The AMD Driver Thread

LtMatt · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:41

BradleyW said:
Sweet, I will try it.

Edit: As I feared, wrong usage on 2nd card. When I'm getting usage on both cards the usage between the cards are identical. I'm getting usage on both cards just when browsing the internet.

Does disabling ULPS make any difference?

eyetrip · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:44

BradleyW said:
Sweet, I will try it.

Edit: As I feared, wrong usage on 2nd card. When I'm getting usage on both cards the usage between the cards are identical. I'm getting usage on both cards just when browsing the internet.

Monitoring gpu usage on 290's is something I have given up on entirely. It's just broken.

Enabling unified gpu usage monitoring just seems to average the load, or something along those lines.

Not having it enabled results in usage results, that if they were true, would be utterly unplayable.

These days I just check all clocks jump to 3d clocks, and watch temps and frame rate, and try and guess if things are loading ok.

To be honest, the only time I really care about any of that is if things appear to not be working ok.

Mei · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:45

tommybhoy said:
AFR+MSAA disabled was fine all the way up to patch 1.8(something), now it's like playing statues, it can freeze completely for anything between ~1 to 8 seconds-don't know if this happens with everyone though, but since that patch, Iv'e sat it down and cracked into SOM.

Would rather wait until AMD have good FC4 mgpu support than release a broken profile...

It's not like Ubi would get the blame for it, that would be AMD's fault wouldn't it.

i have friends who stream that game on 980sli and they complain about freezing all the time!

BradleyW · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:50

AMDMatt said:
Does disabling ULPS make any difference?

I'm afraid not.
Also, I just tested Crysis 3 in window mode. I was still getting equal and identical usage on both of my 290X's. Looks like my fears and concerns were correct.

I'm using 14.12 CCC and MSI 4.10 on Win 8.1 64-bit.

slick rick · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:52

tommybhoy said:
AFR+MSAA disabled was fine all the way up to patch 1.8(something), now it's like playing statues, it can freeze completely for anything between ~1 to 8 seconds-don't know if this happens with everyone though, but since that patch, Iv'e sat it down and cracked into SOM.

Would rather wait until AMD have good FC4 mgpu support than release a broken profile...

It's not like Ubi would get the blame for it, that would be AMD's fault wouldn't it.

SoM is brutal on the system, I was trying to play at 4k with everything cranked except AA with ultra textures, it was stutter city! Drop to high textures and it ran pretty nicely.

LtMatt · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:54

eyetrip said:
Monitoring gpu usage on 290's is something I have given up on entirely. It's just broken.

Enabling unified gpu usage monitoring just seems to average the load, or something along those lines.

Not having it enabled results in usage results, that if they were true, would be utterly unplayable.

These days I just check all clocks jump to 3d clocks, and watch temps and frame rate, and try and guess if things are loading ok.

To be honest, the only time I really care about any of that is if things appear to not be working ok.

I find that bizarre, works normally here provide unified usage monitoring is ticked.

LtMatt · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:55

BradleyW said:
I'm afraid not.
Also, I just tested Crysis 3 in window mode. I was still getting equal and identical usage on both of my 290X's. Looks like my fears and concerns were correct.

I'm using 14.12 CCC and MSI 4.10 on Win 8.1 64-bit.

Crossfire only works in full screen mode?

BradleyW · 27 Feb 2015 at 13:58

AMDMatt said:
Crossfire only works in full screen mode?

What? Yes, CFX only works in FULL Screen mode for Direct-X games.

What I'm saying is that I got identical usage on BOTH cards when running window mode, which proves unified monitoring is wrong. (I should have only seen usage on my first GPU in window mode).

eyetrip · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:00

AMDMatt said:
Crossfire only works in full screen mode?

I believe that was the point he was making?

If he is windowed and crossfire should be disabled, then he should not see an equal load (through monitoring) on both cards.

BradleyW · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:02

eyetrip said:
I believe that was the point he was making?

If he is windowed and crossfire should be disabled, then he should not see an equal load (through monitoring) on both cards.

I figured that after making my post.

But yeah, unified usage does not work. It makes sense. MSI is copying the usage from card ONE and applying it to card TWO.

It's the perfect false illusion that makes you think everything is being read correctly.

I remember the developer of MSI AB stating that the new AMD cards can't have their usage monitored, so the developer implemented software algorithms to predict usage. That's what we are seeing here. Usage on card ONE is fine. Card TWO is all guess work.

LtMatt · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:03

BradleyW said:
What? Yes, CFX only works in FULL Screen mode for Direct-X games.

