Major GPU woes... Please help!

Hello everyone,

I have an old Gateway P-6860FX (sigh still remember when i used to refer to it as new) with a geforce 8800GTS.

Anyway lately and suddenly I've encountered really bad GPU crashes. First started in skyrim with horrible artifacting and freezing just a few minutes into the game causing me to do a hard poweroff. Once it started crashing I tested other games and same deal, also gpu caps viewer crashed it as well as youtube all within about a minute and once it started artifacting just on startup.

A couple of times it crashed without freezing and i got a nvlddmkm error. So I've tried reinstalling the graphics driver, downgrading to an earlier driver and turning off powermizer but nothing has helped so far.

here's a log from Microsoft problem reports.

Product
Windows

Problem
Video hardware error

Date
21/08/2012 9:36 PM

Status
Not Reported

Description
A problem with your video hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.768.3
Locale ID: 3081

Files that help describe the problem
WD-20120821-2136.dmp
sysdata.xml
Version.txt

Extra information about the problem
BCCode: 117
BCP1: FFFFFA8004825010
BCP2: FFFFFA60025A34D4
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000000
OS Version: 6_0_6002
Service Pack: 2_0
Product: 768_1

end log

Anyone have any ideas? or is my GPU finished?

Any way i can avoid buying a new computer? not in the best financial position right now.

Thanks for the help

 

Unfortunately this sounds like the solder issue of the GPU creeping up on you. You can do the reflow, and that MAY get you some more time, but it is an eventual failure waiting to happen. The only permanent fix, assuming done properly, is a reball. This can be expensive or for more money you could get a P79 board...................

 

Thanks for the reply

interesting... "reflow" and "reball"? can you elaborate? i don't know what those terms mean...

Thanks

 

In simple terms........

Reflow = heating the existing solder that attaches the GPU to the motherboard to get it to reflow and make a better connection using a reflow station, heat gun, or baking.

Reball = Replacing the existing solder that attaches the GPU to the motherboard.

 

Right the reason for the difference is with a reflow you are just liquifying the original low melting temp solder. Since it is the same media you will still have th same issue. Now the other problem here is that some oxidation still exists within the media. This is why subsequent reflows last shorter each time until reflow no longer will work.

A reball replaces the media so the oxidation is at least reduced if not eliminated. Also a better media can be used as in a high temp solder. This can eliminate the solder issue all together. This also means it has to be done right, if not it can actually compound the issues...............

 

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the help so far TANWare and andy A.

Anyway I've been looking through the forum and this seems like a common problem with the FX's and the solution almost everyone recommends is baking the MB.

But before I do that I was wondering if there are any less drastic measures people have had success with.

Reading the forums, someone suggested Dox Customised Forceware v185.85, anyone had success?

Also someone said covering up the fans to overheat the gpu? will that just do more damage than good? or is it a good idea to try that before baking?

Anyone know if there is anything else i could try?

Or failing that does anyone know a cheap reball place in Australia?

Thanks