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Sapphire R9 270X Dual-X 4GB OC with Boost - Black Screen on Win7/10 Boot and Driver Install

Chico Salvador

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Dear friends,

It's disheartening to start this thread, but I feel it's necessary, as a quick Google search will show you that thousands (yes) of people have the same issue as I do and the feeling that AMD and/or Microsoft don't give a don't is evident. All answers / methods / tricks to overcome this issue are widely available and have been tried. I am not looking for those. I'm almost certain the issue is at software level (either driver or OS compatibility).

ISSUE: In ANY Windows OS version, the PC will not boot. After POST and Windows logo / white dots, it comes to a HARD FREEZE (no Caps/NumLock to confirm) where the screen is completely black (backlit), no mouse cursor.

Booting using an adjacent graphics (not Crossfire) card will work and boot the PC to try and install drivers from within the system, but whenever ANY version of drivers from AMD, running from MOST RECENT to about 30 VERSIONS DOWN, will cause the screen to (normally) flicker but come to a complete hard freeze and backlit black screen. If the driver install is kept to take place after restart, problem reoccursat boot.

SPECS:

ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0 (no integrated graphics, latest BIOS)
Sapphire R9 270X Dual-X 4GB OC with Boost (not UEFI-Ready, no UEFI Switch, latest BIOS)
AMD FX 8320 @ 3,5GHz (no overclock)
Corsair TX 650W 80 Plus Certified
2 x 8GB Kingston HyperX @ 1600mhz
Kingston HyperX USB Headphones
Kingston SSD 980gb
Cooler Master Case
Simple Keyboard and Mouse

WHAT HAS BEEN TESTED TO AVOID UNNECESSARY QUESTIONS:

- Motherboard is new, fully functional, PCI-E x16 working properly, have tried 3 other cards.
- GPU flashed to the most recent vBIOS provided directly by the Althon Micro Tech support.
- PSU verified by two distinct professionals with multimeters.
- MEMtest run several times, many loops, no errors found.
- No thermal issues, PC is located in a room kept at 62,6F at all times.
- All other components working fine.

PROBLEM PROGRESSION:

The card had been running FLAWLESSLY until about 6 days ago, when I finally gave in (unfortunately) and fresh installed (not an upgrade) Windows 10 version 1703 OS Build 15063.413. The problem started right there, where the BlackSOD happened at Windows Update. Understanding it could be a faulty driver from WU, I fresh installed once again
and same BlackSOD happened as I was unable to prevent the driver installation, even though I set in Settings not to do it.

At this time I removed the card and installed my trusty PSY GTX 760 in the system and went for a third fresh install, so I could update the system to the fullest. At this point I went to safe mode, uninstalled nVidia drivers and DDU and turned it off, and switched for the 270X. Same problem.

I was able to retrieve the hardware ID for the 270X and set a local policy through gpedit.msc to prevent the drivers from auto-installing. At this point I tried WAY TOO MANY driver version from the AMD website, the original install from the CD that came with the GPU, all rendering the exact same results - black screen and hard hang.

From this stage over, I proceeded to search for the solutions and it sort of freaked me out. Hundreds and hundreds of threads in this forum show the same issue and other several hundreds with no solution.

I had only one way to go - back to Windows 7. What a f***ing disaster. Same issue.

So after contacting Sapphire to help me out, then sending me to Althon Micro, flashing a UEFI-ready vBIOS, trying all sorts of manipulation with the atikmpag.sys files, DDUing back and forth, switching PCI-E slots, trying custom drivers, resetting and updating MOBO BIOS, different OS installs, I simply said "fine, the card is dead".

But then it worked in two other righs of five that I tested.

I REALLY don't know where to go from here. There MUST BE a solution out there, maybe the tiniest detail is what it's missing. Look here, here, and especially here for more descriptive cases.

WHAT I HAVEN'T TESTED:

- baking the card (temporary solution, I won't consider)
- messing with voltages (don't really know how to do it)

ANY input will do.

Igles.
 

95Viper

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Try the video card in another system.

Don't know what else to say, since you state that a different card works and you tried everything.

My guess is the card just happened to bite the dust, when it did.

Hopefully, someone else will have some ideas.
 
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When i was getting my 280X second hand, i first got a DUAL X version which did not like my setup one bit. BSODs all over the place.
When i switched it for a VAPOR X, all problems were gone.

Now on to the fun fact.
The guy i returned the card to called me and he was like: Im testing the card right now, no issue what so ever, rendering video for 4 hours strait at 80C.
I was like WTF? I couldnt even browse without a BSOD.

