I think my new 6950 is dead.

1 month ago I built a new computer (Windows 7, HIS 2GB Ice Q6950 oc'd via MSI afterburner to 940MHz, i2500k oc'd to 4.6GHZ - both stable and with zero problems for 1 month) and it was running flawlessly until early this morning when I went to my computer to start it out of sleep mode. It wouldn't come out, so I hit the reset button, the computer started up and the windows log in screen had multi-coloured horizontal lines all over it. I typed in my password and the screen turned blue and Windows never loaded. It started in safe mode fine and I went into MSCONFIG and disabled everything at start-up to see if it was a driver problem. It still did the same thing.

I tried to do a system restore and methodically I tried all the system restore points getting nowhere with each one. Memory tests all came back fine and my computer ran very well while in safemode, lol. After 1 1/2 hours of trying to get it to work I figured it was a windows problem and reloaded windows. It started fine. I installed the drivers from the disc and on restart it was back to the messed up log in screen and it won't load past that (I even got a BSOD once). My next plan of action after I get off work is to reflash the GPU bios since everything else seems to work fine and it apparently is able to work on default driver-less settings. I've been searching the internet for 2 hours and can't get any solid answers. Do you guys have any ideas?

*Repost, I needed to read wall of text again*

It sounds like it is a graphics issue, because whenever you try to boot out of safe mode, even after a reformat, it won't load anything.
I would RMA the video card and see if you can get an exchange. If your still not convinced it's the graphics card I would try running on integrated graphics (if your motherboard supports it).

Cool, thanks bro. One more question, does it void my warranty because I used MSI afterburner? I didn't hard mod or reflash the bios so I feel like it would be acceptable. Also, how would they even know?

Cool, thanks bro. One more question, does it void my warranty because I used MSI afterburner? I didn't hard mod or reflash the bios so I feel like it would be acceptable. Also, how would they even know?

XanaduTheBand

They won't know so don't tell them.

They wouldnt even ask that because companies know themselves how foolish it is to ask someone as if they are gonna tell. And also the fact that companies know that many people do it and that 99% of the times it is not the reason why the card failed especially not a one month old one.

dude....you should have first swapped out the gpu to something else before reloading windows. You couldve saved urself alot of headache.

Did you check your video cables?

I had horizontal red lines on my monitor once. The DVI cable was loose, so I pushed it in and screwed it on tighter. Fixed. Also, aside from isolating hardware components, re-installing windows should always be a last resort for software related problems and even then you'll want to do a Disc repair first. The normal boot and software restores should of clued you in it wasn't windows

dude....you should have first swapped out the gpu to something else before reloading windows. You couldve saved urself alot of headache.

blaznwiipspman1

damn what a shtty experience, good luck with your new card. btw what video card are you going to switch to?

Cool, thanks bro. One more question, does it void my warranty because I used MSI afterburner? I didn't hard mod or reflash the bios so I feel like it would be acceptable. Also, how would they even know?

XanaduTheBand

just cause you got a letter doesnt mean you have to proceed, they wont hunt you down lolCanine_Knight