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Sapphire HD 4870 Problems Thread

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I just posted this msg on Sapphire Forum about the issues with HD48XX cards. I'm posting also here as a proof together with a picture that was posted on the forum. So that we all know that we put it there and we can monitor if it will be eventualy deleted and put under the carpet. This will be a straightforward address through the forums another action a similar letter to the Sapphire support service and communication the management of Sapphire corporation on all levels.

Direct Link to the post on Sapphire Forums: http://forums.sapphiretech.com...hp?p=132483#post132483

Proof of publishing on the Sapphire Forums please click for picture:

http://shrani.si/f/2s/mc/2kamuScP/sapphire.jpg

Text published:

Hello,

I would talk about sweet things aboout the product if it would work as it should if nothing needs to be modified in order to work on the default values. That was usualy for me when I bought a graphic card I did not have any problems to deal with and to loose hours sitting behind the computer and to find a proper fix to be able to run games on default values. But HD48XX is not working properly for the mass of users. As you all maybe know ppl are having problems with the card to run it on default values and they have PSUs that are more than adequate to run two cards. But as it turns out it is a powerplay problem that is messing things for lots of users. On FORUMS.AMD.COM there is a 20 page long thread about that problem and manly the problem is with Sapphire HD48XX cards and powerplay issue. People also exhanged Sapphire HD4870 for HIS product and HIS is working without a single problem. And we discovered that superior powerplay in BIOS is disabled. Some cards even does not have that option in BIOS.
It would be much more relaxing for custumers if Sapphire would just drop a sentence or two that they are exploring the issue and that they will provide a fix for that. But currently there is no official word from them or anybody from ATI/AMD bussines community. Users have this card already from June and now it is end of September. They will not wait all that heavenly time to expect the fix. I think that Sapphire if they put something on thair name should act more profesionaly and go forward with the official statement what is going on with the HD48XX cards that so many users have problems. I'm so scared that they will blame all other components but not graphic card that is problematic one.

Another thing that is on a level of all ATI/AMD cards is that ATI is aware of some flaw in the design of the card as it crippled Furmark benchmark test which run on the 1/2 of the performance in Catalyst 8.8 and 8.9 drivers. If Furmark.exe is renamed to eg. whatsoever.exe the test will run normaly as it should. But OK there is a heat yes and high current. I believe that HD48XX if run on the default values should survive any benchmark test and also Furmark. What will happend when one day the demanding games like Furmark will be comming out. Will we will be happy with the 1/2 performance in games so that HD48XX will not burn out?
We all know that Furmark is a stress test and it is sign if your whole system is stable. And yes my system is stable with it. I put a fan to 60% when I run it, default clock values and I do not have any intentions to overclock that card. I left it through the night and the system did not crashed. ATI/AMD is aware of that test that might damage cards which run on the default values for fan. It is clearly seen that the cooling for ATI/AMD 48xx cards is not properly planed. Users again found a workaround and found a solution with fan fix that cope with not sufficient cooling of ATI AMD. For testing experiences you can also rename CRYSIS.EXE to FURMARK.EXE and you will see a 1/2 drop of frame rate in Crysis. That is a proof that ATI/AMD is aware of potential danger with Furmark test.

A lot of users are currently very unhappy and that's why I think we are trying to find a fix that we are able to play games (on default values!) with the piece of hardware that we payed from our pocket. We will sure not endlessly wait for Sapphire fix.... there is not a single word from them not from ATI/AMD. And that is a shame for whole ATI/AMD bussines community, and everyday more and more ppl are aware of that problem.... and they are turned to more stable brands. This same msg will be put on all relevant internet Forums and additional version will be sent to the the management of Sapphire Tech. Co. directly in E-mail and regular post service.

all the best, D.

This doesn't really need its own thread. Merging.

-ViRGE
 
for people with P/N:188-01E85-001SA,SKU#11133-00 ONLY (or 11133-00-20R like mine), sapphire has released a new bios resolving these issues.
Go on the sapphire site in the drivers section.

No more freeze for me now.

Cheers
 
I have raid 0. Apparently dos can't read my C drive. What now? Any way I can do this from windows?

