Crossfire X turns off second graphics card

[darkorse]

So here's an interesting dilemma.

I have an Asrock extreme4 mobo, a 1000w OCZ psu, Windows 7, an i5 processor, and 2 Sapphire Radeon 7950s in Crossfire (the goal is three monitors, but I only have 1 hooked up right now).

If I go to the catalyst control center, and turn ON Crossfire X, the second graphics card turns OFF. No fans, no lights, nothing. The computer still recognizes it but it's clearly not doing anything.

When Crossfire X is turned OFF, both graphics cards turn ON and run just fine.

I don't have any benchmarking software so I can't tell what's really going on, but I know that all my drivers and windows are up to date and my computer recognizes both cards.

Is this a result of only having 1 monitor plugged in right now? Does Crossfire not work with 1 monitor? If that were the case, why would turning Crossfire off turn the second card on?

 

[Wolfshadw]

Unless I'm mistaken, Crossfire disables all the outputs of the secondary graphics card. Both cards are still working in unison, but all displays must be connected to the primary graphics card.

-Wolf sends

 

[darkorse]

Unless I'm mistaken, Crossfire disables all the outputs of the secondary graphics card. Both cards are still working in unison, but all displays must be connected to the primary graphics card.

-Wolf sends

Crossfire shouldn't disable the output of the second graphics card. What if I were using 3 monitors? If what I know about crossfire setups is correct at least one monitor would have to be plugged in to the second card. And also, the graphics card is completely off, not just disabled: not even the fans are turning and its not getting any power.

 

[lazyboy947]

well maybe the fans turned off as it was not under load to save power, go into a game and see what happens. If windows sees it yet then its still connected and getting power

 

[Wolfshadw]

You're confusing Crossfire (multiple cards) with Eyefinity (three or more monitors). You can Crossfire two cards that are not Eyefinity compatible.

However, if you're not even getting a fan spin-up on the second card, Crossfire is the least of your worries. Just as a test, remove the graphics card from the top PCI-Ex16 slot (only one card in the second PCI-Ex16 slot) and try to boot your system. It should still boot (with you able to see the BIOS flash screen and Windows boot up). If you can't see these screens with only one graphics card installed into the second PCI-Ex16 slot, then it sounds like a faulty motherboard.

Give it a try and let us know.

-Wolf sends

 

[lazyboy947]

Did they really make some 7950 that do not support eyeinfinity?

 

[bystander]

Unless I'm mistaken, Crossfire disables all the outputs of the secondary graphics card. Both cards are still working in unison, but all displays must be connected to the primary graphics card.

-Wolf sends

Crossfire shouldn't disable the output of the second graphics card. What if I were using 3 monitors? If what I know about crossfire setups is correct at least one monitor would have to be plugged in to the second card. And also, the graphics card is completely off, not just disabled: not even the fans are turning and its not getting any power.

Wolf is correct, CrossfireX disables the outputs of the slave card. You have to connect all monitors to the primary card. Depending on the particular card, you may be required to use at least 1 displayport with active displayport adapter as needed.

 

[bystander]

Did they really make some 7950 that do not support eyeinfinity?

Can you post a link to your card? I am not aware of any that do not support eyefinity, but they may require you to use adapters with at least one connection being a displayport in most cases.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Crossfire and/or Eyefinity isn't the issue here. If the card in the second PCI-Ex16 slot of the ASRock Z77 Extreme4 motherboard isn't getting power, there's a bigger issue at hand.

And no, Lazyboy, I don't thing there are any HD7950 that do not support Eyefinity. I was speaking in general terms.

-Wolf sends

 

[bystander]

I haven't used an AMD for over a year, but I do recall the 2nd card in Crossfire powers down when not in use, but I'm unsure if it completely went dead or not, but I think it may have.

 

[bystander]

It appears I recall correctly, others report the same: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=702135

When in Crossfire, the 2nd card powers down. Not completely, but enough that it doesn't register clocks and the fan turns off. It will kick in once crossfire is used in a game.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Good find, Bystander!

If the OP reports back the system works fine with just a card installed in the second PCI-Ex16 slot, I think we have our answer.

-Wolf sends

 

[darkorse]

The motherboard is not the problem, both slots work fine and both cards receive power properly until I turn crossfire on.

I guess you're right, crossfire must shut down the second card until it needs it. Since this is a new build, I don't have any games installed yet to test this theory, however.

But now I'm confused about eyefinity. I want crossfire and eyefinity, obviously. I was under the impression that two monitors would be plugged in to the top card (DVI and Display Port) and one monitor would be plugged into the bottom card (DVI). The cards I have have 1 DVI, 1 Dual-link DVI, 1 HDMI, and 1 Display Port.

 

[bystander]

The motherboard is not the problem, both slots work fine and both cards receive power properly until I turn crossfire on.

I guess you're right, crossfire must shut down the second card until it needs it. Since this is a new build, I don't have any games installed yet to test this theory, however.

But now I'm confused about eyefinity. I want crossfire and eyefinity, obviously. I was under the impression that two monitors would be plugged in to the top card (DVI and Display Port) and one monitor would be plugged into the bottom card (DVI). The cards I have have 1 DVI, 1 Dual-link DVI, 1 HDMI, and 1 Display Port.

You were mistaken. All the monitors have to be connected to the top card, and one of them must be displayport unless it is a special designed card similar to the Sapphire Flex cards.

