Radeon HD 7970 DC2 TOP - Issues

[stitch]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to post my experiences with my first iteration of this card just so that others were aware of some signs that they may have a defective card.

Windows 8:
Yes, I know this card doesn't even have preview drivers yet, but oddly it worked best under Windows 8. The issues I encountered were limited to random BSOD after the system sat idle for long periods of time (even with power saving features turned off like turning of the monitors and sleep). It seemed to run games just fine. The only odd-ball thing I noticed off the hop was the factory set clock when I opened up Overdrive was the 3D clock was set to 600 MHz. Even after that things were okay except for the random BSOD.

Windows 7:
This is where things went south fast. Running a game like Battlefield 3 or Mass Effect 3 at 1 GHz (factory overclock) resulted in a crash (3 screens, 1 different colour per screen) as soon as the GPU's 3D clock kicked in and the game was going to go full screen. I checked voltages, I checked card temperatures, everything seemed okay (except for the well documented VRM issue) with the card. My system voltages are stable, temperatures are nice and cool (my CPU generally only hits 40c if it is really hot in the room.) I disconnected devices, tried with only one monitor, no banana. So I downclocked the GPU to 925 MHz. Battlefield 3 now loads as does Mass Effect 3. Battlefield 3 does crash after 15-20 minutes with a black screen crash, but I was expecting that to no doubt be another issue un-related to the card itself.

So what am I doing? I'm taking it back to the place of purchase and praying that they have a newer revision of the card with the VRM cutout on the backplate and will see if the store will test it before I take it home.

[Spoony]

if it was drivers then my 3x 6970's wouldnt work with the same mobo and so on would they ? i have NO and i do mean NO issues crashing bsod what so ever with the 6970 cards in any config, i have NO issues with my 5970 or my 5870 eyefinity 6 card and i have no issues with my 580 gtx or my 670 card on drivers with my set up or hardware.

so its 100% hardware with this card, if anybody says have i tried this or that on here i will hunt you down arrest you and throw you in jail with mr Big for shower time.

ive got monitors cables other computers and this card crashes with anything even built a sabertooth setup with a 2500k crashed the **** out of that once i start video or games just like it crashes my rampage 4 extreme.

if you need help i will give it you a list of things to try but if im honest its a quick fix but if im honest its not worth you spending time messing around. take it back if i was you and get another 7950 matched cards dude

[Spoony]

12.7 beta is out now.

i will install it and give feedback but i dont think it will help this card but it might help other cards

http://blogs.amd.com/play/2012/06/28/the-new-catalyst/

[Sarg_Scorpio]

Hey know how u all feel... went through so many of these cards with NO support from ASUS, I got a GTX 680 and as i said many times before NO ISSUES FROM DAY 1!!. YET THE 7970 DCUII has so many issues..... still not fixed ...ASUS is lucky i got a 680 from them i was going to change company's and still may do. HOWEVER i have got someone at asus now who i may be able to speak to heres whats happened so far from the contact i have made....

ME

Could someone at ASUS please contact me or i will be taking legal action with other upset customers of yours. Please refer to YOUR ASUS RoG Forums
http://rog.asus.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?119-Radeon-Series-Graphic-Cards
about the 7970 Cards which i have gone through 6 my self all faulty and ASUS provide no support and they do not do as they are sold. There are many upset people who feel as i do and unless someone from ASUS looks at this we will take legal action next!!! We just want a answer from ASUS...
Radeon Series Graphic Cards
rog.asus.com
Talk about ASUS Radeon graphics cards - ROG, DirectCU or standard cards.
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ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia
June 26
ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia

Hi Layne, I am unfamiliar with your plight as you have linked to the subforum instead of the specific thread with your issue. Is your issue within Australia as our service centre usually handles these types of technical issues. Check here for one that is close to your location http://www.asus.com.au/Static_WebPage/Service_Centre/
ASUS
www.asus.com.au


ME
June 26
ME

Hi, No i am in NZ but get no answer from the NZ page so thought i would try our close nabour Aust [:)] Correct i have linked you to the sub forum however if you check some of the topics there about the 7970 cards you will see what i am talking about.. we have got many faults with this card but no answers just replace replace replace. I my self went through 6 faulty 7970 cards all DCU II models i gave up and went to a GTX 680 after 6 7970DCUII cards that were all faulty. There are many other people who are saying the same thing as me are we just want someone at ASUS too look into this instead of telling us to go to the site and get support which tells us to take back to the retailed who ends up doing a replace on it which happens over and over again... The RoG Forums is run by volunteers and no ASUS it self which is a bit silly cause they dont even check if there are issues or if there are upset customers.

