Help picking a new graphics card

rachaell · 02-06-2015 4:10pm #1

Hi,
I came here a few years ago for help picking out a new pc for my son.
I got great help and got one built from that site in germany. The last few months its been crashing/freezing mostly when he plays games. I sent it in to a repair shop and he cleaned it out took out the ssd and old hard drive then put a new hard drive in with a new copy of windows on it but its still freezing. So I think it needs a new graphics card. I've picked one out in my price range but not sure its any good. He plays garys mod counter strike, far cry etc..

At the moment he has 450w power supply, As rock motherboard, 4gb ram, Amd processor and sapphire radeon 6759 (I think) graphics card.

Will this fit the motherboard and is the power supply enough to handle it.
Asus 2-gb-geforce-gtx-750-ti-pcie-graphics-card its €174
Can't post the url because I'm a new user (forget my old account details)

Thanks in advance for your help.

Digital Solitude · 02-06-2015 4:22pm

It may not be his graphics card, could be driver errors, CPU error or a PSU problem either. Did the professional give anymore advice?

Xenoronin · 02-06-2015 4:23pm

That sounds strange... a GPU usually causes visual artifacts (blue dots, image distortion) when it starts dying. The crashing and freezing are more RAM/CPU/Motherboard area. Is there any error when it crashes?
There is a program called Memtest86 that might be of use here. Give it a quick google on how to use (haven't ever used it myself) and let it run.

rachaell · 02-06-2015 4:55pm

They said they checked everythinng else and it might be the card. I don't think they really knew tbh. No he gets a black or blue screen when it crashes usually after playing a game for 20-30 minutes. Since we got it back from the repair shop its not happening as often.
But he can't play certain games. One of the fans wasn't working for a while and it was getting really hot,they said the termal paste was completely dry.
I don't know what to do now, maybe bring it somewhere else before paying out for a card, Ive had to save for this and don't want to buy if not needed.

rachaell · 02-06-2015 5:27pm

One of the blue screens said
a problem has been detected and windows has shut down to protect your computer
Drivers -not less or not equal.
There's more, this is the first couple of lines.

Xenoronin · 02-06-2015 5:36pm

I get the feeling bringing it to someone else might be a good idea. Sounds like cowboys :L
Digital seems to have hit the nail on the head if it is complaining about drivers before shutdown. You'll need to find out your specific card and download the drivers from scratch for the GPU. Make sure to completely uninstall them before reinstalling the newer ones. There is still the possibility of it overheating. Something like speedfan can show you the temperatures in your computer. On average the CPU should be around 30-40degreesC

TerrorFirmer · 02-06-2015 5:42pm

Original crowd you brought it to sound like absolute jackasses. They randomly replaced the hard drive and sent it back with the same problem it had when you sent it in.

Where are you based, someone here could probably help. It's likely something simple.

Digital Solitude · 02-06-2015 5:46pm

Did they replace the thermal paste after they said there was an issue with it?

rachaell · 02-06-2015 5:58pm

Yes they replaced the paste, he said it was completely dry and that's unheard of. I'm in dublin 8 if anyone is near me. Dont feel comfortable messing with it myself. I would pay of course.

Digital Solitude · 02-06-2015 6:03pm

Its not unheard of, just uncommon until a machine gets a little older.

Don't know where any of the lads here are located but I'd say there's someone nearby you

Kilboor · 03-06-2015 6:04pm

Hi I have had issues like this before. 90% of the time I have found that it was because my ram had failed. I would suggest doing a memtest or else buying new ram

Digital Solitude · 03-06-2015 6:13pm

You should remove one stick of RAM from the PC and test it, and then the other and test it again to see if one or both are bad.

You could run memtest86 from a USB for a few hours either, it tests RAM.
You download it from here, you just need a blank USB flash drive, even a 1gb one is enough. Switch the PC off and boot into the USB, and let it run for a few hours, it'll show up any RAM errors.

You boot into the USB by pressing F12 or F9 when the PC is beginning to start up, the first real screen shown, before Windows

rachaell · 03-06-2015 8:29pm

I have some nearly new ram in another pc, I'll switch them and see what happens. Fingers crossed..

Digital Solitude · 03-06-2015 8:31pm

That's a much easier option :pac:

rachaell · 03-06-2015 8:46pm

Digital Solitude wrote: »

That's a much easier option :pac:

I know, you'd think I would of doing that already, but I was told it was the graphics card so didn't even come to mind, plus they said they tested the ram.. The second pc is my uncles that has emigrated so better be careful ðŸ˜•☺

SterlingArcher · 03-06-2015 9:45pm

Are you using an anti virus?

rachaell · 04-06-2015 2:27pm

SterlingArcher wrote: »

Are you using an anti virus?

Yeah, he had Microsoft security essentials, malwarebytes and ccleaner on it.
The shop took ccleaner off, he said you don't need so many.
I'm about to get the ram now and switch them, I'll let you all know how it goes..

Xenoronin · 04-06-2015 2:44pm

Now i'm convinced they had no idea what they were at. CCleaner is for removing unnecessary files from your computer. Temporary files and caches that rarely will be used again. It doesn't help keep your computer secure at all.

