Hey everyone, I just picked up a used Zotac 3060 Ti from Facebook Marketplace for £180, hoping to upgrade from my old GTX 970. I didn't get to test it properly beforehand, and now I'm worried I made a bad purchase. The GPU looks fine physically, but I've been dealing with crashes related to nvlddmkm.sys (event ID 153). I've tried several games like Control and Borderlands 3, and they crash after about 30 minutes. I ruled out my CPU and OS since I tried the GPU in my partner's PC with the same results. Has anyone faced similar issues? I haven't yet re-pasted the GPU since the temperatures seem okay, but I'm at a loss here. What are my options if this is indeed a faulty card?
5 Answers
Before resorting to a repaste, try uninstalling Destiny 2 and running DDU to completely wipe the graphics drivers. Then, reinstall the drivers and Destiny 2. Given that the crash occurs in specific scenarios, it might be related to shaders or assets from your old card.
Sometimes, just a repasting and reseating can work wonders. If the thermal paste is old or not applied correctly, it could lead to issues. I had a similar problem with my 1050 Ti, and once I cleaned and reapplied the paste, it ran like new! Good luck with whatever you decide to try.
One thing that might help is undervolting the GPU; it worked for others with this issue. Also, what kind of power supply are you using? It’s important to ensure your PSU can handle the 3060 Ti’s power requirements—it's quite a leap from the GTX 970!
I suggest testing the VRAM too. If the card was used for mining, it might have VRAM issues. That could be a repairable problem if that’s the case!
Repasting might not fix the issue, but it doesn’t hurt to try if you have some paste lying around. Considering the age of the card, it’s definitely worth a shot!
Yeah, the 3060 Ti does draw significantly more power than the 970.