What I'm saying is that I got identical usage on BOTH cards when running window mode, which proves unified monitoring is wrong. (I should have only seen usage on my first GPU in window mode).

eyetrip said:
I believe that was the point he was making?

If he is windowed and crossfire should be disabled, then he should not see an equal load (through monitoring) on both cards.

Ah sorry, I'm with you.

I know it reports high gpu usage, but the clock remains in 2d mode so i don't think it's actually doing anything.

BradleyW · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:07

AMDMatt said:
Ah sorry, I'm with you.

I know it reports high gpu usage, but the clock remains in 2d mode so i don't think it's actually doing anything.

Although true, the reading on the usage is still wrong as I feared. My post at the bottom of page 35 explains more.

In regards to unified usage, some games with poor CFX function can cause reduced usage on the 2nd GPU. If unified monitoring is enabled, we will be lead to believe the usage is equal and constant on both GPU's, when actually....it might not be.

it makes CFX troubleshooting and monitoring hard to track/diagnose.

gareth170 · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:09

BradleyW said:
We need more transparency between AMD and their customers. NDA policy needs some slight changes in my opinion.

i agree

eyetrip · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:12

AMDMatt said:
Ah sorry, I'm with you.

I know it reports high gpu usage, but the clock remains in 2d mode so i don't think it's actually doing anything.

Exactly. Monitoring is just broken on the 290's for anything more than one card

Would be nice if AMD built monitoring into the drivers with it's own OSD.

PS - please don't suggest that BEFORE we get the next drivers

tommybhoy · 27 Feb 2015 at 14:32

eyetrip said:
Monitoring is just broken on the 290's for anything more than one card

Mines isn't, it works, as it shows different gpu usage when clocks fluctuate, but I don't have matching 290X's.

eyetrip said:
Would be nice if AMD built monitoring into the drivers with it's own OSD.

PS - please don't suggest that BEFORE we get the next drivers

Would love AMD to implement an osd, but can't see it happening.

jimhaumman · 27 Feb 2015 at 17:26

AMDMatt it doesn't matter how good this coming or next driver will be if AMD are going to realease them every three months or more.
Crossfire is loosing this way with sli.
Is there a crossfire profile for Lords of the Fallen in this coming driver?
Game was realese in 28.11.2014!!!

AMD driver realeased past few months:
Omega (14.12) 12/9/2014
14.11.2 Beta 11/17/2014

Nvidia driver realeased in the same period of time:
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 345.20 24.2.2015
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 347.52 10.2.2015
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 347.25 22.1.2015
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 347.09 23.12.2014
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 344.75 18.11.2014

Omega (14.12) 12/9/2014
14.11.2 Beta 11/17/2014

shankly1985 · 27 Feb 2015 at 17:29

jimhaumman said:
AMDMatt it doesn't matter how good this coming or next driver will be if AMD are going to realease them every three months or more.
Crossfire is loosing this way with sli.
Is there a crossfire profile for Lords of the Fallen in this coming driver?
Game was realese in 28.11.2014!!!

AMD driver realeased past few months:
Omega (14.12) 12/9/2014
14.11.2 Beta 11/17/2014

Nvidia driver realeased in the same period of time:
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 345.20 24.2.2015
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 347.52 10.2.2015
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 347.25 22.1.2015
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 347.09 23.12.2014
GeForce Game Ready Driver WHQL 344.75 18.11.2014

Omega (14.12) 12/9/2014
14.11.2 Beta 11/17/2014

Mate this is the first time I have ever known amd drivers to take this long it's because there working on things.

Amd have never on the past had drivers take over month. We normally see 2 or 1 a month.

Finners · 27 Feb 2015 at 17:31

Agreed Jim its terrible support of their product. I so very nearly jumped ship back to Nvidia yesterday. Nearly brought a titan, went as far as saying I would buy it before having to sheepishly withdraw.

Been on my mind all day if I made the right choice or not.

JediFragger · 27 Feb 2015 at 17:32

shankly1985 said:
Mate this is the first time I have ever known amd drivers to take this long it's because there working on things.

Amd have never on the past had drivers take over month. We normally see 2 or 1 a month.

I don't think AMD can afford to have this happen again, it's just taken way too long.

It's their own fault though, they've been spoiling us with monthly drivers for years!!!

shankly1985 · 27 Feb 2015 at 17:32

Just to add I was playing Farcry 4 with Crossfire enabled early on. Disabled all Gameworks stuff and it was running very smooth avg I say around 90fps.

If I was to enable Gameworks the game would show signs of stutter soft shadows being the worst.