtime and after a couple years it's very possible that card could no longer sustain the factory overclocked settings it used to run at...that's your first hint that the card you have probably gamed a lot and is on it's way out.

[TheXplayer]

I expected "not being able to handle it" to result in poor frame-rates, not crashes.

[RileyTheFox]

1 minute ago, TheXplayer said:

I expected "not being able to handle it" to result in poor frame-rates, not crashes.

Poor frame rates and crashes occur with a card not being able to handle something. It's similar with CPUs, check out a video a guy named 'Salazar Studio' made about a $7 CPU and games not even running. Yea this is a bit different but it's the same scenario.

[TheXplayer]

2 minutes ago, XenosTech said:

This plus not enough voltage

You mean it would need more voltage than Afterburner allows? Cause I tried small increments but they didn't help, so I gave up and put the slider to the max but that didn't help either (It added about 87 mV).

[You_are_a_cunt]

I got that on an R9 270X. Turned out to be because of my crap PSU

[TheXplayer]

1 minute ago, EvilCat70 said:

Poor frame rates and crashes occur with a card not being able to handle something. It's similar with CPUs, check out a video a guy named 'Salazar Studio' made about a $7 CPU and games not even running. Yea this is a bit different but it's the same scenario.

I know the guy, he's great, I've seen the video. I see, so yeah it's an old card and needs to be replaced.

[XenosTech]

1 minute ago, TheXplayer said:

You mean it would need more voltage than Afterburner allows? Cause I tried small increments but they didn't help, so I gave up and put the slider to the max but that didn't help either (It added about 87 mV).

No it needs more voltage that your pcie slots gives it... so if you card is using the full 75w at stock frequencies any slight OC would be unstable in most cases

[TheXplayer]

42 minutes ago, revsilverspine said:

I got that on an R9 270X. Turned out to be because of my crap PSU

I have an EVGA 600W 80+ PSU so I don't think that's the problem

[TheXplayer]

45 minutes ago, XenosTech said:

No it needs more voltage that your pcie slots gives it... so if you card is using the full 75w at stock frequencies any slight OC would be unstable in most cases

It's not just using the PCI power, it has a 6-pin power plug too.

[Morgan MLGman]

8 minutes ago, TheXplayer said:

I have an EVGA 600W 80+ PSU so I don't think that's the problem

This is probably a 600B or a 600W (white) unit so it's not a good one. Still might be the PSU.

[PCMasterDebater]

OP monitor your GPU graphs around the times when the game crashes, this will tell you what the GPU is doing at the time of the crash.

 

Look for GPU voltage, GPU power %, GPU frequency, GPU load, and GPU temps. Adjust accordingly to gain stability.

[XenosTech]

9 minutes ago, TheXplayer said:

It's not just using the PCI power, it has a 6-pin power plug too.

well that's odd then... but still might be due to age

[TheXplayer]

2 minutes ago, PCMasterDebater said:

OP monitor your GPU graphs around the times when the game crashes, this will tell you what the GPU is doing at the time of the crash.

 

Look for GPU voltage, GPU power %, GPU frequency, GPU load, and GPU temps. Adjust accordingly to gain stability.

GPU usage reaches 100% (usually max is 99%) and the game instantly freezes (but sound keeps playing but not looping). After a few seconds I get a DirectX fatal error and the game closes. Temps are always below 67°C, frequency at 1033Mhz under load, 328Mhz when idle. Power % slider is greyed out. Voltage is at max when under load.

[PCMasterDebater]

Well there ya go player. You're exceeding the power and voltage delivery for the game your playing. Lowering graphical settings could help with instability.

 

If the power % was adjustable it would be helpful.  I don't know much about the 650ti unfortunately.

[TheXplayer]

17 minutes ago, PCMasterDebater said:

Well there ya go player. You're exceeding the power and voltage delivery for the game your playing. Lowering graphical settings could help with instability.

 

If the power % was adjustable it would be helpful.  I don't know much about the 650ti unfortunately.

Is there anyway to unlock the power control? Or is it something not possible without, say, flashing a different VBIOS?

[maartendc]

1 hour ago, i_build_nanosuits said:

yes it's normal...degradation will occur overtime and after a couple years it's very possible that card could no longer sustain the factory overclocked settings it used to run at...that's your first hint that the card you have probably gamed a lot and is on it's way out.

I would not call it degradation so much as just the GPU has become defective. You are right though, it may be that the GPU is on its way out.

 

Test it with a different Power supply, because it might be that the PSU is not able to deliver the required power anymore because it is dying.

 

I think the PSU is more likely actually than the GPU being defective. If the GPU is defective, you will more likely get artifacts, or it wont boot up at all anymore. I have rarely heard of a GPU being defective but still running fine when underclocked.

[aisle9]

1 hour ago, TheXplayer said:

I know the guy, he's great

When he's not blaming NZXT for killing motherboards because he doesn't know how to use a power supply, sure.

[TheXplayer]

1 minute ago, maartendc said:

I would not call it degradation so much as just the GPU is worn out. You are right though, it may be that the GPU is on its way out.

 

Test it with a different Power supply, because it might be that the PSU is not able to deliver the required power anymore because it is going out. I think this is more likely actually than the GPU being defective. If the GPU is defective, you will more likely get artifacts, or it wont boot up at all anymore. I have rarely heard of a GPU being defective but still running fine when underclocked.

The PSU is an EVGA 600W 80+ white, only 5 months old. The card is nearly 4 years old. It does artefact sometimes like in Assassin's Creed III. which sometimes occurred sometimes it didn't.

[TheXplayer]

4 minutes ago, maartendc said:

I would not call it degradation so much as just the GPU has become defective. You are right though, it may be that the GPU is on its way out.

 

Test it with a different Power supply, because it might be that the PSU is not able to deliver the required power anymore because it is dying.

 

I think the PSU is more likely actually than the GPU being defective. If the GPU is defective, you will more likely get artifacts, or it wont boot up at all anymore. I have rarely heard of a GPU being defective but still running fine when underclocked.

Also, I just remembered, this GPU used to be in my dad's rig until I bought my own. Same problem occurred on his PC.

[aisle9]

2 minutes ago, TheXplayer said:

The PSU is an EVGA 600W 80+ white, only 5 months old. The card is nearly 4 years old. It does artefact sometimes like in Assassin's Creed III. which sometimes occurred sometimes it didn't.

The PSU isn't spectacular and you could certainly do better, but I have three of those EVGA 80+ white units (two 500W, one 600W), two of which have been used in gaming builds, and have never had any issues with them. I don't think that's your issue. I'd look at the card more than anything else.

[maartendc]

2 minutes ago, TheXplayer said:

Also, I just remembered, this GPU used to be in my dad's rig until I bought my own. Same problem occurred on his PC.

Well in that case, it is definitely the GPU being defective.

 

EVGA makes good PSU's, so that is probably fine.

 

You should upgrade/replace  the GPU, even if you dont have a lot of money. A GTX 1050 or RX470 will already be much much better than what you have, for a modest price.

[TheXplayer]

1 minute ago, maartendc said:

Well in that case, it is definitely the GPU being defective.

 

EVGA makes good PSU's, so that is probably fine.

 

You should upgrade/replace  the GPU, even if you dont have a lot of money. A GTX 1050 or RX470 will already be much much better than what you have, for a modest price.

I'm probably gonna save up for an RX 480 or wait for Vega.