FreeSync causing boot problems

[Splinterdog]

After fitting a new Asus Strix RX580 and enabling FreeSync on my monitor, I'm getting weird boot ups where the screen just remains black and nothing else happens. Keyboard lights up as does the PC, but there doesn't appear to be any HDD activity.
If I switch off FreeSync on the monitor the boot up is normal as before. Weird.
Mobo is GA-970A-UD3P with latest BIOS
Monitor Samsung C27F591
GPU has latest Adrenalin drivers too.
I've Googled this but not read of exactly the same issue yet.

 

[Steve-007UK]

Hi, are you using HDMI by any chance? I have the same screen and had nothing but issues using an HDMI cable and FreeSync with my RX480.
I tried many things to sort the issues out but had no luck so in the end i decided to try a DisplayPort cable.

Since using DisplayPort i've had no issues with Freesync or random black screens and stuff like i did with HDMI.

 

[Splinterdog]

Yes, HDMI which is pretty much default nowadays isn't it.
Anyway, I read somewhere that disabling CSM Compatibilty Support Module and FastBoot in the UEFI sorts the problem.
I'll try later when I get home and if that doesn't work I'll look into a display port cable, as you have done.
Thanks for the tip!

 

[fullinfusion]

site says to use the Display port cable for freeSync.. plus its only a 60hz monitor... and if you get it working on DP use 17.11.4 drivers because FS is busted on both 17.12.1 and 2 drivers.

 

[Steve-007UK]

site says to use the Display port cable for freeSync.. plus its only a 60hz monitor... and if you get it working on DP use 17.11.4 drivers because FS is busted on both 17.12.1 and 2 drivers.

FreeSync range when set to max is 48 to 72hz on this screen and FreeSync seems to work fine on my RX480 using 17.12.1 but no idea about RX580

 

[Splinterdog]

site says to use the Display port cable for freeSync.. plus its only a 60hz monitor... and if you get it working on DP use 17.11.4 drivers because FS is busted on both 17.12.1 and 2 drivers.

Which site would that be?

The DP cable only added to my problems resulting in blue screens and failure of the PC to even physically switch on. The C27F591 monitor appeared to have difficulty detecting a signal, even though source was set to auto. In short, when I did manage to get past safe mode, games and everything else worked fine with the DP cable, but restarting or cold booting ended up as a continuous bsod loop.
I then reconnected the HDMI cable supplied with the monitor and returned to some kind of normality, albeit with a slightly quirky boot, with or without FreeSync turned on at the monitor.
I'm not sure what to make of this. It could be a crap DP cable and I know for sure that this monitor supports FreeSync over HDMI and when it kicks in, it's running at 72Hz.
I'll try the earlier drivers just to see what occurs, but I'd also be interested to see proof of FS 'being busted', as if AMD would let that one slip through without noticing, especially after they made so much of FS over HDMI and all the other features of Adrenalin.

Edit
I did a clean install of 17.11.4 using DDU but AMD software reported that FreeSync wasn't supported. Went back to 17.12.2 and FreeSync is back.
Restart and cold booting are still a bit hesitant but I can live with it, but will probably go for a reformat and clean Windows install soon as it's overdue.

 

[fullinfusion]

Which site would that be?

The DP cable only added to my problems resulting in blue screens and failure of the PC to even physically switch on. The C27F591 monitor appeared to have difficulty detecting a signal, even though source was set to auto. In short, when I did manage to get past safe mode, games and everything else worked fine with the DP cable, but restarting or cold booting ended up as a continuous bsod loop.
I then reconnected the HDMI cable supplied with the monitor and returned to some kind of normality, albeit with a slightly quirky boot, with or without FreeSync turned on at the monitor.
I'm not sure what to make of this. It could be a crap DP cable and I know for sure that this monitor supports FreeSync over HDMI and when it kicks in, it's running at 72Hz.
I'll try the earlier drivers just to see what occurs, but I'd also be interested to see proof of FS 'being busted', as if AMD would let that one slip through without noticing, especially after they made so much of FS over HDMI and all the other features of Adrenalin.

Edit
I did a clean install of 17.11.4 using DDU but AMD software reported that FreeSync wasn't supported. Went back to 17.12.2 and FreeSync is back.
Restart and cold booting are still a bit hesitant but I can live with it, but will probably go for a reformat and clean Windows install soon as it's overdue.

