Official GIGABYTE Forum
Questions about GIGABYTE products => Graphic cards => Topic started by: si110 on September 30, 2011, 12:51:27 pm
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Hi, I am trying to crossfire 2 x 6970 cards, everything is ok until I start a game, then the fans on the second card stop working once temp hits 50 celsius, and wont restart until the pc has been turned off for a lengthy period. 2 x 4890 cards have no issue.
Specs:
Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 REV 2.0 Flashed to f9 bios.
Gigabyte R697OC-2GD x 2
i7 870 cpu
8 gb ram
Vantec ion2 plus 1000w
2 x 1tb Hdd
1 x Dvd
Nothing overclocked (just the cards factory OC)
Latest drivers for everything (11.9 cats)
2 week old Win install
I have swapped cards slots, same issue, have tested both slots with single card, all good. Setting manual speeds in CCC doesnt help, same with Afterburner.
Could the second slot being a 4x when 2 cards in be the issue? Any ideas for me to look at would be greatly appreciated thank you. :)
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Hi
I can't see the problem being that the slot is only a x4 with both cards in although it will seriously hit your performance of the second card. An x8 slot will just about manage but anything less than that is not really an option.
Is your PSU's 12v rail split into more than one ? If so make sure that the two cards use two seperate rails for their power supplies.
The only other thing is to flash your BIOS version to a different one and see if the problem still surfaces.
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Sorry have to ask......are you using a interconnect crossfire bridge ?
Aussie Allan
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Hi
I can't see the problem being that the slot is only a x4 with both cards in although it will seriously hit your performance of the second card. An x8 slot will just about manage but anything less than that is not really an option.
Is your PSU's 12v rail split into more than one ? If so make sure that the two cards use two seperate rails for their power supplies.
The only other thing is to flash your BIOS version to a different one and see if the problem still surfaces.
Thank you for reply.
These are the specs of my PSU http://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/view_detail/412 (http://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/view_detail/412) I have tried all the configurations possible from the PSU, there is a main PCI-E connector built into it and 2 modular connectors for PCI-E, i have tried all possible ways, including using molex adapters, same issue :(
I had f8 bios when this started, flashed to f9 last night, no change.
Cheers.
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Sorry have to ask......are you using a interconnect crossfire bridge ?
Aussie Allan
Thanks for reply.
I sure am, tried using one, then two, same issue.
Cheers.
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Swap the two cards around.....hopefully the fan will fail on the same card ...then we know it's the card......if it fails on the other card.....could be the slot!
Aussie Allan
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Swap the two cards around.....hopefully the fan will fail on the same card ...then we know it's the card......if it fails on the other card.....could be the slot!
Aussie Allan
I have swapped the cards around, second slot fan still stops. I have tested putting a card into the second slot without a card in first slot, fan worked fine. I have tested with my 4890s back in, issue didnt resurface, all was fine.
Pc shop I bought parts from wants me to bring it in so they can gouge me a fortune, never had to use a shop before dont really want to start now lol. Buying a new mobo isnt a problem, but if I dont have to would rather not.
Cheers.
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As I mentioned earlier try a different BIOS version but make sure that you use QFlash not @BIOS to run the update.
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Do what DM said first.....but we could throw a lot of time at this a probably little result .... 16x16 slot fine 16x8, even 8x8 , but with a 4x slot with a high end card/s , I just don't.......
Unless you have a mate with a 16,16 board or even a 16x8 to try your cards out in.......would be kind of fun buying a high end board to match your high end cards......there's some cracking prices over here for 67 and 68 boards ATM!
Leave it with me and I'll have a bit of a hunt...
Aussie Allan
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As I mentioned earlier try a different BIOS version but make sure that you use QFlash not @BIOS to run the update.
Ok, I used @Bios last night.
Should I go back to f7, since I had the problem with f8 or get the beta bios f10g (latest bios above the f9 I have)?
Cheers.
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Drop back to F7 just to be sure it's not BIOS related.....the more we can rule out the better for all concerned!
Aussie Allan
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Using @BIOS is asking for trouble. The number of times members come on here saying that something isn't working after using @BIOS to try and flash their boards......well!
Do the update again with QFlash and download a new copy of the file first just to make sure it isn't faulty.
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Downloaded f7 and flashed using Qflash, hasnt sorted the issue :(
Although the card actually got to 55 celsius before the fans stopped instead of the usual 50, was quite excited there for that 5 degrees lol.
Cheers.
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So it did have some effect although it did,'t cure the problem, so it would seem as if it might well be a BIOS issue then. I would suggest trying some other versions just to see what the effect is.
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Will start from latest and work back, have to get up early for work so may not post back until tomorrow night, thanks for all your help guys.
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Not a problem!
Aussie Allan
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Evening,
Have tried all the bios versions, latest beta bios allows fan to go past 55 celsius, but on exiting game the fans stop ::)
Shop has agreed to test the cards in another board free of charge, and I have decided I need a better board now for these cards anyway (4x lane no good for fully utilizing these)
One last question about this setup, is it normal for GPU 2 to have higher usage?? I am seeing 96% on GPU 2 and only 60-70 on GPU 1. With my 4890s it was the other way around ???
Thinking about a format and reinstall just for the hell of it, cant get another board for about a week, got that urge to solve the problem anyway lol.
Cheers.
Edit: another symptom, when the fans stop, they don't restart until pc is powered down for a period of time, rebooting is no good, but after bios flash they start at boot fine. Does this point even more to a bios issue?
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Of sorts.....software related of some description me thinks.....but it still could be hardware.....really hard to say unless I was sitting in front of it...........or it just hates being put in a 4x slot and is doing a compatibility dummy spit because it's mate is in a x16 slot...... nice offer from your supplier though...... make sure you give him/her a detailed blah,blah,blah about the problem in writing ......the person you speak to might not be the person that tests it...... and take both cards!
Little hint...... mark the card/s somewhere with a fine point permanent marker..... just a couple of tinny dots....... It's nice to know your getting back the card you dropped off ;)
Aussie Allan
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Little hint...... mark the card/s somewhere with a fine point permanent marker..... just a couple of tinny dots....... It's nice to know your getting back the card you dropped off
My sentiment exactly. Trust no one. That's why I always recommend taking the serial number of your boards before sending them off.
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Hi,
Cards tested and working fine, so will be getting a new mobo, Asrock z68 extreme 4, with i7 2600. Should run them nicely :)
Cheers guys.
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si110
Do you mind keeping me/us in the loop ..... would be nice to know if it was in fact the board.........did you do a swap to the Asrock board or frisby the giga board and buy the newie
Would of been nice to know if the board went into the operating theatre and find out definitely if it was the board and what part was giving you grief!
Hope the new boards a cracker!
Aussie Allan
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Yes, I would like to know the final outcome too. It is always nice to actually find out for sure what the problem was rather than just conjecture. ;)
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I wont be getting the new board until next week, its the same as the cards were tested on in the workshop. Needs a CPU upgrade though, (1156 to 1155) Hence the delay.
My son will get the old board with the 2 4890s, since they work fine in it. (nice for a 11 yo!!!)
Everything points to the board not liking those 2 cards in Crossfire, probably because of the 4 x lane. Unless someone with that board and those cards say that it works, and you would only really know if you were closely monitoring, that's where I am at. Sorry, its conjecture, but board is past warranty and I wont spend money to find out for sure :)
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Well I appreciate the time to post your thoughts on it anyway. You could well be right about the fourth lane. I bet your son is a very happy bunny! ;D