4.0 GHz stable but not

[grimm003]

It might be a power problem. Try running Prime95-LinX and 3DMark 06 or Vantage at the same time... yes at the same time in a loop if possible for about 1 hour. If it crashes well there is an issue.

That is loco! I ran the stress test cocktail for a little over an hour and had no problems. I had GPU-Z running at the same time and made a log of the temps. None if the temps seemed really high, VDDC Slave #3 did get to 89 degrees, but like I said, I had no problems including with 3DMark06's graphic tests.

I then tried DoW2 again and to my surprise, it did not crash within the first 5 seconds this time. I was able to run it for 1m46s and then it crashed. I had gpu-z running with that as well and the temps never got above what they were with the stress test cocktail. With DoW2, VDDC Slave got to 88. GPU core got to 40, DISPIO got to 41, MEMIO was 53, and SHADER was 51 for an idea of my temps. The only difference I noticed was that the stress test cocktail only got the gpu to 88% utilization while DoW2 got to 99%.

I did uninstall catalyst last night and reinstalled 9.3 but I had the same issue last night. Something has changed today, though, and now the situation has improved but it seems it is still there. I am pretty sure it is related to the GPU now, I'll try lowering the clocks even though I kept them at stock to begin with.

 

[BB1]

@grim003 I have the exact same graphics card giving not end of grief...there is a bios update at sapphire website that helps no end...scrapped catalyst and use AtiTrayTool now...much better )

 

[grimm003]

@grim003 I have the exact same graphics card giving not end of grief...there is a bios update at sapphire website that helps no end...scrapped catalyst and use AtiTrayTool now...much better )

You must be luckier than me. I went to Sapphire's website and the BIOS update is for a different P/N, SKU# than mine. I found some threads on two forums where people claim the bios will work on any of the sapphire 4870 512MB cards but nobody returned to confirm it. I'll keep looking for a confirmation and try removing catalyst soon.

 

[boonet]

Hi,
Maybe im total out of the point here, but maybe if u change the cpu margin enhancement to compatible you may get more stability, it worked for me on my q9550, first i had great instability problems, and suddenly i had a stable oc with same settings...

If anybody can give me more info about what the different options for that setting do, because i can't find anything on internet...

 

[grimm003]

I flashed my bios to the one from the sapphire website even though my P/N and SKU# wasn't the one listed. The flash worked, but I haven't noticed much of an improvement from my initial tests. I will give your suggestion a shot, boonet, but I'm thinking this almost entirely caused from my expensive-to-replace video card.

 

[grimm003]

You're my hero, boonet! Setting CPU margin enhancement definitely has had a positive effect. Something still isn't right, but it is probably a something different.

I can play DoW2 for more than a minute now and I actually was able to finish a level and still no crash. However, every 30-60 seconds the video freezes while the background music still plays. After about 4 or 5 seconds the screen will flicker black and then the game will resume. Also, it seems to happen more frequently during heavy action like a lot of creatures on the screen. Maybe this is now a driver issue.

 

[wingman99]

Try running the games with stock settings.

 

[boonet]

yeah i know, i had a 4 ghz q9550 at no matter what, max 1 min without errors on prime, changed the cpu margin---> stable with lower vcores ... it really is the cause of much instability...

Do you have installed the latest drivers for your gfx card, i would recommend 9.2 or 9.3 because those are the best drivers in my oppinion (for my card). And if u have oc'd your card, stop that... Also if there are any patches for the game, install them...

Reinstalling drivers might work... ( especially with older ones) I had a problem with the 8.12 breaking down after a while ( but not yet with 9.2 or 3).. Eum if all that doesnt work: reinstalling game... and otherwise---> play another game or report what changes are and ill try to help u more

cheers

 

[grimm003]

Try running the games with stock settings.

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying I should see how they run at stock speeds? In that case, they do seem to run. It sounds like you're telling me on ocforums to ditch my overclock and run at stock speeds just because of some little problem?

 

[grimm003]

yeah i know, i had a 4 ghz q9550 at no matter what, max 1 min without errors on prime, changed the cpu margin---> stable with lower vcores ... it really is the cause of much instability...

Do you have installed the latest drivers for your gfx card, i would recommend 9.2 or 9.3 because those are the best drivers in my oppinion (for my card). And if u have oc'd your card, stop that... Also if there are any patches for the game, install them...

