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Display issues but only with 2 monitor setup.

Tags:
  • AMD
  • Display
  • XFX
  • GPUs
  • Graphics Cards
  • Monitors
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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a b À AMD
a b U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 16, 2014 6:57:52 AM

I'll start with my system specs first:
AMD Phenom II x4 965BE @ 4079 MHz @ 1.392V Core voltage
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO @ 52°C full load using Intel Burn test, 34°C idle with ambient temp of 22°C
Asus Sabertooth 990FX r2.0, HT @ 2320 MHz, NB @ 2560 MHz
G.Skill Ares 2x4 GB 1866 @ 1862 MHz @ 9-10-9-28 @ 1.57V. The extra voltage is to stabilize the ram at this frequency.
Seasonic X-850 Power Supply
OCZ Vertex 3 60 GB SSD for Win 7 x64 home premium OS & Kingston V300 120 GB SSD for games.
Seagate barracuda 1 TB and Hitachi Deskstar 500 GB HDD's for storage and games.
XFX AMD Radeon HD 7970 Double D core @ 970 MHz and memory @ 1575 MHz
Antec 902 Case custom modified for wire routing

OK, now that you are familiar with the the parts lets get down to the issue:

When 2 monitors are hooked up my main monitor will go, well it is hard to explain so I will give pics:

and



This only seems to happen when 2 monitors are hooked up and it does not do it all the time, seemingly random times. I have tried different drivers all the way back to 13.4 and the newest beta driver 14.7 with no change.

If i unplug the main monitor the scree swaps over to the second monitor and shows the same thing. This tells me that the monitors and cables are good and the issue lies some where else. I suspect the GPU is bad but I want another opinion on this.

The GPU is not over heating and stays around 69°C while playing Crysis 3. The only time it throttles is if I stress test the card. Heat is not the issue on any component in my system. removing the OC from the card does not help either

Any suggestions are welcome and thanks for taking the time to read this.

More about : display issues monitor setup

a b À AMD
a c 79 U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 16, 2014 7:28:06 AM
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a b U Graphics card
September 18, 2014 12:24:33 PM

Kind of seems like the GPU is the issue. What happens when you swap cables behind the GPU. Does it follow the port or the monitor?
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a b À AMD
a b U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 18, 2014 12:28:16 PM

If I unplug the main monitor, yes it will swap monitors. it swaps over to the second monitor but if I plug the cable back into the GPU it swaps back to the main monitor. If I change the cable to a different port the issue remains.
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a b U Graphics card
September 18, 2014 12:41:38 PM

Just to clarify:

If you swap cables behind the GPU, the issue follows the port? The monitor on the right-side goes bad? Or the issue remains with whichever monitor windows sets to primary?

How about if you just change the primary desktop from within Windows' Resolution menu. Does it still follow the primary monitor?

I guess there's a small chance there's something funky in your Windows install, or with some other random driver (audio even). Maybe a fresh Windows install with the latest drivers is worth a shot, before you write off the card?

Otherwise...is the GPU still under warranty?
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a b À AMD
a b U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 18, 2014 12:55:06 PM

No it is not a port issue. I have determined this because no matter what port I plug into the issue remains. It is which ever monitor Windows has designated primary.

I can not change the primary monitor in Windows resolution because I can not see it to do it. It is a good suggestion but I can't try it to see what would happen. I can not force this issue to happen to even test that suggestion untill it decided to do it again.

I would rather not reinstall teh OS unless it is absolutely necessary because of how my drives are set up. All my user data is on a storage drive and not the ssd's along with the fact I have 7 drive letters that I would need to remember and readjust once all is said and done. It is possible it is a software issue but because I can not force this to happen I can't test for it.

Yes my card is under warranty. It actually has a lifetime warranty. I have been in contact with the company But I am very hesitant to send it in. 1. because they want me to pay for shipping, 2. because I can not make it happen it is very likely they wont be able to also. Then in that case they will send it back to me and then I'm back in the same situation.
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a b U Graphics card
September 18, 2014 1:04:24 PM

As for the Windows window, use these steps to move the window without "seeing" it:

Hold down the ALT key.
Press SPACEBAR.
Press M (Move).
A 4-headed arrow will appear. When it does, use your arrow keys to move the outline of the window.
When you are happy with its position, press ENTER.

Maybe the refresh rate or resolution in that menu are jacked up?

You can try updating some of the other drivers, like the audio. Sometimes they can have weird interactions with the video driver. You can also be sure you're doing a "clean" driver install with the latest.

I feel your pain, but unless someone else chimes in, Windows refresh and GPU replacement may be your only options left. You can try to backup everything on your boot drive, and leave the rest of the drives unchanged/unplugged during the re-install. You can backup steam games/saves to external drives within the GUI, and quickly re-install drivers with "SlimDriver" and applications with "Ninite.com". (Those are both cool sites/utilities, if you have time to check them out.)
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a b À AMD
a b U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 18, 2014 1:16:01 PM

Next time it happens I will try to move the window over to the second monitor and give it a shot.

As for my Audio drivers, they have not released a new in over 1 year maybe even 2 with one exception the addition of windows 8 and 8.1 compatibility but that is a specific download and same driver number. I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer audio card and by today's standards it is old.

I have reinstalled my os with this setup in the past and it is just a pain. I can do it and know what needs to be done to save my data but we are talking 12 -24 hours to set things back up and get all links, strait and symbolic, set up again. Just FYI, I keep all my drivers on my storage drive and backed up on a flash drive so unless there is a bran new update I have them all on hand. :) 
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a b À AMD
a c 79 U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 18, 2014 1:16:24 PM

A fresh Windows install doesn't stop it. It's happened to me on Windows 7 to a fresh Windows 8 install which I did when I got my 840 EVO so there was no possible chance of any residual files.

It's unlikely it's any other device or driver as this error has happened to me ever since I got this GPU. It's gone through 3 different motherboard upgrades and 2 CPUs and 4 different RAM DIMMs from different companies.

The issue does only remain on whatever is the designated primary monitor.
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a b U Graphics card
September 18, 2014 1:18:06 PM

Sucks to that. :/  Sorry to hear it.

Well, maybe give the other stuff (not Windows install) a shot, just in case you end up luckier than dovah-chan.
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a b À AMD
a b U Graphics card
a b C Monitor
September 18, 2014 1:22:37 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. when it happens I will give them a shot.
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