ATI 6950 Crossfire GPU2 0 usage

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 18:25

Hi
I have installed my lovely new 2x 6950's in crossfire, all seem to go very smoothly...untill I play something. PC smelled hot and the card fans where taking off. I installed MSI afterburner to try and diagnose what is occuring and realise that GPU2 is not getting used and GPU1 is doing all the work and getting hot.

I have crossfire enabled but not sure what else I need to check. Any ideas please?

MoodyB · 14 Jan 2011 at 18:39

Have you checked in CCC that Crossfire is enabled ?

edit - sorry was zoomed in and never seen the text below the image

Did you install the crossfire application profiles from here ? :

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx

lollyhayes · 14 Jan 2011 at 18:40

what games are you playing? also are you sure you have crossfire enabled in ati catalyst control center, and a Crossfire bridge installed in the PC?

GJ02 · 14 Jan 2011 at 18:41

happenjs to me now an again too

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 18:51

Thanks for the quick replies.
I got the above results from just using MSI Kombustor, but noticed the heat when playing BFBC2. I have only one of the crossfire bridges installed, and crossfire is indeed enabled in CCC.

I will try installing the suggested profiles, thanks MoodyB

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:09

Doesn't seem to have made any difference.
I am getting temperatures of 94C and a bit worried about burning the card let alone the fact that I may not be fully using the second card.

ashmanuk67 · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:19

What motherboard are you running ? are they both 16X lanes or both 8X ? or main on 16X and the other on 4X

I do not know if it will have that much of an effect i.e HEAT but does seem your first card is doing all the work ??

what does GPUZ say ?

Have you re-seated both cards just to make sure.

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:29

Bizarre, its now showing as working. Maybe the profiles worked after all?
Still really hot at 92C, whats the limit on these things for temp?

There is no gap between the cards at all, so not surprising card 1 gets so hot really.

Motherboard is nothing special -ASRock M3A77ODE

GJ02 · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:46

mine is doing it now
ive always had profiles installed too

Orcvader · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:49

Just remember, always game in full screen. Windowed games only use the first GPU.

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:50

Oh dear, my pc has now keeled over.
Its just shut down and now I can't start it at all. No response.
Not sure if it will start again once its cooled a bit (maybe wishful thinking as it should have been ok by now) or what has failed. There seems to be a light on, on the Ethernet port, but no other signs of life.

MoodyB · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:52

Afaik you don't need both the crossfire bridges installed. One should be enough.

Well it was for the 4xxx % 5xxx series cards anyway.

How's your case cooling ?

Btw if you want to be sure you're running crossfire, grab RadeonPro & create a profile for each of your games.

For each game, or the global profile, enable " display crossfire-x logo on-screen (when applicable ) "

This will stick the Crossfire logo in the top right corner of the screen when its being used.

It'll be annoying to have on all the time, but will at least let you check what titles crossfire is working with.

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 19:59

Case cooling is ok, I have an M9 Thermaltake with fans front, rear and side....all seems a bit irrelevant now as the whole things gone pop. At least I know that crossfire definately is not working at the moment, unfortunately nothing is.

I think the lack of a gap between cards has got to be an issue as I have no idea where the air is going to come from to cool card 1.

First port of call now is to find out what went pop...erm......er.....

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 20:10

Ok I guess if nothing is working at all it is probably the PSU is that correct?

GJ02 · 14 Jan 2011 at 20:16

what psu are you using ?

ashmanuk67 · 14 Jan 2011 at 20:43

If card one got so hot would it of burnt the pci-e slot ? i am sure i read somewhere that the motherboard ATX power connector can burn out ??

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 21:06

I think its called a WIN Power PSU, never heard of them myself. 750W.
I hope its not the MB!!!

Orcvader · 14 Jan 2011 at 21:37

Looks like it's the PSU. I think you chose the wrong PSU for crossfire...

Corky McDuff · 14 Jan 2011 at 22:09

I would have thought 750W would be enough. This just happened to be what was installed at the time. What sort of Wattage do I need to run crossfire then please?

Also, any ideas how I can get the cards to run a bit cooler?

MoodyB · 14 Jan 2011 at 23:26

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18123679

800w+ from a respected brand like Corsair, OCZ, etc... should be enough I would have thought. Or wait on someone running 2x6950's to reply.

A 6950 crossfire pc seems to use around 500w at stock clocks. If they are overclocked near 6970 speeds it'll be closer to 600w going by reviews.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1488/18/

What's the rest of your pc spec ?

Hopefully it's just the psu that's gone pop with the strain of the 2 6950's+rest of pc.