Sapphire RX 580 8GB Pulse - Display goes to black or grey snow

[NZRichard]

Sapphire RX 580 card causing 1900 x 1200 display to go to black/grey snow while browsing. Same problem with this card on a Win 10 and a Mac OS Mojave machine. No such issues using EVGA GTX 1050 (Win 10) or EVGA GTX 670 Kepler (Mac OS).

Contacted Sapphire Customer Service with full details - no response. Lots of Googling found one post on Reddit OSX with same issue but no solution. Nothing found yet on TechPowerUp.

Does anybody have similar experience or suggestions re troubleshooting and possible fixes such as reflashing BIOS?

Attaching CPU-Z screenshot for RX580 card and photo of RX580 white stickers with serial no.

For Win 10 machine - Sapphire RX 580 returns AMD Radeon Settings:
- Graphics Driver: 19.30.31.20-191126@-348909E-RadeonSoftwareAdrenalin2019
- VBIOS: 015.050.002.001

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[skizzo]

did the RX 580 ever work? if so, you already answered your questions through troubleshooting. The GPU is failing if you can get good results with a GTX 670 and 1050 but have issues with the RX 580.

If this issue has occurred since day one, then I ask is the card a brand new purchase or from used market? If new then obviously deal with the retailer you bought it from and RMA it. If used then this is the gamble you take buying used. It could be a total dud or just have a particularly finicky output. With that said, try all outputs to make sure the issue occurs on all of them. I don't think it's a BIOS flash resolving type of issue with what you presented so far.

Sounds like you have it in a Mac Pro, and I have used the exact same GPU in my 2009 Mac Pro without issues. You are powering it properly by using BOTH 6 pin boosters to be combined to the single 8 pin input on the GPU? ie. you need to use a dual mini 6 pin to single 8 pin cable for this GPU in a Mac Pro

 

[EarthDog]

while broswing... disable hardware acceleration in the browser and see if that helps.

I assume it works outside of browsing the internet? Like games? Have you tried a different (older or newer) driver? What have YOU done so far so we don't waste time repeating things...

 

[eidairaman1]

Where did you buy it from? Used or new?

 

[kakantot]

I used to have one of this. Sapphire RX 580 Nitro+ Special Edition, it has snow like artifacts on desktop but when playing games or benchmarking the artifacts went away. It was wierd. Anyway, I busted the card as I thought it can be fixed using the heat gun method, it actually boiled the chip! Alas I will never use this 'fix' anymore. Goodluck, I hope you find a solution.

 

[NZRichard]

Where did you buy it from? Used or new?

Purchased new on ebay

 

[EarthDog]

Purchased new on ebay

I hope you plan to answer the other questions which help to resolve the issue...

 

[NZRichard]

did the RX 580 ever work? if so, you already answered your questions through troubleshooting. The GPU is failing if you can get good results with a GTX 670 and 1050 but have issues with the RX 580.

If this issue has occurred since day one, then I ask is the card a brand new purchase or from used market? If new then obviously deal with the retailer you bought it from and RMA it. If used then this is the gamble you take buying used. It could be a total dud or just have a particularly finicky output. With that said, try all outputs to make sure the issue occurs on all of them. I don't think it's a BIOS flash resolving type of issue with what you presented so far.

Sounds like you have it in a Mac Pro, and I have used the exact same GPU in my 2009 Mac Pro without issues. You are powering it properly by using BOTH 6 pin boosters to be combined to the single 8 pin input on the GPU? ie. you need to use a dual mini 6 pin to single 8 pin cable for this GPU in a Mac Pro

Good questions:

Here's the thing - this card was purchased "new" off ebay and caused problems from Day 1; bought a second "used" RX 580 card off ebay and it works fine.

The Mac is a Hackintosh on an ATX mobo and i5 8600 CPU so PCI-E power comes directly from PSU, not mobo.

Will try DP and HDMI outputs - great suggestion.

Thanks

Where did you buy it from? Used or new?

New off ebay. Also, bought a "used" RX 580 off ebay and it works flawlessly. Never can tell!

while broswing... disable hardware acceleration in the browser and see if that helps.

