My HD4870 is acting up. Help please!

[Apa]

If someone could help me with my problem I'd be very grateful.

I have a sapphire HD4870 512MB. I can play games such as Crysis or Call of duty 4 for hours on end without any problem whatsoever. No freezing, glitches, nothing no matter how long I play.
However, whenever I am playing Runescape (yes I know it's a silly game but at least I enjoy it) my display show some really strange glitches/artifacts (see attached image) after a few minutes up to an hour and then the PC freezes a few seconds later, if not immediately.
Do anyone have any idea why this is happening and if I can fix this somehow?
I have tried uninstalling a lot of codecs and other stuff but it doesn't help at all. I have also switched from the 9.7 driver to 9.6 without any luck. I am using Windows 7 64bit RC1.


The temperatures are fine while I play Runescape. Nothing goes over 60C according to rivatuner.

I have tried running furmark for an hour or so and that didn't make the card freeze.


I have checked Event Viewer and I see 6 Errors in a row since the last time this happened, and they all say the same thing:

"A fatal hardware error has occurred.

Reported by component: Processor Core
Error Source: Machine Check Exception
Error Type: Bus/Interconnect Error
Processor ID: 3

The details view of this entry contains further information."

and a warning:

"The driver \Driver\MTsensor failed to load for the device ACPI\ATK0110\1010110."
ATK0110 far as I understand belongs to Asus AI booster, but I don't have it installed. Infact I have never installed it at all with this Windows 7 installation (I know this because I installed Windows 7 4 days ago).



Runescape doesn't require a powerful GPU, so it doesn't really stress my card so much...

[method526]

hmmmm. maybe your runescape is possessed??? try uninstalling and reinstalled the vid card drivers. if all else fails with runescape...you might have to quit it!

[overclocking101]

yep sounds like ati's drivers conflicting with the game try an older catalyst version

[chuck216]

Runescape is a pretty old game. You might want to try running it in compatability mode for XP or even Windows 98

[ShadowFold]

Runescape is a browser based Java game. Wipe and reinstall anything Java, ATi Driver and what ever browser you're using.

[AsRock]

ATK0110 is ACPI utility and maybe try installing AI Suite. There might be a windows update for it too.

And last time i seen a pic like that was in a game and the card died lol.. Memory overheating was the course of it.

[Apa]

I've tried both the 9.7 driver and 9.6 driver. Gonna try the 9.8 driver in a moment.

What is safe temperature for the memory? I find it a bit strange if it would be the memory overheating, considering Runescape doesn't put my card under any load at all, and I can play heavier games for hours without any problem, while Runesacpe makes my pc freeze within minutes sometimes.


Gonna try reinstalling java and the drivers + use driver cleaner...

[overclocking101]

yep sounds like ati's drivers conflicting with the game try an older catalyst version

A driver error / a memory error. Lets hope its the prior.

Runescape eh? I have just retired myself, 3 99's on a level 104

[Apa]

Thanks for the replies!

Ok, a small update. I just had the first freezing while playing Crysis, so it seems the card freezes both on 2D AND 3D clocks. I got the exact same kind of "artifacts" or whatever I should call it while playing, and then the PC froze.
Drivers I've been testing with: 9.6, 9.7 and 9.8

I have been running furmark for about 10 minutes on stability test mode (with xtreme burning checked) to monitor the temperature. See the attached image.
Is the temperature too high? If the card gets too hot then I'll buy a better cooler... and if I need to do that, got any suggestions on a good one for a HD4870?
The stock cooler is silent enough for me so and as long as nothing is too hot then I prefer not to change it...

[WoAnerges]

overheating. or card not properly installed. lol like cartrige in DENDY\NINTENDO 8bit
try to fit your graphic cartrige tighter

p.s. hooooly mollly! 62 mbits download o_o

[chuck216]

Fan speed is WAY too low on the card. No wonder it's overheating 33% fan speed at 77c? My GPU never even gets that hot even under Furmark or OCCT. You should really set that thing to 100% and let the fan do it's job.

[Apa]

Originally Posted by chuck216

Fan speed is WAY too low on the card. No wonder it's overheating 33% fan speed at 77c? My GPU never even gets that hot even under Furmark or OCCT. You should really set that thing to 100% and let the fan do it's job.

Strange, considering it's the default settings for the fan. I'll use ATT to set the fan to a fixed setting, like 50% or so, while in 3D.


Though I somehow doubt it's overheating that causes this, since nothing goes over 60C while in IDLE, and I'm having trouble even @ IDLE.

At the moment the VRMs are all around 55, same with the GPU. The ram is 57C.

[chuck216]

Originally Posted by Apa

Strange, considering it's the default settings for the fan. I'll use ATT to set the fan to a fixed setting, like 50% or so, while in 3D.


Though I somehow doubt it's overheating that causes this, since nothing goes over 60C while in IDLE, and I'm having trouble even @ IDLE.

At the moment the VRMs are all around 55, same with the GPU. The ram is 57C.

To be honest 60C at idle is also way too hot. I've got a sapphire 4870 512MB card also and mine idles at 25C. With an ambient room temp of 78F. I'm beginning to think your card's fan isn't ramping up correctly. Even with my card's fans set to auto my idle temp is only 32C


It could actually be case airflow but something is causing your card to overheat even at idle.

Just thought I'd add my temps under load using the furmark stability test: this is with the fan at auto so you can see the fan scaling difference.

[Apa]

I've noticed that my fan STOPS spinning at idle for some strange reason. GPUz says 0% on the fan, same do CCC, though ATT says 666rpm on the fan... perhaps it's too low for GPUz and CCC to register any movement on the fan?

