PC screen flickering on and off on new pc build

chrismon

Hi guys, I got my pc delivered from Hardwareversand yesterday.
When I opened it up to install my new CPU cooler(it was to big for them to install) the cooling fan plate on the GPU was hanging off?
Took it out and there was only 3 screws holding it on instead of 6
Managed to find another two screws, one was in part of the packaging and another in the back of the pc :mad:
Put the screws I found back in and put the GPU back in and set up windows.
All worked fine up until about 40 mins ago.
The screen has started flickering, going to having grey and black lines straight down and nothing else, then back to normal with a message saying that AMD drivers failed?
Working fine for the past 10 mins now.
Any ideas what to do, very upset after spending €800 on a pc thats not working.

chrismon

Heres the spec if thats important, running Win 7
Item|Price
BitFenix Merc Alpha|€34.00
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 450W|€42.15
ASRock 970 Extreme3, AM3+, ATX|€72.44
AMD FX-6300 Prozessor, Boxed, Sockel AM3+|€124.77
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 13 Pro|€27.02
8GB-Kit G.Skill RipJaws PC3-8500U CL7|€33.57
Club 3D Radeon HD 7850 royalKing, 2GB GDDR5|€190.04
Crucial M4 128GB SSD 6,4cm (2,5")|€95.54
WD Caviar Green 2TB Sata 6Gb/s|€90.18

Samsung SH-118AB schwarz|€13.19
Shipping|€18.99
Total|€741.89

-( i )- Wicker

Uninstall the gfx drivers and install the newest. Also monitor the gpu temps after some use (gaming/benchmarking) with CPUID to make sure the gpu cooler is functioning correctly. Last thing I can think of is make sure the gpu is seated properly in the pci-e slot.

marco_polo

Are you saying the GPU cooler was damaged in transit (or possibly even not attached properly in the factory in the first place). If you had to re attached it the temperatures may be getting too high, unless you had thermal paste handy.

If that is the case I'd be strongly inclined to consider an RMA (just of the GPU) as you didn't receive the product in a fit state. You should not be expected to have to reattach the GPU cooler.

chrismon

Yeah think the GPU fan was not sitting right, didnt have to go near the heatsink itself.
I have a few pics attached.
Im going to install the drivers again and if that dosnt work Ill reposition the GPU.
If that dosnt work Ill have to send it back :mad::mad::mad:
Any other ideas

Amirani

Have you tried running with the integrated graphics? Plugging your monitor into the mobo?

chrismon

I havnt tried that yet, it dosnt happen all the time.
I will try though after the other steps and see how I get on.
Thanks

marco_polo

chrismon wrote: »

Yeah think the GPU fan was not sitting right, didnt have to go near the heatsink itself.
I have a few pics attached.
Im going to install the drivers again and if that dosnt work Ill reposition the GPU.
If that dosnt work Ill have to send it back :mad::mad::mad:
Any other ideas
<snip>

I wouldn't be so concerned once the heatsink was ok then (I can't see the pictures on my phone that clearly). Perhaps a screw or two came off during transit (One of the disadvantage of getting it built is that the components are not as well packaged during transit).

Still I would still like to see some temperature readings using GPUz just to make sure the card is physically cooling itself properly.

Are you installing the drivers from a CD?, if so I would try getting the latest versions from the AMD website. It may do do no harm to make sure the latest window service packs are installed too.

chrismon

I had the newest installed and windows completly updated.
Im installing the newest drivers at the moment from scratch.
Hopefully this can sort it.
If it dosnt do you think I should send it back?

chrismon

Ok update.
Screen started flickering worse again.
Deleted the drivers, reinstalled the newest driveres.
Restarted the PC. Got just after the windows loading screen and it goes black, PC hangs, cant access keyboard anything.
Start in safe mode. Works fine, reinstalled a different set of drivers, earlier version.
Restarted, same thing PC hangs the same way.
Formatted the PC, reinstalled Win7.
Loaded up fine, installed drivers on the CD. Restarted PC and it hangs in the same spot.
Put in my old 7600GT and its working fine. Tried the new card again and the same thing happened.
Do ye think its f*cked?

unseenfootage

Yep. All indications show that it is.

unseenfootage

One final test, just to be dead certain is to install the card in another pc.

chrismon

unseenfootage wrote: »

One final test, just to be dead certain is to install the card in another pc.

