At my breaking point: 4870x2 troubles

[misplacedaj]

My system specs:

Motherboard: LP UT-X58-T3eH8: (Up-to-date Bios)
CPU : i7 920 3836B
Memory: Kingstong HyperX 1866
Power Supply: PC Power and Cooling 750W Silencer
Video card: Sapphire 4870x2
Hard drives: 1x Sata 500gb HDD
DVD/CD: LG Lightscribe 22x SATA
Sound peripheral: Onboard
Nic/Lan peripheral: Onboard
Watercooling system with Apogee GTZ, 2x MCR320s and Caledera 4870x2 heatsink with dual MC60s.

I've been dealing with 4870x2 issues for the last 2 weeks. I think I'm going to explode. I'm hoping someone can help me out before I snap the card in half. I built this new computer from scratch with a brand new watercooling system with dual Swiftech MC60s designed to watercool my 4870x2. However, all I've run into is trouble after trouble with this card. I originally had an open box Asus 4870x2 which gave me the dread error code 43. I ran just about every trick in the book to fix it (drivers from 8.11 to 9.2, reinstalling Vista [x86, x64) + Windows 7 [x86, x64], trying to install just drivers with no CCC) and it just would not work. The error code would always come up or Windows would just black screen at load.

So I returned the openbox 4870x2 to Newegg and bought a brand new sapphire radeon 4870x2. I received it, threw on my waterblocks, booted it up, and installed the drivers. It has been problem after problem even with this card. Windows has failed to boot up even once with this card once the drivers are installed. The card works just fine with VGA (much like the Asus did), but as soon as I install any of the drivers, the computer just freezes at a black screen after windows loading. I don't know what the hell to do. I really don't. I've been an ATI customer for close to 10 years with my most recent card being a 3870x2. I've done driversweeper, safe mode, new OSs, and the whole gambit. But, once the drivers are installed, windows just refuses to get past the load screen and goes to a black screen. I rma'ed the card to new egg and got another one and still having the same problems. There are no red lights on the card, the PSU is fine (I've tried others), I've tried other cards on the mobo with success. So what the hell is it?

This is ridiculous. I've never had this much hell with one product. I don't quite know what to do. I would switch to NVIDIA after years of shunning it, but I'd have to basically store my caledera heatsink and find a card that fits my MC60s. However, I don't even want to think about RMAing yet another card until I'm sure I have exhausted every option with this card.

HELP ME!

[Adragontattoo]

does it work without the wcing kit?

[oakstave]

I seem to remember the 4870x2 minimum power requirement is 650 watts. So you should be fine, but what you are describing sure sounds like a power issue. Have you tried this card with a higher wattage PSU?

[repilce]

I'd recommend always testing new equipment stock first ;), but aside from that i would check your rails just for chits & jollys on your PSU while on if you have a DMM. And also make sure you have the latest chipset drivers as well for you mobo and verify that they are working correctly

[Pntgrd]

How much ram do you have installed? I have seen people having problems installing the ATI drivers on a 4870x2 with over 2 gig of ram in the system.

I too had all kinds of problems with error 43 running 4870CF but finally got it fixed. My problems boiled down to 2 different things. I had bought my cards at different times so the bios was different on each card so I had flashed the new card to the same as what I had on the first card. after much research and many painful hours of working with the 8.12, 9.1, and 9.2 drivers I finally flashed the newer card to a Sapphire bios released for that particular card and it fixed my Error 43 problem in Win7, but I still had it in Vista. I finally bit the bullet and reinstalled Vista and the 9.2's worked right off. I had read many threads about Driver Sweeper deleting some reg key and borking Vista and I had always used Driver Sweeper when updating drivers. Was that the problem? I don't know but the 9.12's worked first time on an o/s not touched by Driver Sweeper. I see you had already reinstalled so that is not the problem. Have you checked for any bios updates for the 4870x2? I have read about others fixing the problem with a bios update.

There is a wealth of information on the AMD/ATI forums, in the Crossfire section, about the multitude of people with this problem. And I know it can be frustrating, to the say the least. I am just thankfull that I never had the Black Screen problem that seems to go along with the Error 43. Good Luck.

another thought, In all me research I seem to remember there were some that started having the issues with the 8.11 drivers and not the 8.12's. Have you tried the 8.10's? I would do that and see what happens.