This is what I've done now with ATT:

fan @ 30% when idle, 300/700, 1,083v on GPU.
Temperature: 45c~ core, 47c memory, shader 46c, all 3 VRMs about 48C (add or take about 1C on everything... GPUz can't make up its mind :P).

At load: 50% fan, default clocks and 1,203 volt (been playing crysis for about an hour or so but forgot to start GPUz, so I'll add the temps soon as me and 2 of my friends are gonna play Crysis again in a moment.



And, of course, I am VERY grateful thatall of you are trying to help me





EDIT: after 10 minutes I seem to have reached the max temperature for everything. hey won't get any hotter. See attachment for my current temps @ load.

I'm considering buying a better cooler for the card since the stock cooler is way too loud at 50%. Any suggestions? :> Not sure what will fit a HD4870.



EDIT2: Take away about 5c for the on the VRMs on the attached image and you have the temperature after playing crysis for some hour.
Are THESE temps good?

[nafets]

Why are you only running the card at 1.203v during 3D LOAD?

The default voltage for an HD4870 is 1.263v.

I wouldn't doubt it that you're having problems/errors during 3D LOAD, as you're not giving the card it's proper voltage. :/

[H82LUZ73]

Buy some head phone and run that fan at 85% for games .Why is it some guys buy a part and expect it to perform at 30% fan and then take some volts away also.I would flash the OEM bios back in it dude.

[Apa]

Originally Posted by nafets

Why are you only running the card at 1.203v during 3D LOAD?

The default voltage for an HD4870 is 1.263v.

I wouldn't doubt it that you're having problems/errors during 3D LOAD, as you're not giving the card it's proper voltage. :/

I reduced the voltage to reduce temperatures. I haven't had any problems with low voltage so far ever since I set the fan speed at a higher percentage during gaming.

Perhaps it was heat issues after all.
BTW, I didn't set the fan at a fixed percentage before. I left it at its default settings, (which I believe makes it change the fans speed dynamically depending on the temperatures) which seems to have been the reason for the high temperatures.

I never flashed the card. I use ATT (ATi tray tools) to change the voltage I changed the voltage yesterday, and have been having the issues mentioned in the first post BEFORE I lowered the voltage.
Lowering the voltage and setting the fan to spin faster seems to have solved my problems (so far at least :P )

[nafets]

If you haven't figured it out (you've got a good idea), a good method is;

2D IDLE - Lowered GPU/MEM clocks (500/300 or lower), lowered voltage (1.08v or lower), lower constant fan speed (25% or less). Do this with Rivatuner/ATT. Memory clock is the biggest impact on temperatures/power consumption. Forget GPU clock and voltage. Go as low as you can with that memory clock. With a very low memory clock you can run with 0% fan speed easily, during 2D IDLE.

3D LOAD - Default GPU/MEM clock (750/900), default voltage (1.263v), constant medium-high fan speed (35% or higher - whatever is comfortable noise-wise). For very stressful games (Crysis and other FPS games), you don't want to be undervolting your card. You're just asking for trouble.

For games that underutilize your HD4870 at stock 3D LOAD speeds, just create another middle-ground 3D LOAD profile, like 500/750 @ 1.203v @ 25-30% constant fan speed.

It can be a bit challenging to find the right settings for each and every game. But there's no reason to have to live with an overheating card or a horrible noise maker. It just takes a little legwork to find the settings that are right for your PC gaming situation. ATI's auto-fan settings are garbage and really make the HD4870 a pain in the ass to work with, unless you manually adjust it to your liking. Doing so really takes advantage of how good the stock cooler or even a non-reference/aftermarket cooler can really be...

[chuck216]

Here's what a stock sapphire 4870 with the heatpipes can do under load with the fan at 100%:

[Apa]

I just started Frozen throne and after about 2 seconds at the first screen (where you choose multiplayer etc) I got the same error as the picture attached to the first post.

This was at default clocks. From IDLE (200/400, 1.1v, GPU 45c, mem 47c, VRMs 45c) to load.

Is this REALLY heat issues? Check my recent posts and actually look at the the attached pictures.
The fan is at 50% when in 3D (it even spins up to 50% before the games start, and I have default clocks and voltage).
Even after fixing better temperatures which are far better than default I get this kind of issues...

[Apa]

I'm about to give up now...

Read carefully now please:

I just tried playing Runescape again. I used my 2D profile in ATT, which is 200/400 and fan at 30%. Everything except for the ram was around 40C according to GPU-Z. The ram was 42C while I played.
I could play Runescape for about 4 seconds. I repeat, 4 seconds. I could load up the game, login and adjust the camera then BAM!!! The monitor shows strange lines and the PC freeze.
I restart the PC, adjust the fan to 40%, lowering the temperatures even more, and increased the clock to 300/500 just incase it was too low. I start runescape, login, manage to walk a few steps and BAM!!! The monitor turns black.
This is RUNESCAPE!!!!! RUNE-FREAKING-SCAPE! How much load can it put on the GPU !? 2%, tops!?!? Furmark is even capable of running on the 2D profile for more than 10 minutes until I turn it off myself.
I have NOT undervolted the card now when I've tried playing. I have NOT overvolted. I have UNDERCLOCKED it AND increased the fan so it freaking screams and the card STILL can't handle such a freaking simple game like Runescape. But Crysis, COD4 etc etc works perfectly after I increased the fan a little.
The card don't seem to be able to handle Warcraft 3 either...

I've decided to get rid of the card now, along with my HD4850 which I'll get back soon. I never thought I'd ever say this but I'm switching over to the green side...

Telling me to simply quit playing Runescape is like telling a WoW player to just quit playing WoW just because the card can't handle the game even if it should be more than capable to run it...
Gonna place an order on a GTX285...


Thanks for trying to help me though.