My old PC dosnt have the right power adapter to fit so cant try it

marco_polo

chrismon wrote: »

My old PC dosnt have the right power adapter to fit so cant try it

Bit of hastle but you could maybe swap the new PSU in as well.

First I'd give it one more go, as the fact that it boots in safe mode suggest it is still very possibly just a software issue. First remove all traces of AMD drivers using driver sweeper (plain uninstall is not the best at getting rid of all traces) and install the last stable catalyst version 12.10 one last time.

If that doesn't work try swap the PSU and GPU into the old PC. If that doesn't work I am almost certainly throwing in the towel and initiating that RMA.

chrismon

marco_polo wrote: »

Bit of hastle but you could maybe swap the new PSU in as well.

First I'd give it one more go, as the fact that it boots in safe mode suggest it is still very possibly just a software issue. First remove all traces of AMD drivers using driver sweeper (plain uninstall is not the best at getting rid of all traces) and install the last stable catalyst version 12.10 one last time.

If that doesn't work try swap the PSU and GPU into the old PC. If that doesn't work I am almost certainly throwing in the towel and initiating that RMA.

I did a full format and installed drivers from the CD which were working fine at the start.
When I was in safe mode the colours were funny and there were lines across the screen.
Will give it another go in the morning.
I have emailed HVS all the details of what I have done about an hour ago so hopefully I can hear something soon. Would be a disaster to send it back and for them to test it and send it back :mad:

marco_polo

chrismon wrote: »

I did a full format and installed drivers from the CD which were working fine at the start.
When I was in safe mode the colours were funny and there were lines across the screen.
Will give it another go in the morning.
I have emailed HVS all the details of what I have done about an hour ago so hopefully I can hear something soon. Would be a disaster to send it back and for them to test it and send it back :mad:

Ah didn't realise in that case it definitely sound done for unfortunately. I wouldn't work worry about getting it back, from what you have described there is no chance of that happening.

Feel extra bad cos it was my suggestion

chrismon

marco_polo wrote: »

Ah didn't realise in that case it definitely sound done for unfortunately. I wouldn't work worry about getting it back, from what you have described there is no chance of that happening.

Feel extra bad cos it was my suggestion

Dont worry about that mate, you didnt throw it around a UPS truck :cool:
Not your fault they did a dodgy job either manufacturing/building or shipping.
PC runs amazingly other than that.
Thanks for all the input, I would have ended up with a **** PC if it wasnt for your help :pac:

marco_polo

chrismon wrote: »

Dont worry about that mate, you didnt throw it around a UPS truck :cool:
Not your fault they did a dodgy job either manufacturing/building or shipping.
PC runs amazingly other than that.
Thanks for all the input, I would have ended up with a **** PC if it wasnt for your help :pac:

Well enjoy when you do get it all back together, let us know how you get on

Drexel

When one of my cards started dying I got the same symptoms as you seem to be getting. Sorry to hear it. Nothing worse then getting something new and it not working

chrismon

Yeah jonny, its horrible.
Had so many games lined up to play over Christmas and I wont get a chance to play them now.
Will be back to college by the time I get my card back.

Drexel

chrismon wrote: »

Yeah jonny, its horrible.
Had so many games lined up to play over Christmas and I wont get a chance to play them now.
Will be back to college by the time I get my card back.

Ah rotten!!

How come you didn't try build it yourself??

chrismon

jonny666 wrote: »

Ah rotten!!

How come you didn't try build it yourself??

To be honest it was laziness.
I built my last two PC's but said for €20 Id let them put in the work, and I was guaranteed not to be missing any cables or anything.
Ended up being way more hassle than it was worth with parts getting damaged.
Had to put on the new CPU cooler anyway, so had to take off the old one and paste and put the new one on, nearly the most hassle right there.
Its a ****er having it sitting there not being able to use it to any potential.