[misplacedaj]

Hi all, thanks for all your quick responses. Now I remember why I love OCforums so much!

- I have not run this card with stock and that is my fault. After RMAing two cards, I basically got a little overeager. I have installed all of the drivers that are available on DFIs site, including the Intel X58 chipset drivers on the intel site.

-Have tried it with other PSUs, including trying to jerryrig one PSU JUST for the card and the other PSU for the rest of the system. Still running into the same problem. I also threw my old 3870x2 in there, as well as a x1900xtx to test the mobo slots (all of them with the PSU) and they load and work just fine! This PSU was running a 3870x2 with absolutely no issues no more than a week ago with no issues, so I have trouble believing the power is an issue esp with some the jerryrigging I've done.

-I have NOT tried the 8.10s or knocking my memory down to 2GB. So I'm reinstalling Vistax64 (with only two 1gb DIMMS for a total for 2gb) and then download the 8.10 drivers to see if it works.

-As far as the bios is concerned. I looked around for Sapphire 4870x2 bios' and I couldn't find them. I found one posted from last August/Sept, and I figured that was too old. I have no clue what bios I am running on my card. So help in finding out my bios version + where to get an updated bios would be greatly appreciated.

And believe me when I say... I think the keys for any combination of 4870x2 black screen and error code 43 are well engrained on my laptop from all the searching. I don't take posting for help lightly!

[Pntgrd]

Bios version can be seen with CCC when you get that far. I would only check the Sapphire site to see if THEY have made any updates to the bios. It will be posted there if they have. I hope the 8.10's work out, at least it will be a start.

[misplacedaj]

Bios version can be seen with CCC when you get that far. I would only check the Sapphire site to see if THEY have made any updates to the bios. It will be posted there if they have. I hope the 8.10's work out, at least it will be a start.

Heh I can't get the drivers + CCC installed and windows running at the same time. In retrospect, the Asus atleast let me load windows with even tho I had error code 43. This new card just black screens period.

Here's to hoping. I have my hopes up.. but I've had them up 10 previous times before only to see them utterly crushed! I don't think I've ever been so frustrated in my life. I've been without my desktop for exactly two weeks now and counting.

[jobrien2001]

Do you have the latest bios for your MOBO? A friend of mine had the EXACT same problem with an Nvidia card.... the system would freeze on boot after driver install. He had to update the BIOS.

Also, If you have another PC you could test it there.

[hinderpits]

maybe you should try the card in a diff machine if you have one so you can see if its the card or a compatability issue/problem with your hardware somewhere....also have you tried all your pci express slots

[misplacedaj]

Yes, I have the latest bios, infact I'm now all the way up to the beta bios' because the most up-to-date normal bios was not fixing the problem.

I have tried all 3 PCIEx slots and all of them give the same result. I have tried my 3870x2 and x1900xtx in all three slots as well, and they work just fine.

I think my last step if this new install doesn't work, will be to remove the water blocks, put the old cooler back on and throw in another system.

[misplacedaj]

Well I just tried Vistax64 clean install with 8.10 and all my chipset drivers installed/only2gb of memory. And I still get a black screen right after the vista loading bar loads for ~5-8 seconds. I tried a different monitor and I still get a black screen too. This is driving me crazy!

[misplacedaj]

I've had no luck with finding a newer bios for the Sapphire 4870x2 either

[hinderpits]

may just be another bad card

[misplacedaj]

Well, after following a suggestion in another forum, I disabled the second GPU in safe mode and that got me into windows with one core still working! Progress... now anyone have suggestions on what I could do to get second one working?

[henzo]

Well, after following a suggestion in another forum, I disabled the second GPU in safe mode and that got me into windows with one core still working! Progress... now anyone have suggestions on what I could do to get second one working?

I have that exact same card. I am going to rma it in a day or so also because gpu1 will not take any kind of oc at and it is really making me angry.

Although not the same problem, it seems that we have had similar issues with the 2nd graphics card. I hope our next batch of rma's will work lol.

[misplacedaj]

Hi again. So I just went through quite an ordeal. I plugged my 3870x2 into my DFI board and guess what? It disables the 2nd GPU too! So this is either clearly an ATI problem, or a problem with my mobo. I'm not sure which. My old mobo and computer can run my 3870x2 with both GPUS on no problem. I tried plugging in my 4870x2 into my old computer and for some reason its completely dead now. So I will RMA it tomorrow morning.