I just googled you monitor and the manufacture said DP

 

[Splinterdog]

Appreciate your help mate, but the manual says HDMI only is supported for freeSync

It does work fine on an HDMI connection, but boot up is just weird.

 

[fullinfusion]

@Splinterdog I see that one site says HDMI only and other says DP only so hmmm anyways..

Here I checked, maybe a setting in the monitor is off? I experienced a freesync issue here not to long ago and some how freesync was disabled in the monitor

But it was for some odd reason..

Here just trying to help

 

[Splinterdog]

Really appreciate it mate!
But it's odd how it says FreeSync is only available in HDMI mode, then a few lines down that FreeSync function is only enabled in HDMI or DP.
Could be that I bought a cheapo DP cable?

 

[OneMoar]

with dp and freesync. you aren't gonna get any display output until the machine reaches windows and the driver comes up
blame your motherboard bios for its poor choices in life

 

[fullinfusion]

Really appreciate it mate!
But it's odd how it says FreeSync is only available in HDMI mode, then a few lines down that FreeSync function is only enabled in HDMI or DP.
Could be that I bought a cheapo DP cable?

If you roll back to say 17.11.4 driver do you have any issues with freesync?

These new 17.12.1/17.12.2 drivers are busted with freesync.. I know as I beta test for AMD and it's a known issue and why AMD pushed out the 17.12.2 driver in hope to fix FS in games but still it's busted.
It wont be till just after the new year before they get back to rolling out the fixes.

 

[Splinterdog]

Oddly enough, 17.11.4 told me that FreeSync wasn't supported, in spite of turning it on at the monitor settings, so I couldn't toggle it in Radeon settings anyway.
I then DDU'd back to the latest and it says FreeSync is on.
That's just weird.
The GPU is brand new and the Samsung is only 6 months old so I'm not suspecting a hardware problem, except the DP cable.

 

[fullinfusion]

Oddly enough, 17.11.4 told me that FreeSync wasn't supported, in spite of turning it on at the monitor settings, so I couldn't toggle it in Radeon settings anyway.
I then DDU'd back to the latest and it says FreeSync is on.
That's just weird.
The GPU is brand new and the Samsung is only 6 months old so I'm not suspecting a hardware problem, except the DP cable.

a bad DP cable is rare IMHO, Try even an older driver. Like I said the December drivers are screwed.. Let me know what you find so I can pass it up the chain of command

 

[DimBo]

Just wanted to ask: for all I know, FreeSync is an extension of the DisplayPort 1.2a specification, how can it work through HDMI?

 

[Swamp Monster]

with dp and freesync. you aren't gonna get any display output until the machine reaches windows and the driver comes up
blame your motherboard bios for its poor choices in life

Thanks for the info!
I recently got Samsung C27HG70 and had the same problem. Because i had not used Freesync before, I did not know why it was happening.

After fitting a new Asus Strix RX580 and enabling FreeSync on my monitor, I'm getting weird boot ups where the screen just remains black and nothing else happens. Keyboard lights up as does the PC, but there doesn't appear to be any HDD activity.

I also got boot errors and auto-resets, basically PC refused to boot with new monitor, using DP. And all that with black screen PC worked fine when I connected my old monitor, which does not support Freesync.
I resolved this by connecting first my old monitor, then new one. This seemingly prevented Freesync to be activated automatically.
Next, I turned source and aspect ratio to "auto" in monitor settings and disabled Freesync. I did not know which setting cured the problem at the time.
Now it works without problems.

 

[Apocalypsee]

Just wanted to ask: for all I know, FreeSync is an extension of the DisplayPort 1.2a specification, how can it work through HDMI?

VESA Adaptive Sync really uses DP only, but I believe AMD is the one that brings this to HDMI for its Freesync tech because HDMI allows vendor-specific extension to be implemented.

 

[DimBo]

Just for the record, I used an LG 29UM67 with a reference-design R9 290 for almost a year through DP connection with FreeSync enabled and had no problems. I think the problems you experience are vendor- or model-specific (is it possible for you to get a FreeSync-capable monitor not from Samsung and try it?)

