Non-Nvidia Graphics Card

[Sniper no Sniping]

Ok so i'm doing this thread again because i'm realizing Nvidia cards as a whole probably aren't any good.

What i'm looking for is a good graphics card that is Not Nvidia. It needs to games smoothly, such as Borderlands 2, Planetside 2, Skyrim (I dont play it but it's a good example).

If you've seen my previous help threads, you probably know that my computer has been overheating for a while, and i'm almost certain it's the graphics card now. YES i have installed a second fan to cool it, but it does not completely stop the overheating.

A list of games my computer has overheated on:
Team Fortress 2
Borderlands 2
Planetside 2 (Biggest Overheater)

I wouldn't know if it overheated on other games as i have not played them enough to notice.

On a side note, when my computer overheats, it restarts it's self to prevent any hardware damage. It also usually does this during a game, or maybe after 30 mins to and hour after quitting the game.

[AbkaFlab]

Do you have a certain amount of money you want to spend or what?

[Sniper no Sniping]

Do you have a certain amount of money you want to spend or what?

Under 200

[Boxman]

Do you have a certain amount of money you want to spend or what?

Under 200

Radeon 6770.

[Sniper no Sniping]

Do you have a certain amount of money you want to spend or what?

Under 200

Radeon 6770.

How does it compare to the 5770 (i bought the 5770 a while ago, but didnt work when i tried to install it, my dad recently offered to try to install it again because he thinks he found the problem.)

[AlphaWeeaboo]

What Boxman said ^^
It was the card I was originally gonna get and apparently it can run some newer games pretty decently. Personally I'm about to get a 7770 tomorrow.

[AbkaFlab]

You could probably get a 7850 for $200 which would be far better than a 7770 or 6770.

EDIT:

Heres one for $165 after MIR although its only 1gb. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202004&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

The 2GB one is an extra $20 at $185 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102999&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

[Boxman]

Do you have a certain amount of money you want to spend or what?

Under 200

Radeon 6770.

How does it compare to the 5770 (i bought the 5770 a while ago, but didnt work when i tried to install it, my dad recently offered to try to install it again because he thinks he found the problem.)

Pretty much the same minus a few small upgrades...

But if you can get the 7850 like Abka said, go for it.

[IsYn Wooley]

If your Vid card gets so hot that it causes the system to shut down...you have more problems than just a hot graphics card.

*Airflow
*Overall system cooling

What card do you have right now?

How hot does the card get?

Have you tried maxing the onboard fan with Afterburner or Precision?

Overheating in a game like TF2 sounds like something is off.

Have you tried reapplying TIM to the GPU? maybe add a couple heat sinks to the VRMs.

-Wooley

[Cadaver]

You may have a case cooling problem, instead of a video card problem.

How many case cooling fans?  Which direction are they blowing? Where is the case located?

I suggest this:  The old 5770 card is the SAME card as a 6770. (Basically, the 6770 is a 5770 with a different sticker on it.  Yes, it was that good of a card.) So, buying a 6770 does not make sense. Attempt to reconnect the 5770 you have.

The 7850 is a better card.

Also, look at your power supply.  What brand, model, and wattage is it? 

[Sniper no Sniping]

Ok so big news.

So my computer started overheating, so i went into Safe mode with networking, and it restarted there. Went into Safe mode, and it restarted there too.

This isn't a software problem, i think i need to wipe my harddrive. But there are two problems.

1. I lost the discs with the essential products i need.

2. If i need to re-verify my windows, i don't have my product key. (I bought one for myself, but it for some reason stopped working after a few months, i went to tech support and they gave me a new one free, but they never gave me the actual code)

[Boxman]

Ok so big news.

So my computer started overheating, so i went into Safe mode with networking, and it restarted there. Went into Safe mode, and it restarted there too.

This isn't a software problem, i think i need to wipe my harddrive. But there are two problems.

1. I lost the discs with the essential products i need.

2. If i need to re-verify my windows, i don't have my product key. (I bought one for myself, but it for some reason stopped working after a few months, i went to tech support and they gave me a new one free, but they never gave me the actual code)

Just because you're in safe-mode, it doesn't necessarily mean it's something with software or even a corrupted file in windows. In fact, it's more likely your hardware if that were the case. Also, I can guarantee you that if it WERE software-related, it wouldn't have restarted in safe-mode...

