GTX 680 SLI wont downclock on idle

[felang]

I recently added a second 680 to my rig. After a clean driver install, I get correct 384 MHz idle clocks, but after I install either Afterburner or Precision X and overclock both cards to a known stable boost value (for whatever reason I prefer both gpus to have the same boost GPU clock), both cards are stuck at 3d non boost clocks. Obviously this increases temp and power draw unecessarily. I've read that this is common when running a multi monitor setup, but I'm running only a single 1440p Korean monitor. Anybody have any recommendations on how to overclock boost clocks while maintaining the correct idle speeds?

 

[BrightCandle]

I think this is how these tools work. I see precisely the same thing, my choice is between the overclock and the idle clocks and so I often only apply the overclock if I game, if in Windows I don't.

 

[cmdrdredd]

When I idle at the desktop using EVGA Precision x to overclock, Card #1 idles at 1006Mhz card 2 is at 324Mhz. When I'm looking at a webpage on chrome both cards are at 1006Mhz.

 

[felang]

Oh well, seems like a big oversite that could probably be fixed easily. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Carfax83]

I've never had this problem. In your control panel, is your power management mode on "Prefer Maximum Performance?" If it is, make sure it's set to "Adaptive."

Right now as I'm typing this, MSI Afterburner has both of my GPUs at 135mhz. They can increase clock speed at times (like loading web pages), but only momentarily. They always down clock.

 

[felang]

I've never had this problem. In your control panel, is your power management mode on "Prefer Maximum Performance?" If it is, make sure it's set to "Adaptive."

Right now as I'm typing this, MSI Afterburner has both of my GPUs at 135mhz. They can increase clock speed at times (like loading web pages), but only momentarily. They always down clock.

This is one of the first things I checked, it´s set to adaptive.

Are you overclocking boost clocks?

 

[Carfax83]

The only time I overclock my GPUs is when I'm gaming. Otherwise, they remain at stock clock. After exiting the game, I always restore clock speed to default.

Why would you want your cards to remain in an overclocked state when not gaming?

 

[cmdrdredd]

The only time I overclock my GPUs is when I'm gaming. Otherwise, they remain at stock clock. After exiting the game, I always restore clock speed to default.

Why would you want your cards to remain in an overclocked state when not gaming?

Cause they are supposed to down clock again automatically. For whatever reason it doesn't. Kind of like your cpu

 

[felang]

Cause they are supposed to down clock again automatically. For whatever reason it doesn't. Kind of like your cpu

Exactly, that´s how it worked when I had a a single card.

The things is, even if I reset to stock clocks in Afterburner, they don´t downclock automatically and are "stuck" at 3d clocks. I have to reinstall the driver to regain that functionality and as soon as I overclock again the same thing happens.

Maybe it´s a bug with the current version of Afterburner/Precision X ???

 

[rgallant]

just wondering if your not setting up msi ab correctly
-leave cards at stock
-make a stock profile -have it boot to stock
-make a second profile for the oc after stock profile down clock's correctly
-go to profiles
-set oc profile for 3d

try that

 

[Carfax83]

The things is, even if I reset to stock clocks in Afterburner, they don´t downclock automatically and are "stuck" at 3d clocks. I have to reinstall the driver to regain that functionality and as soon as I overclock again the same thing happens.

That's definitely messed up. What version are you using? I'm using the latest beta..

 

[bystander36]

This has happened to me many times. Every time it was due to some GPU acceleration being turned on in some software. Sometimes the browser, other times Flash, even my Logitech Gaming Software turned it on. Every once in a while, after an update, those software will go back to their default settings and turn "Hardware Acceleration" and I'll see my clocks stick at high clock rates.

Just go through your browser, Flash, and any other possible software that may use hardware acceleration and make sure they are all turned off.

 

[Carfax83]

This has happened to me many times. Every time it was due to some GPU acceleration being turned on in some software. Sometimes the browser, other times Flash, even my Logitech Gaming Software turned it on. Every once in a while, after an update, those software will go back to their default settings and turn "Hardware Acceleration" and I'll see my clocks stick at high clock rates.

Just go through your browser, Flash, and any other possible software that may use hardware acceleration and make sure they are all turned off.

I use IE10 which has hardware acceleration, and I don't have that problem so it must be something else that's causing it. My cards always down clock.

 

[bystander36]

I use IE10 which has hardware acceleration, and I don't have that problem so it must be something else that's causing it. My cards always down clock.

If you are on a page with a video, it will clock up. If you are on a page without anything that would use hardware acceleration, it will stay down clocked. That said, it could be Logitech's gaming software, Razer software or many others that have hardware acceleration. Even my damn mail program has it, Windows Live Mail. Hardware acceleration is popping up in all sorts of programs these days.

I use Firefox, it also doesn't always clock up, but on any page that has certain features, it does. There are a lot of programs which react similar.

 

[Carfax83]

If you are on a page with a video, it will clock up. If you are on a page without anything that would use hardware acceleration, it will stay down clocked. That said, it could be Logitech's gaming software, Razer software or many others that have hardware acceleration. Even my damn mail program has it, Windows Live Mail. Hardware acceleration is popping up in all sorts of programs these days

What I meant though is that mine always down clock when idling. Sure, the clock speed goes up to 1137 MHz when loading web pages, but eventually it simmers down to 135 MHz. I also have Logitech gaming software installed..

