HD 7970 vapor x 6gb voltage way too low

[xjxason]

Hey I'm new here so I hope this is the right place, i searched the web for hours trying to figure this out to no avail. I have a sapphire hd 7970 6 gb vapor x and I havent been that impressed with the performance so I was looking into overclocking etc and I downloaded GPU Z to review its running statistics and noticed that it's only running at a voltage of .875 vddc, when I've seen screen shots of others using the same or similar card the reading has always been around 1.25vddc so I'm wondering, is my video card not drawing enough voltage? If so, how can I fix this? If this card isnt running to its full potention, I'd like to fix it or return it if it's broken ASAP! By the way, im running a very nice 1500 watt power supply, sabertooth x79 mboard, i7 3930k.

[DarkOCean]

where exactly do you see that voltage? because that's idle voltage.
Use gpu z instead.

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by DarkOCean

where exactly do you see that voltage? because that's idle voltage.
Use gpu z instead.

under the sensors tab. i have it set to read the max reading of voltage, but it always stays at .875, ive tried using the trixx program to edit my voltage just to test it, set the voltage to .500 but it didnt do a damn thing, so i have no idea. Ive monitored it while playing skyrim, and monitored it while doing the furmark benchmark but it doesn't change.

[xjxason]

oh and i forgot to mention that furmark says its running at .875 as well.

[DarkOCean]

Originally Posted by xjxason

oh and i forgot to mention that furmark says its running at .875 as well.

What's the gpu max clock showed in gpuz because if that change the voltage thing its just reading wrong.

[Tweak-venetica-]

i'v been working with the 7xxx series for quite a while , the voltage you stated seems normal imo , the idel voltage on the cards are set in the bios for 2d clocks . You have 3 individual settings programmed within your cards bios one that runs 2d clocks another for higher required 2d clocks and 3d gaming clocks / over-clocked clocks ( the overclocking clocks take over the 3d gaming clocks ) .

The voltage i have here is 0.85 during the 2d clock settings and 1.17 during the 3d clock settings ( i must add that my card is overclocked ) . as soon as your card goes into 3d clocks then it should kick up the voltage for 3d usage . use MSI afterburner / GPUz / hwmonitor or any added software your card came with to accurately monitor the voltage flux . Keep the program of choice running at all times during the monitoring process to see when your card goes into 3d mode . see what triggers your 3d mode , some cards don't kick into 3d mode if the application is not full screen . If this is the case you can flash your bios to prevent this issue .

Let me know whats up man

stay cool

Tweak

[Tweak-venetica-]

Reading your post thoroughly this time , i see you mentioned you did use software to monitor the 3d cards voltage flux , can you please state the frequencies and GPU usage your card is At during game play of skyrim .

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by Tweak-venetica-

Reading your post thoroughly this time , i see you mentioned you did use software to monitor the 3d cards voltage flux , can you please state the frequencies and GPU usage your card is At during game play of skyrim .

When I have my card set to stock frequencies on the gpu and vram, the frequencies get maxed out whilst playing skyrim, the vddc stays a constant .875, and the vddc current maxes out at 35 A. Ive tried adjusting the vddc in 3rd party programs but it's locked in msi afterburner (msi reads my card as the wrong card anyway), and in trixx ill make adjustments but they don't seem to take effect. I dunno whats wrong, since you have experience with the 7970's, did they normally run your games pretty smoothly? Skyrim runs really jerky for me and the only way i can get 60 fps is if i sit still and stare at the same thing, and it never goes over 60.

[cadaveca]

did you have another card in the system before the 7970? sounds like a corrupt driver or something, and it's not switching out of 2D mode.

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

did you have another card in the system before the 7970? sounds like a corrupt driver or something, and it's not switching out of 2D mode.

This card is the very first. Ive tried removing the drivers, reinstalling, etc, and nothing changes.

[jboydgolfer]

just a Small piece of info, I didn't see your driver info So I'm gonna go out on a limb and mention something that happened to me using cat 12.11 cap and 12.11 driver. The cap Caused a HUGE issue in game, since it's set to deal with Far Cry 3, I figured I'd mention it,,the "jerky" gameplay sounds like the experience I was having, so it can't hurt to mention it. Also I see you used afterburner,, did you set to "unlock voltage control" in the settings tab?

