7870 BSOD Research

Discussion in 'Videocards - AMD Radeon' started by rievhardt, Nov 13, 2012.

  1. rievhardt

    rievhardt Guest

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    GPU:
    Sapphire 7870
    7870 BSOD research
    First of all, thanks for all those who have contributed on this.
    To those who haven't hesitated to share their 7870 BIOS. This won't be possible without your help!
    It's hard to find users that are willing to share their BIOS...you know...

    as you might have known now that 7870 users have been bugged by this random BSOD problem for quite a long time now.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLj20ycN2Yw&feature=g-upl

    I tried all the possible solutions like...
    AMD Drivers Update (tried all of them including betas)
    Reinstalling card.
    Checked Temps.
    Cleaning Rig.
    Checking All Wires and Connections.
    Adding Case Fans.
    Changing from DVI to HDMI.
    Changing to a Different Wall Outlet
    Win7 Update.
    System Restore.
    Game Driver Update.
    Game Reinstall.
    Updating Realtek drivers
    BIOS Update.
    Chipset Update.

    and they all Failed to solve the random BSOD...

    I haven't done Overclocking/Overvolting/Underclocking/Undervolting, Unofficial Drivers as a fix
    because it doesn't make any sense since my card is on stock. I don't recommend doing it.

    If your 7870 is OC'ed and is having the random BSOD problems...
    just return it to stock settings to see if the problem still occur.
    If it doesn't occur for a month or at least 2 weeks. Then check your OC settings, that must be the culprit.

    Other Important details regarding the BSOD.
    it will not occur in Benchmark programs.
    it's completely random and is impossible to duplicate when you want it to show up.
    it is known to occur in...(compiled reports from other 7870 users)

    BF3 Multiplayer
    Skyrim
    Shogun 2
    World of Warcraft
    Max Payne 3
    Diablo 3
    DotA 2
    League of Legends
    Dishonored
    Alan Wake

    I recently RMA'ed my Sapphire 7870 and got a replacement card which turned a month old last Nov. 6, 2012.
    My replacement card is working fine and I had no problems with it so far :)
    the only difference I had now besides my replacement card having a Dual X sticker instead of Sapphire
    is that I'm also using a dedicated souncard. (ASUS DSX)

    to help out those who are experiencing (and might experience) the same problem I had in the past with this card.
    I made this research.

    I found out that there are 3 BIOS Version revolving in the 7870.

    015.017.000.000.000000
    015.015.000.002.000000
    015.015.000.002.000838


    Each BIOS may have more than 1 part number depending on the manufacturer.
    BIOS Version - (Part Number) - Brand

    015.017.000.000.000000 (113-217XTHE-O02) Sapphire
    http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k4/sousaka7/015017000000000000113-217XTHE-O027870UsersBSOD-1.png
    13 reports of BSOD
    http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k4/sousaka7/015017000000000000113-217XTHE-O027870UsersNOBSOD.png
    2 reports having no problems at all.

    015.017.000.000.000000 (113-217XTHYE-S01) Sapphire
    http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k...3-217XTHE-S017870UsersBSODampNoIssuesofar.png
    1 report of BSOD / 1 report (me) having no problems yet.

    ------------------------------------------------------

    015.015.000.002.000000 (113-E217XTHY-S01) Sapphire 1 report of BSOD / 1 report of flickering
    015.015.000.002.000000 (113-AD43800-102) ASUS 1 report of flickering
    http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k...113-E217THY-S017870UsersBSODampArtifacts.png

    ------------------------------------------------------

    015.015.000.002.000838 (113-C4010200-102) Gigabyte
    015.015.000.002.000838 (113-787ACDF71_113-C4…) XFX
    1 report each w/ No Problems
    http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k4/sousaka7/0150150000020008387870usersNoIssues.png

    My Findings:
    After Flipping the BOX and looking at the nooks and cranny of my card...
    I found out that the only way to tell which batch your card came from is by looking at it's BIOS and BIOS Part number in GPUZ.

    015.015.000.002.000000 is the first BIOS and might be unstable (due to reports of BSOD and flickering)
    015.015.000.002.000838 is that later version and the BSOD & Flickering might be fixed. (not sure because I only have 2 confirmations)

    015.017.000.000.000000 they released a NEW BIOS
    The (113-217XTHE-O02) Bios Part is seriously infested by the BSOD...
    13 reports with only 2 reported that they don't have any problems at all.

    They released another Bios Part (113-217XTHYE-S01)
    Not yet confirmed but this might be the fixed release as I had this Bios Part on my replacement card. http://www.behardware.com/news/12705/black-screens-and-radeon-hd7870-a-solution.html

    I actually liked that Sapphire didn't deny the issue unlike other brands.
    I was able to talk with a 7870 user with the following brands Sapphire, MSI, XFX, ASUS, Gigabyte, Powercolor.
    I cannot find their actual post now because the 7870 threads already piled up unlike the way it was before.
    but here's some proof. http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k4/sousaka7/otherbrand7870problem.jpg
    It's either Sapphire was the only brand that are infested with the problem and the other brands only have a handful of defective cards.
    or...Sapphire Owners just happens to be much more active in forums and reporting issues.

    I'm not sure what BIOS was my Old 7870 as I wasn't able to write it's BIOS and BIOS part number down before I did my RMA.

