5870 goes to no video during OCCT

[FierceRed]

Originally Posted by Flibolito

There are some ways of wiring it up to where they both start and stop at the same time. I have done this before but it will void any warranty whatsoever. Do you have a friend with a decent system you could test it in. Running below stock clocks is definitely not a long term solution but as a previous post said the VRM might be weak or dying, does the card make any squealing noise under heavy load? My gtx 480 does during OC scanners that run 6000 fps but i don't use those for that reason. If it squeals alot under heavy load without a voltage bump/super high clocks it probably the VRM crying and might be the problem. I think the PSU and rest of the system is fine but to be sure another system would rule out ALOT of what it could be.

BTW mine squeals because its @980MHz @ 1.152 volts with the VRM @ 427 MHz.
At stock there should be no squeals.

Hey Flibolito, how do you know what speed your VRM is at? What program are you using to monitor it?

[hat]

Still no video, even at 700MHz with the CPU downclocked...

Nope, never heard the card squeal.

[hat]

Damn, even as low as 650MHz goes to no video... just like with the CPU at full power. Not sure what to make of this... the card seems to work fine, it's just that Unigen and OCCT cause no video for one reason or another.

You guys think I should just get a new PSU then? How about the power supply Darwin's selling here? Is that Topower a good model?

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=121962

Or how about something with a little more background info? I can't find shit about that particular Topower model on google...

CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-750HX 750W ATX12V 2.3 / EP...

[Mussels]

750HX is good, but i too am starting to wonder if the cards just bad (or something like the VRM's is overheating)

[1nf3rn0x]

Run the 5870 on the psu from your server and use your current psu to run the rest of the system. This can tell us what the problem is. The card, or the power supply.

[Flibolito]

I use EVGA Eleet tuner for such high speeds since afterburner can only go so far. I gives a few more options such as vrm clockspeed. For clean power under alot of stress i gave it a small bump since the card will use about 300+ watt. The program is very buggy though, i have learned ways around the bugs so that is the only reason i use it. I'm pretty sure its for EVGA only and even some lower-mid cards cannot be adjusted in those areas. Not sure if there are other programs that go that far maybe someone else has heard of another.

Just like mussels said though, we think your psu is fine and it's just the card. Can you return it to the seller since it doesn't work correctly? I would hate for you to spend $120 on a PSU and then have the same problem since that money can be used towards another card.

[DrunkenMafia]

Originally Posted by hat

Sounds like it involves cutting up wires on both power supplies... I would really rather not do that. This is a temporary test, not a permanent solution.

I've underclocked and undervotled my CPU to 1.6GHz at 1.0v. By my calculations, it should be taking less than 20w, as opposed to the 80w it was taking when overclocked.
65(1600/2800)(1/1.425)^2 = ~18.3

If it were my power supply, that should free up enough room for the GPU to eat up more power...

Not at all, just put the second main power connector next to the one on your MB and chuck a rubber band around them, then simply shove a "U" shape paper clip into the 2 green wire slots.

Easy as, I have done it before.

[Flibolito]

+1 just make sure its snug, some electrical tape can help for sure. Hit us up to see if this helps. This is a temporary solution IMO as if you wanted to dual PSU cutting/splicing the wires can make it more permanent/durable. Have you used GPU-z ability to read the 12v supply? Some abnormal dips below 11.8ish volt can show the weakness without having to do this.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by DrunkenMafia

Not at all, just put the second main power connector next to the one on your MB and chuck a rubber band around them, then simply shove a "U" shape paper clip into the 2 green wire slots.

Easy as, I have done it before.

i usually used a longer wire, but that should work as well. less fancy, so less to go wrong.

[hat]

Looks like the video card can't handle it. With the e-power hooked up and powering the video card alone, it still went to no video. The only other thing I can think of is the e-power wasn't up to snuff powering that 5870 with the weird PCI-E power configuration... the second is daisy chained off the first like a molex. Gonna try one on the e-power, one on my main power supply.

[1nf3rn0x]

Try boot the gpu off your main psu and then the rest of the system via the other. The card might not like the molex config.

[hat]

I didn't use molex anything, I used for real PCI-E plugs. I meant that with the e-power power supply, the second PCI-E connector was chained off the first like a molex power snake.

I've tried running the 5870 on the e-power alone, and with one plug from my e-power and one from my main power supply. Both failed. Looks like the card's bad. It works at 600MHz though... my guess is the power circuitry craps out under high stress; lower clocks mean lower power consumption so it holds together at 600MHz.

Now... what do I do with it? Keep it and run it at 600MHz forever? Is it still faster than my GTX260 at that speed?

[Flibolito]

I would not run it @ 600MHz since that is ATi shader domain (their GPUs are virtually all shader cores) and that is extremely limiting the performance. I would say a slightly overclocked GTX 260 core 216 would perform better than the handicapped card but benchmarks would have to be run. Also I bet the card would die soon anyway if its already that bad. You would loose DX11 but a 600MHz shader core 5870 could not handle the extra effects anyway. Anyway to return/RMA this card?

