GTX 970 no POST

sNaKeBiTe · March 13, 2017

Ok, so I think I have a dead graphics card, but I thought I'd ask you guys if you have any other ideas, or if you think I missed something.

System specs:
ASRock Z77 Extreme4
Gainward GTX 970 Phantom not overclocked
i5 3570k @4.2GHz
8GB Corsair
Antec High Current Gamer 620W
Main screen: X-Star DP2710 1440p connected over DVI port on the graphics card (Doesn't work over onboard graphics)
TV: LG 47" connected over onboard HDMI port.
Windows 10

Here is what happened:
I updated the Nvidia drivers to the latest version (378.78) over Geforce Experience. A few hours later, I started up World of Tanks (WOT) and played a few games (about an hour). Just when I started a new game my screen turned black and PC was totally frozen. I did a hard reset and opened WOT again. I loaded into the game again, and soon after the same thing happened again. So I did another hard reset. After that I started WOT with default graphics settings and it opened in windowed mode on my TV which I have connected via a log HDMI cable. After fiddling around in the graphics settings for a few minutes I finally managed to start the game in full screen on my main screen. Then immediately after loading the game, the pc froze again. So, another hard reset. But now my main screen wouldn't turn on anymore. However, the TV worked fine. Speedfan (which I use to control my fans) didn't even recognize the GPU anymore, but fans were spinning. I downloaded the drivers from the website and installed them again. Didn't work. Installed the previous drivers, didn't work. Around that time, I couldn't even get it to post anymore. The mainboard showed error code 62 which is "Installation of the South Bridge Runtime Services". So I cleared CMOS. Nothing. Removed the battery for half an hour. Nothing. Removed the graphics card and it booted up fine (On my TV). I uninstalled all Nvidia drivers, went to bed, and the next morning I put in the graphics card again, and it worked. My main screen was turning on. I installed the previous driver version and everything was fine for a couple of hours.

After returning to my desk my main screen was black again and the pc frozen - hard reset - no post (error 62). I tried pretty much everything: Used a driver remover tool by Guru3D, checked and reseated all internal cables, changed the display cables around, checked voltage on pcie cables, used molex to pcie connectors instead of the native pcie connectors, tried a different pcie slot, tried a 1x wireless network card in the 16x slot, did a bios update, disconnected everything (drives, usb cables, internal headers), changed RAM sticks around, checked the card for visible damage - all error 62 when the card is installed.

Then I set the main graphics controller in the BIOS from pcie to onboard, and now I can get it to post and boot up while the card is installed. But the screen is still black and the card isn't recognized by Windows.

Then I installed the card in another system which my dad still uses (p7n sli platinum board, core2duo e6700 and a GeForce 8800GT, 4GB RAM, Windows 10). So I pulled out the 8800GT, installed my 970 and the system booted right up. I installed the drivers, did a couple of reboots, everything works. Then I loaded up Furmark and the second I clicked go, the system froze. Hard Reset and then what I think was a no POST (No error code or onboard graphics on that board. But I don't think windows loaded up).

Right now, I am installing a backup on that system from before to see if I can replicate it, but I don't have high hopes... If I do, I want to try to load a new BIOS onto the card and see if that helps.

Do you guys think the card is toast, or is there something I have missed? Is it just a coincidence that it happened on the same day I did a driver update?

I am greatful for any help, as I don't really have the cash to buy a new card. And using a 47" TV as my main screen is not the greatest.... (The korean monitor doesn't work with onboard)