odd GPU crashes

[imperialreign]

I've been having a really odd GPU related issue here . . .

every now and then, my screen will go either white or black, and the system hangs. Sometimes, it'll recover and then I'll get a pop up from VPU recover saying it had to restart the GPU. Othertimes, I'll BSoD with references to different ATI drivers.

I have yet for this to happen in any game, it only happens when the system is at mostly idle (browsing inet, desktop, etc).

I don't have crossfire enabled for idle purposes, that only goes on if I intend to game or benchmark.

both cards are using a flashed BIOS - idle 2D speeds of 400/600; 3D speeds of 837/1251.

I'm thinking the issue might be due to the low 2D speeds I have set, but I'm not sure; any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

[AsRock]

I know my v card is different but i run my 2D at 420 without issue's. Maybe a bad flash ?.
Any chance you use RivaTuner as that has coursed so many issue's for me.

[HTC]

I've been having a really odd GPU related issue here . . .

every now and then, my screen will go either white or black, and the system hangs. Sometimes, it'll recover and then I'll get a pop up from VPU recover saying it had to restart the GPU. Othertimes, I'll BSoD with references to different ATI drivers.

I have yet for this to happen in any game, it only happens when the system is at mostly idle (browsing inet, desktop, etc).

I don't have crossfire enabled for idle purposes, that only goes on if I intend to game or benchmark.

both cards are using a flashed BIOS - idle 2D speeds of 400/600; 3D speeds of 837/1251.

I'm thinking the issue might be due to the low 2D speeds I have set, but I'm not sure; any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

Seeing as it only happens in idle, i would agree that the low speeds are in fact the reason why you keep getting crashes.

[oli_ramsay]

I think it's too low GPU clock too definately. I got the same sort of issues when trying to downclock my old x850xt, so I could run it in 2d mode passively.

[erocker]

I'm quite sure it's the bios you flashed to your cards. I've encountered the same problem on three different 3870's. Most likely the voltages in the bios you flashed are different from the stock bios and I believe this causes the problems. You may be better off trying to use your stock bios and change the clock settings using RBE.

[imperialreign]

I'm quite sure it's the bios you flashed to your cards. I've encountered the same problem on three different 3870's. Most likely the voltages in the bios you flashed are different from the stock bios and I believe this causes the problems. You may be better off trying to use your stock bios and change the clock settings using RBE.

that's what I did, I used RaBit to nab the BIOS, then I used RBE to edit it and save it under a differnet name; used WinFlash to flash both cards (cause I'm crazy like that, and too damn lazy to do a DOS flash :p). never touched the voltage settings, only the clocks and fan.

Still, BIOS could've been partially corrupted.

I think I'll bump the 2D clocks up a bit and reflash the cards - 500/600 should be alright, I'd imagine . . . at worst I could always just reset 2D clocks back to original default of 800/1170


I know my v card is different but i run my 2D at 420 without issue's. Maybe a bad flash ?.
Any chance you use RivaTuner as that has coursed so many issue's for me.


I don't use RivaTuner except for double checking what other software is reading; I use ATiTool for checking stability of OCs, and ATT in place of CCC.

[erocker]

Remeber too, with Powerplay if your not crossfire enabled, number 1 card will lower to 2d clocks while number 2 will still run at 837/1200.

[imperialreign]

Remeber too, with Powerplay if your not crossfire enabled, number 1 card will lower to 2d clocks while number 2 will still run at 837/1200.

I forgot all about that feature on these cards; but, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the 2nd GPU ran at an idle state when crossfire was disabled :confused:

[ace80]

I doubt your gpu clock is causing the crash as mine reverts to 300mhz in 2D. The mem clocks on the other hand don't lower in 2D for me so that could be the prob?

[AsRock]

I don't use RivaTuner except for double checking what other software is reading; I use ATiTool for checking stability of OCs, and ATT in place of CCC.

Well i thought i'd say as it crashes my games a lot if i need to minimize a game which i find i do more than i actually thought.

System just cuts down to 145w usage when it does it which is 150w less than it should be. And i am 100% it's RivaTuner as when i turn it off it never happens.

[erocker]

I forgot all about that feature on these cards; but, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the 2nd GPU ran at an idle state when crossfire was disabled :confused:

It didn't for me using XP or Vista. With crossfire enabled, they both use 2d mode, with just one enabled, the 2nd card would stay locked at 3d clocks.

[imperialreign]

It didn't for me using XP or Vista. With crossfire enabled, they both use 2d mode, with just one enabled, the 2nd card would stay locked at 3d clocks.

I didn't realize that . . . did you ever have any issues with both cards running different clocks at idle?

[imperialreign]

sorry for the double post - update;

I went back to the original ROM that was taken off the cards the day I installed them, and changed only the 3D clocks to 837/1251, and adjusted fan settings - everything else was left original spec; flashed both cards to this BIOS, still having the same issue. :mad:

I'd attach a copy of the BIOS I currently have flashed to these cards, but I don't see the attachment button :confused:

[intel igent]

sorry if i missed it, but do you have an extra PSU you can try?

