R9 290 black screen on Windows startup

[shelby_92]

Hi guys, I've got a 290 from MSI that, after installing a Prolimatech MK-26, has always worked really well, with temps really low on GPU and under 100°C for VRMs. Now, I went on holiday leaving my PC in perfect working order and, when I got back, I tried to boot the PC and got a black screen right after the initial Windows loading screen (right before that screen where you insert your password) (I'm running windows 8.1). Tried to reboot but nothing, always the same; at times, my PC wouldn't even BIOS post.
Not really knowing what was happening, I tried to do a system recovery without getting anywhere; at that point, I put my old HD4850 and the system booted correctly. Thinking about drivers problem, I did a complete clean up of the existing video driver with Display Driver Uninstall (the good old Drivesweeper) and tried again with the 290. Weird enough, all seemed fine with the exception that the resolution was FullHD, without drivers!

Anyway, I went straight installing the latest driver from the AMD website (14.12) and during the installation I got again black screen during the amd video driver installation and back to point zero.
Then I did a system recovery at the moment when there were no drivers installed and tried 13.12 (older drivers): nothing.
System recovery again, Display driver uninstall and latest beta: nothing again!

I called a friend of mine and asked him if I could try my 290 on his system; when we did, the 290 went flawlessly: no black screens, no nothing playing whatever game we threw at it.

After all this, I was convinced that the problem was related to Windows, so I did a complete clean up of my pc formatting and re installing windows 8.1. Guess what... Black screen again whenever the installation program comes to the point where it has to install video drivers. Then I went crazy and tried different OSs:
Windows 8.1 again-> Black screen
Windows 7-> Black screen
Ubuntu latest LTS-> Black screen
(in the 7 and Ubuntu cases, the black screen appeared right before the log in screen like the first time I had the problem)

Now I'm running with that HD4850 and the system seems to work as good as ever with no problems whatsoever.

By the way, my 290 was doing great: low temps as I said and 1100MHz with +13mV.

I really hope you can help me.


My system: FX8320, ASUS M5A99FX PRO r2, 2X4GB Corsair 1600MHz, XFX 750W black series.

 

[AsRock]

you tried resetting the bios on the motherboard ?, and try another pci-e slot.

 

[shelby_92]

you tried resetting the bios on the motherboard ?, and try another pci-e slot.

First of all, thanks for the immediate reply.
I kept my system always OCed; first thing I did was to go back to stock, so I reset the motherboard bios to be completely sure.
I have tried the other PCI-E slot and same result (forgot to write).

 

[AsRock]

Maybe that friend could help you out again by lending his\her PSU to you to put in your system and see if the issue stays or not. I take it there is not beep tones on startup ?.

 

[shelby_92]

Maybe thaat friend could help you out again by lending his\her PSU to you to put in your system and see if the issue stays or not.

I get it, but that needs some time; we don't have a lot of time and he wired perfectly his PC. Would be a lot of work.
But at the same time, I think is the last thing that could be wrong (even if an 8320 at 4.7GHz is not an easy thing to power)

 

[AsRock]

You could try re-seating the cooler ?, re- applying the paste and making sure every thing is as should be, be careful not to over tighten too.

or even putting the stock back cooler back on and you could try if available other pci-e power connecters

 

[shelby_92]

You could try re-seating the cooler ?, re- applying the paste and making sure every thing is as should be, be careful not to over tighten too.

Mmm... I could try for certain, even if the card works as good as a card can works when installed in my friend computer. So, I don't think it is really worth it.

 

[AsRock]

Mmm... I could try for certain, even if the card works as good as a card can works when installed in my friend computer. So, I don't think it is really worth it.

True, you tried another DVI\ HDMI connection from the card ?. Tried changing the boot speed \ to none UEFI in the mobo bios

 

[shelby_92]

True, you tried another DVI\ HDMI connection from the card ?. Tried changing the boot speed \ to none UEFI in the mobo bios

Ok so, tried another output from the card; same thing.
The interesting thing is that boot speed: what you mean with that?

By the way, really thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[AsRock]

Some boards ( not sure if AMD have it ) but on intel you have a option to use option for win8 and above for faster boot which requires a video card that supports UEFI.

