Upgraded GPU... flickering now.

[PP Mguire]

Ok well I think it's time to ask for full specs and what exactly you're trying to do when this occurs. You've said this doesn't happen when the card is in another machine so that leaves that out, your other card does it slightly too. So basically all I can think of is something is up with your PSU or CPU now or it could be something as silly as a bad cable. I doubt it though if it doesn't do it anywhere else.

 

[Chakra]

This was a hand-me-down computer from my brother and he prebought it long ago, with I think two - three upgrades.

CPU: Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q8300 (4M Cache, 2.50 GHz)
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 500W EA500
GPU: nVidia 650 Ti (2 GB)
Motherboard: ASUS P5N73-AM LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 7050 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Memory: *Unknown brand* 4 GB (Single channel) 333.3 MHz DDR2
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"

My friend it might be either the CPU or motherboard. Every cable is tight and secure, except when my bro broke off the "hinge" thing on the slot, but the card still connects tight.

 

[PP Mguire]

When was the last time the heatsink on the CPU was cleaned and had new paste put on? Those things can get toasty under the stock heatsink.

 

[Chakra]

Several months ago. I'll go about cleaning and putting new paste on this week and report back the results!

 

[PP Mguire]

Yea the Q8200 I have sitting next to me gets toasty warm even with a freshly cleaned stock heatsink and some AS5. Could be it right there.

 

[-RockMan-]

This was a hand-me-down computer from my brother and he prebought it long ago, with I think two - three upgrades.

CPU: Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q8300 (4M Cache, 2.50 GHz)
PSU: Antec Earthwatts 500W EA500
GPU: nVidia 650 Ti (2 GB)
Motherboard: ASUS P5N73-AM LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 7050 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Memory: *Unknown brand* 4 GB (Single channel) 333.3 MHz DDR2
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"

Sounds like an issue of this:
1.Memory: *Unknown brand* 4 GB (Single channel) 333.3 MHz DDR2

2.Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"

Shut down your machine, take out the ram copy the ram serial number on the back or front and bring it back here.
I'll look up that info myself and help get you something better.
Also this might be wrong, but how long have you had your sata cables ?
It may be old and starting to die out, the only it time happens is what you mentioned lags and stutters too much.

I had that issue with sata cables beginning to wear out in the past and now again at xmas time 2013.
Your issue sounds abit simliar to mine, thats why I mentioned it. :/

 

[Chakra]

I applied thermal paste and it is the same.

It looks like my Windows lied to me lol. I took out the RAM and it turns out I have 2 2GB sticks.
"2 x Crucial CT25664AA667 2GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 memory module"

The hard drive I am replacing as it said it was going to fail (pop up messages from Windows). As I replace it and reinstall everything I have a few questions;

Could it be my old mobo with the new card? Or can it be because I broke the little clip/hook thing that holds the card more securely with the pcie slot? I mean, I'm not moving it like a car so it shouldn't be the problem? It stays secure when I try to lightly move it around.

 

[PP Mguire]

Flickering won't be the HDD and I doubt it's the RAM.

It'll either be from lack of power, CPU, or something going bad on the motherboard since you've tried everything else.

 

[Chakra]

Flicker - YouTube here is a youtube video of a vlc video. It is much worse on youtube.

A 500w psu should be sufficient should it not? I'm hoping to upgrade soon, but I only use this desktop on the weekends when i'm home from school, which is why I haven't upgraded immediately already.

 

[PP Mguire]

Yes it should be fine but could also be feeding bad power. Not likely, but just one of the scenarios it could be. Have you tried a different monitor on this PC?