# Artifact detection consistancy question



## G1ZmO (Sep 29, 2005)

I am using ATI TOOL to test multiple cards however I have found that I don't seem to get consistent results.

The cards are being tested at their default clock speeds using the "Scan for artifacts" test only. Testing each card for approx 20 mins.

The problem is that when I find a card which has artifacting, ATI TOOL doesnt consistently detect the failure on subsequent tests of the same card causing me to wonder whether the cards that have passed the initial 20 min test have been reliably tested.

Currently I am retesting 6 cards (9700 Pros) which have shown artifacts in ATI TOOL earlier but not all of them have "reoffended" 

Also, I was advised to try the "Old artifact scanning method" but with this method NONE of the 6 cards failed after an hour of the test.

Is there a reliable test method which I can use to verify the cards and which will consistently detect a suspect card?

Thanks


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## G1ZmO (Oct 12, 2005)

Guess thats a "NO" then?


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## G1ZmO (Oct 12, 2005)

Just to let you know.

I'm now doing a FIND MAX on both GPU and RAM and checking that the final values are at least above the default frequencies.

This method of testing seems to give more consistent results although I have worries about doing this.

Can FIND MAX actually damage the RAM?

The reason I ask is 

Card tested for 20 mins with SCAN FOR ARTIFACTS test - No artifacts detected.

FIND MAX CORE - RAM clock stays at the default and no artifacts are detected until the core has reached its MAX.

Defaults loaded again.

If I then do a FIND MAX MEM test and it gets to the point where artifacts are detected the MAX mem then seems to go down BELOW the default. i.e. it doesnt seem to recover after the artifact detection. 

Subsequent SCAN FOR ARTIFACTS tests at the default frequencies then indicate that the card fails.

So is the card getting damaged by the FIND MAX MEM test?


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## wazzledoozle (Oct 29, 2005)

G1ZmO said:
			
		

> Just to let you know.
> 
> I'm now doing a FIND MAX on both GPU and RAM and checking that the final values are at least above the default frequencies.
> 
> ...



It doesnt do damage because it detects when the chips have reached the beginnings of their limits from detecting artifacts.


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## grazzhoppa (Oct 30, 2005)

Memory chips on the 9700 are clocked close to their theoretical limits already:  3ns = 333mhz, 3.3ns = 303mhz, 3.6ns = 277mhz, so they may be sensitive.

You could try testing the memory before doing the Find Max Core, to see if the heat given off by the core is affecting the memory.  It's easy to forget how small and close together the parts of a computer are and the heat they put out.

My softmodded 9500 has 3.3ns chips which can only do 285mhz when the core is overclocked.  But with the default core speed the memory can go up to 295.  

You can also change how ATItool handles the artifacts with the slider at the bottom of this screen






all the way to the left makes ATItool lower the clockspeed during the Find Max scan when _any_ artifact appears.  The more you move it to the right, the more lenient ATItool will be in allowing the clock speed to go up or remain the same even if a few artifacts appear.

And be aware of the temperature of the environment you're testing it at.  Testing a card in the late afternoon after the sun has been shining inside the room all day will raise the overall temperature...


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## ShadowFlare (Nov 1, 2005)

grazzhoppa said:
			
		

> ...
> 
> And be aware of the temperature of the environment you're testing it at.  Testing a card in the late afternoon after the sun has been shining inside the room all day will raise the overall temperature...


If you are not just overclocking to see how high it will go, but for increased performance when you play games, then you SHOULD do the overclock testing at the hottest time.  This way the overclock won't make it overheat when it gets to that time of the day since that is the temperature it was tested at.


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## G1ZmO (Nov 2, 2005)

The point of my test is to filter out borderline faulty cards which are at or near their limits at default clock speeds.

I have implimented a procedure where the cards are atrifact tested at a small % overclock in order to weed out borderline cards.

Seems to be working quite well now


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