And it is not a theory about the bottom card powering down in Crossfire. I remembered it do the same for me, though I was unsure about the fan, but others in my Googles searches confirm it.

Is there an issue with plugging your monitors into the two DVI ports and a displayport? It doesn't matter if it is dual link or not, unless your monitors are 120hz.

 

[darkspartenwarrior]

AMD 7xxx cards in crossfire "shut down" when off(consume <10w of power, fans shut off, etc....)

Try putting some load on it and see if the fans on the 2nd card spin up.

 

[theycallmeIRISH]

So here's an interesting dilemma.

I have an Asrock extreme4 mobo, a 1000w OCZ psu, Windows 7, an i5 processor, and 2 Sapphire Radeon 7950s in Crossfire (the goal is three monitors, but I only have 1 hooked up right now).

If I go to the catalyst control center, and turn ON Crossfire X, the second graphics card turns OFF. No fans, no lights, nothing. The computer still recognizes it but it's clearly not doing anything.

When Crossfire X is turned OFF, both graphics cards turn ON and run just fine.

I don't have any benchmarking software so I can't tell what's really going on, but I know that all my drivers and windows are up to date and my computer recognizes both cards.

Is this a result of only having 1 monitor plugged in right now? Does Crossfire not work with 1 monitor? If that were the case, why would turning Crossfire off turn the second card on?

I found this thread because I ran into the same issue. I had CrossfireX on between a 7970 and 7950 and the second card gave no video output. When I disabled CrossfireX the outputs came on immediately. Puts me in a bind as both of my monitors run on DVI cables but I only have one DVI cable slot and HDMI slot on my main card. Guess no Crossfire for me until I get a newer card.

 

[bystander]

You should create a new thread, as this is a very old one, but if you simply read the thread, you should know is by design that they behave that way. You have to use the top card, and one monitor must be hooked up with a displayport connection, or an active displayport converter.

 

[Wolfshadw]

and one monitor must be hooked up with a displayport connection, or an active displayport converter.

That's only necessary for an Eyefinity set up; not for just a CrossfireX set up.

I found this thread because I ran into the same issue. I had CrossfireX on between a 7970 and 7950 and the second card gave no video output. When I disabled CrossfireX the outputs came on immediately. Puts me in a bind as both of my monitors run on DVI cables but I only have one DVI cable slot and HDMI slot on my main card. Guess no Crossfire for me until I get a newer card.

You could always use an adapter from the HDMI slot or an HDMI to DVI cable.

-Wolf sends

 

[bystander]

and one monitor must be hooked up with a displayport connection, or an active displayport converter.

That's only necessary for an Eyefinity set up; not for just a CrossfireX set up.

I found this thread because I ran into the same issue. I had CrossfireX on between a 7970 and 7950 and the second card gave no video output. When I disabled CrossfireX the outputs came on immediately. Puts me in a bind as both of my monitors run on DVI cables but I only have one DVI cable slot and HDMI slot on my main card. Guess no Crossfire for me until I get a newer card.

You could always use an adapter from the HDMI slot or an HDMI to DVI cable.

-Wolf sends

In CrossfireX, the 2nd GPU's ports just do not work with AMD. And to avoid confusion, all 3 monitor setups with AMD are considered Eyefinity, even if you don't use them all together when gaming.

If he disables CrossfireX, then the 2nd GPU would work, but in CrossfireX mode, the 2nd GPU becomes a slave to the top one and the ports are not usable.

 

[bystander]

According to this, an extended graphics card should be able to work on the 2nd card: http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/gpu50-ati-eyefinity-display-configs.aspx

But from many posts on the forums, and from my 5870 and 6950 Crossfire experiences, it is wrong. One problem is that the 2nd card in CrossfireX completely shuts down when not in a game.

 

[Wolfshadw]

In CrossfireX, the 2nd GPU's ports just do not work with AMD. And to avoid confusion, all 3 monitor setups with AMD are considered Eyefinity, even if you don't use them all together when gaming.

100% True, but the necromancer of this thread only states a dual monitor setup.

Puts me in a bind as both of my monitors...

-Wolf sends

 

[bystander]

Even then, how does one use the 2nd card in CrossfireX when the system turns the 2nd card off when not in a fullscreen game?

Even in older cards which didn't completely shut down, the 5870 and 6950, it did not allow me to use the 2nd cards ports at all.

Note: In the link I gave, it mentioned all 2 or more monitor setups are considered Eyefinity setups.

AMD Eyefinity Technology is defined as two or more display outputs operating simultaneously and cooperatively with each other. Support is available for Duplicated (Clone) and Extended multiple monitor modes, with new support for the capability to group displays into a massive single large surface spanning across multiple displays for use with your desktop workspace, video playback, with support for both windowed and full screen 3D applications.

 

[Wolfshadw]

I guess you missed the part where I agreed with you in that in a CrossfireX configuration, the ports of the secondary GPU are not functional. All I stated was that in a dual-monitor set up (which pre-dates Eyefinity by numerous generations of graphic cards), you are not required to use the DisplayPort output and that an HDMI to DVI cable (from the main card's HDMI output) would resolve the necromancer's issues.

-Wolf sends

 

[bystander]

I guess I misunderstood what you were disagreeing with. Yeah, displayport is only needed on the 3 or more monitors.