MSI GT70 2PC ISSUE!

I purchased the MSI GT70 2PC Dominator seven months ago brand new. Every component in the notebook was stock with all original specs. When I received the notebook I added a 250gb ssd as primary and switched the 1tb to secondary, and added 8gb more of ram. I know the 870m is a decent card but I wanted better so I researched if I could upgrade it and I came across this thread: - http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-official-msi-gt60-70-970m-980m-upgrade-thread.765058/ - I purchased the 970m from RJtech.com and followed the tutorial to the letter. In the beginning of testing and benchmarking I used the original thermal pads that came with 870m and some that came from RJTech in the same fashion as stated in the thread. I applied PK-3 Nano Aluminum thermal grease to the CPU and the GPU in the proper way by putting a small amount in the center of the chip and allowing it to spread naturally. I stress tested using 3DMark11 several times and posted results and a member informed me that my card was throttling. I purchased a sheet of Fujipoly 0.5mm 11mk/w, cut them to size and place the pads in the same manner as before and throttling issues were resolved. I haven't gamed as much as I would like on my GT70 due to work, but when I do I use MSI Afterburner so that I can have an on screen display of my temps, framerate, and so that I know the card is at a safe temp giving me a guideline to turn on the turbo fan. The load that is on my GPU when not gaming may be from 1) I use a vpn which isn't always on but when it is operating it stays on for 1-2 days but more frequently 1-4 hours, 2) I use Plex media server to share movies and tv shows with a (few) friends and family members, or 3) I never turn off the Notebook w/ the 970m as preferred GPU. I have the Notebook connected to power at all times with the battery in (I know that the battery suffers over time so I purchased a second one used specifically for mobile). Now you know the operating schedule of my Notebook I need to inform you of my idle temps and the issue at hand. My idle temps are 50-52 degrees Celsius and the issue is that when the GPU is under load and temps get past 65 degrees Celsius I hear static and then the sound becomes muffled and then stops completely. This happens every time now and has happened on YouTube, Netflix, and Pandora but not as often as gaming due to less load on the GPU. I have researched this a bit and found that the problem could be from the power adapter, a failing GPU, or what I believe is the most likely, the Realtek chip may be damaged. It is located directly under the GPU. Just recently I disassembled the Notebook to reapply thermal grease and I put a 0.5mm pad over the Realtek chip (alc892) and assembled the Notebook to find the problem hasn't resolved. I understand that the damage could already be done and my best alternative would be to buy a new motherboard but I want feedback to see if there is something I am missing. I have reinstalled realtek drivers to no avail and tried a different AC adapter. I am running Windows 7.

 

Have you tried swapping back to the previous GPU and see if it's alright?
Do you have another AC adapter to test with? But I doubt it being the culprit.
If it's motherboard then the best source to purchase one is thru MSI directly.

 

I sold my 870m. I only used a different cord. I don't have another brick. Is this issue normal for dying GPU's?

 

It could be GPU, and I have seen a dying HDD done that too.

 

I keep testing with games periodically and once it happens I kill the process but it only takes 5-10 minutes to hit 65 degrees and it starts low with the static and gradually fades out within seconds. When I exit the game the static remains for at least ten seconds more. It is definitely caused by the GPU getting hot, but do you believe it could be the Realtek chip? Is there any way that I can test its continuity? I want to be sure of the problem so that I can fix it promptly. I won't benchmark or test a game from here on due to the possibility of causing more unwanted damage. I know that my warranty is void so this will be me coming out of pocket. I don't want to have to buy things I don't need so when I fix it I do it right the first time. Is there is a way for me to assess the damage with almost certainty of what is causing this headache?

 

In this case, since there are multiple possibilities it's difficult to pinpoint to the root cause.
I highly recommend to pass this to MSI service center for best outcome since they have all of the resources available to perform this troubleshooting.