GTX 670 Freeze

[olmo83]

Hi,

My system freezes when trying to run the card with PCIE GEN3 activated. As of now I'm forcing the card to run under GEN2 and that seems to be the only "solution" to the freezing issue. I've tried numerous graphics drivers/mobo BIOS's combinations but nothing works. Could this be a hardware or maybe VBIOS issue?


/Olmo

CPU: Intel Core i5 3570K
Motherboard: MSI Z77MA-S01
RAM: Corsair 8GB (2x4096MB) CL9 1600Mhz VENGEANCE LP
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2048MB OC
HDD: A-DATA SSD 510-series 120GB
PSU: be quiet! Straight Power E9 480W 80+ Gold Modular
Optical Drive: DVD±RW Samsung 22X DL Black OEM
OS: Windows 7 Professional 64bit

[Akumasama]

According to anandtech and techpowerup it's a well known issue that many (but not all of course) GTX 670 Windforce Gigabyte have in common, even some GTX 680.
This issue appears only if you set the videocard in PCIE 3.0 16x AND on a motherboard with Z77 chipset.
I have one of the "unlucky" 670 as well, and it's a mess for me because my motherboeard doesn't allow me to manually cap PCIE at Gen2.

This videocard works fine in any other setting like PCIE 3.0 8x, PCIE 2.0 16x, PCIE 1.1 16x etc etc.


My reseller is offering me to RMA it, but they are unable to "detect" working Windforce models, so they offered me to get another model. I want a Windforce though Wonder if it would be possible for me to ask for RMA directly at gigabyte?

[Altair]

I have the same issue with my  GTX 670 Windforce and Asus P8Z68 Deluxe.
The system keep crashing and freezing randomly.
Unfortunately my mobo doesn't allow me to switch the PCIE3 slot to PCIE2
I can't even use the second  PCIE2 slot because the vga is a few millimetres too wide to fit into it (it would end up exactly where the HHDD connectors are).
So I'm stuck with an extremely unstable system. Is there any hope in a BIOS upgrade fix in the next few weeks? Thanks!

Screenshot of one of the last crashes:
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/199/9/8/untitled_by_terazed-d57og7b.jpg

system:
- Windows 7 Ultimate
- Intel core i5 3570K
- Ram 1333 DDR3 4 Gb
- gigabyte GTX 670
- Asus P8Z68 Deluxe
- 2 WD Caviar Black HHDD
- Noctua NH-U12P Heatsink
- Corsair GS650

[Akumasama]

I talked about the issue more in detail in THIS other thread.
Took me quite a stressful week to find out the real issue.
Initially I obviously thought about SW/HW issues with the graphic card. Then after trying all sort of drivers and after seeing the videocard worked on another PC, I kinda ruled the possibility out and tested everything else.

In the end it was exactely the videocard, but the issue appears only when it's working in PCIE3.0 16x, works perfectly in all other modes.
My Motherboard only has two settings for PCIE ports: "Auto" and "Gen1" (PCIE1.1)

The latest released GPU bios, F2, doesn't solve the issue. Tbh I don't even know if this is the sort of issue that can be solved with bios updates.
Why don't you check your motherboard forums though? There might be other ways (new bios? or software stuff?) to "limit" your PCIE to 2.0.

I "solved" the issue sending my card to RMA asking for a refund (directly at the reseller) and buying a new card.



From what I can say this issue affects only a very small minority of Windforce 670 and an even smaller minority of 680. There seems to be quite a few in the USA but much less in Europe.
It has to be said that there could be more "defective" cards around, but people never noticed because they are using them in PCIE2.0.
Sounds very strange to me that Gigabyte still hasn't acknowledged this issue yet.

[Akumasama]

Oh Altair btw, can I ask you where did you buy your card? I bought mine from Prokoo.com
I know for sure they sold some "working" ones too though. Some of my friends bought the same videocard from them and it's currently working 100% in PCIE3.0
As far as I know I'm the first italian person who bought a 670 Windforce from them and received a "defective" model.

[Altair]

Unfortunately there is no way out, I have to change my motherboard or my video card.
I tried so far:
- updated the mobo bios
- updated the GTX bios
- tried multiple versions of nvidia drivers, newest and oldest
- GPU-z  causes the "red screen of death"
- Furmark OK
- LinX OK
- Prime95 OK
- wPrime OK
- GPU and CPU temperatures are OK

The GTX 670 worked fine on my old system (DP35DP + intel 2 duo) but there is no way to get it to work on my P8Z68.
Even with the newest bios, there are no way to change the PCIE back to 2.0 in the P8Z68 motherboard.
It is possible on P8Z77 but not in the Z68.
Even if I put the VGA on the second slot, it will automatically turn into a PCIE3.0
The only way to solve the problem is to hack the z68 bios but I have no knowledge to do so.
Also, not many people have a "defective" Gigabyte GTX670 + P8Z68 so it is very difficult to find help.

I bought the pc at BPM Power, not the smartest idea since they RMA is nonexistent. I will never buy from them again.

[Akumasama]

You sure there is no way to limit your PCIE lower than 16x or lower than 3.0 through some software? Can it be done only through bios?
Between changing your mobo and your videocard I'd change the videocard though.

Even if it's a "small thing" it still is an issue with that, and by now we don't know if it will ever be solved in the future through Gigabyte bios updates.

[Altair]

Unfortunately there is no way to lower my PCIE on my P8Z68 deluxe motherboard bios. I never heard of softwares that are able to do so.
I really hope Gygabite could fix this issue becuase I had to reset my PC twice just to write this sentence because it keeps crashing even when in idle.
I'm forced to switch back to my HD4870 becuase it is impossible to work in this conditions.

[Akumasama]

I know your pain all too well, been through it a whole week before I found out the issue was in the videocard itself =/

[olmo83]

Update,

My freezing issues have been solved in the new vBIOS (F4) from Gigabyte.

/Olmo

[Akumasama]

That's excellent!
I knew F2 didn't fix, but appearently F4 can fix it!

I changed videocard so I don't have the issue anymore, but I'm sure Altair will be very happy to know that!

[Altair]

Updating the bios was one of the first things I did.
My GTX670 bios is updated at F4 version, relase date 2012/07/13 and nothing has changed.

[Akumasama]

Ouch =/

[Altair]

I switched back to GTX 460.
No more crashes now.

The bugged GTX 670 works fine on an old PCIE 1.1 motherboard.

GPU-Z shows that my gigabyte  GTX 670  only support 2.0 PCIE and not 3.0, as advertised.

I'm not happy at all with this thing. Is there any hope to get another bios upgrade that solve this issue?

[darivo]

on my setup, X79 rampage formula, im having freeze troubles too
Pciex x16 & 3.0

the screen is freeze (with actual image) but sound and rest of the system doesn't respond.

i tried to shut-down the system with the power button (programmed to close windows7  if is touched) but doesn't respond

Bios updated to F4

is there and official communication from gigabyte?