I uninstalled Cap 12.11 beta, and went JUST with the DRIVER.
CAP had a release not for single GPU configurations to deal with Farcry 3 problems,,just thought I'd mention it.

Thats a GREAT gpu, I feel like it's a software issue, unless it's a rare case of hardware malfunction.

P.S. I noticed that another owner Stated that He/She was only getting 30 FPS in something called the witcher2 and Far Cry 3.May be Game related??
heres the link.
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100351-6GVXSR Radeon HD 7970 GHz ...

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by jboydgolfer

just a Small piece of info, I didn't see your driver info So I'm gonna go out on a limb and mention something that happened to me using cat 12.11 cap and 12.11 driver. The cap Caused a HUGE issue in game, since it's set to deal with Far Cry 3, I figured I'd mention it,,the "jerky" gameplay sounds like the experience I was having, so it can't hurt to mention it. Also I see you used afterburner,, did you set to "unlock voltage control" in the settings tab?

I uninstalled Cap 12.11 beta, and went JUST with the DRIVER.
CAP had a release not for single GPU configurations to deal with Farcry 3 problems,,just thought I'd mention it.

Thats a GREAT gpu, I feel like it's a software issue, unless it's a rare case of hardware malfunction.

P.S. I noticed that another owner Stated that He/She was only getting 30 FPS in something called the witcher2 and Far Cry 3.May be Game related??
heres the link.
SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100351-6GVXSR Radeon HD 7970 GHz ...

hmm well can you tell me how to just install the driver, thats the exact card im using in the link. Everytime i try to install drivers, it makes me install ccc.

[jboydgolfer]

No not CCC that the Catalyst software suite,,the CAP , is what caused the problem for me. It's a application profile for your Catalyst program. As long as you only Downloaded the Driver your Good on that end.

I don't know what your OS is, but this is the Driver for Windows 7 64 bit.
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/12-10_vi..._whql_net4.exe

Just be SURE that all the settings in catalyst /Gaming/3d application settings are set to "Use program settings"

just make sure they are ALL set to "use application settings". thats one more thing that you can check off the list of possible causes.

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by xjxason

hmm well can you tell me how to just install the driver, thats the exact card im using in the link. Everytime i try to install drivers, it makes me install ccc.

oh and yes i unchecked that box in the settings tab, i think it might have something to do with msi detecting my card as an msi lightning 7970?? idk.

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by jboydgolfer

No not CCC that the Catalyst software suite,,the CAP , is what caused the problem for me. It's a application profile for your Catalyst program. As long as you only Downloaded the Driver your Good on that end.

I don't know what your OS is, but this is the Driver for Windows 7 64 bit.
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/12-10_vi..._whql_net4.exe

Just be SURE that all the settings in catalyst /Gaming/3d application settings are set to "Use program settings"

oh well i never downloaded a software suite, and ill try that link you gave me. should i uninstall current drivers before running it?

[jboydgolfer]

No , it'll update fine with them.
Also ,I believe that Your GPU has a Bios switch. which position is it set to??
As an option after installing new driver you could try changing it to the other position, it may be a boost Bios.
it's nest to the Crossfire Bridge
Worth a shot

I feel it's worth mentioning ,that unfortunately, AMD gpu's are Physically Fantastic card's , however often their Driver's leave MUCH to be desired.
I hope that this IS a driver issue, and there is NO reason to assume otherwise.

This is the Beta "performance" Driver for Windows 7 64 Bit. BTW.
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD....11_Beta11.exe

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by jboydgolfer

No , it'll update fine with them.
Also ,I believe that Your GPU has a Bios switch. which position is it set to??
As an option after installing new driver you could try changing it to the other position, it may be a boost Bios.
it's nest to the Crossfire Bridge
Worth a shot

ok this is weird, installed that installer you gave me, my fps is staying right around 58-62 according to fraps, but its still jerky.... I have a decent fps but its not very smooth at all, im not sure what the point of decent fps is if the gameplay isnt smooth lol

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by jboydgolfer

No , it'll update fine with them.
Also ,I believe that Your GPU has a Bios switch. which position is it set to??
As an option after installing new driver you could try changing it to the other position, it may be a boost Bios.
it's nest to the Crossfire Bridge
Worth a shot

I feel it's worth mentioning ,that unfortunately, AMD gpu's are Physically Fantastic card's , however often their Driver's leave MUCH to be desired.
I hope that this IS a driver issue, and there is NO reason to assume otherwise.