[imperialreign]

sorry if i missed it, but do you have an extra PSU you can try?

not just yet . . . but I didn't think much on the PSU as I don't have any problems with system lock ups or crashes when I'm gaming

[erocker]

I didn't realize that . . . did you ever have any issues with both cards running different clocks at idle?

I did, however it seems the problems were due to the bios' or overclock I was using, not necessarily from having crossfire disabled. Try running the cards at stock speeds to see if the problem persists. If it does, perhaps some other piece of hardware may be the culprit.

[intel igent]

not just yet . . . but I didn't think much on the PSU as I don't have any problems with system lock ups or crashes when I'm gaming

was just a thought seeing as your spec's list a hiper as your PSU......

have you tried different driver's at all?

[imperialreign]

was just a thought seeing as your spec's list a hiper as your PSU......

have you tried different driver's at all?

I've gone back and forth between 8.2 and 8.5; considering the re-flash I did a little bit ago didn't make a difference, I'm thinking I might try a clean install and see how that goes


I did, however it seems the problems were due to the bios' or overclock I was using, not necessarily from having crossfire disabled. Try running the cards at stock speeds to see if the problem persists. If it does, perhaps some other piece of hardware may be the culprit.

I tried re-flashing the cards back to stock idle speeds, but still having the same issue. As to other hardware, come to think of it, that could be a possibility on the on-board WiFi. I had to remove my PCI adapter to install these two cards, which left me having to use onboard instead. I should check ASUS' site and see if there's any updated drivers available.

[erocker]

I've found that an unstable NB or RAM can affect your gpu's as well.

[imperialreign]

I've found that an unstable NB or RAM can affect your gpu's as well.

sure, entirelly reasonable without a doubt . . . but do you think it could be so only at idle and never under load? That's a little confusing to me :confused:

[erocker]

sure, entirelly reasonable without a doubt . . . but do you think it could be so only at idle and never under load? That's a little confusing to me :confused:

It can happen! I ususally find that any game running in steam (TF2 PVKII from my experience) will inevitably crash the system as well with an unstable OC.

[imperialreign]

It can happen! I ususally find that any game running in steam (TF2 PVKII from my experience) will inevitably crash the system as well with an unstable OC.

hmmm . . . perhaps running memtest for the next 12+ hours might be in order, then . . . that would at least narrow any problems down to the DRAM and MCH . . .

I've been playing Crysis a lot this weekend, though, with no issues; but I guess anything is a possibility sometimes . . .

[intel igent]

out of curiousity have you had a look in this thread?

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=51219

[HTC]

hmmm . . . perhaps running memtest for the next 12+ hours might be in order, then . . . that would at least narrow any problems down to the DRAM and MCH . . .

I've been playing Crysis a lot this weekend, though, with no issues; but I guess anything is a possibility sometimes . . .

Memtest isn't enough: sometimes, a system passes Memtest but still crashes due to RAM config. Ask erocker: he had problems with steam games and it turned out to be the RAM, even though it passed Memtest (unless i miss understood).

Try prime95 with blend, using the lowest multi available to your processor and run it for @ least 4 hours (you can test your RAM without testing the whole PC, plus it lowers the temps during the test).

If it passes this test, your RAM should rock solid.

[imperialreign]

Memtest isn't enough: sometimes, a system passes Memtest but still crashes due to RAM config. Ask erocker: he had problems with steam games and it turned out to be the RAM, even though it passed Memtest (unless i miss understood).

Try prime95 with blend, using the lowest multi available to your processor and run it for @ least 4 hours (you can test your RAM without testing the whole PC, plus it lowers the temps during the test).

If it passes this test, your RAM should rock solid.

I can understand it, but with it only happening at idle states, makes it harder to pin down, y'know?

If I could get the system to burp at me just once under load, I could pin it down :banghead:

[HTC]

I can understand it, but with it only happening at idle states, makes it harder to pin down, y'know?

If I could get the system to burp at me just once under load, I could pin it down :banghead:

I'm puzzled by that as well :confused:

Have you tried a fresh install?

I had this (http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=60109) problem (look @Everest volt's "section") and a fresh install fixed it.

Maybe it can do the same for your problem!

[erocker]

Have you tried just running one card for a while to see if one of your cards may be causing the problem?

[HTC]

Have you tried just running one card for a while to see if one of your cards may be causing the problem?

Try erocker's first: if it is the problem, there's no need for a re-install (if you haven't tried one already, that is), right?

[imperialreign]

Have you tried just running one card for a while to see if one of your cards may be causing the problem?

I'm considering it; seeing as how everything currently still checks out; my plan of attack this weekend will be to first clean the ATI drivers out completely, and try re-installing them per recommended by Dr. Spanky in the crossfire thread. I've never had to do that, but not to say that something isn't buggared in System32 as well.

If I still have issues from there, I'll try running one card at a time and see if it's one specific. Granted they are VisionTek units, but I've never had a problem with their stuff (aside from the fact that they are BB and CC whores).

In the meantime, I'm trying to see if it's one specific program or application causing errors - I'm kinda getting the feeling it's due to the onboard wifi constantly changing it's speed rate due to how far away the router is - I'm going try running simple, low-load applications with the adapter disabled, see how that goes.