7970 crossfire, GPU 1 auto underclocking?

[KareBox]

So I've been trying to figure out why my gpu usage in crossfire is random. I usually get 99% GPU 1 and 55ish% gpu 2.
I get this in most games/benchmarks I've tried: (Guild wars 2, F1 2012, Nexuis, Co4, Unigine.) Furmarks is about all I can get 99% on both with.

After searching, I found in amd overdrive that when playing these games, my core clock is only at 575 on GPU 1 and at 1050 on gpu 2 which would explain why gpu 2 can't get more usage.

My temps are fine all over so I see no reason it would be going to its 2D clocks for that.

Basically I have no clue how to go about fixing this so any help would be appreciated. I have already tried newest drivers and some older ones.

 

[Rusty0611]

Have you installed the CAPs as well?

 

[KareBox]

Have you installed the CAPs as well?

Yes. I had the newest then tried few older ones and had no change.

I don't really understand CAPs, they just seem like crossfire profiles? One of the first thing I tried after google told me to.

 

[Rusty0611]

Are your games running in windowed mode? Crossfire doesn't work in windowed mode.

Can you use MSI Afterburner, enable the on screen display and monitor the clock speeds and usages while in Heaven 3.0 and with full screen enabled?

Post a screenie if you can.

The other games you play that you mentioned would run butter smooth on one 7970 so they aren't the best barometer of crossfire performance as you'll find both GPUs won't max out on less demanding games.

CAPs are Catalyst Application Profiles and contain your crossfire profiles as well as updated profiles for single GPU set ups as well.

 

[KareBox]

Are your games running in windowed mode? Crossfire doesn't work in windowed mode.

Can you use MSI Afterburner, enable the on screen display and monitor the clock speeds and usages while in Heaven 3.0 and with full screen enabled?

Post a screenie if you can.

The other games you play that you mentioned would run butter smooth on one 7970 so they aren't the best barometer of crossfire performance as you'll find both GPUs won't max out on less demanding games.

CAPs are Catalyst Application Profiles and contain your crossfire profiles as well as updated profiles for single GPU set ups as well.

Here's a screen of my secondary display while unigine is on primary:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i4m1ia41s2bc6bb/screen.png

Afterburner is giving me grief but I'll update this if I get the osd to work right.

Edit: Still can't get my gpu 2 clocks in the osd, but gpu 1 is the trouble anyways.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n1qiwv9tkdhvi2s/heaven 2013-01-29 14-48-53-55.png

If Crossfire is disabled the card will use its high performance clocks. Just not in crossfire, but the second gpu does...

 

[Rusty0611]

Here's a screen of my secondary display while unigine is on primary:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i4m1ia41s2bc6bb/screen.png

Afterburner is giving me grief but I'll update this if I get the osd to work right.

Edit: Still can't get my gpu 2 clocks in the osd, but gpu 1 is the trouble anyways.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n1qiwv9tkdhvi2s/heaven 2013-01-29 14-48-53-55.png

If Crossfire is disabled the card will use its high performance clocks. Just not in crossfire, but the second gpu does...

D'oh. It looks like you've got the clock speeds set at 575 in AMD CCC via overdrive. To be honest I would disable overdrive completely and use MSI AB for monitoring. You don't even need to overclock them for starters but getting them running at maximum speed would be an improvement.

You didn't answer regarding windowed mode, are you running the 3D applications full screen? Also could you try unplugging the second monitor and then just using the OSD to monitor temporarily just to rule that out?

Edit: you could try temporarily disabling ULPS as well.

 

[KareBox]

D'oh. It looks like you've got the clock speeds set at 575 in AMD CCC via overdrive. To be honest I would disable overdrive completely and use MSI AB for monitoring. You don't even need to overclock them for starters but getting them running at maximum speed would be an improvement.

You didn't answer regarding windowed mode, are you running the 3D applications full screen? Also could you try unplugging the second monitor and then just using the OSD to monitor temporarily just to rule that out?

Edit: you could try temporarily disabling ULPS as well.

I've never tried to overclock the cards. I only started looking through the overdrive settings trying to find out why they weren't getting usage. Not sure why they weren't just on default.

I've got it working now by updating my nvidia drivers... I use an old card for hybrid physx. I updated too the newest nvidia drivers (haven't tried to use hybrid physx with them yet) and my clocks go to high performance mode again.