4890 Crossfire Issue

[goobernoodles]

I upgraded to SB yesterday and I'm now having some strange issues in BC2 (the only game I've tried to this point). I installed the latest Catalyst 11.5 drivers.

Overall performance is great, however, the video basically "flickers" or goes black for a fraction of a second quite frequently. It's quite irritating.

The cards are not overclocked at this point, and I tried different settings within the CCC. Disabled all of the features including Catalyst AI. I guess the next step is to try another driver version, but I was wondering if anyone had this problem and found a fix?

 

[GaiaHunter]

Actually try to play with the setting of the ram - see what voltage it is running and maybe slow it down to 1333.

 

[notty22]

Did you run crossfire with these cards in another platform ?

Have you, test each card individually.

Watch/check temperatures.

Your using 1 8 pin and 1 6 pin for each card ? That should use power from the multi rails correctly. Not pulling to much off one.

The crossfire bridge can cause troubles, try taking it off, flipping it.
See if you can still run crossfire without it, and see if flickers.


edit : From a past crossfire article : http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATI/HD_4890_CrossFire/1.html
I'm not positive dual connectors are necessary. Its just mentioned that way here, figured I mention it

HD 4890 CrossFire is available on any AMD or Intel chipset motherboard that has two PCI-Express slots. After installing the cards you need to put both CrossFire bridges across the CF connectors, hook up the power and you are ready to go.

Here is some more debate whether 1 or 2 is good/bad or necessary.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-235626.html

 

[penske2298977]

If it is just BC2, probably nothing to worry about. But I would make sure vsync is on in the BC2 setup options -- I definitely had some flicker at some point in BC2 with 5970 x2 setup, but with vsync on it went away.

 

[manimal]

take each card out and test with kombustor

 

[goobernoodles]

I was running crossfire with my previous CPU/Mobo/RAM combo with no flickering issues. I also tried turning vsync on and it didn't resolve the issue.

The temps are fine. I'm using 4 8 pin PCI-E connectors straight from the PSU.

I'm going to try installing this "hotfix" as it fixes flickering/DDR3 problems with various other games:

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst115ahotfix.aspx

I'll also try flipping the connector. I don't have another bridge, unless an sli bridge fits/works with ATI cards, which I doubt.

 

[GaiaHunter]

Did you try lowering your DDR3 speed and/or voltage?

 

[goobernoodles]

Did you try lowering your DDR3 speed and/or voltage?

Haven't yet. At work.

I know it's running at the rated speed - 1600mhz, though the board configured it at 1333 initially. I didn't check the timings - probably why you shouldn't drink tequila while setting up a computer, lol.

 

[GaiaHunter]

Haven't yet. At work.

I know it's running at the rated speed - 1600mhz, though the board configured it at 1333 initially. I didn't check the timings - probably why you shouldn't drink tequila while setting up a computer, lol.

I've read somewhere around here that sometimes the ram at 1600 could cause problems (even if it is running at rated specs) - I'm just not sure if it was only with original icore or if it is with sb or both.

 

[3DVagabond]

With your RAM check that the mobo is actually running it at proper spec. Often the mobo will feed too little voltage to the RAM. 1.5v when the RAM calls for 1.65, just as an example.

It's possible it could be the cards, or drivers, but it's also possible that it's something a little out of whack with the new build. Before you start ripping things apart, just check that everything else is setup/adjusted correctly.

 

[goobernoodles]

With your RAM check that the mobo is actually running it at proper spec. Often the mobo will feed too little voltage to the RAM. 1.5v when the RAM calls for 1.65, just as an example.

It's possible it could be the cards, or drivers, but it's also possible that it's something a little out of whack with the new build. Before you start ripping things apart, just check that everything else is setup/adjusted correctly.

The RAM is running at 1600Mhz 9-9-9-24 @ 1.5V, which is what it's rated at.

 

[Jacky60]

I reckon you cpu is outstripping your gpu's. It's a slightly asymmetric system. I ran 4890's with an 8400 at 4Ghz and it held them back but not by much.

 

[apoppin]

Overall performance is great, however, the video basically "flickers" or goes black for a fraction of a second quite frequently. It's quite irritating.

It could be a HW issue. Try each card separately. If the black-outs continue on one of the cards, consider a RMA.