Please just look into some of the topics there and you will understand what i am talking about. I am just also upset i my self spent alot of ASUS top card got no support and 6 all faulty which i had to pay to replace each time... I mean would you accept this? i have a full ASUS set up with my PC and was going to get the next Maximus Motherboard but am now unsure for the service i have gotten so far. I spend 4 months going through faulty cards which is why i am upset however there are more like me.....

I thank you for replying and hope after reading some of the topics in that sub forum you can get back to me in regards to this... Thank you very much for the FIRST BEST RESPONSE IVE HAD FOR ASUS maybe, i really want to keep with ASUS but feel very let down [:(] .

ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia
Wednesday
ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia

I'll see what HQ know about any faults but with the return to base warranty you aren't out of pocket, you're just without a card for a week or two (not sure what the turn around times are in NZ).

ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia
Wednesday
ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia

Hi Layne, If you want to PM me your email or email me on (blanked)@asus.com I can forward you on to our head of graphics cards for Australia.

ME
Wednesday
ME

(blanked) thank you very much.... best help ive had over 6 month [:D]

ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia
Wednesday
ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia

No worries mate, I'll pass you onto the product manager and he will assist you from there. Cheers.

ME
10 hours ago
ME

Hey still no word from your manager and things are getting worse with no answer, others are looking to legal action also at this rate also......

ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia
8 hours ago
ASUS Republic of Gamers in Australia

He might be busy with Australian Cyber League but I'll see if he can contact you as soon as he gets back into the office.

[bit1der]

Sarg_Scorpio you're lucky one.

Hope ASUS will at LEAST try to save reputation

[Spoony]

you have more chance of me buying Asus and then making better cards and giving better support alone than what you asking for dude

[Johan1981]

Did this evening again a fresh install of W7, with AMD 12.7 beta, Stock speeds, 2D-voltage @ 0.9V and load @ 1.82V and so far no freezes and/or black screens. Keep you posted if that changes 🙂

[Tennobanzai]

Johan1981 wrote:
Did this evening again a fresh install of W7, with AMD 12.7 beta, Stock speeds, 2D-voltage @ 0.9V and load @ 1.82V and so far no freezes and/or black screens. Keep you posted if that changes 🙂

Crossing fingers...Keep us posted

[Johan1981]

Still doing ok, no freezes and black screens.
I tried Furmark, 3dmark11, Vantage and several browsergames...
I noticed that somehow my voltage isn't fluctuating that much as it did before.

Going to sleep now (Europe) and leaving him on, gonna see more of it tomorrow.
Take care 🙂

[Tennobanzai]

Johan1981 wrote:
Still doing ok, no freezes and black screens.
I tried Furmark, 3dmark11, Vantage and several browsergames...
I noticed that somehow my voltage isn't fluctuating that much as it did before.

Going to sleep now (Europe) and leaving him on, gonna see more of it tomorrow.
Take care 🙂

That's awesome. I hope it keeps going strong!

One way I noticed to get an easy crash was while in a game I change up the visual options. I would start with the lowest and then apply. Then I would switch to my native res, turn all options to max and turn off vsync. That usually would crash right away in SC2 and BF3. Although at 1ghz, I would normally just crash within the first 5 minutes anyways

[Johan1981]

Tennobanzai wrote:
That's awesome. I hope it keeps going strong!

One way I noticed to get an easy crash was while in a game I change up the visual options. I would start with the lowest and then apply. Then I would switch to my native res, turn all options to max and turn off vsync. That usually would crash right away in SC2 and BF3. Although at 1ghz, I would normally just crash within the first 5 minutes anyways

Today played Skyrim for some hours, watched a movie, played some browsergames, surfed on the net and so far no black screens and/or freezes. My voltage isn't fluctuating anymore (according to GPU Tweak it stays @ 0.945Mv).

Anything else you need to know?