MSI R9 290X Lightning Critical Bug Can Cause Burned Out Cards – Fans Stop Working After Catalyst 14.

Gregster · 15 Apr 2014 at 05:40

[Report] At Hawaii’s launch there were multiple jokes about it running too hot. Well, if you are an MSI R9 290X Lightning owner then the joke might become a harsh reality for you. It turns out that a bug that ails only the 290X Lightning’s stops both side fans from working, causing severe heating issues. We were first notified of this critical malfunction by reader Greg Mann and a simple forum search revealed that the problem was rampant in practically every MSI Lightning (R9 290X) out there. At the time of writing, AMD has been notified of the problem.
Lightning R9 290X Catalyst 14.3 Fan Bug Overheating
Catalyst 14.3 Beta Drivers causes critical fan malfunction in MSI Lightning R9 290X
Catalyst 14.3 Driver Issue causes Side Fans of the MSI R9 290X Lightning to Stop Working
Thankfully however, from what we can see in the forum responses at least, all owners noticed the problem quickly enough and stopped any GPU intensive activity while downgrading to a safe Catalyst version. It is worth noting here that the Catalyst 14.3 is a BETA driver and AMD has warned about bugs like this on practically every documentation available. However from a cursory glance this issue has been prevalent in even 14.2 BETA drivers. Here is the hierarchy of the problem:
Catalyst 14.3: Causes critical malfunction of side fans not functioning and middle fan locked at 30%. Manual override using MSI Afterburner or Catalyst Control Not possible. The result is almost certain damage to the GPU if it is put under continuous, heavy load.
Catalyst 14.2: Causes the auto feature to malfunction, resulting in the side fans not spinning up and increasing RPM when GPU is put under load. The result is inadequate cooling and overheating. Manual override is possible.
Catalyst 13.12: Everything works fine.
However, it seems that the Lightning’s safety mechanisms are still working and causes the R9 290X to crash when overheating past a critical value; although even that wont save the card if it is repeated extensively. One thing is for sure though, if you are the owner of an MSI R9 290X Lightning then be sure to downgrade to a lower Catalyst till AMD fixes the bug. This is exactly why the version preceding BETA drivers is called the ‘stable version’. If we hear anything from AMD apart from an acknowledgment we will let you know.

Read more: http://wccftech.com/msi-r9-290x-lig...p-working-catalyst-14-3-update/#ixzz2yvWRS49w

Update:

MSI have been quick with this and asked could user's with the issue install this BIOS please
http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R9_290X_LIGHTNING.html#/?div=Utility&os=All

Martini1991 · 15 Apr 2014 at 07:51

Nvdia at it again!

triss · 15 Apr 2014 at 07:58

Good info for anyone with one of the affected cards, hope it gets sorted soon for them

RetrogamerX · 15 Apr 2014 at 08:19

That's all I read about on this board. AMD Issues left and right?

Kaapstad · 15 Apr 2014 at 08:29

Now would be a good time to buy up some cheap MSI 290X lightnings and put waterblocks on them.

Parabellum · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:10

AMD 94 degree Celsius operating temperature and a noise level twice that of Nvidia’s GTX 780. Coming into summer now & I expect to read about more AMD GPU clock throttling, Blackscreens, Screaming fans.

Reference AMD cards hit 94C in less than two minutes and stays locked there. This would turn the inside of your pc into an oven.

Now they have released a driver stopping the fans from working - Definitely NOT the way it's meant to be played... :eek:

Hope they fix this fast

elmuzzy66. · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:11

Awaits the ' but nv had a driver that burned cards.

Final8y · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:12

I was wondering why just that card.

Triple PWM fans with Independent Control System on Advanced Thermal Design.

http://uk.msi.com/product/vga/R9_290X_LIGHTNING.html

We were first notified of this critical malfunction by reader Greg Mann

.

Catalyst 14.3: Causes critical malfunction of side fans not functioning and middle fan locked at 30%. Manual override using MSI Afterburner or Catalyst Control Not possible. The result is almost certain damage to the GPU if it is put under continuous, heavy load.

Catalyst 14.2: Causes the auto feature to malfunction, resulting in the side fans not spinning up and increasing RPM when GPU is put under load.

The result is inadequate cooling and overheating. Manual override is possible.

Catalyst 13.12: Everything works fine.

Read more: http://wccftech.com/msi-r9-290x-lig...p-working-catalyst-14-3-update/#ixzz2ywQ300hb

I wounder how Gregster quote is different from the article.

triss · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:15

Might be more a MSI issue than AMD's hard to know

TheRealDeal · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:15

Parabellum said:
AMD 94 degree Celsius operating temperature and a noise level twice that of Nvidia’s GTX 780. Coming into summer now & I expect to read about more AMD GPU clock throttling, Blackscreens, Screaming fans.

Reference AMD cards hit 94C in less than two minutes and stays locked there. This would turn the inside of your pc into an oven.

Now they have released a driver stopping the fans from working - Definitely NOT the way it's meant to be played...
Hope they fix this fast

No I expect like all cards the fans will just ramp up more to compensate for the higher temperatures in the summer.

pgi947 · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:19

Final8y said:
I was wondering why just that card.

http://uk.msi.com/product/vga/R9_290X_LIGHTNING.html

I'll try dig the post up but I'm sure a fella on here reported this last week, only the center small fan was spinning up under load.

Feel quite bad for MSI, they've had a bucket load of issues especially with their amd cards for the last 2 generations.

Final8y · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:29

pgi947 said:
I'll try dig the post up but I'm sure a fella on here reported this last week, only the center small fan was spinning up under load.

Feel quite bad for MSI, they've had a bucket load of issues especially with their amd cards for the last 2 generations.

Yes i read it last week.

Gregster · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:34

I feel I am and was doing a good thing. If I owned or intended on owning this card, I would be grateful for this info.

Final8y · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:34

Catalyst 14.3 Driver Issue causes Side Fans of the MSI R9 290X Lightning to Stop Working
Thankfully however, from what we can see in the forum responses at least, all owners noticed the problem quickly enough and stopped any GPU intensive activity while downgrading to a safe Catalyst version. It is worth noting here that the Catalyst 14.3 is a BETA driver and AMD has warned about bugs like this on practically every documentation available. However from a cursory glance this issue has been prevalent in even 14.2 BETA drivers. Here is the hierarchy of the problem:

So it looks like no one has been hurt.

humbug · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:36

"We were first notified of this critical malfunction by reader Greg Mann"

Thats you Gregster.

Marine-RX179 · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:36

elmuzzy66. said:
Awaits the ' but nv had a driver that burned cards.

Na, people won't bother, as they knew it would be justified somehow someway, like some insisting the GTX590 had no problem back then

Final8y · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:38

Gregster said:
I feel I am and was doing a good thing. If I owned or intended on owning this card, I would be grateful for this info.

Did Syed Muhammad alter the article after you quoted ?

Gregster · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:38

humbug said:
"We were first notified of this critical malfunction by reader Greg Mann"

Thats you Gregster.

Of course it is me and what is your point?

pgi947 · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:40

humbug said:
"We were first notified of this critical malfunction by reader Greg Mann"

Thank you Gregster.

Ftfy

Gregster · 15 Apr 2014 at 09:40

Final8y said:
Did Syed Muhammad alter the article after you quoted ?

Don't know. I sent him the info and he did the rest and said he would give me a mention. I told me the article was live, so I copied and pasted.