Reinstalling drivers might work... ( especially with older ones) I had a problem with the 8.12 breaking down after a while ( but not yet with 9.2 or 3).. Eum if all that doesnt work: reinstalling game... and otherwise---> play another game or report what changes are and ill try to help u more

cheers

Yes, I have the drivers from the 9.3 package installed and when I first noticed the problem I was using the ones from 9.1. I am not using CCC anymore and I have install ATITrayTools. In there, I have my clocks set to 750GPU 900MEM (Stock for the card, underclock for CCC) but I have also tried 700x900.

Last night I also tried playing NWN2 and that game crashed in less than a minute. I am not getting the harsh freezes that require a hard reset but now that was just a crash-to-desktop.

Windows is beginning to get the rotting smell so I was planning on reinstalling in the near future. It's hard to say if that's what's contributing to my problem, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[boonet]

it could... But you have a rather odd problem... have u tried removing and putting the card back in, to make sure no dust is between the contacts? had that problem with my memory.. also errors but i removed+ reseated = problem solved... Otherwise i don't know it... maybe it is windows....

 

[deathman20]

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying I should see how they run at stock speeds? In that case, they do seem to run. It sounds like you're telling me on ocforums to ditch my overclock and run at stock speeds just because of some little problem?

Im sure hes getting to the point that if it runs at stock then the gear is good. You will just have to start fine tuning more to figure out why things aren't working.

Screwy or not this is sounding more like a GPU / driver issue. Have you tried any other game and does the same thing happen to it?

 

[grimm003]

I think I fixed it. I changed the GPU voltage in ATITrayTool from 1.263 to 1.143 and I went through a whole level in DoW2 without the stalling I was having and I played NWN2 a little bit with no crash. I'll test some more but I think this is solved.

 

[deathman20]

Thats a drastic drop in voltage. The 4870 base volts are 1.25V if not mistaken.

 

[grimm003]

I agree, it is a drastic drop. The options that are given are only 1.263, 1.203, 1.143, and 1.083. I did flash the BIOS so that may be why it runs with lower volts. I was only able to test each game for ~30min but if 1.143 is not the right voltage, then 1.203 must be.

 

[deathman20]

Even then if you have to modify the bios of the card for the volts to make the card not crash thats RMA time.

If its not running at its default setting = RMA which by lowering the voltage means less heat/stress on components means the card would be faulty especially if its working still.

 

[boonet]

sorry guys, im not at the point where im going to flash my 529 euro card or overvolt it, so you guys are out of my knowledge range but i indead support the statement of deathman to rma it...

 

[grimm003]

Even then if you have to modify the bios of the card for the volts to make the card not crash thats RMA time.

If its not running at its default setting = RMA which by lowering the voltage means less heat/stress on components means the card would be faulty especially if its working still.

I don't disagree with you, and I started considering RMAing as soon as I began to think it was the video card. However, I have had the card for almost 9 months now so I am not sure if I can still RMA it. I didn't modify the BIOS in the way that some people here do, I more just updated it with an official BIOS from sapphire on their site.

Another thing to note is that for the last 7 or 8 months Catalyst control center defaulted my clocks to 795GPU and 1100MEM. So my card could still possibly run at those speeds and require the ~1.25 volts, I haven't tested anything but now I have a stable base to start from.

I am going to look into going through sapphire for a new card because it should have a 2yr warranty, but if that doesn't work I still do have a working card. Unfortunately, there is enough competition out there that I won't be buying from Sapphire again. I don't see myself buying an ATI card again (mostly for different reasons, i.e. Linux), so that's kind of moot, but hopefully I can get some support through sapphire for this for the time being.

sorry guys, im not at the point where im going to flash my 529 euro card or overvolt it, so you guys are out of my knowledge range but i indead support the statement of deathman to rma it...

I flashed it to an official BIOS from sapphire, I undervolted it through ATITrayTools (A great program if you're not using it).

 

[wingman99]

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying I should see how they run at stock speeds? In that case, they do seem to run. It sounds like you're telling me on ocforums to ditch my overclock and run at stock speeds just because of some little problem?

You keep blaming your problems on software LOL. Why don't you test at stock speeds and see what the problem is.

Overclocking is not a guarantee.

 

[grimm003]

You keep blaming your problems on software LOL. Why don't you test at stock speeds and see what the problem is.

Overclocking is not a guarantee.

[...]at stock settings, 333x9, I played for a couple hours with no crash.

That's from my first post. I tried stock settings before I posted and the problem wasn't there