 

[Sasqui]

@Splinterdog I see that one site says HDMI only and other says DP only so hmmm anyways..

Here I checked, maybe a setting in the monitor is off? I experienced a freesync issue here not to long ago and some how freesync was disabled in the monitor

But it was for some odd reason..

Here just trying to help

FS over HDMI is supported by newer AMD cards, but NOT all monitors, SOME monitors only support it over DP: https://www.amd.com/en/technologies/free-sync

Also, if you need DP, the cable itself comes into play. ...just to add to the confusion

 

[Splinterdog]

FS over HDMI is supported by newer AMD cards, but NOT all monitors, SOME monitors only support it over DP: https://www.amd.com/en/technologies/free-sync

Also, if you need DP, the cable itself comes into play. ...just to add to the confusion

Precisely and here's a snip from that AMD page, highlighting the monitor that I have, FS over HDMI.


Also, and by sheer coincidence, this video pretty much proves what I suspected about the DP cable I bought without my head fixed on correctly. Exactly the same boot problem that I had before switching back to HDMI.

Display port can cause boot issues

 

[Sasqui]

Precisely and here's a snip from that AMD page, highlighting the monitor that I have, FS over HDMI.
View attachment 95356

Also, and by sheer coincidence, this video pretty much proves what I suspected about the DP cable I bought without my head fixed on correctly. Exactly the same boot problem that I had before switching back to HDMI.

Display port can cause boot issues

Yea, two things:

1) The monitor needs to support FS over HDMI or DP (or both). I don't even know if mine does FS over HDMI. I know I can only get 75 Hz using DP, so that's what I do... with FS enabled and so far, it's beautiful. That said, it'd be interesting to try the DP@ 75Hz (card and monitor) and see how it looks with FS off.

2) The cable... I posted a question about DP cables and FS. I learned a lot from that post and poking around. DP VESA ver 1.2a spec has FS as "Optional". Also, 4K monitors aren't likely to get over 60Hz with a cheap DP cable, but then again it's hit or miss. There is a list of "certified" cables at displayport.org: https://www.displayport.org/product-category/cables-adaptors/?ps&pcat[0]=cables-connectors

The other advice I got in this thread is buy a bunch of cables and use the one that works https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...-1-4-for-freesync-75hz-at-3440-x-1440.239663/

 

[eidairaman1]

FS over HDMI is supported by newer AMD cards, but NOT all monitors, SOME monitors only support it over DP: https://www.amd.com/en/technologies/free-sync

Also, if you need DP, the cable itself comes into play. ...just to add to the confusion

I like DP better honestly, Higher resolutions, more robust connection too, plus it supports analog vga monitors through passive adapter. Since card makers are pulling DVI-I connectors off and replacing them with dvi-d only...

 

[Splinterdog]

I can't find a decent quality DP cable where I live so I'll probably get this one posted to me. Interesting to see that this reviewer experienced the same as me.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/custome...ef=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B007PKPUIK

 

[emilybluntforeal]

I can't find a decent quality DP cable where I live so I'll probably get this one posted to me. Interesting to see that this reviewer experienced the same as me.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/custome...ef=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B007PKPUIK

Hi,
Sorry to bump this thread once again, but I'm having exactly the same problem as you with Freesync over HDMI as told in your OP.

I'm using an RX 460 and an LG 23MP68VQ-P monitor. Have you found any solutions for the black screen during bootup? Sadly DP is not a solution for me, as my monitor does not have a DP connector.

 

[Splinterdog]

Hi,
Sorry to bump this thread once again, but I'm having exactly the same problem as you with Freesync over HDMI as told in your OP.

I'm using an RX 460 and an LG 23MP68VQ-P monitor. Have you found any solutions for the black screen during bootup? Sadly DP is not a solution for me, as my monitor does not have a DP connector.

Since running Adrenalin 18.1 the system boots, albeit more slowly than it should, especially being on SSD. However, when I turn FS off at the monitor controls, boot is completely normal.
I'm still going to try the DP route as I'm not convinced about FS over HDMI, for all the reasons stated. Many have suggested rolling back the drivers to 17.11.14 perhaps. I see your monitor supports FS over HDMI, so this is also puzzling.
Sorry I can't help more.