Xfx 6950: Screen goes gray or blue, with stripes

Hi !

Last week I upgrade my Pc and got the following:

Core i5 2500k
Asus P8P67 Pro
2x4GB Patriot Viper Xtreme 1600mhz
Xfx Radeon 6950 1GB
WD 1TB Black
Corsair GS 600w PSU


At first I was having some heating problems with the i5, I have like 55º degress just surfing the net.
I disabled the "Turbo" mode on the bios and change the cpu cooler.
Now I have a Coler Master Hyper Plus 212.
Temps now are ok, just arround 30 degrees in idle, and 55 degress at full load running Prime95.

The problem is... on idle or just regular windows 7 using (like net surfing) video card is arround 55 degrees,
and the fan is pretty silent.
If I set it to manual and full speed, temp goes down to about 40 degrees.

The problem is, that randomly I got some gray or blue screen with vertical stripes, but system seem to
working ok. For example, if I was listening some music, I could still be able to listen to it, but screen is all
gray with stripes.
And that just on windows 7 desktop, just using FireFox.

I also trying some game (Civilization V, dx11 mode).
During the game, video card temp was arround 80 degrees and cpu arround 55 degrees.
I play for like half an hour an no problems.

But then, I went back to Windows, and after 5 minutes, temp went down to 50 degrees for the video card and 42 for the CPU and... that´s when I got the gray screen again.


I think it´s not a heating issue... cause if that was the case, I would have that gray screen when playing
Civilization and temps were arround 80 for video card and 55 for cpu.
So... what could be happen here ?

I first installed XFX drives from their home page.
Then I tryed with the ones that are on AMD site. That would be the latest.

So... any help ? don´t know what to try or what could it be.


Oh ! one thing... when that gray screen apperas, I also tryed removing the DVI cable an plug in it again, but screen kept gray.

Thanks!

 

I guess you also checked monitor's side dvi plug?

Kinda rare problem, I don't know if it possible, but could be bad voltage on idle state?
Like you said, you don't get any lines when you playing, cause card is on higher voltage. And when back in windows, it lowers voltage, which could be reason of it.

I just had problem with 5770, where higher voltage just were crashing my card and cause lines on screen.

To make sure it's not voltage problem, try running game in window mode or run something that will use your video card. See if you gonna get same lines with video card loaded.

 

I´ll try that... also I think I need to try what happens if I use HDMI output instead of the dvi (the one I´m using right now).
But I hope it´s just a driver/software problem.

I´m not able to return the card. : (
I bought it in USA, but now I return to my country.
So returning it is not an option.

 

I sometimes get those stripes if i overclock my 6950 too high without giving it enough voltage, so it's likely an unstable card/ driver issue or it's overheating.

I would try changing the bios to a newer version and see if that helps, make sure it's the correct bios for your card/manufacturer. (not suggesting bios unlocking)

 

Have you tried closing all non essential programs and letting it sit idle for a while to see if it occurs? Are you using the default bios? Have you overclocked anything on your pc?

I don't think the fact that you're using DVI could be the problem.

 

I dindn´t overclock and didn´t update bios.
It is just the way I took it from the box.
So the CPU, it´s at default speed.

The only thing I had to change, is that the ram was recognized as 1333 and I changed it to 1600Mhz (both sticks are 4GB Patriot Viper Xtreme 1600Mhz, 1,65v).
That´s the only thing I changed on the mother bios set up.

All other stuff it at theirs stock speed/settings.


I´m thinking of trying to "under"clock the GPU, just to check if it is a heating problem... but... as I write before, the gray or blue screen occures when I´m surfing the net or doing somo "minor" stuff. It didn´t happen when I was gaminig and gpu was about 85 degres.


I think the only program that was runnig is the Asus AI, but I think is only related to the CPU, not the GPU.
But I have to try.
Catalyst icon is the bar also.
I´ll try closing both.

Thanks!

 

Try raising the voltage to 1.150 for a while and see if they re-appear

 

I would test the GFX card on another system and see what happens. (Yes I noticed you said returning the card is not an option, maybe contacting directly with XFX and see if RMA is possible?).

 

I think your PSU is not enough for all your system.
Try to use another one with at least 800W.
If you still have a problem i think your video card has a problem.
If you have warrantly, use it.

 

I´ve been doing lot of research, got like 10 things to try.

I´d try all that stuff, and if that´s not working, I´ll try it on a friend´s pc.
If problem continues... yes... would have to phone them and see if there´s a chance of rma.



Thanks !

 

it might be heat

my xfx crashes my bad company 2 multiplayer if temp=89 for a longer period of time

 

I had that issue, XFX gave me a bios to lower the clocks on the card and it fixed the issue. I rma'd the card as in my eyes if i have to lower the clock speed to make the card stable it is defective. Got a 6970 from gigabyte instead, touch wood no issues yet.

 

I´ll try lowering the clocks and see what happen.
Don´t know what else to try.
But I just don´t get that... it´s not a heating problem.
I always have those gray screens when doing nothing... and temps are at idle, arround 35 for the CPU and 45 for the GPU.

I think it must be something else.
Or a defective video card... which in that case... :bang:
I´m so far for doing RMA...

 

I didnt have a over heating problem. Just XFX had a bios thats changed the cards settings to get it working. I was told that the grey screen was a standard fault on the card by there tech support and the bios is the only way to remedy it. The main change was to lower the core clock and up the memory speed.

 

Thanks !
I opened a support ticket at XFX last week, but I get a response every 4 days. They´re sooo slow answering that.
I´ll ask about that bios change.

Thanks for the help

 

Do you remember what were the GPU/Memory clock frequencies of the bios they sent you ?

Thanks !

 

If a card can't run at its standard stock speeds, then it is faulty. A bios to run the clocks at a lower speed is just a trick move by XFX so they can try and get out of the RMA process.

If a product does not work as it is designed to, and all HD6950 and any other cards have to at least meet the stock speed, then you have every right for a RMA. If the card doesn't unlock or overclock, likewise with a CPU etc, thats different as it is only guaranteed to work at the speed its released at (not considering Turbo-boost etc).

DO NOT flash the card to the bios they give you, because then they'll try and claim you damaged the card by flashing it. Of course they are in the wrong if thats the case, but fighting that all depends on the consumer laws in your country. Most people aren't aware of what their full rights as a consumer, or the opposite and misconstrew their entitlements.

 

UPDATE:

Ok... after trying different stuff... it seems that the problem is fixed.
And luckly, it was pretty easy.

It seems that the problem is the lates AMD drivers, the 11.5 version.

I´ve been searching different forums and apparently, some guys with other Radeon cards (like 58xxx) were having same issue with latest drivers.

I just uninstall those drivers (11.5) and tryed with an older release (11.3).
So far, it´s been two days without any issues.
With latest drivers, gray/blue screen came up pretty often.

I hope that was the whole problem. Still testing tough.

I´ll update status in few days, after more testing.

Thanks !

 

UPDATE:

Ok... it´s not 11.3 drivers problem.

It´s weird, but it only happen when I have connected my Iomega eGo Portable Series.
Don´t know why... but maybe it related to USB3... don´t know jet.
But what I do know is that it only happen when the eGo is connected.
If not, everything just works fine.

 

Sounds like your PSU - have you tried something with a stronger output ?