R9 Downclock memory issues with ReLive? Try This Workaround

Discussion in 'Videocards - AMD Radeon Drivers Section' started by Chastity, Dec 22, 2016.

  1. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    R9 Downclock memory issues with ReLive? :FAILED TO FIX:

    As an owner of a nice Sapphire R9 390 Nitro w/ Backplate, I've had some nice gaming experiences with it, that is until Crimson ReLive came about and b0rked up my memory settings. What is happening is that the latest driver and Wattman combo is causing systems to use the lowest power savings on systems that should not, and causing all sorts of issues. Systems with multiple monitors should remain at top memory clock speeds, and unfortunatey they are not, and downclocking to 150. What is worse, they are staying there when gaming, resulting in subpar performance.

    Another problem is that 3rd party apps to do overclocking have also been made incompatible, and cause nothing but issues if you change timings with them, like AfterBurner and TRIXX. But we also want to use the latest drivers to get the best performance increases.

    My biggest issue is that I get screen glitching due to the memory clocks constantly fluctuating between 150 and full speed (1500 or 1650 depending on my OC) I did manage to get ReLive working as is, but I have to disable all but one monitor, and that is just plain unacceptable. I also am using HDMI and DVI for my 2 monitors, and using HDMI allows me to have 75Hz on one, which I wish to keep. (I'll be ordering 2 DP to HDMI active adapters soon so I can have 3 monitors, and 75Hz on all)

    So, for the benefit of Science :D , I decided to try and see if I can get the benefits of ReLive drivers and have some graphic stability. So i did a nice clean install of 16.11.5, after DDU (latest), and then followed up by manually installing 16.12.2 via Device Manager. Lo, and behold, it worked! :banana: With some interesting finds to boot.

    1) The combo enables Wattman under 16.11.5's Radeon Settings, both for good and bad. The bad being that 3rd party apps still are incompatible, tho you can use any fan profile features. The good is that you can get used to using Wattman. :nerd: Wattman also displays temps, unlike 16.12.2 Wattman (at least for my R9 390)

    2) Graphical anomalies due to memory speed changes are gone, as the memory clocks stay at full speed, as they should be doing. Works even with gaming, as often this will trigger memory clock hell after awhile in the form of 150 remaining permanent.

    3) You get the latest performance benefits from Crimson ReLive builds!

    4) Chill is disabled, since there's no toggle for it in Wattman 16.11.5.

    5) Voltage controls still do not work for me in Wattman, so hope your overclock is stable with whatever voltage settings you get.

    6) Fan controls is limited to setting a fixed speed. 3rd party apps can still supply fan profiles, as long as YOU DO NOT CHANGE THE TIMINGS. Else expect black screens, wonky screens, lockups, and other forms of graphical sodomy. Afterburner works well for this. (The fan profile working, not the sodomy.)

    7) Temperature controls and Min Acoustic Limits do nothing.

    8) Everything else works, like Game Profiles, and you even get the 16.11.5's CCC, so you have color and saturation controls.

    9) ??? ... PROFIT!!

    Here's a pic of the pseudo-Wattman with OC applied:

    [​IMG]

    Feel free to holler out any questions.

    EDIT: Location for 16.12.2 Driver INF to manually install is located at C:\AMD\Non-WHQL-Win10-64Bit-Radeon-Software-Crimson-ReLive-16.12.2-Dec19\Packages\Drivers\Display\WT6A_INF\C0309792.inf (default location)

    UPDATE: Doesn't work to correct. Issues came back after about an hour of usage.
     
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2016
  2. Agonist

    Agonist Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    4,284
    Likes Received:
    1,312
    GPU:
    XFX 7900xtx Black
    Thats what I have done with my 290x.
    Install 16.15 clean and set up my custom resolutions with CRU, install 16.12.2 and so far its works.
     
  3. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    I used CCC Lite to setup my custom 1080p @ 75Hz monitor over HDMI. I'm ordering some active DP to HDMI adaptors so I can have my 3 monitors back and all on 75Hz.
     
  4. Agonist

    Agonist Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    4,284
    Likes Received:
    1,312
    GPU:
    XFX 7900xtx Black
    I run my main monitor off my 290x and side monitors off an old 9800GTX+.

