The AMD GSOD thread

[eclap]

GSOD - Grey Screen Of Death

This is what it looks like, kinda, can be various colors

I've been encountering this issue since I got the HD 7950 last thursday. First off I thought it was too high of an overclock until today I did some googling around and found that it's a pretty common issue that's been plaguing AMD gpus since the HD 4xxx series of cards.

The reasons, from what I understand after doing a fair bit of research, could be:

1. Too high of an overclock of vram - Certain cards are fine at stock clocks but develop GSOD when overclocking vram a tad too far.
2. Driver related issue - Some people seem to have fixed this with installing different drivers.
3. gpu hardware acceleration - This gets mentioned a lot. People who run into GSODs exclusively while the gpu is idle (browsing etc) have found that disabling hardware acceleration in their browser and photoshop etc fixed their problem
4. Some only have GSOD at 3D clocks when playing games
5. Others say it is a problem when using 2 monitors - When one is connected via DVI and the other one via HDMI. It's suggested that connecting HDMI cable into a mini DP adapter and then into the mini DP on the gpu fixes problems.
6. I'm sure there was another scenario but can't remember now, will edit post later.

My GSOD happens exclusively when the gpu is idle. Somehow I'm thinking it's the DVI+HDMI problem here. My HD 7950 is clocked at 1100/1500 @1.237/1.6. I ran a few loops of 3D Mark 2011 today, not a single artifact, all 6 runs finished without a problem, max temp was 64C and all was good. Until I started browsing the net, then it happened. I even just ran 3D Mark 2011 just now with same voltages but at 1100/1550 and it finished no problem, 2 runs, not a single hickup.

That makes me think that it's not the vram not getting enough volts or the 1500mhz memory clock being too high. I will try to run 3D Mark 2011 again with 1600mhz and post back. I have disconnected my 2nd monitor (32" LCD TV) while running this last 3D Mark run.

Please come into this thread and post your experience and possible solutions for this problem.

[Fox2232]

Try to set idle clocks to 500/750 GPU/mem.
That is how I got rid of occasional Firefox idle "flicker". Caused by jumping from 300/150 to 500/750 and back.

Done via:
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\ATI\ACE\Profiles.xml
or:
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\ATI\ACE\Profiles\<pr ofile>.xml

[eclap]

I'm not having any flicker issues. Just noticed that even if I set my core/mem clocks to 450/900 for 2D mode, when 2D mode is applied MSIA is showing 300/150 for core/mem.

weird. I don't mind the low clocks, the voltage has been upped from 0.805 to 0.850 for idle clocks, lets see what that does to stability.

[The Postman]

Eclap

If that doesnt work, I would recommend installing beta 4 drivers and disable ulps.

[eclap]

so far so good, been playing crysis 3 and browsing and now watching coach Carter. solid so far. it's too early to draw conclusions. Will run some benchmarks after i finish watching the film to mix it up a bit. doesn't disabling ulps force higher clocks btw?

[The Postman]

It disables zero core feature. If you overclock your card, it is highly advisable to disable ulps. It sets your card at 300 core 150 mem

To be clear this is a feature is mostly talked for CFX solutions but I heard about having good results for single card PCs.

The easiest way to disable ulps is by installing Trixx (then go to settings and disable it). I have Trixx and AB with no problems.

[eclap]

my idle clocks are 300/150 though.

[The Postman]

Yes, but you still have ulps enabled. Only try it if problem occurs again.

[kevsamiga1974]

I heard only about the GSOD issue affecting 5K series cards and above. A fix for it was supposed to be in Catalyst 10.1HF/10.2/10.3 specifically for that on 5K series checking back through the release notes.

In all of my travels, both single cards and in crossfire I haven't ever encountered it on 4K series discrete cards with any driver I've ever tried or bios version, can't speak for any mobility variants.

I believe it's a 5K series plus bug/issue...

[volkov956]

I fixed the GSOD on a 5870 with the help of ati-amd providing a newer bios which had something to do with Volts dropping when they shouldnt

[Pill Monster]

GSOD is common on ATI cards that use GDDR5 memory. It's usually only caused by 2 things; low voltage or unstable overclock.

I did have one occasion where the drivers were responsible, but this is very rare.

Yours is due to 2D voltage not responding fast enough when the clocks ramp up, this happens when 2D volts are too low.
Sapphire have released newer BIOS revisions with higher voltage to prevent this from happening.

