Another MSI 7970 Lightning BE Problem

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 10:49

New card installed last night, clean fresh install of drivers etc and within 30 secs of hitting desktop the screen started glitching.

Before I start the RMA process I thought I would post here just to see if anybody can shed any light or knows of a simple fix, or indeed if the card is just plain faulty.

Card is fully stock and powered from a 1050W Cooler Master Hybrid PSU.

http://youtu.be/hTV4mk8Y5j8 - quick 1 min video of the problem (excuse quality)!

Seems to run fine in 3d mode - several loops of Heaven with no artifacting but on firing up Crysis 2 for further testing it was glitching on the menu.

pgi947 · 31 Jan 2013 at 11:49

Have you checked what the 2d clocks are doing while in the desktop?

Also what connection are you using on the card and at what resolution and refresh?

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 11:58

U2711 so 2560x1440p @60hz

2d clocks do not appear to spike while it is tearing. The fourth graph line down on the Asus Tweak monitor in the video is the 2d clock and is not jumping as the screen tears. The spikes in the clock on the graph are from the button animation on the webpage that is open.

Edit: Sorry forgot to add am using Displayport - same issue across all 4 outputs on the card.

LtMatt · 31 Jan 2013 at 12:06

Uninstall gpu-tweak and all third party overclock tools , do not keep user settings. Open up CCC and select preferences (top right hand corner) and select restore factory defaults. Restart your pc.

Does it still glitch on the desktop now?

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 12:16

Thanks for input Matt. The card was glitching as soon as it hit desktop initially and no tools were running or loading at startup. I launch everything manually.

They are only present on the vid to show the card running at stock clocks and to monitor 2d clock for spikes.

Not to say I haven't missed something somewhere though so will remove it when I get home and default CCC as you say.

Am a convert to AMD for 7970 but not having much luck at all so far!

pgi947 · 31 Jan 2013 at 12:34

Try a different displayport cable?

I know other seems unlikely but you don't want to end up paying two lots of shipping and a testing charge if it turns out its something other then the card

LtMatt · 31 Jan 2013 at 12:53

Fanatica said:
Thanks for input Matt. The card was glitching as soon as it hit desktop initially and no tools were running or loading at startup. I launch everything manually.

They are only present on the vid to show the card running at stock clocks and to monitor 2d clock for spikes.

Not to say I haven't missed something somewhere though so will remove it when I get home and default CCC as you say.

Am a convert to AMD for 7970 but not having much luck at all so far!

You should avoid all overclock tools for now. They only add to the glitching. You need to find out if your card is faulty.

If you're out of ideas and have tried the above suggestions then you can try this.

Download the Latest AMD Drivers 13.2 beta
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...w_vista64.aspx

Download & install Driver Fusion.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/d4hcii

Un-install any other versions of Afterburner, Trixxx, GPU Tweak etc. Don't want other apps interfering. Do not keep user settings, delete everything.

Uninstall the AMD drivers via Add/Remove Programs.

Restart your pc. Once back into windows run Driver Fusion. Analyse amd and then delete all entries. Restart.

Now you can install the new drivers. Restart.

Get back to the desktop, does it still flicker? Play some games, does it still flicker? If so then you have an issue. If it doesn't flicker then by all means install overclocking tools.

Yaayuh! · 31 Jan 2013 at 13:22

LtMatt said:
You should avoid all overclock tools for now. They only add to the glitching. You need to find out if your card is faulty.

If you're out of ideas and have tried the above suggestions then you can try this.

Download the Latest AMD Drivers 13.2 beta
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...w_vista64.aspx

Download & install Driver Fusion.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/d4hcii

Un-install any other versions of Afterburner, Trixxx, GPU Tweak etc. Don't want other apps interfering. Do not keep user settings, delete everything.

Uninstall the AMD drivers via Add/Remove Programs.

Restart your pc. Once back into windows run Driver Fusion. Analyse amd and then delete all entries. Restart.

Now you can install the new drivers. Restart.

Get back to the desktop, does it still flicker? Play some games, does it still flicker? If so then you have an issue. If it doesn't flicker then by all means install overclocking tools.

+1
Agree on these troubleshooting steps.

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:00

Thanks again Matt - bit of an update.

I just realised I have an old 920 desktop machine at work sitting folding under a desk with an 800w Cooler Master PSU. I have just dropped the card in there connected via DP to HDMI adapter and quickly thrown the drivers on. This is connected to a Dell u2410 so only 1920x1200.

I was about to type that it seems stable but while typing that I have had 4 or 5 flickering episodes.

That rules out the system at home, DP cable and to an extent driver issues as this is a vanilla install on this PC.