So the PSU is fine, I'm confident this is a Videocard issue and you will have to get a new one in the form of 6950 or a GTX560 Ti. I just built a buddy a rig with a EVGA 560 Ti that was already 900MHz factory and now runs 1GHz core 2GHz shader without voltage adjustment and is really cool and quiet. But those two are the sweet spot in the market right now in my opinion hopefully they are affordable for you.

[hat]

I do have a small amount of money ($400), but I'm not looking to spend all that money on a new card. I'll try to get it RMA'd.

[DrunkenMafia]

If you can't RMA it just grab a 2nd hand 6850, you can pick them up for a little over 100 in US. That way you will still have the majority of your cash left . Although a little less horsepower than 5870

[OneMoar]

E-Power and andtech ? you are joking right ?
Junk both of them get something solid
my guss is that cheap psu is not putting out the amps it should
get something decent like a crosshair or Pc-Power ocz ect
PC Power and Cooling Silencer Mk II PPCMK2S650 650...

CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V ...
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W ATX12V V2.2 / E...
never never never never skimp on the psu

[hat]

Originally Posted by OneMoar

E-Power and andtech ? you are joking right ?
Junk both of them get something solid
my guss is that cheap psu is not putting out the amps it should
get something decent like a crosshair or Pc-Power ocz ect
PC Power and Cooling Silencer Mk II PPCMK2S650 650...

CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V ...
OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ700MXSP 700W ATX12V V2.2 / E...
never never never never skimp on the psu

I understand that, but with both power supplies running at the same time, one completely dedicated to the GPU, you'd think it would get sufficient power.

E-power is decent... I don't actually use it in my main rig, it goes in my server. It's good enough to run that. Antec is a good brand, I believe they used Seasonic as an OEM for my particular model...

[OneMoar]

Originally Posted by hat

I understand that, but with both power supplies running at the same time, one completely dedicated to the GPU, you'd think it would get sufficient power.

E-power is decent... I don't actually use it in my main rig, it goes in my server. It's good enough to run that. Antec is a good brand, I believe they used Seasonic as an OEM for my particular model...

I would't use a Epower or andtech psu to run my calculator =/
also running 2 psu's can lead to even moar issues especially with cheap ones
its a amperage issue not a wattage one I am betting 5870 AT fullload draws near 400watts

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by OneMoar

I would't use a Epower or andtech psu to run my calculator =/
also running 2 psu's can lead to even moar issues especially with cheap ones

and thats why he did it as a temporary diagnostic only. please stop dragging this thread off topic.

[OneMoar]

the point is that a 5870 at full load draws near 400Watts at ~30Amps
even both combined I would be willing to suspect that its still not enough
neither psu he listed has the specs to run a 5870

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by OneMoar

the point is that a 5870 at full load draws near 400Watts at ~30Amps
even both combined I would be willing to suspect that its still not enough
neither psu he listed has the specs to run a 5870

it draws nowhere near that amount of power. get your facts straight.






the numbers you are quoting are for an entire system with a 5870.

[OneMoar]

Originally Posted by Mussels

it draws nowhere near that amount of power. get your facts straight.


http://tpucdn.com/reviews/ATI/Radeon...er_maximum.gif
http://tpucdn.com/reviews/ATI/Radeon...er_average.gif


the numbers you are quoting are for an entire system with a 5870.

derp my bad ok I am going to bed its like 4 am .0.
I still dont think the psu's are up to the task they always overspec those cheapo units .-.
id say he needs to test the card with a proven power supply

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by OneMoar

id say he needs to test the card with a proven power supply

we all agree on that, but he doesnt have one. this was something to try before spending money.

[Flibolito]

Seems that antec held the GTX260 down pretty well. If you can get you hands on a 6850/6870 at a good price it would be much better than a limping 5870 plus it could be clocked a little and would run circles around the GTX260 plus offer dx11 and using relatively little power to do it.

[theoneandonlymrk]

i have had the same exact thing happen on mine and its reproduceable on any game or benchmark on mine though it is at much higher clocks,
i have everything in my pc OC'd at least 20%- 30% with more volts thrown about then makes any sense fully loaded my pc says it uses over 90 amps,
and the point in telling you this is that i can MAKE my 5870 do that within 20 Mhz of 1050(not showin off honest) if i go upto 1066 i get insta black screen despite wc and only 64 temp on gpu bring it back down and its ok all day n night.

so i think you have a duff card though id deff try a cooler clean out and re seat as the heatsink on these mofos have lots of seperate gel tim things that i expected to have to swap before i went wc, they are replaceable too though i dont think youd be able to use normal tim as the gaps are dubious, id deff give it a good clean out too mine was quite blocked after just 6 months