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Is my video card actually dead?

chesleywan
By chesleywan
in Graphics Cards
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Parents had troubles with the HTPC today. It's a Shuttle SG41J4 w/ an E5700, 2x2GB DDR3, Kingston 64GB SSD, and this Gigabyte HD6850. Boots fine but wouldn't go more than 5 minutes without getting a BSOD. Windows listed the cause as a "Video hardware error".

 

IMG_20130919_205441_zps15514d04.jpg

 

I tried to update the drivers, but it would still give me a BSOD before I could install anything to completion. I pulled the card out of the machine and noticed the back side had some brown substance forming all around the card, but primarily around this particular spot. 

 

IMG-20130919-WA0005_zps3b55e8fe.jpg

 

There were no visual defects when it was actually running. What do you guys think? Is it actually done?

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What CPU are you using?

"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out." - Carl Sagan.

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you" - Edward I. Koch

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uhhhhhhh im not a GPU expert but you MAY have a problem....

 

RMA that hoe

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is that...corrosion?

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It almost looks like water damage, how the hell would they get water there in that case?! lol I would what helping said and just go for broke and try to clean it. Take a Qtip with 95+% alcohol and very delicately clean it (do not break any of the tiny components off). I'd also take the cooler off (unless that voids a warranty if you have one, in which case just send it in) and check under there for anymore evidence and if there is more of that shit clean it off to.

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If a video card dies in a computer and no one is around to watch the screen, does it make a sound?

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use, and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them. - Galileo Galilei
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If a video card dies in a computer and no one is around to watch the screen, does it make a sound?

No... if it died then the fans wont be running and it won't make any sounds. (smart answer)

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Can RMA?

 

Y --> Send to Gigabyte

N --> Go Hitler on that thing (try and clean it with alcohol first): 

 

 

uhhhhhhh im not a GPU expert but you MAY have a problem....

 

RMA that hoe

 

Well, it should technically be covered under warranty. I got it used just over a year ago.

 

it was alive before?!?!?

 

It most certainly was. No problems up until now.

 

What CPU are you using?

 

Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5700, as stated in the original post.

 

is that...corrosion?

 

 

It almost looks like water damage, how the hell would they get water there in that case?! lol I would what helping said and just go for broke and try to clean it. Take a Qtip with 95+% alcohol and very delicately clean it (do not break any of the tiny components off). I'd also take the cooler off (unless that voids a warranty if you have one, in which case just send it in) and check under there for anymore evidence and if there is more of that shit clean it off to.

 

Well, the Gigabyte RMA service got back to me and based on my description (no images), they said it might be oxidation, which may be considered as "physical damage" and not covered under warranty, even though I haven't taken it out of the machine since I installed it.

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It most certainly was. No problems up until now.

 

i meant that in a sarcastic way because it's not a living thing and couldn't have been "alive" ever lol

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So, Gigabyte RMA seems to be pretty certain that this is a result of oxidation.

 

 

 

The pictures you provided shows there are unknown substances on the circuit board which has caused oxidation and will not be repairable. The warranty on the card is now voided and we will not be able to issue a RMA number to repair this card.

 

I'm still not exactly sure how something like this would've happened. It kinda sucks to lose a card like this.

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So, Gigabyte RMA seems to be pretty certain that this is a result of oxidation.

 

 

I'm still not exactly sure how something like this would've happened. It kinda sucks to lose a card like this.

What kinda temps are you getting?

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Well you need to figure out what happened to it.

 

First off does the GPU fan still work?

Did you spill water somewhere that would get on there?

Did Linus drive by and toss a memory stick in there?

I roll with sigs off so I have no idea what you're advertising.

 

This is NOT the signature you are looking for.

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What kinda temps are you getting?

 

I actually have another Shuttle SG41J4 with a near identical config (E5200, Patriot 2x2GB DDR3 RAM, OCZ 96GB SSD) and the same video card. Temps are currently 35 C at idle, but the most the other machine would've been doing was streaming video.

 

Well you need to figure out what happened to it.

 

First off does the GPU fan still work?

Did you spill water somewhere that would get on there?

Did Linus drive by and toss a memory stick in there?

 

1. Yes. It still works for a certain period of time before Windows gets a BSOD and the machine restarts. I can confirm in a bit.

2. Really not sure how water would get inside the Shuttle, seeing that the only actual opening is at the back. I've taken off the cover for cleaning, but I honestly can't see how water would get on it with the environment I was working in.

3. Unless he drove 2300 km and somehow found my house, broke in, tossed a memory stick into my video card somehow and then got out without a trace, probably not.

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