You tried loosening the card and lifting it and then screwing it in tight.

 

[SASBehrooz]

me too . i had this issue right after the omega 14.12 driver. i had to go back to 14.4. the best driver that works fine for me.

Try catalyst 14.4.

 

[shelby_92]

Some boards ( not sure if AMD have it ) but on intel you have a option to use option for win8 and above for faster boot which requires a video card that supports UEFI.

You tried loosening the card and lifting it and then screwing it in tight.

me too . i had this issue right after the omega 14.12 driver. i had to go back to 14.4. the best driver that works fine for me.

Try catalyst 14.4.

Thanks for the advices. I'll try 14.4 for sure

 

[Frogger]

As stated the HD4850 works with no problems whatsoever. & the 290 works in another system. Based on everything else that you have tried it's most likely your PSU.
See if you can borrow 1 & test in your sys. Could be the modular cable if you have a spare you might test with another. the XFX 750 is the same as Seasonic. So it might just be the cable. Good Luck.

 

[kn00tcn]

but there is lower power usage when the driver loads, that's what i see on 4870x2 & gtx660, they dont initiate the idle states during post/bios/no driver

 

[shelby_92]

Ok, tried other cables but nothing changed. I'm going to try 14.4 today.
Thanks to everyone that is trying to help.

 

[SASBehrooz]

hope 14.4 fix your problem as it did for me.

 

[Huib-Bloodstone]

I had the same problem shelby_92,

- First i had to make sure my PSU was good enough for my videocard. my 620 coolermaster didn't work (u have 750) should be good.
- upgraded my PSU> still didn't work

- solution: Your bios needs a updated one, i got one from techpowerups works great! (someone else or retailer have one)

 

[shelby_92]

I had the same problem shelby_92,

- First i had to make sure my PSU was good enough for my videocard. my 620 coolermaster didn't work (u have 750) should be good.
- upgraded my PSU> still didn't work

- solution: Your bios needs a updated one, i got one from techpowerups works great! (someone else or retailer have one)

Video card bios? If that, I've already tried and nothing changed. Would you mind linking the bios I should try? Thx.

 

[Huib-Bloodstone]

Is this a good place, watch out for overclocks. : http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/msi-radeon-r9-290-x-gaming-lightning-card-club.197912/

 

[shelby_92]

Is this a good place, watch out for overclocks. : http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/msi-radeon-r9-290-x-gaming-lightning-card-club.197912/

The problem is that I don't really know which bios I can pick. I have the reference version: is a gaming version bios compatible with my reference card?

 

[SASBehrooz]

The problem is that I don't really know which bios I can pick. I have the reference version: is a gaming version bios compatible with my reference card?

i dont think so. have you tried 14.4 ( or with a clean windows installation )?
also try to install windows 8.1 with UEFI bios .

 

[Huib-Bloodstone]

I don't know what card rev u have,

I know that reference coding is a mess in some r9 290, not every motherboard/bios setting is the same, its why some cards work on other motherboard and some aren't

 

[shelby_92]

So guys, tried 14.4 and got nothing;
tried updating mobo bios and got nothing;
tried changing UEFI and not startup mode and changing the wait time and got nothing;
tried disabling PCIE Spread Spectrum in order to have a more stable PCIE frequency and got nothing;
tried updating 290's bios and got nothing different.

Really, the last thing left is the psu; as strange as it may be, I'm gonna let OCCT power supply test run for a while with the 4850 and try to see any drop in the 12V rails.

Really thank you guys, you are helping me out a lot to do as many test I can.

Ok, here you see the results of OCCT.
I think they are as solid as a rock.

 

[SASBehrooz]

So guys, tried 14.4 and got nothing;
tried updating mobo bios and got nothing;
tried changing UEFI and not startup mode and changing the wait time and got nothing;
tried disabling PCIE Spread Spectrum in order to have a more stable PCIE frequency and got nothing;
tried updating 290's bios and got nothing different.

i don't have any ideas ...

 

[bubbleawsome]

I would email the AMD support team. Some people there can be really helpful.