BloodBath · 05-06-2015 10:44am

They rarely know what they are doing in these shops it seems yet would still have no qualms with charging €50-€100 for an hours work.

They actually replaced a perfectly good hard drive in yours and didn't fix the issue? How much did they charge you for this honor?

Best of luck with fixing it anyway. Temp testing, driver fixes and ram testing is the right idea. Narrow it down.

rachaell · 05-06-2015 12:21pm

Well I switched the ram and sadly it is still crashing. I put 8 gb in and it says 8 gb installed but only 4 gb is usable. Why would that be? It's a 64 bit windows. The windows that was in it before we sent it to be fixed was 32 bit.
So it's not the ram would it be the power supply?
He only had counter strike on for 4 or 5 minutes and it was crashing. He said he used to get about an hour.

BloodBath · 05-06-2015 1:08pm

Possibly an overheating issue with the cpu if the cooler is not attached properly.

Possibly a driver issue.

Possibly the graphics card.

Only testing will narrow it down.

rachaell · 05-06-2015 2:39pm

Ok I think I need to bring it to someone with the knowledge to fix it, I haven't a clue what to do..
can anyone point me in the right direction of a good shop or freelance
Thanks

Kimbot · 05-06-2015 2:40pm

rachaell wrote: »

Ok I think I need to bring it to someone with the knowledge to fix it, I haven't a clue what to do..
can anyone point me in the right direction of a good shop or freelance
Thanks

Dont go near a shop, Im sure someone close to you on here wouldnt mind giving you a hand. If I was in dublin I would take a look but I wont be there until next weekend at the earliest.

rachaell · 07-06-2015 7:50pm

Hey, was just wondering after reading another thread here, would using a 32 in tv as a monitor have anything to do with it crashing?
He's been using it for a good while, was using a 24in monitor before. Maybe it's on the wrong settings and can't handle it??

Digital Solitude · 07-06-2015 8:14pm

Its possible but highly unlikely, a 6000 series like he's got should be able to handle 1080p no bother

Has he tested using the onboard graphics? Plug the HDMI cord directly into the motherboard and run a game and see what happens

rachaell · 07-06-2015 9:46pm

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Its possible but highly unlikely, a 6000 series like he's got should be able to handle 1080p no bother

Has he tested using the onboard graphics? Plug the HDMI cord directly into the motherboard and run a game and see what happens

There is no hdmi port on the motherboard as far as I can see, it's an AS rock 870 extreme3 r2.0.
I'm going to get a lend of a monitor tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks for all your help by the way ☺

Bongalongherb · 07-06-2015 9:55pm

rachaell wrote: »

One of the blue screens said
a problem has been detected and windows has shut down to protect your computer
Drivers -not less or not equal.
There's more, this is the first couple of lines.

Do you mean Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal

If so it is a RAM issue. It could be the ram modules or the memory chips on the graphics card, but it is a ram issue. Make sure the ram modules are seated tightly with latches closed on each end of each module. Only do this with the computer disconnected from the mains power outlet, make sure power is completely disconnected.

rachaell · 07-06-2015 10:08pm

Bongalongherb wrote: »

Do you mean Driver IRQL Not Less Or Equal

If so it is a RAM issue. It could be the ram modules or the memory chips on the graphics card, but it is a ram issue. Make sure the ram modules are seated tightly with latches closed on each end of each module.

Yeah that's exactly what it said. My son took pictures of the blue screens and that is on the first couple of lines.
When it comes back on it says - windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown
Local I'd .6153
problem event name.. blue screen
o's version. . 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3

Bongalongherb · 07-06-2015 10:43pm

Opps, my fault, I should have read your first post more clearly....

he cleaned it out took out the ssd and old hard drive then put a new hard drive in with a new copy of windows on it but its still freezing.

The only thing in this case is that the memory chips on the graphics card and/or the thermal paste on the graphics card's GPU is dried up and not connecting to its heat-sink to dissipate the heat.

Are you positive you don't see any red or green lines on the monitor when the pc is on? Look closely.

In regards to your computer only being able to see 4GB ram after you put 8GB in could be that your computer motherboard is only capable of using 4GB max.

rachaell · 07-06-2015 11:22pm

Bongalongherb wrote: »

Opps, my fault, I should have read your first post more clearly....

The only thing in this case is that the memory chips on the graphics card and/or the thermal paste on the graphics card's GPU is dried up and not connecting to its heat-sink to dissipate the heat.

Are you positive you don't see any red or green lines on the monitor when the pc is on? Look closely.

In regards to your computer only being able to see 4GB ram after you put 8GB in could be that your computer motherboard is only capable of using 4GB max.

No, there's no lines at all. The pc was getting really hot, the room would be like a sauna when it was on for a while. my son said he had a program for reading temps on his old windows and it would read 60 degrees on everything..

Bongalongherb · 07-06-2015 11:32pm

Well with the pc getting really hot as you said, it's overheating as well. I just wonder did those folks actually use good thermal paste on the CPU and making sure the CPU heat-sink is tight with the CPU. Check that the four screws on the metal heat-sink above CPU are nice and tight, they were probably not tight enough to contact with the CPU underneath.

Help picking a new graphics card

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