    I have a freesync monitor used custom settings for 30-80hz range and 2560x1080@80, 3440x1440@80 and 3840x1600@60.

    Cant do that with radeon built in custom resolutions. It does not like anything over my native 60hz and cant mod freesync range in driver with driver settings.
     

  5. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    I posted a link to here on Reddit's AMD section in a thread about this problem, and some mod deleted it. I guess they don't care to help their readers unless I retype everything there.

    EDIT: Oops, was just hidden, nevermind. :)
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2016
  6. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    FAIL. After an hour of gaming, the memory clocks dropped to 150 and stayed there. Only way to recover clocks is to disable down to one monitor. :sigh:

    Rolled back to 16.11.5 drivers. (At least that was easy to do since I just had to roll back in Device Manager)
     
  7. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    UPDATE: I noticed 16.12.2 works just fine on 1 monitor, so I threw in my old GT240 to run my 2nd monitor. Works. :nerd:
     
  8. srdjan1995

    srdjan1995 Master Guru

    Messages:
    218
    Likes Received:
    47
    GPU:
    ASUS Dual RX 6650XT
    I'm running my R9 270X on one monitor, and I have memory downclock problem with ReLive drivers (16.12.2).
     
  9. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    Something for me to look forward to? I hope not. In the past, disabling other monitors allowed me to recover from 150 lockdown. If this happens again I will be livid. Very Livid. :bat:
     
  10. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    Possible working workaround found

    Hi guys, and Merry Christmas! :)

    I did some more experimentation this morning, and found out some interesting things. (Current setup is R9 390 on 16.12.2 full package with GT240 341.01 running 2nd monitor)

    1) Using Afterburner to change either GPU clocks or Memory clocks, and only these 2 settings, causes screen tearing/glitching. Even on my current one monitor setup. However, changing these settings subsequently in Wattman and applying makes the issue go away. Couldn't test this before as running both monitors on 390 usually made both screens unreadable and/or blank out. Seems to me that maybe the refresh rate is being skewed into non-standard settings, or variable settings?

    2) Other settings in AB, like power levels and fan controls work just fine, so using both Wattman AND AB to set up my overclocks work well together, as long as all clock related changes are done in Wattman ONLY. Keep voltages and fan controls in Wattman on Auto, and use AB to configure them, or even use their software fan profile. This gives us the ability to control our voltages, which Wattman currently does not offer.

    3) Haven't had any problems either yesterday or today in regards to memory clock dropping to 150 and locking, and I gamed for several hours.

    4) Also figured out some graphical glitching in DA:I was being caused by my CPU overclock, and giving the 4.0GHz a bump up to 1.34v seems to be working well from 1.33. *Bonus!

    So I guess I managed to pwn the 16.12.x bugs with R9 devices and overclocking thus far, and if using this method, it seems I can keep things stable even when both monitors are on the one card. Whether the 150 clock lock returns is yet unknown.

    Going to copy this post to other thread as well to make it easier to find.
     

  11. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    Did some more testing, in regards to memory clock fluctuations. Tested with DA:I in Mantle, since it pretty much uses all my gpu power.

    16.12.x driver on 16.12.x Radeon Settings = fluctuating memory clocks while gaming
    16.12.x driver on 16.11.5 RS = fluctuating memory clocks while gaming
    16.11.5 driver on 16.12.2 RS = fluctuating memory clocks while gaming
    16.11.5 driver on 16.11.5 RS = steady max clocks while gaming

    Maybe this was some feature of Chill stepping on things? I don't know. Thought you peeps would appreciate the info. Happens whether Chill is enabled or not, and DA:I isn't whitelisted for it anyways. But then again, bugs don't do what they are supposed to do.
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2016
  12. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    Wanted to update:

    I switched my setup a bit, as I purchased 2x DP1.2 to HDMI1.4 active adapters, and added a 3rd panel for some 3240x1916@75Hz Eyefinity love. Set everything up in 16.11.5, and decided to try 16.12.2 again. Express install, no ReLive. So far everything works, Eyefinity settings imported, just had to change the refresh back to 75Hz. Memory clocks are staying at full speeds. Been too chicken to try AB to change clocks. :D So I use Wattman, and adjust voltages and power adjustments via AB.

