7950 causing graphical glitches. Hardware or Driver problem?

[Kresler]

Posted this in the Graphics Card sub category, but realized this might be a better place to ask.

I recently purchased an HIS Radeon HD 7950 for my new computer, but starting last week my monitor started to get messed up ever now and then. When it did the computer didn't freeze because I could still access my second monitor and open up programs. Here's what it looks like

I would also notice strange little glitches in game like flickering textures. Nothing too noticeable, but it has me worried. Lastly when I start up certain games like Alan Wake's American Nightmare I will hear a high pitched noise coming from the card.

Are these problems being caused by a faulty card or bad drivers?

 

[renz496]

if some funny sounds coming out from the gpu it could be the the gpu itself are having problem. about the flickering texture the latest driver did mentioning about fixing texture flickering in some games so i'm sure that flickering issue was driver issue and not the card. does the second monitor have the same problem as the picture you posted above as well?

 

[bryonhowley]

Depending on what card you upgraded from I would also check on if you have a quality PSU to run a 7950. If the card is not getting adequate power from the PCI-E power connecters it would not run correctly. Other than that my best guess would be a bad card. I have a Sapphire HD 7950 in one of my AMD/ATI rigs and it runs great even with the latest beta drivers.

 

[Kresler]

if some funny sounds coming out from the gpu it could be the the gpu itself are having problem. about the flickering texture the latest driver did mentioning about fixing texture flickering in some games so i'm sure that flickering issue was driver issue and not the card. does the second monitor have the same problem as the picture you posted above as well?

No when this happens the image on my second monitor is just fine.

 

[suat]

I suggest you switch the monitor connections at gfx card end, first monitor becomes the second and second monitor becomes the first. This will tell if the corruption switches monitors with this change or not. If corruption switches, then you may assume gfx card related output is faulty, maybe its cable. If not, one of the monitors is faulty.

By the way, what sorts of outputs do you use to connect to monitors ? DVI, HDMI, DP ?

 

[Kresler]

I suggest you switch the monitor connections at gfx card end, first monitor becomes the second and second monitor becomes the first. This will tell if the corruption switches monitors with this change or not. If corruption switches, then you may assume gfx card related output is faulty, maybe its cable. If not, one of the monitors is faulty.

By the way, what sorts of outputs do you use to connect to monitors ? DVI, HDMI, DP ?

My main monitor is connected via hdmi and my second monitor (which is an old analog monitor) is connected to the dvi port via a dvi to vga adapter.

 

[suat]

So HDMI-connected monitor has problems. Right ? You cannot switch connections, I guess, because one of your monitors is old and cannot accept recent type of cables. I suggest you change the HDMI cable for a test and borrow a monitor that accepts HDMI input.

By the way, have you checked connections in the case ? Gfx card seating, gfx card ext power connection, etc.

 

[Kresler]

Okay I was just doing some testing. I unplugged my main monitor and made my secondary the main. I got the same problem after playing a bit of games. So I guess it is the card. I'll probably just RMA the card and get another model like the sapphire one.

 

[Xipherisroot]

Hello,

Same issue here, but I've got a trigger for it, I don't think its the card.

About 25% of the time when I click "play" on a Vimeo video, the main monitor does whats pictured above, I've cleaned and reinstalled the latest drivers without any improvement. The same issue occured on the 4850's in crossfire that the 7950 replaced, though those cards would do this for a split second then lock up.

I have a 1,000 watt Corsair PSU, its not a power problem.

The card is totally stable, no issues at all ever, doing anything, except... when a VERY certain thing happens in Windows with a GUI element, or, a video of a certain type is played, sometimes. This corruption never happens when the card is under any real load.

I think its a driver issue really, I've gotten it where it comes back to 'almost' useable after 5-10 minutes of being a garbled mess, but switching resolutions, swapping the monitors, or doing anything else once I can 'kind of' see whats on the main monitor doesn't resolve the problem. The problem follows the main monitor, always, if you switch from DVI to HDMI, to DVI, to HDMI, etc with different monitors, the problem ALWAYS follows the main monitor and is NOT port specific.

I would really like to resolve this issue, however, I must say, I don't see it being a hardware problem.

 

[soundguruman]

What is the processor?
What is the Motherboard?
List all your hardware before you blame the video card.

 

[Xipherisroot]

Well, for me, its an AMD Phenom X6 1090T on an Asus Crosshair IV Formula.

I also have 16gb of G.Skill Ripjaw memory installed

A Dell PERC-6i and 8x Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ drives

I don't see anything there, its an AMD CPU, on a board with an AMD chipset, for an AMD produced videocard, and the issue followed on from the 4850's that were in crossfire onto the 7950 by its self.

 

[xvortexx]

I've had this issue as well. From what I've experienced its been triggered by hardware acceleration, when I disabled it, it seems works fine.