Be aware that if you have a purchased version of something, it is ENTIRELY LEGAL to redownload it through a torrent (Just saying, don't hop on my dick about BLAH BLAH BLAH, IT'S ILLEGAL)

[Sniper no Sniping]

I wouldn't doubt it's a virus, i know i have at least one virus on my computer that seems completely unremovable.

Also i just googled a bit, it looks like theres a program that can show me product keys for some of my things.

[IsYn Wooley]

I wouldn't doubt it's a virus, i know i have at least one virus on my computer that seems completely unremovable.

Also i just googled a bit, it looks like theres a program that can show me product keys for some of my things.

Virus problem...Run ComboFIX

Google it and follow the Bleepingcomputer.com links only...After its done yor virus is fucking gone...or your PC is ready for a nuke.

Also...Boxman is right. In safemode the computer loads with all default drivers nothing else can load up properly. Most viruses can still function at a minimal level in this mode, but your symptoms lean more towards hardware issues.

If you were to take the route of wiping the machine Download Belarc advisor.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Once it is done it will generate a file that will give you just about any software key that is installed on the machine INCLUDING your windows OS serial number.

Or you could spend $15 and upgrade to windows 8 -_-

Anyway I am still all for your hardware is eff'd up.

Do you have onboard graphics on your motherboard? Do you have an older Video card?

Remove the card and try something else and see if you still get shutdowns or lockups.

Go into the BIOS and then go to Hardware Monitor...What is the temp at idle on the CPU?

Now Go back into windows and loadup a program like Core Temp and look at the CPU Temp.

Load up a GPU monitor like EVGA precision or Afterburner and look at the GPU temp.

I know I have been out of the repair business for ahwile, but I would not think that the graphics card overheating would shut the PC down. It would cause a BSOD or make the PC lockup. But the GPU is separate from the CPU. The only component that I know that has thermal sensing to shutdown is the CPU.

Even the Northbridge can cook up a storm and not shut the PC down. It would fry or it would lock the PC way the hell up.

Correct me if I am wrong my PC repair veteran brethren,

-Wooley

[Sniper no Sniping]

I wouldn't doubt it's a virus, i know i have at least one virus on my computer that seems completely unremovable.

Also i just googled a bit, it looks like theres a program that can show me product keys for some of my things.

Virus problem...Run ComboFIX

Google it and follow the Bleepingcomputer.com links only...After its done yor virus is fucking gone...or your PC is ready for a nuke.

Also...Boxman is right. In safemode the computer loads with all default drivers nothing else can load up properly. Most viruses can still function at a minimal level in this mode, but your symptoms lean more towards hardware issues.

If you were to take the route of wiping the machine Download Belarc advisor.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Once it is done it will generate a file that will give you just about any software key that is installed on the machine INCLUDING your windows OS serial number.

Or you could spend $15 and upgrade to windows 8 -_-

Anyway I am still all for your hardware is eff'd up.

Do you have onboard graphics on your motherboard? Do you have an older Video card?

Remove the card and try something else and see if you still get shutdowns or lockups.

Go into the BIOS and then go to Hardware Monitor...What is the temp at idle on the CPU?

Now Go back into windows and loadup a program like Core Temp and look at the CPU Temp.

Load up a GPU monitor like EVGA precision or Afterburner and look at the GPU temp.

I know I have been out of the repair business for ahwile, but I would not think that the graphics card overheating would shut the PC down. It would cause a BSOD or make the PC lockup. But the GPU is separate from the CPU. The only component that I know that has thermal sensing to shutdown is the CPU.

Even the Northbridge can cook up a storm and not shut the PC down. It would fry or it would lock the PC way the hell up.

Correct me if I am wrong my PC repair veteran brethren,

-Wooley

You're probably right, if i remember, the computer has also restarted itself before i got to my computer. Plus the restarts are completely random, i went seemlingly a whole week without it restarting, and just today it has happened maybe 5 times.

I'll do all this a bit later, i'm still not tech savvy so i'll need to be on the phone with my father to do this.