New PC - Sapphire R9 290 giving me random flickers

[gaz]

EDIT: Please read next page for updates

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Hi guys,

 

I JUST got done building my new PC and now after having gone through with all windows updates and installing the 14.4 AMD drivers for the R9 290 the resolution is looking good. Switched over to 144hz as well with my ASUS VG248QE - 24".

 

However, I am experiencing some issues while on the desktop. The screen flickers randomly and rapidly, like a 3 pixel line across the screen (white line across screen). I have no idea of how I get it top stop. Never built a PC before so I would be clueless. I have the case open and the Sapphire sign is lighting blue, seems to be idling at round 43C. 

 

My specs are in the link below:

 

http://i.imgur.com/xJJic8k.png

 

 

Would even appreciate if someone could give me some quick guidance of how to configure the AMD graphics in the drivers. Thanks 

 

 

 

***After my third replacement, I got a working 290.***

[Brawly]

I sort of get the same thing on my 280X, but its only on a certain game. So we may be in the same boat here, maybe not.

[gaz]

These are my setting according to TechPowerUp http://i.imgur.com/9ela0fU.png

[gaz]

Bump

[Sintezza]

maybe you could try the 14.7 Beta drivers

Does it also happen if you lower your monitor refresh rate?

[gaz]

maybe you could try the 14.7 Beta drivers

Does it also happen if you lower your monitor refresh rate?

Just came home again and got to test it there right now. Went on to twitch and watched a stream and the whole screen started flickering... 

 

I turned down the refresh rate to 60Hz and it does not seem to occur now. 

 

 

I have only changed to 120/144 Hz through the desktop properties. Is this something I should be doing in the AMD software as well?

 

Definitely seems tied up with the Hz

[Matthew12106]

Just came home again and got to test it there right now. Went on to twitch and watched a stream and the whole screen started flickering... 

 

I turned down the refresh rate to 60Hz and it does not seem to occur now. 

 

 

I have only changed to 120/144 Hz through the desktop properties. Is this something I should be doing in the AMD software as well?

 

Definitely seems tied up with the Hz

Is it just me or does 43C seems a bit hot for idling especially with the amazing VaporX cooler

[Sintezza]

which cable did you use to connect it?

sometimes these kind of flickering things over 100hz can happen, if your cable is a bit wonky..

[gaz]

which cable did you use to connect it?

sometimes these kind of flickering things over 100hz can happen, if your cable is a bit wonky..

Used 2x PCI-E for the GPU and then I am using a DVI cable from the monitor to the GPU.

[dragoon20005]

could be the cable and the refresh rate

 

swap to HDMI or displayport

[Sintezza]

you need a dual link DVi cable and you need to use the dual link dvi port.

 

i dont exactly know all the refresh rates of the diffrent Hdmi cables, there is also a diffrence in that!.

Probably atleast a Hdmi 2.0 cable needed if you wanne go above 120Hz. (if that is possible)

But im not totaly sure about hdmi speeds per cable.

What i do know is below Hdmi 1.4 its not getting higher then 60Hz. if im right..

I think you won´t be able to utilze hdmi above 120hz but like i said i not know this for sure.

 

i think dual link dvi cable would be your best bett

Because that should allways work

[i_build_nanosuits]

Try to underclock the VRAM a little bit and see if it helps getting rid of the flickers, i've read that the VRAM on these is clocked agressively and some cards with lesser quality VRAM chips can have a hard time running at rated clockspeed...it won't affect your performance in any noticeable way to lower the VRAM clockspeed by say 200 or 300mhz...it's worth trying.

[gaz]

you need a dual link DVi cable and you need to use the dual link dvi port.

 

i dont exactly know all the refresh rates of the diffrent Hdmi cables, there is also a diffrence in that!.

Probably atleast a Hdmi 2.0 cable needed if you wanne go above 120Hz. (if that is possible)

But im not totaly sure about hdmi speeds per cable.

What i do know is below Hdmi 1.4 its not getting higher then 60Hz. if im right..