    So far so good, nothing b0rked yet. Will do some DA:I gaming to see if anything fails after an hour or so like before.
     
  13. Watcher

    Watcher Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    2,695
    Likes Received:
    367
    GPU:
    Asus Dual RX6700 XT
    R9 2XX and R9 3XX are all having issues with third party utilities.
    This is nothing to do with the Third party utilities. The cause is the API Relive Driver is using.
    The issue with the API will need to be resolved by AMD. I have contacted one of the Third party utility developers and this is the answer that I have received.

    So, until this is sorted out by AMD, we will just need to get by with what works.

    Right now I can't use AfterBurner at all. WattMan seems to be working but has no voltage control as you have stated.
    Fan profile is fixed and you have to manually change the fan speed to a higher RPM before you start gaming.

    In any case, it looks like we have to wait for AMD to fix the API for are GPU's.
     
  14. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    My experience thus far is that you can use 3rd party apps to control some of the features. For example, for my 390 I use AB to control Power Limit, Core Voltage, and Fan Speed. I can even use the software fan controller.

    However, once I adjust GPU or Memory Clocks without using Wattman, the memory clocks go straight to 150 and stay there, even after reboots or driver restarts. In Wattman I lose any control over Memory clocks. Only fix is a driver reinstall.

    Which was the case with the new setup, even tho it worked great until I touched clocks with AB. :D So I reverted back to 16.11.5 and will now stay there until AMD squares all this away.
     
  15. Horus-Anhur

    Horus-Anhur Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    8,636
    Likes Received:
    10,687
    GPU:
    RX 6800 XT
    I have the same card as you do. But from my experience, and some benchs I found on the web, the 16.12.2 don't bring any performance increase over the 16.11.5 drivers.

    Because of that I went back to the 16.11.5 and everything works perfectly.
    When AMD fixes the ReLive drivers for Hawaii, and/or brings some performance improvement to some game I'm playing, then I'll change.
     

  16. ninja750

    ninja750 Master Guru

    Messages:
    366
    Likes Received:
    89
    GPU:
    RX 6800 REF
    it's strange that a fiend can use relive drivers with his R9 280 (both wattman and msi AB) and i can't because i get artifacts on some game

    rise of the tomb raider dx12 has huge improvements over my 16.11.3
     
  17. Agonist

    Agonist Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    4,284
    Likes Received:
    1,312
    GPU:
    XFX 7900xtx Black
    R9 280 and R9 380 are 2 different GPUS.

    R9 280 is a HD 7950 boost GCN 1.0.
    R9 380 is a Tonga R9 285 GCN 1.2.
    R9 380x is a full Tonga GCN 1.2 core.
    Odd he would have wattman on a GCN 1.0
    16.12.2 update that was just released 2 days ago fixed my 290x vram speed bug in my second PC.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2017
  18. Chastity

    Chastity Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    3,738
    Likes Received:
    1,662
    GPU:
    Nitro 5700XT/6800M
    Things still not solid with Jan 9 release. Sad.
     
  19. PF Prophet

    PF Prophet Master Guru

    Messages:
    276
    Likes Received:
    31
    GPU:
    Acer A770+1070AmpEx
    16.11.5 with profiles from 16.12.2 seems to work fine here.

    going to test 16.12.2 driver with the rest from the 16.11.5 see what results i get from 3dmark using cpucores ;)
     
  20. DrunkenDonkey

    DrunkenDonkey Master Guru

    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    4
    GPU:
    2xPC 290 PCS+
    From this very topic, having 2 monitors on 290 I decided it will be cool to split them on different video cards. Not that I had any issues at all, but it seemingly works better with one...
    Couple of minutes later the integrated video was enabled in bios and the secondary display used on it, latest intel drivers installed, all is working and happily resumed civ6 I was playing. BSOD. Reload. BSOD. Reload, display driver crashed, reload, BSOD... between 1 and 5 min after loading the save I had either display driver crash or the whole system.
    Uninstalling the intel did not help, neither reinstalling (clean) the latest relive. Safe mode DDU, remove all intel related, remove all amd, reinstall latest relive and I'm back into having no issues playing. So if you feel the urge to do something as stupid as I did - go drink a beer instead :D
     

Share This Page