I assume it works outside of browsing the internet? Like games? Have you tried a different (older or newer) driver? What have YOU done so far so we don't waste time repeating things...

Good suggestion. thanks

 

[eidairaman1]

Purchased new on ebay

Ebay is not new. Send it back and buy brand new from amazon

 

[EarthDog]

Ebay is not new. Send it back and buy brand new from amazon

It can be...

caused problems from Day 1

should have returned it day 1. Return it now.

 

[potato580+]

never encounter such issue with my rx, i sugest a refund or rma asap

 

[skizzo]

Good questions:

Here's the thing - this card was purchased "new" off ebay and caused problems from Day 1; bought a second "used" RX 580 card off ebay and it works fine.

The Mac is a Hackintosh on an ATX mobo and i5 8600 CPU so PCI-E power comes directly from PSU, not mobo.

Will try DP and HDMI outputs - great suggestion.

Thanks



New off ebay. Also, bought a "used" RX 580 off ebay and it works flawlessly. Never can tell!



Good suggestion. thanks

OK it's powered properly. Made an assumption based on what was presented it was a Mac Pro and using improper cables is a common issue with many upgrading their old machines. eBay has very good policies on returning defective items. honestly, this topic is moot now. just RMA it with the retailer you purchased it from. the 2nd card that works fine is another clear clue the 1st card is defective. Good luck, hopefully you didn't miss the return window!

 

[Tetras]

By browsing, do you mean it happens randomly while browsing, or only after the PC turns off the monitor? My Sapphire RX did this since new, apparently cos I use an unsupported DVI to HDMI cable. I just switch the outputs on the monitor (it has a button for it) and the RX 'wakes up' (it's still working after doing this for 2.5 years, 24/7).

 

[NZRichard]

By browsing, do you mean it happens randomly while browsing, or only after the PC turns off the monitor? My Sapphire RX did this since new, apparently cos I use an unsupported DVI to HDMI cable. I just switch the outputs on the monitor (it has a button for it) and the RX 'wakes up' (it's still working after doing this for 2.5 years, 24/7).

Yes, very random. Can be browsing for 20 minutes with no problem, then bam it goes to black/grey snow. Easy to correct by toggling the mode button on a PA 248 monitor (DVI -> HDMI ... > DVI).

Could be DVI is not the best output ... will try HDMI or DP. So you stuck with it... good!

 

[Tetras]

I did yeah, but it is only a problem resuming from sleep / low-power mode. That you are able to fix it by toggling the mode button makes me think it's the same problem, but why would your card be going to sleep when you're browsing? I can only assume that you're reading or watching something and not touching the PC until the monitor turns off? If not, then I'd be concerned the card is defective. I guess you could rule it out by having it sleep much sooner, or disabling sleep entirely. Edit: by the way, I think some users changed this behaviour by switching between the manufacturer and AMD drivers.

 

[NZRichard]

I did yeah, but it is only a problem resuming from sleep / low-power mode. That you are able to fix it by toggling the mode button makes me think it's the same problem, but why would your card be going to sleep when you're browsing? I can only assume that you're reading or watching something and not touching the PC until the monitor turns off? If not, then I'd be concerned the card is defective. I guess you could rule it out by having it sleep much sooner, or disabling sleep entirely. Edit: by the way, I think some users changed this behaviour by switching between the manufacturer and AMD drivers.

Tried different outputs: HDMI almost eliminates the grey snow issue except when waking from sleep, like yours, and then the snow turned to a normal display.

What do you think about replacing thermal paste between the GPU chip and heatsink?

 

[INSTG8R]

Tried different outputs: HDMI almost eliminates the grey snow issue except when waking from sleep, like yours, and then the snow turned to a normal display.

What do you think about replacing thermal paste between the GPU chip and heatsink?

Considering your issues don’t appear to have nothing to with thermal issues, but display issues I don’t think there is any reason to change the thermal paste. Switching to HDMI was a step in the right direction if you can try DP that is the “strongest“ connection available BUT using cheap cables can literally cause the issues you’ve experiencing as well.