Edit: I just put the flash program and stuff on a second floppy disk and everything worked perfectly 😀
 
Now I am worried. I picked up a openbox Saphire HD4870 that just came in the mail yesterday for my buddy, since it was only $200. I was going to test it out to make sure it worked then put it away until I finish the build for him. Is there a sure fire way to test if it has this problem while I am testing it out?
 
Play a game that is likely to make it switch between it's low and high clocks. UT2004, Doom 3, Spore apparently all cause the problem to happen more often than most other games.(Games that keep the card maxed out relentlessly like UT3 and Crysis don't seem to crash anywhere near as often) If you have the box that it came with, check and see if the numbers on it match "P/N:188-01E85-001SA,SKU#11133-00 ONLY (or 11133-00-20R like mine)".
 
Originally posted by: dguy6789
Play a game that is likely to make it switch between it's low and high clocks. UT2004, Doom 3, Spore apparently all cause the problem to happen more often than most other games.(Games that keep the card maxed out relentlessly like UT3 and Crysis don't seem to crash anywhere near as often) If you have the box that it came with, check and see if the numbers on it match "P/N:188-01E85-001SA,SKU#11133-00 ONLY (or 11133-00-20R like mine)".
Click to expand...

How do I check without the box? It was an open box and came bare (no box).
 
Has anybody tryed using different drivers than the ones provided with the driver CD? If so, I would also suggest testing with Omega drivers, if anything just to see if you still get the same results. I doubt it has to do with which manufactorer because they basically just smack their logo and a few other minor adjustments, their own software extras, for the most part they are the same card. (http://omegadrivers.net/ - Click the Omega Drivers link and proceed with their directions)

Also, some pcs are shipped with overclocking or tweaking software, not just for the GPU, but processor and ram as well. I have played Crysis Warhead with a 4850 from sapphire and it worked fine, then i switched profiles in the overclocking utility from High performance to turbo mode, launched warhead and the same problems mentioned in the original post appeared. I rebooted and switched it back to high performance mode from turbo and it worked fine again.

I am not saying this is the solution to all your problems, but I know you are all desperate to get this resolved, and hopefully at least one of you will be able to use this for resolution. If I think of anything else I will edit.

Good luck!
 
What if your card does not match the pn listed? Mine is SKU 21133-00-20R and I have had several freezes while gaming. I am also experiencing crashed in Clear Sky though I'm still not sure if that has to do with the card or not.

Any idea if the BIOS will work for mine?
 
Wait for someone else to confirm, but as far as I know, all Sapphire HD4870 512MBs will work with the same bios update.
 
Originally posted by: dguy6789
Wait for someone else to confirm, but as far as I know, all Sapphire HD4870 512MBs will work with the same bios update.
Click to expand...

I hope someone can... last night while playing Warhead there where two freezes and one of the time I thought I saw CCC reporting a different core speed. I have it running in my second monitor and saw something move in that line but by the time I looked over it was back at 750...
 
It should be fine, but I want someone else to verify just to be sure.

This is my reasoning: let's say I had a BFG 8800GTX. As long as I flashed it with a BFG 8800GTX bios of the same exact model (not some super oc extreme version or whatever) it would work. I don't see why it would be any different in this case. A Sapphire HD4870 is a Sapphire HD4870. If you want to flash it now, be my guest. But I would wait for someone else to reply just to be sure.
 
I have 288-10E85-030SA and am experiencing crashes in-game mostly, but sometimes even when playing videos (which may be using directx or videocard acceleration). Not sure if it is the powersupply or what, I did force fans to max speed to see if that will make a difference, how do I force the gpu clock to stay at a particular freq other than 500, which I will try (e.g. 750), because I play some games which don't always force max-clock (ut2004, etc.)? I'm running on xp32, with cat 9.7, bios VER011.010.000.002.029896

Oddly, I did try this card in another computer and it did not crash at all, that computer was running server 2008 64bit. So I don't know if it is this or a hardware, or heat, or ps , or driver etc..

Back when I bought the card in fall 08 I don't think it crashed that often, the drivers were much older then, but then it started crashing, before I made any driver change. I was going to install vistax64 on this to see if it makes a difference, but vista installation hangs when I put in the disc =\
 
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