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]

ok so its a bad driver which on some parts i completely agree with you on that one without a doubt.

BUT

how do you explain the not working on more than 3 monitors ?
how do you explain the only working at 8x in any slot when in atlest 2 slots it should be 16x

are they card problems or driver ?

see like i said i cant take my card back to my sore now as i only have a few weeks till i move back to the UK from Switzerland and what do i do regarding that if its a bad card ?

answers on a post card 😉

[ssmb_92]

Alrigyht so the 12.6 drivers are still rubbish, getting a new bsod and can't play many games other than BF3 and BF:BC2 (which will run into the sunset haha) for more than 1 hour then i get CTD's on stock games that worked fine on the 12.5, so i'm going back to 12.5.
I'm going to buy 3 more ASUS 27" over the weekend and mount them to the wall so i'm thinking that it's not gonna work but who knows. Funny how AMD have made a new complaints sector, like to see ASUS do the same.
@Spoony: I haven't used my computer much lately and haven't had much time but the x6 problem is here to stay on every bios i've tried. I'm OCing the CPU to 4.5ghz and the cards to 1100/1550. Still ony benches at X4300 3Dmark 11 but i think it should go higher, a 3960x, 2400mhz RAM,1100mhz GPU Xfire and 480gb Intel 520 SSD should be so much better and again i'm blaming the cards for the score drop.
Also there is about a million games i still can't play at all. Namely Red Faction Armagedon, GTA4, Skyrim, Medal of Honor, NFS Shift etc etc. Now i'm well aware of making Xfire profiles to suit every game so it runs properly but these will not work in any circumstance. Shouldn't have to take this back, for the price it should be superb.

EDIT: Oh BTW, the bsod i get with the 12.6 driver is a system service exception caused by DirectX driver dxgmm1.sys (DirectX graphics MMS). Only ever occurs with 12.6 drivers while playing BF and some other games but consistently that BSOD, no others.

[Spoony]

ive had no BSOD with 12.6 i will look into the score thing tomorrow, been packing boxes today for moving and im busted skyrim btw has been much better on 12.6 rest i cant say but will advise as i have those games like you and will check them out.

one game ive had crash is Sniper Elite v2 my pc bsod and says overclocking failed fress f1 to enter bios, but says that even what nothing is overclocked so im confused on that i think thats a game error rather than anything else.

btw its a shame you live on a different time zone to me or a phone call or something to compare things live timing would be a good idea, save the money for the moment ont he 3 monitors if i was you give it a few more weeks till the FULL 12.6 is out and try it again, mines been 10times better with 12.6 but if yours dont work try 12.3 i was happy with that driver never an issue with it.

PM me your score for the following

vantage
3dmarks 11
heaven 3.0 i did mine ealier on 1920x1200 and hit 2609 on 4.4ghz and stock clocks. but rest i will do tomorrow afternoon for you if you get me yours and we can go over it
AvP benchmark

all on stock out the box on normal settings of what it askes i will compare to mine

[ssmb_92]

@Spoony: I have to reinstall those programs i'm my fresh install of windows but i only have 3dmark 11 and Heaven 3. I'll do it in the morning though, it's 9pm here and i have enough for the day. Will PM you with those results.
I was just playing BF3 and it get the same BSOD: DirectX Graphics MMS driver dxgmms1.sys - system service exception. Definitely AMD driver related as i have reinstalled DirectX many times and never had this with 12.5 beta, although 12.5 isn't that good. Maybe i'll play this out until 12.6 full, or as you say try 12.3.
@ASUS/RoG: Perhaps a BIOS update for the motherboard can get rid of the x8 problem. Perhaps this can be added to the list, will also file a complaint on the AMD website just launched to make sure it's not the card.

[marchinho93]

Very Very Well.....Those new drivers are ****ing ****ty...Crash due to hw accelleration..... Oh My God....

[Spoony]

so far only drivers i can use working solid are 12.1, 12.3 and 12.6 beta drivers.

fps drops alittle from others but works without problems so far.

[r3zn0r]

Theres 2 new beta drivers on guru 3d lots of people say are the best so far. June 6 and june 12.

[Tennobanzai]

The DCII Top has been the most frustrating piece of hardware i've purchased in recent memory. I'm on my 3rd 7970 DCIIT. First 2 I RMA'd and still no fix. I've tried different drivers, reformatting, clearing cmos between switching out video cards, disabling audio. Am I missing anything else I could try to fix this? I haven't experienced any BSOD, only GSOD or the colorful lines.

[Spoony]

i dont think you have missed anything we all have issues asus say its a driver we say its the card.

the other thing to remember here is they have no support for graphics. so the problem remains and will do for a while i would think.

im doing my best to help people as i have spare hardware to test of my own.

so with that in mine i need a favour off you and i will help you aswell.

list below you bios for the mobo and your GPU. also what windows you using ?

do you just have the one monitor ? or running eyefinity ? also if you have eyefinity how are they hooked up ?

and what is your current driver and what was you doing when you had the green screens ?

[Tennobanzai]

Spoony wrote:
i dont think you have missed anything we all have issues asus say its a driver we say its the card.

the other thing to remember here is they have no support for graphics. so the problem remains and will do for a while i would think.

im doing my best to help people as i have spare hardware to test of my own.

so with that in mine i need a favour off you and i will help you aswell.

list below you bios for the mobo and your GPU. also what windows you using ?

do you just have the one monitor ? or running eyefinity ? also if you have eyefinity how are they hooked up ?

and what is your current driver and what was you doing when you had the green screens ?

Thanks for the reply!

Motherboard is currently the most up to date BIOS version (1206)

I'm just using one monitor. Using a DP to miniDP adapter to my Apple monitor (2560x1440). I don't have the option to use the DVI ports because my monitor only has the mDP option.

I'm using the 12.6 Beta driver with MSI Afterburner, I dont think it matter which 3rd party OC tool I use, it crashed either way with my last 2 DCIIT

Basically anything i'm doing that's 3D intensive will crash them such as starcraft 2, battlefield 3. If the GPU is anywhere near 100% usage it will soon give me the colorful lines. If I downclock to 900-915mhz it doesnt happen