Did I just burn my graphics card?

[ricardo90kaka]

Hello

I recently started mining scrypt coins. The first couple of weeks I used an ATI Radeon 5770, but I decided to buy an ATI Radeon 7950 Sapphire 3GB with boost (11196-19-20G).

I had some problems using the 7950:
1) Cgminer was up and running, showing no problems with temperature and hardware errors at all. So I went to get a drink. When I came back the PC was turned off.
It was windows 8.1 that put the pc to sleep (I think. Because the pc booted in 1 sec to the desktop). I disabled the sleep option right away.

2) Cgminer up and running again. No problems at all. I left and when I came back... turned off again.

3) I found a nice config file here on this forum that I decided to use. The config was recommended for the 7950 Sapphire.
I was now getting higher khash: ~610 khash, GPU temperature 72 degrees. I left cgminer running for 20 hours straight. It appeared stable, no problems with temperature and hardware errors at all.

4) The GPU fan was rattling (since I started using the card, but the noise was not always there. It appeared between 2400-2750 RPM), making a loud noise. Probably because the GPU card was bending downwards? I found out the rattling disappeared as soon as I raised the card with my fingers. I actually put a piece of wood under it (the wood did only lift the card SLIGHTLY. Hardly no pressure at all. It lifted the card like 0.5 millimeters)

5) Cgminer up and running with a nice piece of wood lifting the 7950 slightly. Everything seemed okay for like 1 hour, so I left to get a drink. When I came back.... PC turned off and a huge burning smell .

6) I booted the pc (after I disconnected it from the power/wall) and the burning smell came back immediately.

7) Switched the 7950 with the old 5770 and everything up and running again. The 7950 is dead

Other problems I experienced from the beginning:
-Sometimes when I start cgminer the display drivers crashes immediately. But It worked when I tried it again (sometimes I had to reboot the pc first)


What I would like to know is this:
-Was it just bad luck? (Can I continue mining with the same hardware/config when I get a new 7950?)
-Did the piece of wood damage the card?
-Can the card be damaged as a result of a wrong power supply (do I need a bigger power supply?)
-Is mining dangerous for the hardware? (Even with good/low temperatures?)

Below my pc specs:
Software:
-Windows 8.1 X64
-CGMiner 3.7.2
-Latest graphics drivers (catalyst 13.12)

Hardware:
-CPU: Intel Core i5 750 @ 2.67 GHz (4 CPUs)
-Graphics card: ATI Radeon 7950 Sapphire 3GB with boost (11196-19-20G)
-Mainboard: Asus P7P55D
-Memory: GeiL 4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz
-HDD: 500GB
-Power supply: 620 Watt

Config CGMiner 3.7.2:
"intensity" : "19",
"vectors" : "1",
"worksize" : "256",
"kernel" : "scrypt",
"lookup-gap" : "2",
"thread-concurrency" : "24000",
"shaders" : "1792",
"gpu-engine" : "1025",
"auto-fan" : true,
"gpu-memclock" : "1375",
"gpu-powertune" : "20",
"gpu-vddc" : "1.250",
"temp-cutoff" : "90",
"temp-overheat" : "85",
"temp-target" : "75",
"expiry" : "120",
"gpu-threads" : "1",
"queue" : "1",
"scan-time" : "30",
"scrypt" : true,
"kernel-path" : "/usr/local/bin

Picture of wood lifting graphics card:

http://i39.tinypic.com/juy0jn.jpg

[iLiekPai]

Sorry for what happened. About the questions you asked:

My wild guess is that the piece of wood pressured something in the cooler and that led to the burn, but it's just guessing. It is indeed bad luck, 7950 is a great card for mining (people are building farms with it).
The power supply should be OK as long as it's of a decent quality.
Mining should not be dangerous for the card unless the temperatures are high. Yes it does drive the card to 100% usage for prolonged periods of time, but it should be okay.

Good luck next time!

[VCE]

I also think it's bad luck. But the next time I think you should try intensity <=13.
Did the piece of wood damage the card? I don't think so.
Can the card be damaged as a result of a wrong power supply (do you need a bigger power supply?). Yes it's possible but if it's ok with the other card then the problem is not with the PSU. p.s. if the PSU is too week or working at it's limit the one who will be damaged will be the PSU not the graphic card.
Is mining dangerous for the hardware? (Even with good/low temperatures?) - I don't think it's more dangerous then the gaming for example but the most important part for mining it's the system stability and remember that the most destructive factor for each electronic part is high temperature.
So, good luck with the new card and "live long and mine prosper" (like in Star Trek)

[Jcw188]

is the wooden piece something that others have done?  It seems weird, is it needed to hold the card in there?  I would think it may have had something to do with it.  Just pressed on the wrong spot on the card or something.

[RCSpades]

I doubt the wood wrecked it.  Although I would never recommend doing something like that. (have built computers far longer than I have been involved with mining)

Any rattling noise is bad in a computer.  My thought is that the fan was defective.  If you spin the fan with your finger now while it is out of the computer it should spin freely and then kind of bounce a little as it comes to a stop.  Did you buy it used or new.  If its new and there is a receipt there should be no problem getting an exchange. Even if the fan seems fine I would still consider it defective. Any number of parts could have failed.  If you do bring it in...  please don't say you had a piece of wood supporting it.  they will blame that for sure.

[jimmyjimmy]

No mining isnt dangerous for the hardware, buy a fresh cooler

[VCE]

Maybe the noise wasn't from the fan. Maybe it was from the vibrating body? That's why the wood helped.

[Seppelpeters]

I have been mining with a single 7950 since May 2013 on full intensity and ~74 degrees. I did not experience any hardware problems up until now and have made some good profit with it as well. Sorry for your loss.

[ricardo90kaka]

I doubt the wood wrecked it.  Although I would never recommend doing something like that. (have built computers far longer than I have been involved with mining)

Any rattling noise is bad in a computer.  My thought is that the fan was defective.  If you spin the fan with your finger now while it is out of the computer it should spin freely and then kind of bounce a little as it comes to a stop.  Did you buy it used or new.  If its new and there is a receipt there should be no problem getting an exchange. Even if the fan seems fine I would still consider it defective. Any number of parts could have failed.  If you do bring it in...  please don't say you had a piece of wood supporting it.  they will blame that for sure.

I bought it new. I already contacted the customer service two days ago. I told them the fan was making a loud noise/rattling. Now I have to fill in a form and sent it back to them with motivation + graphics card. I will not mention the wood. Just the rattling fan.

[ricardo90kaka]

is the wooden piece something that others have done?  It seems weird, is it needed to hold the card in there?  I would think it may have had something to do with it.  Just pressed on the wrong spot on the card or something.

I saw it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP8Js8d8w6s
(@ 3 minutes)

[Colin Miner]

is the wooden piece something that others have done?  It seems weird, is it needed to hold the card in there?  I would think it may have had something to do with it.  Just pressed on the wrong spot on the card or something.

I saw it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP8Js8d8w6s
(@ 3 minutes)

I wouldn't believe everything you see on youtube, it mostly kids who know nothing.

Why didn't you rest the case on its side so the card was the right way up (PCIe at the base).


The manual for the card says nothing about bits of wood, but it does show how to install the card.