Solved 6970 Black Screen or Vertical Lines

[dw96]

Hello all.
After being almost rudely ignored on two other forums about graphics cards, I decided to come back to you guys, even though you're not a website that specializes in graphics cards. Before I start, just to note - I've heard the problem I have can be caused by a hardware issue and not only Windows 7.

SO HERE'S THE DEAL:
I changed my good ol' perfectly functioning 4850 for a 6970. The first issues cam when my computer started shutting off randomly, I have now taken care of this problem and upgraded my 500W Stock Supply to a CM 750W Bronze. Unfortunately, there is another issue which is driving me so mad, I'm ready to through my entire PC setup out the window. The card is giving me the vertical lines problem. This is a well known problem for some 4850's (even though my old 4850 had no such problem) and for almost all 5000 series users. The problem is rumored to be caused either by a bad memory clock, voltage or fan speed setting, but I've spent about two hours messing around with those (both overclocking and underclocking) and have only gotten things worse - the vertical lines seem to be gone, but now my computer crashes with the much more unpleasant BLACK SCREEN. You game and then - BLACK SCREEN! What I've noticed is that the audio sometimes continues normally, but Alt+F4-ing and Ctrl+Alt+Del-ing doesn't do anything.

Right now I have reset everything (dirvers, card, OC settings) to default and I have no idea what to do.

Just a note - if I can't gat this fixed in a few days I probably WILL go crazy and ragequit not only PC gaming, but the computer world itself. I just can't help but be baffled by how an estimated of a 550$ PC upgrade causes NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS.

Anyone know what to do?

 

[thefabe]

After doing a quick search on your problem I can feel your pain. Seems their is no shortage of complaints.
Have you tried contacting the manufacturer to see what their take is on this seemingly wide spread problem?
Fabe

 

[Maguscreed]

Well since you replaced the power supply I would be pointing to graphics, sounds like the card is just deciding to shut off on you randomly.
I would RMA a card doing that myself wouldn't even think twice about it.
Especially a flagship price tag model like the 6970.

There is of course the obvious check you can preform...
Just find another computer you can plug it into and test it on.
After my original 5850 failed on 3 different machines they finally agreed to the rma
The replacement has a newer ver number on it, and has not given me the slightest problem.

This is something to note, especially if you buy it in a physical store. On the label there is a place on the big white factory sticker that indicates the version number.
If it's 1 or 1.1 ... I would generally look for something else.
The 5850 they sent me that finally worked is a ver 4.1

 

[ManOwar2]

On newegg forum for this card there is a ton of negative feedback...looks like a general problem to me. I'm trying to find a good video card for my Q9550 and I was looking at this...I'll skip my turn. Not sure if it would bottleneck anyway.

 

[dw96]

@thefabe - NO WAY! I am NOT contacting the manufacturer or the store from where I got the card. If there will be any fixing I will have to do it myself. Also, right now I literally can't say I have more than 30$ left from all the cash I spent on my PC... At the store, if this turns out to be a serous issue I will also be probably asked to leave the computer for testing for a few days which would suck. No computer for me means no job, no work, no entertainment, no internet, no pr0n, no facebook, no news, no online gaming NO NOTHING! Plus, if I fix this by myself I'll really feel more confident about my Pc skils and all... lol.

@ManOwar2 - Here is the link to the card on newegg. All I see is one guy who seems to be much happier than I am...

AS FOR THE PROBLEM:
I think I am slowly starting to get to the bottom of the problem. Here's a quick GPU-Z log of me playing GTA IV until a Vertical Line crash appeared (Attachment).
View attachment GPU-Z Sensor Log.txt

You guys see what I see? Core clock jumping like crazy from 250 to 800 or sometimes even to 920... Same with the GPU memory clock - incredible variety and randomness going from 150 to 1450...

As for the temperature, I've heard that 80 degrees is the max for this card and with an average of 72 (keeping in mind that only GPU temp 3 is at 78 degrees) the card SHOULDN'T BE OVERHEATING! My case is also a tower standard-ish case, but with two cooler master additional fans... Also, if you have any doubts about the card cooling here is what it looks like.

In the end, is there any way I can have a constant Core Clock and Memory Clock setting as is that by any means dangerous?

P.S.: **** my warranty right now. **** it hard. I AM willing to do everything to get this card to work!

 

[Maguscreed]

The onboard nvidia bios will generally shut the card down before it actually reaches failure heat levels.

 

[dw96]

The onboard nvidia bios will generally shut the card down before it actually reaches failure heat levels.

Umm... you mean ATi, right?

And as for the high differential in core clock and memory clock? Do you think this my be the cause? (P.S.: The voltage is also quite weird...)

 

[Maguscreed]

lol I probably should have just said video card bios, because it's true for either one.
Sorry I haven't slept in about 29 hours now starting to get a little bit loopy.

 

[dw96]

@Maguscreed - I see. No problem. People make mistakes all the time - like I just did by PURCHASING THIS CARD!

View attachment Vertical Lines - GTA IV.txt
Did a constant voltage, constant core clock, memory clock (log above proves it). Got a temp a bit above 70 and crashed AGAIN. This time I got the vertical lines instead of black screen and what I have noticed is that when I get vertical lines the audio continues for about 9-10 seconds and then my computer completely freezes. The more stuff I do the more and more I feel I have a faulty card.
Darn... and to think I was actually looking forward to this particular upgrade...

