5850 2D Problems?

S

SidewinderX

2[H]4U
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Mar 30, 2004
Messages
2,645
Hi All,

I recently upgraded my 3870 to an XFX 5850, and I've been having some problems with it. I seem to be having problems on a fairly regular basis while dong "2D" things with the video card, like working in Photoshop or watching streaming videos (youtube, mlb.com, etc.). The problem that most often happens is that the monitors (I run two monitors, a 24" and a 22") will flicker once or twice, lock up for a few seconds, and then the screens will seem to lock up. I won't really be able to move the mouse or click anything, and they only recourse I've found it hard rebooting the computer.

Another, likely related, problem is that I often get the "Display driver failed to respond, but has recovered" message soon after I boot up. It usually before I start doing anything strenuous, usually I've just opened firefox and maybe songbird. After this happens I'm almost guaranteed to get the previous issue if I try and working PS or watch a youtube video. Sometimes I'll be able to work a little in Photoshop before it locks up, but when I do there's often corruption on the screen (little lines here and there). And then it locks up.

The odd thing is that I haven't really had problems with 3D performance (gaming)... mostly BFBC2 and TF2. The card has performed great when I can game on it.

I have tried the 10.6, the 10.7, and the new 10.8 drivers, and none of them seem to help.
I am also on a fresh install of Windows 7. I had to replace my primary hard drive this weekend, so I'm on a very clean install of Win7 now.
I have tried disabling hardware acceleration on flash videos, which doesn't seem to have helped. And even if it did, that doesn't seem like a good solution to me.

Specs:
XFX 5850 @Stock
4 GB DDR2 RAM
Intel E8400 @Stock
Gigabyte EP35-DS3L mobo
Corsair VX550 PSU

Any ideas? This problem is killing me!

Thanks!
 
Go into CCC and unlock the overdrive and move the sliders 1 clock or so around and let it "reset" and jibe the clocks on the settings save.
Sometimes that fixes the timings communication and solves things.
Since you're 6.4 years it's probably insulting to say check device manager and make certain there's no outstanding problems there(chipset drivers etc exclam pts, etc). Also, be certain autoupdate hasn't slammed in a microsoft w7 ATI driver "update" alongside your other ati driver - yeah they can both be there.
Also cmd run as administrator sfc /scannow.
Do a scandisk and the reboot and then if nothing do a surface scandisk - or to save time on that note if your hard drive light is lit hard before and stays lit hard in the lockup indicating a drive error...

You probably did all that already...

Ok, run the free or your Everest, click + Computer then Sensor - note GPU VRM xx.xx A value, load latest GPU-Z and minimize while noting GPU VRM change in Everest, start Furmark 1.82 , run bench or test in 640 x 480 window note GPU VRM and "HellDonut" window temp and AMP and watt useage.
Evaluate if correct reasonable values are showing.

Maybe a bad thermal pad or missing dollop of grease under HS... ?
 
Last edited:
Easiest thing to do is go into CCC and overclock your GPU by 1Mhz. The flickering is because the card is idling at 157/300 which is not enough to run two monitors. Once you overclock, the idle speed changes to 400/whatever Ram speed set. Mine idles at 400/1250.
 
SicKlown42012 said:
Easiest thing to do is go into CCC and overclock your GPU by 1Mhz. The flickering is because the card is idling at 157/300 which is not enough to run two monitors. Once you overclock, the idle speed changes to 400/whatever Ram speed set. Mine idles at 400/1250.
Click to expand...

Ok, I've done that now, I'll see how it goes.

SiliconDoc said:
Ok, run the free or your Everest, click + Computer then Sensor - note GPU VRM xx.xx A value, load latest GPU-Z and minimize while noting GPU VRM change in Everest, start Furmark 1.82 , run bench or test in 640 x 480 window note GPU VRM and "HellDonut" window temp and AMP and watt useage.
Evaluate if correct reasonable values are showing.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by this? I don't have Everest, is there a free alternative? What "correct and reasonable" values should I be looking for?
 
I have a 5870 and it does the samething. To stop the flicker in flash. I disabled the hardware acceleration.

To do that:
go to a youtube video

right click on the video

click "settings"

uncheck "Hardware Acceleration"
 
Also i edited a profile, to where the memory clock speed was 1200 in all settings. For me the flicker always happened when the clock speed changed. It would drop to 900 and would flicker. Then it would flicker again when it went back up to 1200.
 
qbanb8582 said:
I have a 5870 and it does the samething. To stop the flicker in flash. I disabled the hardware acceleration.
Click to expand...

That still doesn't seem like a real solution... If I paid $300 for a video card, I should damn well be able to use it!


Ok, so I've overclocked it by 5Mhz and checked the profile to make sure the everything is right.

This seems to *mostly* fix the problem... I've had gone most of the week without a problem, but yesterday the flicker -> lockup problem happened again. I rebooted and things seem fine now, but this is really annoying that this appearst to be something that may happen randomly for the forseeable future... Is there any *real* avenue to complain to ATi about this? Support tickets seem mostly ignored, as do their forums. :/
 
My brother-in-laws XFX 4850 was the same way when he got it 2 yrs ago. RMA'd the first one, second one was fine until 1 month ago. Doing the same thing now. But neither of these cards would take an overclock. Not even 1mhz. I swore off XFX after that big fiasco.

I'd say RMA it. Or you could try flashing higher clocks for the low side.
 
If raising the speeds didn't totally fix your issue, three's one more thing you could try. Download MSI Afterburner(will work on all reference designs) and raise the voltage one notch. I've heard this has fixed issues for some. The prevailing theory is that some of these cards were shipped out on the lower threshold of voltage, stability wise. Adding .01v will not do any damage, and you won't see noticeable rise of temps.
 
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