XFX Radeon 7970 not working OR....

[pkthekiller]

Hi there, i,m having a similar problem....my config is:

CPU: FX 8120
COOLING: CORSAIR H80
RAM: 8GB CORSAIR VENGENCE 1600 CS9
MB: CROSSHAIR V (BIOS 1102)
GPU: XFX RADEON 7970 3GB
PSU: COOLER MASTER SILENT PRO 850M

My problem is that i get the vga led red all the time (after cpu and ram leds flash for once). I dont have any signal on the monitor. The fan on the gfx is spinning full speed. The PSU has 6 "6 pin to 6+2 pin PCIe connectors. As you might know te 7970 need 8+6 for juice. In the first 2 pcie slots, card wont work at all. In the 3rd one it actually worked quite some times. I was able to get into windows but the screen had flashing lines/ artifacting all along (from post to windows - though only for a few cold boots and then it was ok as long as the colours were 16bit or less. But this was only with catalyst installed(the windows part only). with standard vga drivers, no such artifacting. On top of that, the card was always downclocked (core 300 and mem 150) with catalyst. Lauching anything 3d would bring the artifacting back and eventual full system hang.
I have tried everything (like clearing CMOS, plugging the additional 4 pin molex for gpu on MB even though it should not be required, reseating everything, boot with only 1 ram in the last slot, boot with no I/O connected etc)
And now.....its not working at all.....vga led is devil red......
Just to check, i tried my old radeon 4870 512mb (6+6 pin).....and it works flawlessly....
So guys.....is it the GPU, the MB or the PSU......

 

[dannoddd]

If it works flawlessly with the 4870 then it sounds like it's the 7970. If it were the mobo or psu it wouldn't work with the 4870.

Try sticking the 7970 in another computer and see if it works.

That LED on your board is saying that the problem is with the GPU or something directly related to it.

 

[refillable]

First, I do suggest you uninstall your old 4870 drivers prior to installing your 7970. Then boot up, then install your driver. If the problem persist, try installing the card on another system which is sufficient for it, if it does work, then something is wrong in your system, but if it doesn't, RMA the card.

 

[pkthekiller]

thanks for the replies....but you see thats the problem....i dont have another system to test it with....these coulored patches start from the getgo....as soon as i press the power button and system boots past "post" (that is if it does) and not just in windows. So the problem seems to be either low voltage/power (less than what it needs maybe) for the card or something wrong with the car.....

 

[aznplayer213]

the card was always downclocked (core 300 and mem 150)

that is a power saving feature that im pretty sure cant be turned off

 

[pkthekiller]

yes....actually it can be changed.....i created a manual profile in CCC....however as soon as i apply it.....the flickering and wierd lines come back no matter what desktop colour....and eventually the system crashes....

 

[aznplayer213]

and you dont have problems with your old card right? it may be ur card if u havent checked in a different setup

 

[pkthekiller]

Actually i'm worried not because maybe i got a faulty card, but because i'm seeing so many people (with all kinds of different configs) having almost the same problem.....i mean....either its a lot of faulty crap chips supplied by AMD or there is something that we are all missing (relating to the requirements of 7900 series cards in particular)

 

[aznplayer213]

ive heard on the numerous problems as well. It just comes down if your lucky to get a non-faulty xfx 7970. and here i was thinking of trying crossfire setup...

 

[chuckcrowleysteak]

I hav the same problem.... grrr..