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

Since you don't want to deal with the warranty, normally I would not recommend this: Try removing the heat sink/fan assembly (be carefull).....clean the chip & the heat sink & any ram it contacts, with 95% rubbing alcohol. Then once all clean: take a good quality thermal paste, (Artic Silver or better) take the heat sink put a good spot of paste on it: take a credit card and work it back and forth till you have a good, even, thin layer all over the contact surface, then put a small amount on any chips the heat sink contacts. (not too much...) Reinstall amd see if that doesn't help those temps.......

This could possibly void the warranty.....

 

[dw96]

Since you don't want to deal with the warranty, normally I would not recommend this: Try removing the heat sink/fan assembly...

I hope I don't sound like a n00b too much but the only hardware-related things I can do on a computer are: Remove CPU Fan, Change RAM, Change GPU, Change or Add a New component in a PCIe slot. I'm pretty much a beginner in HW terms so I definetely won't be able to do that...

What I am going to try tonight is a fresh install of Windows 7. I'll dual boot with two W7 OS's just in case the new one does nothing and I want to get back to my current stuff.

Wish me luck! (this IS supposed to be a Windows issue so...)

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

It's a good thing to know your limitations. A reinstall won't hurt anything and may work....Good luck!

 

[dw96]

That's what I thought so too, but so far I've made no progress. We're talking the same 64-bit SP1 Home Premium, just on another partition with Dual Boot. COMPLETELY CLEAN - I literally didn't even install flash when I wanted to view a YouTube video, all I have there now is DX11, ATi Catalyst Drivers, Drivers for a XBOX 360 Controller for Windows and DiRT 2. Tried DiRT and I got vertical lines AGAIN... It happened even before I got ingame - I was entering my names, gender, country and nickname and - POOF - crash.

I'm going to try a Windows Vista (ugh...) and Windows XP (puke) install tomorrow and see if any of those help. Sadly enough I can already predict I'll probably return this card and buy a PS3 or XBOX... Who know I'd rage quit PC gaming so fast...

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

Sometimes you just get a dud.....there is always Nvida......

 

[Maguscreed]

Sometimes you just get a dud.....there is always Nvida......

my record is 3 rma's in a row, they were nvidia 7800's

My only real problem with nvidia despite that though is physx. I think it's a *expletive* way to try and sell some stuff making this proprietary package that only works with one kind of hardware.

 

[dw96]

I just sent the computer for a check up to the so called experts at my store. I'm probably just going to wait a while and spend my money on a PSVita (PSP2). Until then I'll be playing Guitar Hero on PS2 and will use the PC for work... (sigh)

(Don't mark the thread as solved, though, something new might pop up about this issue, as in a possible solution found by the guys at the store)

 

[dw96]

Problem solved. I returned my Gigabyte 6970 for a Sapphire 6970 hoping it will perform just as reliably as my Sapphire 4850. So the card is here now, after 10 minutes of DiRT 2 at maximum settings and about 15 minutes of 3D Mark Vantage Professional (all settings maxed out) I dare to say the card works just fine. *knocks on wood*

MORAL TO THE STORY:
Buy Gigabyte MOTHERBOARDS, not GPU's.
When it comes to ATi graphics, trust Sapphire.

- Thread Solved -

 

[ManOwar2]

You know I also like XFX they have good warranty and a good customer service. When we needed a new card after a gtx 260 black edition failed they sent us a good replacement xfx 6850 dual fan and it is working great.

They switched to ATI finding that NVIDIA drivers leaded to too many failures. ( I remember a serie of drivers that ruined thousands of cards 5 or 6 months ago)

NVIDIA drivers ruined our 9800 GTX+ xfx card, our gtx 260 xfx black edition card. Confirmed by nvidia experts on theirs forum. At least XFX was glad enough to replace the black edition one, I still have 1 gtx 260 black edition running and I'm expecting a failure pretty soon...but could not wait so I just bought another video card.

lol

 

[Maguscreed]

Additional positive remark about XFX, it's a shame nvidia blacklisted them, they used to make ati and nvidia cards, I've bought both from them and they are great.
Nvidia apparently demanded they only produce nvidia cards though, and xfx just said goodbye.

 

[Maguscreed]

Problem solved. I returned my Gigabyte 6970 for a Sapphire 6970 hoping it will perform just as reliably as my Sapphire 4850. So the card is here now, after 10 minutes of DiRT 2 at maximum settings and about 15 minutes of 3D Mark Vantage Professional (all settings maxed out) I dare to say the card works just fine. *knocks on wood*

MORAL TO THE STORY:
Buy Gigabyte MOTHERBOARDS, not GPU's.
When it comes to ATi graphics, trust Sapphire.

- Thread Solved -

I had a really good 9800 pro AIW many years ago made by them, which prompted me to buy my next card upgrade from them as well. After 3 months of trying to rma the one card and making no headway I switched to xfx. I have used them ever since for both myself and friends with only one rma required, that was easy and quickly handled by their support staff. My only complaint about XFX is they no longer make nvidia cards, but that's nvidia's fault for being all Mac and trying to tell them how to run their business.