My PNY G4Ti 4600 made my system unstable??!! (MUST READ)

[Overclocker456]

I'd like to say first off that I love the Performance and Image quailty of my PNY G4ti4600.. Radeon 8500 can't do 1600x1200 4xAA in any life time. Playing games at those settings is a dream.

So what's wrong?? Well ever since I popped in the card I get a lot more cold boots or boots to the bios than ever before. Then sometimes when I boot up I get artifacts all over the screen to the point where I can't read a thing (before I get to windows). I have to remove my card and move it around while in the slot to stop it from happening!!! what the hell?? Sometimes it takes me like 30 trys before it freaken works!!?? Of course I thought it might be to my Overclocked PC. I put EVERYTHING at default and I had the SAME PROBLEM. I would also like to point out that this is all without any modds to the card at all..

What else?? THE TV OUT STINKS. The pic is filled with static and fuzz.. horrible to the point where it can't be used. I've tried different cables and lengths. I have a 20" Sony Flat Screen WEGA.
My notebook with a crappy ati 4MB runs my TV out like a dream.
Anyone know what this could be??

If anyone has experianced stability issues with there G4ti 4600 card please speak out.. it just doesn't make sense

Finally the card is a Tease when it comes to overclocking.. I have a Alpha 1U cooler with a 21CFM fan, Ram Sinks, and a passive heatsinks on the back. 330/730 seems to work great on some games and crash on others. Anyway my FINAL OC speed is 320/720 100% stable. I can run everything at 325/730 but every once in a while my screen will blank out. yet I get no artifacts. If you want to do a 100% stability test run the G4 wolfman demo with 4xAA overnight.. This is a very sensitive demo. 3Dmark2001 isn't enough trust me.

 

[False Christian]

GeForce4

I was gonna gits me a GeForce4-TI4600 but I just changed my mind. With all the problems you're having I'm not gonna shell out $800 Canadian for that piece of crap!

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Oh yay another PNY unhappy customer, well welcome to the same boat I WAS in. I had the same card. I tried 2 diff PNY cards and both had a problem that if I removed the drivers to try new ones I could not boot to the desktop PERIOD. I would get a black screen with a window saying NO INPUT SIGNAL, SCANNER OUT OF RANGE. I would have to remove the card put my G3 back in to get to the desktop then pull that card out and start over with the PNY. Sounds fun huh? Needless to say I gave up after that took it back got my Leadtek G4 and problem solved. I am also running the card at the same speeds you have your PNY at 320 720.

 

[13rian]

y not get a Visiontek or Gainward? y pick PNY?

hope u guys find a solution without ending in broken parts.

 

[SirWise23]

Same problem

I have the same problem. My card gives me artifacts all over the place, even in the BIOS. I have a PNY GF4 ti4600. It worked fine for like 30 days, now I have to wiggle the card around, and it has weird effects. Like, it will freeze in windows, then when I restart, the startup screen will be all artifacts, and Windows will not start. Then I can't remove the old drivers, new drivers will not install correctly. Even weirder is that it will revert to Standard VGA yet keep 1280x1200 with 32bit display. Usually it will go to 640x480.

 

[SirWise23]

Anyone know where you can get a new BIOS for this card? I have seen them for like every other brand BUT PNY

 

[alpha_gamer]

sounds like you guys got hosed on those cards, i've actually never heard of PNY before, i have a geforce 2 gts pro from power colour, they are great, i'm sure any major brand like ASUS does a good job too, i saw some pics of the leadtek, it looks good. good luck, i say send it back

 

[Mpegger]

If I'm not mistaken, you sould be able to use the Nvidia bios with PNY brand GF cards. PNY doesn't stray much, if at all, from the Nvidia reference. Pretty much all they do is slap thier mem on a Nvidia card and sell it. My GF3 (not Ti) shows its bios as being Nvidia. I can't remember the exact details (I keep this comp on 24/7), but it looks to me to be an unaltered Nvidia bios.

Btw, I've heard problems with GF4Ti 4600, not just PNY though. Pretty much the same things you've all said too. Seems to be a problem with most manufacturers, cept 1 or 2.

 

[Acko]

Well I`ve just gone to cancel my PNY card on the information you guy`s have supplied but it`s to late the card (TI4600) is on it`s way. So I will have to try it out when I get it? It was the cheapest I could find (£250 inc. VAT) It was recommended at Toms Hardware & it has a quiet fan on it compared to the others.
I`ll let you know how I get on when it`s installed, I feel a bit Pist now!!!

Acko

 

[Mr. Chambers]

Radeon 8500 can't do 1600x1200 4xAA in any life time.

i beg to differ, my 8500le, which cost me 99 bucks, which i oc'ed to 280/280, CAN - and DOES very well i might add - play games at 1600x1200 with 4x AA enabled.. hell i can even do 6x without a hitch. have you every actually used an 8500? i'm not saying that your ti4600 is a bad card, i just hate the way some people stereo type a card just because they're an nvidia fanboy. dont get me wrong i have nothing against nvidia, and if i had money to burn, i'd probably pick up a ti4600 - but like i said, im happy right where i am, 100 dollar card that may not be better than your 300 dollar one, but is close enough for me.. my .02

 

[Overclocker456]

umm.. look at my sig.. I have a ATI 8500 at 300/300.. and exactly what games do you run with 6XAA??? Pong?? Don't get me wrong, I love my ATI..but AA is Geforce 4's speciality..

 

[Mykex]

I've got a PNY 4200 and it run flawlessly and OC'es to 4400 spec without a hitch, I have run 3D# @ 310/620 with no artifacts!

It is the same problem MANY GF4 users are facing I suspect, power supply. If you do not have a HIGH QUALITY 300 to 350watt PSU your going to have troubles. I have an off brand 400watt an have had no issues.

I have seen a supposed "brand name" 350watt PSU cause blue screens, lockups and no vid on boot. We ripped a 250watt out of an old proprietary machine and it ran fine, just cause it says 350 on the side isnt enough, watt ratings are NOT trust worthy.

 

[Acko]

My GF4TI4600 (PNY) turned up this morning. I have installed it & all seems okay.
I have run the Mad Onion 2001 test & scored 9,554 all my system on default settings.

Now I`m going back to push "Morrowind"

Acko

 

[The_wiZ]

I must side with you on that one.
The psu is crucial with these new "high end" cards.
I remember when i got my first gf2mx card.
Couldnt use it on my k6-2 400mhz.
Only a 275W psu in that one, so i got a bigger psu 300 good watts.
And it ran beautifully.
my 2 cents.

 

[SirWise23]

I agree, I have a 350W Enermax. The computer ran great. I had a cheap 300W before that that came with a case. Anytome you pay $30 at a show for the case and psu, you know the psu sucks.


I have been trying to update the BIOS on my PNY card with the Nvidia Bios, but NVflash tells me their is a mismatch. And once the card is in the computer for like 1 min, the artifacts come and my video goes nuts, so I don't even mess with it. WHat would the command be for Nvflash to override the protection?