Hello,
 
My GTX 970 is acting up a bit here and on an occasional boot will have graphical artifacts across the screen.  I tried reinstalling drivers using DDU. Its kinda narrowed down to an issue with the VRAM.  Basically, on maybe 1 out 5 boots, maybe 30seconds after logging in the graphical artifacts start on an open window, and 2-3sec later are across all my screens. Restarting the PC fixes the issue (but its not really fixed as it keeps happening).
 
I'm kinda curious, if you would agree on if it is VRAM, and what if anything can be done.  Including anything I could do to increase the life of the card, as I would imagine this will become progressively worse if nothing is done. 
 
The card has no other issues that I have been able to notice.  The card I have now was the replacment EVGA provided after an RMA, so its recertified.  Unfortunately, its past its warranty.
 
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.
 
Photo of the issue: https://i.imgur.com/NbCvOJx.png

may try a older period driver  before  like  10 series support .   I did see later the driver the more little issues I seen  with my 900 cards  [ black screens , flickering , ect ]    353.62 is what I got running now   and 355.82 as alternate  [benches a tad bit higher , but not good for battlefield 2 bad company 2  ] 
 
but your screenshot does look more to hardware related   
then I kinda don't trust latest drivers for older cards   seeing there more geared to the latest cards  and there power profiles and what not 
 
not to say next time I fire up my card wigs out  [ lets hope not ...lol ]  

zeroseoul

Sajin
Baking the gpu may fix your problem.
 
https://www.overclockers.com/the-oven-trick-repairing-your-broken-video-card-with-an-oven/
 
Note: Make sure you bake the card with the die facing up instead of down.

Doesn't this potentially make your oven unusable for food preparation afterward though?

 
you know today its all nontoxic  solder and all used   .   lol.....     [ that's how I see it as you said ]  yum..  maybe after the bake  remove that California  causes cancer  sticker from the part and stick to your oven ?..lol...
 
then you know look at that crap spray like easy off oven cleaner  ,  get a wiff of that and wonder about using it   that's some mean smelling stuff  and peels all that baked on oven mess right off the steel  ...lol...

''Basically, on maybe 1 out 5 boots, maybe 30seconds after logging in the graphical artifacts start on an open window, and 2-3sec later are across all my screens. Restarting the PC fixes the issue''
 
maybe test it in another capable computer  to see if its the card and not say your PSU failing  trying to give peak power at starting things up ?     - I could look at it may not be the card  unless it did it all the time  .  could just let it bop till it fully drops   then bake it as last ditch effort if you eliminated  the rest of your system causing the issue to occur .
 
like I said I do see funkie behavior  with later drivers   and them old ones seen just fine with out issue  .
 
sajin
''That is noted in the article.''
nice of them to do so . most don't on that fix trick  .      
 
I like this
 
''The safest option is to buy a
throw-away toaster oven if you want to do reflowing like this - then you
don’t need to care as you’ll never use the toast oven for food.''
 
go to a thrift shop or goodwill   grab one
 
''Depending on the type of PCB you
are baking it is possible to produce some nasty stuff. The Epoxy used in
FR-4 contains bromine, albeit, the bromine is used as a flame
retardant. If you could heat the oven hot enough, well above the 390F,
its possible to create some nasty stuff to breathe.''
 
https://www.quora.com/Is-baking-a-graphics-card-in-my-oven-dangerous
 
it comes down to what YOU feel is best for YOU  .  
 
just google around the baking thing and read whats said pro and con's   .  then its all on you .
 
me I'd just run the card after I tested it  to insure it was in fact the card or no good resolve for it , and run it  as is till it fails 100%  or grow tired of it  be saving up $ in the mean time and get a new card  .