Hardware Video problems

[Matte]

Good morning.
from almost 2 weeks i have experienced a strange problem when playing games on my desktop, and mostly Orbiter, because of it's graphical load.

Specs of my PC are in my signature.
However the problem is that while i am playing, sometimes even as soon as i start a session, a green blinking pixel (in number from 1 to 3/4) appears on the screen. it is not a big problem but...

then, after a while i am plaiyng, sometimes less than 2 minutes, the screen freezes or become black and i cannot do anything apart rebooting the machine.

using Ati tray tools of omega drivers i could monitor the temperature and it raises above 77 °. then i get strange visual problem of textures, and finally need to force reboot.

there is no dust on the radiator and between the blades of the fan, my case is open.
what i have thought is the thermal paste...maybe it's over and i need to change it. i use my PC quite a bit. sometimes it is on for more than 10 hours, and i use Orbiter for almost 2 hours a day, sometimes more.

what do you think?
thanks for help.
Matte

 

[tblaxland]

what i have thought is the thermal paste...maybe it's over and i need to change it.

That can happen. I would also check that the heatsink/radiator is sitting hard against the GPU - if it is not then not only will the paste dry out, but the conduction will be less than ideal. If you do renew the paste, wipe off all the old paste and only put a thin smear of new paste on. It should only be just enough to even out any surface irregularities between the GPU and the heatsink. Too much paste is not good.

i use my PC quite a bit. sometimes it is on for more than 10 hours, and i use Orbiter for almost 2 hours a day, sometimes more.

That could be your problem right there - not enough Orbiter

 

[Matte]

That could be your problem right there - not enough Orbiter

ahahah maybe you're right. but now i cannot even use it for 5 minutes...
However , do i have to remove the heatsink when the card i warm, right?
it has 4 screw that keep it in place.

do i have also to spread the paste manually or it's enough to put on again the heatsink?

and at last do you have any specific paste to advise me?
i've heard only about Arctic Silver 5

 

[tblaxland]

ahahah maybe you're right. but now i cannot even use it for 5 minutes...
However , do i have to remove the heatsink when the card i warm, right?
it has 4 screw that keep it in place.

do i have also to spread the paste manually or it's enough to put on again the heatsink?

and at last do you have any specific paste to advise me?
i've heard only about Arctic Silver 5

I always spread it manually on the heatsink, then push the heatsink onto the chip then pull it off to see if there are any "islands" where contact was not made and just apply more as required. Better to start with too little paste then too much.

I've never used Artic Silver, TBH. I always just used what the local electronic store had. Its been a while since I've done it, TBH. Most of the stuff I did was for power electronics and I don't know if there are any special pastes you should use for the modern chips.