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Noob with an X1900 - Please help : <

Cueshark

Cueshark

Cueshark

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5 Apr 2006
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http://media.putfile.com/M4V00095

Ok...look at the above video.....

This is what happens when crossfire is enabled and I attempt to play worms......

Various more intensive games like Doom3 also show this but with RGB snow...*edit* - on certain settings...doom3 played ok but when I pushed it ..the snow came but the game appeared to want to run as normal... I didn't try however.

And for referece : cpu tests 1 and 2 on 3dMark 06 had produced the same snow effect...all other tests looked fine...and my set up still went on to get 7700 approx in the test...is that low or high.

I got dual core 4800
X1900XTX
^^ crossfire
2gb corsaire
580w psu

Any help is recommended....

My theory is something about maybe a pipe being broken...but ir's only a guess.

When I turn off crossfire by the way, everything is back to normal..no snow anywhere..worms runs fine too.
 
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I can only suggest trying the GFX cards 1 at a time.
If your theory of 1 of the cards being borked is true you will need to know which one so that you can send the dodgy one back. It's not going to be fun, but it could be necessary.
 
But I thought a "crossfire" card was only able to be used as a secondary card....

Am I wrong....

So you can swap them over and make one the slave?

Explain : <
 
Yes, you are wrong.

Crossfire cards can be used individually or as a crossfire set up.

Try them one at a time. This will allow you to determine which one (if any) are broken.

Best of luck.
 
Update

Ok....

Last night I took both cards out and tested them individually.

Both cards work in both slots...

I tested with Doom3 on the settings I had used on my original non-crossfire set up. Both cards worked at these settings and without any noticable graphic problems.

But as you know...turning on the crossfire produced missing squares int the classic 'Checkerboard' style and also snow distortion on some occasions.

I have been recommended by overclockers to try the latest 6.4 catalyst drivers....I think I am perhaps using 6.2 although I'm not sure.

Can anyone suggest any other reason why the cards could work singally but not in a crossfire pair....

:(

*edit* - When I tried the 3d Mark test with the 'broken' crossfire switched on, I acheived a score of about 7000-7500 which I hear is well under par for 2 x x1900 xtx.

I can only assume the 580w psu that they supplied with the box is sufficient...otherwise why would they include it ....
 
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I'm using the AV8 - MVP mother board.

It could well be the motherboard drivers....but when I got the system the operating system was installed.

I can only assume for the machine to be tested it would have had the motherboard drivers installed too?

*please elaborate on the bios/driver levels - How could I test this is as it should be?
 
Latest motherboard BIOS for the A8R-MVP is "503", you should be able to see a number on the POST screen (disable logo)

I can't find any updated chipset drivers, looks the same for my board that ATI don't have their own support page.

You could try uninstalling ATI Catalyst and reinstallling (6.4 is the latest)
 
"you should be able to see a number on the POST screen (disable logo)"

Can you just clarify that?...you mean the screen that comes up when I turn my computer on?

If it isn't 503 is there a link for me to download these...

And do I just install like any normal drivers...and will I need to do anything particular before I do this?

: (

*edit* sorry to bump my own thread but ...is that cpu result ok...i cant find the expected score for my proc on the net : <
 
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Here's a pic of POST screen. Press the PAUSE/BREAK key to pause the boot up

mobo.jpg


If you download the 35 odd megabtye Catalyst drivers, also download the catalyst removal utility, also need Microsoft .NET 1.1. Use the Catalyst uninstaller, reboot. When Windows asks for drivers cancel that. Install .NET. Reboot. Install 6.4 Catalyst. Reboot.
 
Thanks a lot Squiffy ( nice name too ) ...

When I was trying all the cards....everytime I took out a card and put one a another one in my desktop reverted back to 600 x 480 and so I uninstalled the Catalyst drivers and reinstalled thus getting back to normal... The removal tool was sitting there in my add/remove so I assume I already get that with the drivers I had....or is there a better one that I should install.

They were 35 meg...

I also have net 1.1 installed but I will uninstall and reinstall like you say....

Why is your revision 0404 when the latest is 503 !?
 
shouldnt he be installing frameworks 2.0?

One of the crossfire reviews I read ( I havent got xfire so please dont flame if this sounds b****x ) is that if you connect the dongle the wrong way round you can get awful performance and possibly nasty effects

I think what the reviewer was saying is that the mobo detects xfire is possible as two cards are inserted, but because the dongle is the wrong way round it only utilises the power of one of the cards, hence the awful image.
 
FrankJH said:
shouldnt he be installing frameworks 2.0?

One of the crossfire reviews I read ( I havent got xfire so please dont flame if this sounds b****x ) is that if you connect the dongle the wrong way round you can get awful performance and possibly nasty effects

I think what the reviewer was saying is that the mobo detects xfire is possible as two cards are inserted, but because the dongle is the wrong way round it only utilises the power of one of the cards, hence the awful image.
Click to expand...

I would agree but I tried the VHDCI input round one way and it didnt work...so i made a mark on the thingy to make sure it was the right way up.

After testing both the cards separately last night and deducing that they both pwned Doom3 so they're alright by me, I put them back in their original configuration, uninstalled the catalyst 6.3 drivers I had and put the 6.4 ones on....

Pls note that when restarting my pc I don't get an American Megatrends screen...it just goes straight to the pretty windows logo and the moving bar...help on that would be appreciated....

I post my 3d Mark Score that I took upon installing the fresh new drivers and the cards slotted in, cabled firmly......

NOTE : The cpu scores and specs.

I hope there's something really obvious glaring in the face of you experts.

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/5940/results4jc.jpg

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/3193/detailed4jg.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/3508/specdetailed5en.jpg

Pls help people...and thanks for the help so far.
 
To see the American Megatrends bit you have to disable "Full Logo Display"
Mines different as I have the Deluxe version (different chipset also)
 
I get roughly the same results, slightly higher because of my processor and they are XTX cards. TBH im not 100% sure that crossfire is stable or that 3dmarks06 actually tests them properly (not sure which yet) i overclocked both my cards and 3dmark06 score came in about 2000 points lower! Also i get some random results with 06, sometimes i get high scores then i can retest straight after and it has dropped 3000 points.

Not really fussed about that though tbh as it runs every game i have played at full res with full settings and very high frame rates (oblivion runs at about 50-60fps inside and 35-50FPS outside with the high res mods and all settings at max, WoW runs at a constant 60fps in 40 man raids with settings at max).
 
Absolutely right.

My crossfire is functioning absolutely perfectely.

I cranked the Crossfire card up to 14x AA and 16x AF and then ran doom3 on high quality at 1280 x 1024.

The smooth textures man..jees it's good.

When trying Oblivion I keep the same settings and select HDR in game...I don't notice the same graphic jump when using the crossfire...

Is Oblivion maxed out or something?

I think something internally was wrong ..because the problem seemed to resolve itself when the cards were freshly inserted into the motherboard....either way..no chessboards for me anymore...so thanks everyone...

I declare this thread well and truly closed.

x D
 
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