I think you won´t be able to utilze hdmi above 120hz but like i said i not know this for sure.

 

i think dual link dvi cable would be your best bett

Because that should allways work

Well, looking at my screens ports, it seems I am using the Dual link DVI slot.

[D2ultima]

I can say with certainty that if your GPU(s) aren't pulling enough power it can cause flickering at 120Hz plus. Because it happened to me . So check your GPU seating and the power running to it. If drivers help you, then awesome, but if not, you might need to use a different pin connector to plug in the card.

 

Good luck!

[Juliogol]

Have the same thing happening to me. Weird lines on desktop and sometimes it would just freeze with static on screen. Seems to be something With AMD cards and the 144hz monitors. U setted the monitor to 120hz and no problem since then.

[D2ultima]

Have the same thing happening to me. Weird lines on desktop and sometimes it would just freeze with static on screen. Seems to be something With AMD cards and the 144hz monitors. U setted the monitor to 120hz and no problem since then.

I know someone with a R9 290 unlocked to 290X core who refuses to turn off 144Hz and he never gets those issues, therefore if it IS his card (and not power etc), it's RMA-worthy.

[Juliogol]

I know someone with a R9 290 unlocked to 290X core who refuses to turn off 144Hz and he never gets those issues, therefore if it IS his card (and not power etc), it's RMA-worthy.

Maybe who knows. Just wanted to update that I have the same thing going on. If you Google a lot of people áre having the same problem. Who knows.

[Sintezza]

Well, looking at my screens ports, it seems I am using the Dual link DVI slot.

 

yes but the cable you using is dual link dvi aswell?

there is a diffrence in single link and dual link dvi cables.

[dragoon20005]

Well, looking at my screens ports, it seems I am using the Dual link DVI slot.

 

 

yes but the cable you using is dual link dvi aswell?

there is a diffrence in single link and dual link dvi cables.

what she says

 

 

 

you should have something similar like the one in red

[gaz]

Got the flickering recorded. So damn irritating.

 

 

 

yes but the cable you using is dual link dvi aswell?

there is a diffrence in single link and dual link dvi cables.

Yes, I am using the right cable.

[Sintezza]

Okay what you could do to test some things:

1. uninstall your AMD drivers
2. shut down system
3. take out the card
4. connect the monitor to your onboard DVI port on the mobo
5. Boot the system up
6. Install intel HD4600 graphic driver
7. Set your monitor on 144Hz

- If you still get flickering on your igpu? then it has nothing to do with your 290.

- If the flicker is gone? then there is most likely something wrong with your 290. or maybe psu.

[gaz]

Okay what you could do to test some things:

1. uninstall your AMD drivers
2. shut down system
3. take out the card
4. connect the monitor to your onboard DVI port on the mobo
5. Boot the system up
6. Install intel HD4600 graphic driver
7. Set your monitor on 144Hz

- If you still get flickering on your igpu? then it has nothing to do with your 290.

- If the flicker is gone? then there is most likely something wrong with your 290. or maybe psu.

Seems like alot of work but something I will have to resort to during the weekend when I have more time on my hands. Really appreciate your help.

[Humbug]

it's a faulty card. RMA it.

[gaz]

it's a faulty card. RMA it.

How do you know it is the card?

[Humbug]

How do you know it is the card?

Because I had the exact same issue with the exact same card.

 

I tried different drivers, I tried underclocking it (memory and core both), I tried disconnecting other components from my mobo, I made sure it was running cool, I tried different PCIE slots but nothing worked. Sometimes I would think it was fixed but after a couple of days it would come back. When it starts flashing it happens continiously and during this if I launched a game I would get some mild artifacting, it can be temporarily resolved by a hard power reset of the system. At other times it can work perfectly fine. Throughout all this performance was not affected.

 

Eventually I contacted my retailer. They gave me a replacement, from the same batch mind you... but it worked flawlessly from day one.

When I asked them about how often stuff like this happens they estimated from their experience that about one in twenty GPUs (or 5%) are faulty.