Hi, I received a full EK water loop for Christmas and I've installed everything properly regarding the rest of the system. The problem is when I boot into windows i'm getting a code 43 error in device manager and artifacting on the black windows logo just before the windows user name screen and also after trying DDU in safe mode to uninstall drivers and then reinstall the latest drivers I get a black screen with artifacting. The card is identified in my bios PCI slot it says something like "NVIDIA GPU" and also it is clearly shown in device manager I just spent the last two days and today googling and trying different solutions other people have had success with. I hope I didn't kill my card but i'm fully expecting I did as it was perfect before the swap, i'm already very upset i'm having this issue. As of now i'm typing this on my PC using the integrated graphics or whatever the default driver is when the GPU isn't detected.
 
I'm competent with PCs and any info you need I can get or get with some help. I did make sure I put thermal paste on, and all the thermal pads where they needed to go on the VRMs and such from the EK Vector kit and with the new back plate from EK. 
 
The artifacting only occurs when I try to install the latest nvidia driver, and sometimes on boot during the black screen with blue windows logo. Other than this issue my PC is fully usable and i'm using it right now to type this, just stuck with an awful resolution and most likely a dead GPU now.
 
Some basic hardware info, Windows 10 x64 on 1903, i9-9900k, 2080 Ti XC Ultra, EVGA 1000 G+, 32GB RAM.
 
Thanks for any help, I've already sent a support ticket and provided my invoice etc but I just want to keep trying new options until I hear from EVGA. 

The PCI-E slot is clicking into place, i'm using a certified DP 1.2 cable off of amazon. I checked that all my power cables from the PSU and going out were seated properly especially the GPU. Still persists. 

I figured.. not sure what I did. I took my time, re read the instructions twice and re confirmed with the pictures and a couple different videos before I mounted in the PCIE slot and hooked it up to power and the tubing. That's unfortunate. If they allow me to get an RMA, i'm gonna have to re do this process to get the block on it so I hope to have better luck.
 
Still going to see what EVGA CS says about this. 

About to leave for work, I can try it tomorrow morning when I get home. Question, is it possible that because the card doesn't detect the fans its turning itself off? I know you detach a cable from the stock cooler, is that for RGB or something else?

Sajin
Try putting the stock cooler back on to see if that will fix your problem.

+1
You mentioned you got a full EK water loop for Christmas. I assume that to mean it included a EK full coverage water block for your graphics card.
 
As Sajin said, put the stock cooler back on and if card works fine with stock cooler, something happened with the mounting of the water block when you installed it (short or something grounded).

Update:
 
I first chose to re do the water block completely. I DDU'd the drivers, made it all clean and shut down. I took out the card, disassembled it completely, applied new thermal paste and ensured the pads were where they were suppose to be. I did not see any noticeable damage that a casual like me could easily tell. I put the card back in, made sure it clicked into the PCI-E slot, power cables clicked in and started it up and installed the drivers. Still artifacts once the adapter from the GPU is taking over i'm assuming during the driver install. 
 
Next I re did the same process, put the stock air cooler and back plate on with the appropriate thermal pads etc. Plugged it in, ensured everything clicked. Power on, fans on and RGB so I get a little excited to see they work. I start installing the driver and same thing, artifacts when installing the driver. Precision X1 won't open and display the card, GPU-Z shows the card and all info but for the GPU clock and memory clock, it is all zero MHz. Really sad, I don't know how or what I did to possibly cause this or if maybe the card was on its way out anyways. 
 
EVGA CS got back to me today and said to try the air cooler. I'm gonna reply back now with what happened. 

I did that with the water block on yesterday before posting here. I'll try it again with the air cooler on. 

Rma time.

Most likely just a faulty card.

No problem.

Those blue artic thermal pads. I had to put these in to replace the EK ones because the EK's were all screwed up from the last card from me putting it back together constantly and then eventually RMAing so I lost some pads to the last card so it could RMA.
 
I got mixed up on the packaging and put for example a 0.5 where the 1.0 should be on the chokes for example and it was barely not making contact but if you looked at it from the side I thought it was cause the chokes were seated inside the milling of the block.
 
Anyways, very happy now. Idling at about ~33C but we have the heater on in the house this morning so lol.