Gigabyte 6970 Crossfire Overheating and Many Other Issues

[matt34533]

Hi, I just setup my new PC and am having issues with crossfire and overheating. Here's what I did:
1. I installed all my components in my PC including the cards with a crossfire bridge.
2. Installed Windows Vista and then Windows 7(not upgrade, fresh install).
3. Installed the Latest AMD Catalyst Drivers.
And here's what's happening:
1. There is no option to enable crossfire in CCC.
2. When I play a game(Ex. BF:BC2) I set the fan at 100% and the first card reaches 100C in ~30 sec.(mind you this is a board with triple slot spacing and it is the gigabyte windforce version of the card). The second card is idling with only a tiny bit of air exhausting from its sides.
3. If I try to only boot up with one card I don't get any video output, I've tried with both cards.
4. What I find strange here is how the two cards will work together(but overheat) while individually they won't even display.
5. Integrated Graphics do work.

What's going on here?

Thanks,
Matt

Here's the parts list-
Case: NZXT Phantom Full Tower
Powersupply: Cougar 1000w
Board: ASRock Z68 Professional Gen3 Fatality
Cards: 2x Gigabyte 6790 2GB
Processor: i7 2600k

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

Hi, I just setup my new PC and am having issues with crossfire and overheating. Here's what I did:
1. I installed all my components in my PC including the cards with a crossfire bridge.
2. Installed Windows Vista and then Windows 7(not upgrade, fresh install).
3. Installed the Latest AMD Catalyst Drivers.
And here's what's happening:
1. There is no option to enable crossfire in CCC.
2. When I play a game(Ex. BF:BC2) I set the fan at 100% and the first card reaches 100C in ~30 sec.(mind you this is a board with triple slot spacing and it is the gigabyte windforce version of the card). The second card is idling with only a tiny bit of air exhausting from its sides.
3. If I try to only boot up with one card I don't get any video output, I've tried with both cards.
4. What I find strange here is how the two cards will work together(but overheat) while individually they won't even display.
5. Integrated Graphics do work.

What's going on here?

Thanks,
Matt

Here's the parts list-
Case: NZXT Phantom Full Tower
Powersupply: Cougar 1000w
Board: ASRock Z68 Professional Gen3 Fatality
Cards: 2x Gigabyte 6790 2GB
Processor: i7 2600k

So they don't work invidually but they don't work in crossfire either?

So how do you even get video output?

 

[matt34533]

So they don't work invidually but they don't work in crossfire either?

So how do you even get video output?

They won't work individually; however, when I crossfire them one card will work(and overheat in about 30 seconds of gaming) while the other card idles with fans barely spining. Its very very strange. If i try uninstalling one after crossfiring them, I get no video output so I have to use HD3000 integrated graphics(from the 2600K) and upon logging in CCC gives me an error saying "No AMD Graphics Driver is installed, or the AMD Driver is not functioning properly. Please install the driver appropriate for your AMD Hardware." But the Graphics Card isn't even recognized in Windows Device Manager.

 

[Termie]

I haven't read great things about Cougar power supplies. While I'm not sure how it would cause your problems, it's possible that it's the PSU. Like the voltage regulation is off - can't get enough with a single card, too much with dual cards. And 6970 crossfire is incredibly power hungry - I wouldn't necessarily trust it on that Cougar. If this is your PSU, it's an odd duck: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817553004

Six 12v rails? Never seen that before...most high-end power supplies would have one 12v rail. Just for reference, this Seasonic Platinum is the single best PSU on the market, so if you're willing to spend a bit more, it's a sure bet: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151105

Clearly, if the GPU is going to 100C, it's getting way too much voltage (assuming, as you've said, that the fan is spinning). Have you tried running MSI Afterburner with voltage monitoring enabled?

By the way, when I first set up crossfire, I had trouble getting the second card to be enabled as well. Typically I think it's best to install fresh Catalyst drivers with just one card in, and then install the second card. But you're not even getting one card to boot, so that will be tough.

 

[matt34533]

I haven't read great things about Cougar power supplies. While I'm not sure how it would cause your problems, it's possible that it's the PSU. Like the voltage regulation is off - can't get enough with a single card, too much with dual cards. And 6970 crossfire is incredibly power hungry - I wouldn't necessarily trust it on that Cougar. If this is your PSU, it's an odd duck: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817553004

Six 12v rails? Never seen that before...most high-end power supplies would have one 12v rail. Just for reference, this Seasonic Platinum is the single best PSU on the market, so if you're willing to spend a bit more, it's a sure bet: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151105

Clearly, if the GPU is going to 100C, it's getting way too much voltage (assuming, as you've said, that the fan is spinning). Have you tried running MSI Afterburner with voltage monitoring enabled?

By the way, when I first set up crossfire, I had trouble getting the second card to be enabled as well. Typically I think it's best to install fresh Catalyst drivers with just one card in, and then install the second card. But you're not even getting one card to boot, so that will be tough.

I saw some positive reviews on the net(8/10 from reviewers who are VERY harsh in testing) so I thought to go ahead and get it. I'll try taking one 8 pin and one 6 pin from each rail with one card to see if that fixes it. Hadn't even thought that that could be the issue. Thanks!

 

[Termie]

I saw some positive reviews on the net(8/10 from reviewers who are VERY harsh in testing) so I thought to go ahead and get it. I'll try taking one 8 pin and one 6 pin from each rail with one card to see if that fixes it. Hadn't even thought that that could be the issue. Thanks!

Well, it's just one possibility. PSUs can act strange sometimes.

By the way, you should do all of this testing with one card. At this point, setting up crossfire is a secondary priority. If neither card works by itself, crossfire will never work properly. Also try a few different PCIe slots to rule out a bad slot.

 

[matt34533]

Well, it's just one possibility. PSUs can act strange sometimes.

By the way, you should do all of this testing with one card. At this point, setting up crossfire is a secondary priority. If neither card works by itself, crossfire will never work properly. Also try a few different PCIe slots to rule out a bad slot.

So I tried what I had said and nothing with either card in either slot. I completely disassembled and checked the board visually. I found 5 Socket Pins that are bent and may or may not be making contact with the CPU. Could the system start if the bent pins are the issue or would I get a post error. Also, I have no idea how these could have gotten bent, as I never touched them or anything.

 

[Termie]

So I tried what I had said and nothing with either card in either slot. I completely disassembled and checked the board visually. I found 5 Socket Pins that are bent and may or may not be making contact with the CPU. Could the system start if the bent pins are the issue or would I get a post error. Also, I have no idea how these could have gotten bent, as I never touched them or anything.

With that kind of problem, you might check into the CPU forum for help. It's possible (though I really wouldn't know), that the pins that are bent include those that enable communication with the PCIe lanes.

By the way, you said you "never touched them", but didn't you just assemble this PC from scratch? Did someone else install the CPU?

 

[matt34533]

With that kind of problem, you might check into the CPU forum for help. It's possible (though I really wouldn't know), that the pins that are bent include those that enable communication with the PCIe lanes.

By the way, you said you "never touched them", but didn't you just assemble this PC from scratch? Did someone else install the CPU?

Well, I put the CPU in but I never hit them or anything like that.