Im just sharing my 2 cents of a problem similar to yours and an advice: Test the card as good as you can, on as many systems as you can, as hard as you can, it might just not like your system anymore.
 
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eidairaman1

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Try a different PSU with a higher rating, multimeters don't do load testing or ripple
 

Chico Salvador

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The PSU has been thoroughly tested this morning at a local electronics shop. It's working properly and has outstanding 12v rail performance.
 

eidairaman1

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eidairaman1

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So why did you say multi meter then?
YEAHHH dont be snarky! :p

Have you tried other cards in your system? Are your 270x lights green? Have you disassemble your card at anytime, maybe to replace the TIM?

carefully inspect card for any physical damage, magnifying glass/microscope.
 
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Chico Salvador

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YEAHHH dont be snarky! :p

Have you tried other cards in your system? Are your 270x lights green? Have you disassemble your card at anytime, maybe to replace the TIM?

carefully inspect card for any physical damage, magnifying glass/microscope.

@DeathtoGnomes, there are no lights in my card (I guess this Sapphire version is different from reference card in this matter?) neither it has a UEFI / Legacy switch. I took the card to a BGA / Reflow specialist and he analyzed it in a machine (don't know the specifics) and told me that, physically, all the solders are intact.

I guess I'm giving up. It almost surely is a memory problem. Nothing works.
 
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So with the problem card installed you can get into the BIOS, but it freezes after the windows logo/circle starts? this happens every single time?


can ya boot into safe mode with it?
 

Chico Salvador

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So with the problem card installed you can get into the BIOS, but it freezes after the windows logo/circle starts? this happens every single time?


can ya boot into safe mode with it?

I can boot it in safe mode, use it normally with Windows' Basic Graphics Adapter. Though I can only boot to Windows if the driver is not installed.

Whenever I install them the PC freezes. Then the only solution is uninstall / DDU from safe mode so I can boot again.

Interestingly, I tried booting from a Ubuntu install disk and the same thing happens, but then I can see some artifacts (white granulated squares at random in the screen) before the freeze.
 

eidairaman1

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Don't waste anymore time, get a different card.
 

eidairaman1

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Try cleaning the gold finger contacts on the card, blow out any dust in the slots. If still no go bin the card and start fresh.
 

Chico Salvador

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DAMN! I DID IT!

I baked it and it WORKED!

Even though I'm gonna go for a new card, just wanted to let you guys know I was able to do it! A light "roast" at 385F for exactly 8 minutes did the trick!
I also tried with an old GTX 760 but it didn't work.

Drivers installed, no boot issues, ideal temps... feels like brand new!

Thanks for the help guys. Case closed.
 
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Guy Fieri would be proud.:D
 

eidairaman1

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Must of been the die/bridge reflow, yeah its temporary. Replace the card, take the cooler off and keep for mod projects
 

eidairaman1

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Even the slot 1/A and Pentium 1 heatsinks are still valuable
 

Googenheimer321

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Thank you, just like @Chico Salvador I fixed mine. For a long time I thought it was caused by some software issue like driver or windows. Kitchen oven for 8 minutes at 385 degrees Fahrenheit. I removed the dust from the components using 70% isopropyl alcohol with some Q-tips and then I unscrewed all the stuff from the card that could melt, n removed the thermal grease. Then I rolled up some aluminum balls and put them on a tray and the card on top of it. Afterward applied new thermal grease and reconstructed n installed. Its been working perfectly for a whole day, I'll report back here in case it screws up again.
 

Googenheimer321

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Thank you, just like @Chico Salvador I fixed mine. For a long time I thought it was caused by some software issue like driver or windows. Kitchen oven for 8 minutes at 385 degrees Fahrenheit. I removed the dust from the components using 70% isopropyl alcohol with some Q-tips and then I unscrewed all the stuff from the card that could melt, n removed the thermal grease. Then I rolled up some aluminum balls and put them on a tray and the card on top of it. Afterward applied new thermal grease and reconstructed n installed. Its been working perfectly for a whole day, I'll report back here in case it screws up again.
Update: November 2020

Hello again everyone, like i said: " I'll report back here in case it screws up again. "
Yesterday it stopped working again so that means putting it in the oven made it work for a little under two months more. In that time I only used the card for light CAD and video editing(not rendering) and didn't push it very hard at all.

This morning I put it back into the oven for 8 more minutes at 385 degrees Fahrenheit following the same procedure as above. Afterward I plugged it in and it's working again.Just like before, I'll report back here in case it screws up again.
 
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