My DUAL MONITORS KEEPS CRASHING!!!

[Highly Praised]

Hey guys, I'm running an XFX R9 280 with the latest crimson drivers and Windows 8.1 Pro, but that doesn't matter because I had this problem with the drivers before that, 15.7. I have a 650W PSU, so that isn't the problem.

Ever since I got my second monitor, I've been having problems. I'd be doing something and then all of a sudden, my screen would start giving this distorted image; at first I thought the problem was the new monitor, but when I plugged it out, the second monitor displayed the same image as the first. Only thing that fixes this problem is a shut down. This doesn't just happen while playing games, it happens at any random moment. Not too frequently, but I'd say 3 times a week or something along those lines. BTW, it only happens to the first monitor.

Here are pictures of how the crash looks

https://goo.gl/photos/DgMpYbA34NhpV8P76

P.S. Sorry about the bad pictures, my Galaxy S5 is horrible at taking pictures in low light

 

[Patrick Keane]

lack of ram. how much ram does our system have? you need a fair bit to have multiple monitors

 

[Highly Praised]

lack of ram. how much ram does our system have? you need a fair bit to have multiple monitors

I have 8GB of ram, and I've never seen my system max out before.

 

[Karadjgne]

Gpu clean? Latest hot fix for new Crimson driver set? Monitor connections at gpu?

 

[Highly Praised]

Gpu clean? Latest hot fix for new Crimson driver set? Monitor connections at gpu?

Yes, the GPU I'd clean, has a stable overclock, never goes over 70C on load. I'm not too sure what you are asking in the second question, but I'm pretty sure drivers aren't the problem because same thing would happen on previous drivers. My first monitor is connected via hdmi, and my second monitor DVI-D.

 

[Karadjgne]

The new Crimson drivers have been buggy when it comes to gpu fans, there are now hotfixs for this. Monitoring gpu temps isn't always accurate, that temp is only on the processor, not the VRM's circuitry. Check to make sure both fans are fully functional. Dual monitors place a higher demand on vram and other stuff on that side of the gpu. The heatsink is probably capable of single monitor usage with just the gpu side fan working right,

You might want to drop the OC until this issue is resolved, whether it's a driver problem or physical one.

 

[Highly Praised]

The new Crimson drivers have been buggy when it comes to gpu fans, there are now hotfixs for this. Monitoring gpu temps isn't always accurate, that temp is only on the processor, not the VRM's circuitry. Check to make sure both fans are fully functional. Dual monitors place a higher demand on vram and other stuff on that side of the gpu. The heatsink is probably capable of single monitor usage with just the gpu side fan working right,

You might want to drop the OC until this issue is resolved, whether it's a driver problem or physical one.

Never had a problem with that issue, I've been monitoring my gpu fans ever since I heard about the driver issue. Also, this problem occurred before the OC was put in place. Anyone have an idea of how I can rid myself of this problem?

 

[Highly Praised]

EXTRA INFO:

When it crashes, it's just the first monitor... Whatever runs on the first monitor keeps on running, so if it is a game, it won't crash, I just won't be able to see anything.

 

[Karadjgne]

Can you switch inputs? Put 2nd monitor on hdmi and first on dvi-d.

 

[Highly Praised]

Can you switch inputs? Put 2nd monitor on hdmi and first on dvi-d.

Unfortunately I cannot... first monitor only has VGA and HDMI...

 

[Karadjgne]

Access to a dvi-d to VGA adapter? The reason is I'm thinking it may not be the gpu as such, it might be a short in the hdmi port itself. When metals get hot they will warp slightly, or if it's a solder joint that's bad, might be loosing connection. Under single monitor usage or just surfing, your card doesn't get that hot, but under gaming conditions on both monitors, the vrm side of the card is gonna cook. That's where the ports are also, so if the hdmi is on the second monitor and it freezes like that and the dvi to VGA is fine, you could very well have a busted port.

When gaming, do your fans spin up to max? If not, use msi Afterburner or equivalent to bump fan speeds. It's also possible you have damaged or weak ram/VRM's and that side of the card just needs more. It's also possible that it's time to replace the gpu paste and thermal tape under the heatsink. If one component is getting too hot, unless it's the gpu which is monitored, it'll bug out and could cause the errors.

 

[Highly Praised]

Access to a dvi-d to VGA adapter? The reason is I'm thinking it may not be the gpu as such, it might be a short in the hdmi port itself. When metals get hot they will warp slightly, or if it's a solder joint that's bad, might be loosing connection. Under single monitor usage or just surfing, your card doesn't get that hot, but under gaming conditions on both monitors, the vrm side of the card is gonna cook. That's where the ports are also, so if the hdmi is on the second monitor and it freezes like that and the dvi to VGA is fine, you could very well have a busted port.

When gaming, do your fans spin up to max? If not, use msi Afterburner or equivalent to bump fan speeds. It's also possible you have damaged or weak ram/VRM's and that side of the card just needs more. It's also possible that it's time to replace the gpu paste and thermal tape under the heatsink. If one component is getting too hot, unless it's the gpu which is monitored, it'll bug out and could cause the errors.

It can't be the hdmi port though, this is because I once plugged out the first monitor when it crashed, (hdmi) and that crash switched to the second monitor. (DVI-D) I don't hear my graphics card much when playing games like Black Ops II, but when I get to AAA graphics that turn you on like Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, you can hear the fans putting in work. I honestly don't think my graphics card is heating up in any manner though, as I do have six case fans in addition to the beefy heatsink on my GPU. I'll try monitoring my VRM temperatures through HWINFO64, but I honestly don't think that is the problem. This doesn't happen when I'm playing an intense game, it happens when the GPU is idling or I'm just watching YouTube videos; It's happened quite a few times today, and I'm really just hoping someone has a way to fix this.