At this point, I'm just tired of dealing with this. I guess the real question is again, if its the drivers/cards or my mobo. I mean, I'm likely going to go purchase a NVIDA card now as ATI just lost itself a long term customer, but I want to make sure that will work atleast and that it isn't my mobo. Any ideas?

[Badbonji]

I think you just got a case of real bad luck, many people run their HD4870X2's fine but you must be getting all the dead ones from the batch. You could try another RMA to see if that fixes it, or try a GTX295.

[misplacedaj]

I think you just got a case of real bad luck, many people run their HD4870X2's fine but you must be getting all the dead ones from the batch. You could try another RMA to see if that fixes it, or try a GTX295.

That may be the case, but it doesn't explain my 3870x2 getting its second GPU deactivated when I load into windows too. Could it be a mobo hardware problem at all? I ask because the 30days on my DFI are running out on Newegg and I can still replace it if that is the case.

Ive tried the same troubleshooting steps for my 4870x2 with drivers and such, but no go. Any suggestions as this is really my last chance to return the board and get another one.

[Pntgrd]

This may be a dumb question, and I am not familiar with a DFI bios, but is there an option for multiple gpu's? One of my recent boards did have that option, but I don't remember which for sure, but it could have been a P45 board. That would explain your problem.

[mr.max-amd]

1.intels have always had problems with ati cards...esp. higher end ones
2. i would try installing windows 7 booting in safe mode and installing the new win7 drivers from ati's site
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/39069-ATICatalystBetaDriver.aspx
3. if that doesnt work get a set of saphire 4870s and crossfire them

[mr.max-amd]

1.intels have always had problems with ati cards...esp. higher end ones
2. i would try installing windows 7 booting in safe mode and installing the new win7 drivers from ati's site
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/39069-ATICatalystBetaDriver.aspx
3. if that doesnt work get a set of saphire 4870s and crossfire them

[mr.max-amd]

1.intels have always had problems with ati cards...esp. higher end ones
2. i would try installing windows 7 booting in safe mode and installing the new win7 drivers from ati's site
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/39069-ATICatalystBetaDriver.aspx
3. if that doesnt work get a set of saphire 4870s and crossfire them

[mr.max-amd]

wtf?
it posted 3 times

[misplacedaj]

wtf?
it posted 3 times

Heh padding the post count, I caught you!!!

As my original post stated, I tried Windows 7 x86+x64 and nethier of them solved my problem.

I ended up contacting Newegg and got a full refund for my 4870x2 + a replacement for my DFI. Let's hope that fixes it. Now I gotta do research into what will fit my 2xswiftech MC60-R2s. Anyone know if they fit the GTX 295? I know there is a gtx200 series mount kit for it, but it specifies that it fits the 260+280s, and nothing about the 295.

[Badbonji]

If you want you can edit and delete 2 of them ; )
I am not so sure if it will fit the 295, as nvidia dual gpu cards are picky. I would think you need a proper water block due to the GPU's being either side of the block rather than on the same PCB.

[jobrien2001]

If you got a 3870x2 that doesnt work aswell... then its your MOBO.

Stick to gigabyte IMO. Great quality and pricing boards.

[stst0001]

No the 4870X2 is junk.
The drivers are junk - CCC freezes and crashes.
No point in installing CCC anyway.

ATI / AMD is non responsive and if you post anything negative on the forum they delete your post! Ridiculous.

At this time the Nvidia products work - in the future who knows.
But ATI / AMD has lost me forever given the pain I expereinced but moreover because they delete posts at forum. I cannot deal with a company that does that.

[m_k]

Thats AMD. ATI has great cards. I ran my x2 with an 800W OCZ PSU and i was getting random lockups like crazy. After i upgraded to 1200W and have not had any problems. I really think these gpu's need power and alot of headroom just to run properly. But if i was in your situation i would go for gtx 285. gtx295 still has a bunch of driver issues. Or dual 4870 1GB. Your choice. Also it could be a mobo problem as well, so don't count that out. Times like these it's good to have friends with gaming computers as well to help you test your equipment. Also i owuld suggest getting a sound card for your rig aswell, onboard sucks.