[eclap]

I hope it's the low idle voltage. the card came with fz1 bios (or whatever it was called) that runs 1.25v solid, doesn't allow for under volting. not sure what the voltage is with that bios in idle, but probably more than 0.805v I was running. running f43 since I got the card btw, which probably sets lower voltages. it's a pretty low asic card, 69.6 iirc. so I'm hoping bumping idle voltage will cure this for me. I've also had a hd 4890 and hd 6870 in recent past and never had this issue, but I never played about with different bioses. can someone running a gigabyte hd7950 with fz1 confirm their idle voltage pls? or even f43 idle voltage? thanks.

[PNeV]

I had that issue on a VTX 7950. I made a thread on it as it was not stable at out of the box speeds (which was 880/1250). I just returned it and got my MSI.

[Lane]

If it happend to you, just return the card .. i still dont understand why peoples try to fix something who should work normally ..

I have never get this problem hopefully on any of my gpu's, but if i buy a card who do something like that one day, i will just go back the shop i have buy it and change it.

[eclap]

taking it back today. had enough.

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by eclap

taking it back today. had enough.

Fair enough. Btw what brand card do you have?

[eclap]

it was a gigabyte wf3 mate.

[serbicu]

Well i was thinking of getting a MSI 7950 TF3 boost edition(or maybe the Sapphire Vapor -x?) but i see many people have been having problems including this GSOD thing.
My question to you guys is how much of a good experience is the 7950.I owned a couple of ATI gpus(from x1900xt,2900Pro to 5850HD) and never had any problems with them.

On topic: i'm sorry about your card Eclap, and btw how's the 7950 as a whole PC experience?

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by serbicu

Well i was thinking of getting a MSI 7950 TF3 boost edition(or maybe the Sapphire Vapor -x?) but i see many people have been having problems including this GSOD thing.
My question to you guys is how much of a good experience is the 7950.I owned a couple of ATI gpus(from x1900xt,2900Pro to 5850HD) and never had any problems with them.

On topic: i'm sorry about your card Eclap, and btw how's the 7950 as a whole PC experience?

7950 is awesome.

[serbicu]

Originally Posted by Pill Monster

7950 is awesome.

So no problems with Vapor-x? I want one but i'm still considering the MSI TF3

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by serbicu

So no problems with Vapor-x? I want one but i'm still considering the MSI TF3

Only issue is high vrm temps when applying more than 1.25v.

[yasamoka]

Originally Posted by serbicu

Well i was thinking of getting a MSI 7950 TF3 boost edition(or maybe the Sapphire Vapor -x?) but i see many people have been having problems including this GSOD thing.
My question to you guys is how much of a good experience is the 7950.I owned a couple of ATI gpus(from x1900xt,2900Pro to 5850HD) and never had any problems with them.

On topic: i'm sorry about your card Eclap, and btw how's the 7950 as a whole PC experience?

Epic. Have tried out 3 7950s that belong to my friends, 2 MSI 7950 TF3s and 1 Gigabyte 7950. The TF3s heat up a little more and are more noisy than the Gigabyte WF3 which has the epic 3-fan cooler. TF3s are built like a tank, though.

@eclap: My friend has a Gigabyte 7950 (I got it for him). Although you've returned your card, I'll check out his idle voltage for curiosity's sake this weekend.

Originally Posted by Pill Monster

Only issue is high vrm temps when applying more than 1.25v.

That's mostly with all 79xx cards, it seems? 1.25V is a rather high voltage. VRM temps hitting high 70s is something regular with all these cards. Gigabyte 7970, MSI 7970, MSI 7950 TF3s.

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by serbicu

btw how's the 7950 as a whole PC experience?

7950 is the best deal in town. The price/performance factor is unbeatable due to the overclocking headroom these cards have.

[yasamoka]

Originally Posted by Pill Monster

7950 is the best deal in town. The price/performance factor is unbeatable due to the overclocking headroom these cards have.

That's so true I wish I got 7950s instead of 7970s, honestly. Still, 7970s OC further, I guess, and clock for clock are around 10% faster or so.

[Pill Monster]

Originally Posted by yasamoka

That's so true I wish I got 7950s instead of 7970s, honestly. Still, 7970s OC further, I guess, and clock for clock are around 10% faster or so.

Yeah the 7970's do perform well.