Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

[Freelancer]

Yep, after upgrading to 260.99 drivers that had an FFXIV profile that activated SLI.

It was workling nice, cards were 50% usage but the heat and noise were low since they ran at about 65c each, I was content but after less than 8 hours. my game had strange artifacts, all spiky and shit and after extended testings. that included reinstalling game, drivers, downgrading, switching PCIe slots and switching cards and trying other games.

Turned out that my 2nd GTX470 was now defective and artifacted like crazy, even though none are overclocked and the now broken one was almost never used since FFXIV didn't support SLI.

My main card that stays on 2-3 days at 65-75c is going strong while my other card that barely worked is now a piece of shit.

After contacting EVGA my RMA was declined since my address is a P.O BOX.... god dammit...

Now I need to have a relative pick up the card for me, and now I'm starting to get worried since I'll be sending the broken card from outside the states... and I'm not sure they'll accept it now. (though I did buy it from tiger direct when I was at new york, so...)

This is so annoying.

[DakAttack]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

Holy shit, that sucks. This crap isn't cheap, either.

Are you sure it was the drivers? If FFXIV wasn't using the second card to begin with, would you know that there's something wrong with it? Are you playing other games that enable SLI?

[Freelancer]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

Yeah I play SC2, BF:BC2. and other RTS games in SLI and they all worked great til I installed 260.99 and a few hours later, boom artifacting like crazy.

And the card wasn't over heating because I keep that stuff of on screen display just incase.
And after that I tried using the card alone and it artifacted even more than SLI mode.


It really blows chunks...

[DakAttack]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

Sounds like somebody owes you a new card. I recently updated as well, but I haven't had the chance to play any games since then. I'm wondering if I should, but if this is an issue it needs to be rooted out quickly.

[Malacite]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

They still haven't fixed the FPS issues with FFXI for the 400 series have they?

And wow that's ridiculous, they better give you a new card.

[Aeni]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

I noticed that there's ... some weird ... lag since the new drivers. I'm kind of worried now after reading your post. I'm wondering if I should revert back to the previous version especially since I never noticed any issues.

[Malacite]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

The last 2 driver updates for the 400 series have both been iffy with regards to XIV, from what I've heard from other people. And you know? My runs the game just fine so if it ain't broke don't fix it.


Really wish they would hurry the hell up and fix the FPS issues with FFXI already. They've said they're working on it but yeah that was months ago...

[Freelancer]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

Aight, talked to EVGA and they're ok with mailing it to a relative's address instead of mine, so I'm somewhat satisfied that my "investment" isn't lost.

Personally I rolled back to 258 drivers and will stay on them until better drivers come out AND THEN wait until people test it a bit before I risk it.

Now I'm paranoid for life.

[Malacite]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

^ ditto. I never try shit like that unless I know it's been publicly tested & approved - too many bad (previous) experiences.

[DakAttack]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

The last 2 driver updates for the 400 series have both been iffy with regards to XIV, from what I've heard from other people. And you know? My runs the game just fine so if it ain't broke don't fix it.


Really wish they would hurry the hell up and fix the FPS issues with FFXI already. They've said they're working on it but yeah that was months ago...

FFXIV still doesn't run in SLI mode, which is an issue. For a game that requires a lot of graphics power, I would think it would have been coded in from the start. Of course, we're all well aware with the issues at this game's start.

It still sucks that one of the only ways to get it run with SLI may also brick your card.

[Malacite]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

That does indeed suck, though I don't use SLI and the game runs pretty well for me.

I could be wrong, but this really does sound like more of a problem on nVidia's end than SE's.

[DakAttack]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

If it helps, I'm not seeing anybody else having this issue. When I get the chance I'll give it a test, myself.

[Mhurron]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

A driver is not going to destroy a card. It may make it run less then efficiently and that may expose faults in that exact card. If it was the driver that did it, both of your cards would have issues, you wouldn't have one that died and one work perfectly fine.

[Freelancer]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

Thats whats getting to me, the card artifacts like crazy, its completely useless now, but it was working just fine before the upgrade.

Either way I figured I'd throw this out there just in case.


EVGA approved my RMA and I'll have a replacement here soon, and then its round 2 with SLI FFXIV.

[Aeni]

Re: Nvidia drivers 260.99 + GTX470 + FFXIV = Utter failure

A driver is not going to destroy a card. It may make it run less then efficiently and that may expose faults in that exact card. If it was the driver that did it, both of your cards would have issues, you wouldn't have one that died and one work perfectly fine.

Software can destroy hardware especially if it interrupts the performance of the hardware in such a way that is detrimental to the overall health of that platform. Namely speaking with regards to discrete graphics card is having a driver cause the fan to stop running and cause the GPU to constantly work at 100% capacity thus causing heat to build up with no dissipation. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand what will happen next under that condition.