    Anyways...
    If you would be buying the 7870, I recommend checking the BIOS as soon as you had your card.

    you're better off with this BIOS.
    015.017.000.000.000000 (113-217XTHYE-S01)

    and avoid this one 015.017.000.000.000000 (113-217XTHE-O02)

    If you happen to get that one...Test it right away with the games I mentioned for at least 2 weeks straight.
    (the longest BSOD free experience I had with my old 7870 was a month and a couple of days. but it most likely appear within 1-2weeks)

    if you are having the random BSOD problem, I suggest for you to return all settings to stock first (NO OC at all)
    and if it still occurs,
    RMA right away! Do not waste any time trying to figure out how to fix the random BSOD problem.


    Thanks for having the time to read this, Hopefully it can help you out and other 7870 users out there :)

    Would update if anything happens to my replacement card.
     
  2. Extraordinary

    Extraordinary Guest

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    I have the apparently worst BIOS according to your statistics but I have not suffered any BSODs since getting it and I can play Dishonored maxed out with no issues at all

    I would say that drivers would be a more likely culprit for Bluescreens than the cards themselves, different BIOS versions may be a reason, but not down to any fault in the BIOS itself, just AMD not having coded their drivers correctly for each card

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Hippie Tech

    Hippie Tech Guest

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    GPU:
    MSI r7870 tf III/oc
    Hi :)

    I posted this in the 12.11 thread, so here I go again, in case you missed it. xD

    Turning the 'windows desktop manager session manager' service seems to have put an end to my opencl miner stability issues. The gpu usage drops and the odd 'driver has stopped responding.. but recovered' crash have not happened since the change.

    The event id 9003 and 9009s have also stopped.
    [​IMG]

    The bios on my gpu is 015.015.000.002.000838, btw...

    pEACe
     
  4. Tweaky81

    Tweaky81 Member

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    GPU:
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    Last edited: Nov 14, 2012

  5. Genesis

    Genesis Guest

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    It's a good thing that you figgured out which BIOS approx. relates to production batch, but not because of the BIOS itself. What you write makes me think that you didnt really read the article that you linked.

    The BSOD does not occur because of the BIOS, it occurs because of 1-cent cheap ass ceramic capacitors that produced too much signal noise and caused the card to be unstable. In the article it even says that AMD was able to fix their card, by fixing the capacitors, not flashing a new BIOS...

    So it's entirely possible that there are stable cards that run with the oldest BIOS, and the same way, flashing a defective 7870 with the new version won't fix the problem.
     
  6. Redvan

    Redvan Guest

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    2GB HIS 7870
    thanks for all the info, will keep an eye out for this stuff once I install my 7870 :)
     
  7. Genesis

    Genesis Guest

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    I can't ****ing believe it, I got a new 7870 due to RMA with my retailer which apparently is one of the latest (BIOS 113-217XTHYE-S01) and I'm sill experiencing BSOD in games. Congratulations to all companies involved.
     
  8. ArgonV

    ArgonV Master Guru

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    GPU:
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    Try these things:

    Run memtest on boot for about 4 hours to see if any errors pop up
    Set your virtual memory in Windows to System managed size
     
  9. Genesis

    Genesis Guest

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    Thanks but I already know what the issue is, the card is faulty yet again. They just send back more defective cards when you RMA with them.
     
  10. Hippie Tech

    Hippie Tech Guest

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    GPU:
    MSI r7870 tf III/oc
    If the card was really to blame, it would be unstable with everything that it does.

    Its a software/driver issue and AMD knows it.

    Notice how AMD has been popping out the betas ?

    Beta8 lol.. 8 revisions in one month is unprecidented. They are obviously working overtime to resolve this.
     

  11. Genesis

    Genesis Guest

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    It is not a driver issue... this has been talked about/tryed out/troubleshooted to death already. I won't bother repeating it again.
     
  12. Extraordinary

    Extraordinary Guest

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    How can you tell if you have a newer fixed capacitor card running an old BIOS ?
     
  13. Genesis

    Genesis Guest

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    By not getting a blackscreen while you game, it usually presents within the first week.
     
  14. Extraordinary

    Extraordinary Guest

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    There's no serial or ID that could tell you then?

    I've had my card a few weeks now and never had any black or bluescreen crashes and its running the oldest BIOS from looking at OP
     
  15. Genesis

    Genesis Guest

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    I don't think so, it sounds like you're good tho, so you don't need to worry.
     

  16. Extraordinary

    Extraordinary Guest

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    Good stuff, cba with RMA
     
  17. Hippie Tech

    Hippie Tech Guest

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    Np.. save your breathe/text. :p I'll just trust you instead of AMD... :uhoh:

    How many games and apps are affected by this ? From what I know, its not that many.

    Many who run Nvidia GTX 600 gpus are having similar issues. Does that mean they also have the same cheap capacitors and/or defective gpus ?
     
  18. Richkill

    Richkill Member

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    GPU:
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  19. craige4u

    craige4u Member

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    Does the new "Dual X" and "Flex" version have this Black screen problem as well..... Can anybody put sum light on this...

    PS: Wana buy 7870 within this week
     
  20. tayguer84

    tayguer84 Guest

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    It is certainly not a software/driver issue. I went through the same thing as genesis did for 6 months. My first RMA was replaced with another defective card by Sapphire. My 2nd RMA was upgraded to a 7950 OC and I haven't had any problems since, not one black screen on the same exact hardware.
     

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