According to Felang though, his aren't down clocking at all and stay pinned at 3D speeds, even when idling.

 

[bystander36]

What I meant though is that mine always down clock when idling. Sure, the clock speed goes up to 1137 MHz when loading web pages, but eventually it simmers down to 135 MHz. I also have Logitech gaming software installed..

According to Felang though, his aren't down clocking at all and stay pinned at 3D speeds, even when idling.

What I'm saying is that with Firefox, and Logitech's gaming software, if hardware acceleration is on, while using an applet, or on a web page with a video loaded (not being played), mine never idle either, unless I turn off hardware acceleration. If I have an applet, like MSI Afterburner or EVGA Precision while displaying data to the G13 LCD, the clocks never idle. If I have Microsoft Live Mail open, it never idles.

The two that get me the most are EVGA Precision (or MSI Afterburner) while using monitoring on the Logitech G13, or a browser with a video loaded. Of course I just turn off hardware acceleration, but every once in a while, an auto update reverts to turning it back on.

 

[blackened23]

This has happened to me many times. Every time it was due to some GPU acceleration being turned on in some software. Sometimes the browser, other times Flash, even my Logitech Gaming Software turned it on. Every once in a while, after an update, those software will go back to their default settings and turn "Hardware Acceleration" and I'll see my clocks stick at high clock rates.

Just go through your browser, Flash, and any other possible software that may use hardware acceleration and make sure they are all turned off.

This, I was about to say the same thing. I noticed the very same thing - be SURE to check all of your startup and background applications to ensure that they're not forcing 3d clocks. I noticed the same thing with Logitech's gaming software on my G500 mouse. Usually, adaptive power management will fix it but perhaps not always. What I usually do, and this is a pain, but worth it - I go through all of my startup applications (itunes, logitech gaming software, chrome, etc etc) and make program profiles to set them to adaptive power management. And then in global settings I use "prefer maximum performance". Generally this allows my card to idle at proper speeds, but prevent any throttling or sub-optimal clockspeed shenanigans while gaming.

Also, OP: ensure that you're using the latest drivers. I'm not sure if that was mentioned.

 

[Carfax83]

If I have an applet, like MSI Afterburner or EVGA Precision while displaying data to the G13 LCD, the clocks never idle. If I have Microsoft Live Mail open, it never idles.

That's weird, because mine idles. I have MSI Afterburner running right now displayed on my G19 LCD screen, and it's showing 135 MHz on both of my GPUs..

 

[bystander36]

That's weird, because mine idles. I have MSI Afterburner running right now displayed on my G19 LCD screen, and it's showing 135 MHz on both of my GPUs..

blackened23 mentioned a possible difference. I do run in "maximum performance" power management mode.

There are other possibilities, but either way, it should be checked.

 

[wilds]

I would do another clean install. If that doesn't fix it, I would use Nvidia Inspector and create underclock/idle batch file and an overclock batch file.

Very easy to use program and there are loads of guides on the internet.

 

[felang]

What I'm saying is that with Firefox, and Logitech's gaming software, if hardware acceleration is on, while using an applet, or on a web page with a video loaded (not being played), mine never idle either, unless I turn off hardware acceleration. If I have an applet, like MSI Afterburner or EVGA Precision while displaying data to the G13 LCD, the clocks never idle. If I have Microsoft Live Mail open, it never idles.

The two that get me the most are EVGA Precision (or MSI Afterburner) while using monitoring on the Logitech G13, or a browser with a video loaded. Of course I just turn off hardware acceleration, but every once in a while, an auto update reverts to turning it back on.

Interesting, I use GPU monitoring from Afterburner to my G15´s LCD. Maybe that´s the problem. I´m currently at work but will try as soon as I get home.

I would do another clean install. If that doesn't fix it, I would use Nvidia Inspector and create underclock/idle batch file and an overclock batch file.

Very easy to use program and there are loads of guides on the internet.

Will definitely try if all else fails.

This, I was about to say the same thing. I noticed the very same thing - be SURE to check all of your startup and background applications to ensure that they're not forcing 3d clocks. I noticed the same thing with Logitech's gaming software on my G500 mouse. Usually, adaptive power management will fix it but perhaps not always. What I usually do, and this is a pain, but worth it - I go through all of my startup applications (itunes, logitech gaming software, chrome, etc etc) and make program profiles to set them to adaptive power management. And then in global settings I use "prefer maximum performance". Generally this allows my card to idle at proper speeds, but prevent any throttling or sub-optimal clockspeed shenanigans while gaming.

Also, OP: ensure that you're using the latest drivers. I'm not sure if that was mentioned.

I´m using 340.49 with Adterburner 3.0.0 beta because 326.19 and 326.29 have a bug where they don´t display video to some Korean monitors and I don´t want to risk having no video until a fixed driver is released.

 

[felang]

After another troubleshooting session I figured out something really strange. If my pc is shutdown and I turn it on, idle downclocking works as it should. If I restart my pc, I get 3d clocks at idle. In other words, I need to power cycle my PC in order to get idle clocks to work as they should.

I really don´t understand how a restart is different than a shutdown-startup cycle. This is leading me to believe that maybe the problem lies with my mobo and most likely BIOS.

I updated my Bios a couple of months ago so my version isn´t that old (Asrock Z77 Extreme4), I will update to newest version anyway when I get home and report back.