This is the Beta "performance" Driver for Windows 7 64 Bit. BTW.
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD....11_Beta11.exe

The switch was set to boost, ive tried it both ways and never noticed any difference.

[jboydgolfer]

Hmmmm.
I am officially stumped. have you owned AMD gpu's before this one? meaning do you normally buy Nvidia, because I hear the Nvidia GPU's are a "smoother" experience. Even though FPS are NOT better, the quality CAN be smoother.
I'm hoping someone will chime in with something that WILL work, all I can suggest is that you keep @ it, and Not give up, and Remember if it doesn't resolve, you Can RMA if needed.

[jboydgolfer]

Also upload your system Spec's. Heres a Really Stupid question ,but your NOT recording are you??? I noticed you said you were using FRAPS, is all. So i figured I'd ask.
Also Far Cry 3 's AA and some other Settings are Completely Glitched, so Don't use them or you'll get wicked low FPS,, Just set graphics to highest and refrain from using A/A and Frame Buffering.

Sorry I just saw that you DID add your CPU,mobo specs.

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by jboydgolfer

Hmmmm.
I am officially stumped. have you owned AMD gpu's before this one? meaning do you normally buy Nvidia, because I hear the Nvidia GPU's are a "smoother" experience. Even though FPS are NOT better, the quality CAN be smoother.
I'm hoping someone will chime in with something that WILL work, all I can suggest is that you keep @ it, and Not give up, and Remember if it doesn't resolve, you Can RMA if needed.

its almost like it has to buffer every few seconds or something. I dont know how to upload my specs but they are as follows:

Intel i7 3930k
64 GB DDR3 G SKILLZ RAM
asus x79 sabertooth mboard
windows 7 64bit
All of its pretty high end and the cpu is liquid cooled, the gpu never gets that hot either, when running skyrim it only reaches 60-70 c max. It's all supposed to be compatible, and everything rates 7.9 on the windows index except the cpu, which ranks 7.8. I dunno what it could be. I've tried everything recommended to me lol.....

[jboydgolfer]

Try to do what My previous post suggest , and disable A/A, and Framebuffering in Far Cry 3, the support for that game sucks ass. Thats the only thing i can think of,,thats how I resolved My performance with my LCS 7970. I have ZERO experience with Skyrim, so I cannot help there.
But if this Crosses into more games, it MAY be a RMA issue.

And yes, your PC IS top shelf for SURE.

My gaming PC has a 6950, and it performs pretty close to my 7970 in Far Cry 3, the Driver's are NOT optimized yet for it.
also here is how Most GPu's are performing in FC3.
http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1157761/


I hope you resolve this problem bud,,I'm only sorry I couldn't help.
Best of luck, and Happy Holiday's
I gotta Do some work before I get behind, Sorry.
And thanks for Looking here.

[xjxason]

Originally Posted by jboydgolfer

Try to do what My previous post suggest , and disable A/A, and Framebuffering in Far Cry 3, the support for that game sucks ass. Thats the only thing i can think of,,thats how I resolved My performance with my LCS 7970. I have ZERO experience with Skyrim, so I cannot help there.
But if this Crosses into more games, it MAY be a RMA issue.

And yes, your PC IS top shelf for SURE.

My gaming PC has a 6950, and it performs pretty close to my 7970 in Far Cry 3, the Driver's are NOT optimized yet for it.
also here is how Most GPu's are performing in FC3.
http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1157761/

oh yea ive tried disabling aa and anisotropic filtering, i can literally disable everything and set all quality to lowest and the game still does it.

[jboydgolfer]

[Tweak-venetica-]

Could you do me a favor and upload a snap shot of your GPUz and Msi afterburner open at the same time please

I would like to check something , im thinking there might be a translation issue , check that your card jumps out of pcie 1.1 and goes to your motherboards maximum , i noticed my card doing something similar , but upload a screeny as i asked please mate .

tweak