Artifacting problem on 7970s

eirikheggelund · Oct 21, 2013

Hello.

I am experiencing various artifacting at nearly every session of gaming after around half an hour in-game.

It first started right after I finishied building the computer back in April and launched Battlefield 3. A couple minutes in-game, I noticed strange black spikes being dragged from different textures on the field, i.e. trees, and sometimes I'd have a square pop up on a certain spot on the screen, with smaller squares inside, often in the colours of purple/green. This also occurs on every other 3D game that I have tried.

The graphics card was an Asus Radeon HD 7970 Matrix Platinum. I RMA-ed it the day after, and received another copy -- with the exact same issues. I am now on my third copy of the Matrix Platinum, and have been so for the last three months. The artifacting is still a big issue, although it does not happen that often on this copy. I would really want a graphics card that is working 100%, but I am fed up with RMA-ing.

What on Earth could be causing this? Have I just been really, really unlucky with my copies of the card? The 7970 Matrix Platinum has received such great critics. The power supply cannot be the problem as it happened before I upgraded it from an old Corsair HX650. Everything is running at stock.

My computer specifications:
Asus Maximus V Formula
Intel® Core i5-3570K Processor
ASUS Radeon HD 7970 Matrix Platinum
Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz 4x4GB
Corsair AX860

Thanks in advance,
Eirik Heggelund

robnof · Oct 21, 2013

eirikheggelund :

Hello.

I am experiencing various artifacting at nearly every session of gaming after around half an hour in-game.

It first started right after I finishied building the computer back in April and launched Battlefield 3. A couple minutes in-game, I noticed strange black spikes being dragged from different textures on the field, i.e. trees, and sometimes I'd have a square pop up on a certain spot on the screen, with smaller squares inside, often in the colours of purple/green. This also occurs on every other 3D game that I have tried.

The graphics card was an Asus Radeon HD 7970 Matrix Platinum. I RMA-ed it the day after, and received another copy -- with the exact same issues. I am now on my third copy of the Matrix Platinum, and have been so for the last three months. The artifacting is still a big issue, although it does not happen that often on this copy. I would really want a graphics card that is working 100%, but I am fed up with RMA-ing.

What on Earth could be causing this? Have I just been really, really unlucky with my copies of the card? The 7970 Matrix Platinum has received such great critics. The power supply cannot be the problem as it happened before I upgraded it from an old Corsair HX650. Everything is running at stock.

My computer specifications:
Asus Maximus V Formula
Intel® Core i5-3570K Processor
ASUS Radeon HD 7970 Matrix Platinum
Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600MHz 4x4GB
Corsair AX860

Thanks in advance,
Eirik Heggelund

I've heard of a few problems with the matrix cards and the dc2 tops. You don't have your card manually overclocked yet do you? Also try alternating between catalyst versions. I had similar problems with my old 6970.

eirikheggelund · Oct 21, 2013

As mentioned, everything is running factory overclocked. I have heard that reducing the memory clock will do the trick, but I do not want to do that. I don't even know if it actually will help.

I have tried several versions of Catalyst, and am at the moment using the latest, 13.10.

robnof · Oct 21, 2013

eirikheggelund :

yeah you shouldn't have to reduce the clock speed. They marketed it to you as a factory overclocked gpu, and others have no issues with it out of the box. Do other cards work fine on your setup? Also make sure you're using the proper PCI express lane. Your motherboard manual should tell you which slot to use for a single card setup.

eirikheggelund · Oct 21, 2013

Before I received my first Matrix Platinum, I used my old card, a Saphire Radeon HD 6850. I experienced no artifacting whatsoever with this card.

robnof · Oct 21, 2013

Alright. Just trying to narrow down the cause. It seems a bit odd that you are on a third copy of this card and still getting the same problem. Although its not unheard of.

You're probably going to have to RMA it again.

eirikheggelund · Oct 21, 2013

Are there any possibility that there may be something else causing this? A faulty expansion slot, if anything?

4745454b · Oct 21, 2013

Could be heat. Temps ok? Might also want to update your motherboards bios.

eirikheggelund · Oct 21, 2013

4745454b :

My temperatures should be just fine. I have set my front and back fan to idle until the sensors hit 45 degress via Asus FAN Xpert, though that should not be a problem. If I remember correctly, I used the normal fan settings with my first copy of the graphics card, and I did have artifacts back then as well.

Regarding the BIOS, I do not think I have it updated. I don't understand EZ Update at all. I am receiving the message "This environment is no need to update" when trying to connect. I just downloaded and ran what was downloadable from Asus' support site for the motherboard. Perhaps EZ Update is not the right softare to use at all.

EDIT: I have this .CAP file that I downloaded back when I got the computer set up. I guess this file is what is being used for flashing the BIOS.

robnof · Oct 21, 2013

eirikheggelund :

Is the CAP file installed? Remove it. I'm pretty sure its only for crossfire setups. Okay for updating your bios, go to Asus' website and look up your motherboard. Under support there should be a bunch of BIOS versions available for download. Download the latest one. It should be a ROM file, or extract as a ROM file. Load it onto a usb thumb drive. Then just restart your computer and enter your BIOS. There you should find an option to flash your bios from the thumb drive. I can't remember exactly what its called but if you have trouble just google it.

When you upgraded your card did you remove catalyst and it's registries? If not try this; Download a program called Driver Sweeper. Now uninstall all AMD software from the control panel. Restart the computer once this is completed. Now run driver sweeper and have it remove any remaining AMD graphics registries. Restart and reinstall Catalyst.

eirikheggelund · Oct 21, 2013

robnof :

eirikheggelund :

Is the CAP file installed? Remove it. I'm pretty sure its only for crossfire setups. Okay for updating your bios, go to Asus' website and look up your motherboard. Under support there should be a bunch of BIOS versions available for download. Download the latest one. It should be a ROM file, or extract as a ROM file. Load it onto a usb thumb drive. Then just restart your computer and enter your BIOS. There you should find an option to flash your bios from the thumb drive. I can't remember exactly what its called but if you have trouble just google it.

When you upgraded your card did you remove catalyst and it's registries? If not try this; Download a program called Driver Sweeper. Now uninstall all AMD software from the control panel. Restart the computer once this is completed. Now run driver sweeper and have it remove any remaining AMD graphics registries. Restart and reinstall Catalyst.

The .CAP file is what I find under the motherboard's list of BIOS versions. The latest version seems to be version 1903, found here: http://www.asus.com/ROG_ROG/MAXIMUS_V_FORMULA/#support

I have also removed any remaining AMD software before upgrading. Have done so after every update of Catalyst.

eirikheggelund · Oct 23, 2013

And no, the .CAP file is not installed, by the way.

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