Looks like GPU at fault - can't really be anything else?

pgi947 · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:03

Sounds like gpu to me then.

Another machine is always the best way to test for faulty parts.

LtMatt · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:06

Fanatica said:
Thanks again Matt - bit of an update.

I just realised I have an old 920 desktop machine at work sitting folding under a desk with an 800w Cooler Master PSU. I have just dropped the card in there connected via DP to HDMI adapter and quickly thrown the drivers on. This is connected to a Dell u2410 so only 1920x1200.

I was about to type that it seems stable but while typing that I have had 4 or 5 flickering episodes.

That rules out the system at home, DP cable and to an extent driver issues as this is a vanilla install on this PC.

Looks like GPU at fault - can't really be anything else?

Fair do's. Won't hurt to just run by those steps i mentioned on your home machine when you have chance, but yeah its looking like it could well be the gpu. Sorry to hear that.

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:07

Having a run of bad luck here - Asus Matrix 7970 returned a few weeks ago with in game artifacts at stock and now this MSI up the swanny!

Will have a bash at home tonight and if no good will send it back tomorrow - an RMA is already raised.

LtMatt · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:16

Fanatica said:
Having a run of bad luck here - Asus Matrix 7970 returned a few weeks ago with in game artifacts at stock and now this MSI up the swanny!

Third times a charm they say.

Its a damn shame you couldn't get one of these from ocuk, all the cool cats around here have one, they tend to be above average clockers and they only cost (or did only cost at ocuk) £299. :cool:

MSI 7970 OC - £299

Then you can either water cool it or stick an after market cooler on there like the Accelero/Peter.

Failing that you could keep it reference if you like things retro or you like hanging around airport hangers on the off chance you might see a 747 take off.

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 15:41

I had my eye on the MSI for a little while but understood it was voltage locked or single bios (cant remember which). Have been GPU less for nearly 2 weeks (Intel HD3000 ftw) so when the MSI came up - there was a full cover block available and all that lovely juicy VRM power to boot, it was too good a deal to refuse.

If I sell on the Never Settle bundle it is almost down to the same price as the reference model.

opstrat · 31 Jan 2013 at 17:17

Does it flicker more when you run the curser about the desktop?

LtMatt · 31 Jan 2013 at 17:20

Fanatica said:
I had my eye on the MSI for a little while but understood it was voltage locked or single bios (cant remember which). Have been GPU less for nearly 2 weeks (Intel HD3000 ftw) so when the MSI came up - there was a full cover block available and all that lovely juicy VRM power to boot, it was too good a deal to refuse.

If I sell on the Never Settle bundle it is almost down to the same price as the reference model.

Oh dear, it has a dual bios and is (or was

) the only reference unlocked voltage card available.

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 23:34

Hmm I must have mis read somewhere along the lines still never mind - am looking forward to bashing this thing under water.

Update on progress: This problem is entirely down to the 2d clock from what my testing is gathering - after setting a mild OC and running a few heaven loops it has been rock stable when returning to desktop as the card hasn't clocked back again. At 2d clocks it is unstable on desktop - particularly when typing in text boxes such as this and navigating around Firefox.

Have seen a few posts around the web concerning issues around the 2d clocks so is this just a question of accepting and finding a workaround or should I return it?

Is this a general problem with 7970's?

Blitzkrieg · 31 Jan 2013 at 23:40

I'm running a 7970 Lightning BE. I had problems with the 2d clocks my self, only when using the internet/watching videos. I upped my 2d memory clock from 150 to 600. Haven't had any flickering since.

Fanatica · 31 Jan 2013 at 23:41

I'm struggling to find exactly how to raise the 2d clock - I assume through AfterBurner?

Blitzkrieg · 31 Jan 2013 at 23:49

Fanatica said:
I'm struggling to find exactly how to raise the 2d clock - I assume through AfterBurner?

Doesn't require afterburner. This is what I did.

First make sure all folders/files are not hidden.
Created a profile in CCC.
Once I made the profile, I went to C: > Users > (your name/profile) > appdata > Local > ATI > ACE > Profiles > (then the name of what ever your custom profile is).

Open it up with notepad and I searched for this line.
<Feature name="MemoryClockTarget_PCI_VEN_1002&DEV_6798&SUBSYS_30001002&REV_00_4&2ABA1BF6&0&0018A">
<Property name="Want_0" value="15000" />
<Property name="Want_1" value="150000" />
In the Want_0 line I changed the 15000 to 60000, save it. got to CCC and double click your profile and it will kick in.

You can change the core clock as well in the same way, you can up that if you want. Some i've heard have used 500 and 900 as their 2d clocks. I found for me the core clock was fine but the memory at 600 stopped any flickering. Play with it see what works for you.