Strange Blue Artifacts

[FunsOver]

Hi guys,

This is pretty long winded so try to bare with me.

The Problem:

For the past few weeks sometimes when I boot my computer and log into windows there is a strange blue artifacting, almost like sand. Restarting the computer or even changing my resolution seemed to fix it, however lately it's happening a lot more often, multiple times a day. It mainly affects windows rather than applications and I can almost force it to happen by loading a game then alt tabbing enough times for it to happen. The same is true for getting rid of the artifacts, if I alt tab enough they go away. I think there may be a problem with the resolution as a guess? I have a 4k TV as a monitor but I run everything in 1920x1080 and use 150% scaling in Windows. Here is a video of the problem:
 

View: https://youtu.be/-V4fwwR5r00


Just a side note - is the GPU usage dropping down to 0% an issue?

What I have tried:

I've gone through most troubleshooting steps I could think of:
 

• Updating Windows from 1809 > 1903, still persists, if anything it happens more often
• Updating video card drivers from 19.3 > 19.5 > 19.6, each time using DDU in safemode and not connected to the internet. However once the drivers finish installing the final confirmation screen has a green overlay which disappears upon restart
• Ran SFC /Scannow, no issues found
• Updated NetFramework and Visual
• Safe mode, I am unable to recreate the problem in Safe mode by changing the resolution, however I am yet to try a game in it
• Benchmarks/Games - I can play most games on max with no issues, but once I alt tab the issues start. I have ran Heaven, 3DMark, Kombustor, I am unable to find any artifacts in there
• GPUMemTest - Result are fine
• Different Cable/Ports I have tried a different HDMI cable in different slots on both the card and the TV, problem remains.
• Reseating

What I have not tried:
 

• Different Monitor/System, I only have and have access to one monitor and one computer, I'm unable to test with anything else
• Reinstalling Windows, I'd rather see what you guys think before I try this.

Specs:
 

• Gigabyte H110M S2H
• i5 6500
• RX580 8GB
• 2x8GB DDR4
• 2TB HDD
• 128GB SSD
• EVGA 600w White
• Windows 10 Pro 64bit
• Toshiba 55T6863DB

The system is around three years old except for the GPU which is two years old, I have never overclocked. I'm really not an expert and I hope this isn't the case but this points to a faulty GPU in my opinion. The fact that the artifacts are waiting for me once I log into Windows when there is no stress or high temperatures, however it seems to function fine until I install the drivers and the fact that I can play games for hours, for example Hitman 2 on almost max in DX12 with no issues but as soon as I alt tab it begins in Windows is a complete mystery. I hope you guys can give me some insight and help me fix this issue.


Thanks,
FunsOver.

 

[Jimkirk363]

I had a similar issue when i had a bad bios update on motherboard.

 

When i re updated and it corrected itself all was well.

[FunsOver]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the fast response, I did originally have to update my motherboard bios in order for the card to work but as far as I'm aware everything went fine with the update. There have been no more revisions since the update so all I would be doing is overwriting the current one. Do you think this could help?

[FunsOver]

Hi C00face,

 

Again thanks for the fast response. EVGA_OC was just for another test looking for artifacts. The result of GPU-Z should hopefully be attached.

 

I am 99% certain this is my current bios:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/191898/sapphire-rx580-8192-170323

 

 

This is the most recent but it has the core clock down at 1411 rather than the 1300 quoted to me by GPU-Z, the version number also looks the same despite a more recent date:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/197330/sapphire-rx580-8192-171019

 

 

I also should have mentioned the card is a Sapphire 580 Nitro+ which has a dual bios, one I believe puts the 1411 overclock on and the other keeps it at stock 1300. This can be changed by either the sapphire software or a switch directly on the card, I have always used the stock 1300.

[FunsOver]

Thanks for the help so far, let me first get this out of the way.

 

UPDATE:

Managed to get a 2nd TV to test on, the results can be seen here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjYogRetHDU

 

The short of it is:

 

• Artifacts on main TV
• Plug into a different TV
• Artifacts gone
• Plug back into main TV
• Artifacts are now gone?

 

 

 

I'll contact Sapphire but I guess from here on out I just wait them out, if they don't have any kind of firmware I'm not sure where to go from here. Do you think I need to Flash the bios or does everything look ok? The strange thing is I have no crashes, blue screens or errors. It's just distorted, I can't even find anyone with the same type of artifacts as me on Google.

 

As for Sapphire I have only ever used their cards when I use AMD and this is the first time I've ever had a failure or even an issue, just luck of the draw I guess. I'll see what DriverEasy has to offer but I'm not holding out too much hope, I'll also give the underclock a try and monitor it with MSI Afterburner

[FunsOver]

I don't own an actual monitor, I've been using this TV for a few years now and not had any issues until this.

[Anomnomnomaly]

5 hours ago, FunsOver said:

Hi C00face,

 

Again thanks for the fast response. EVGA_OC was just for another test looking for artifacts. The result of GPU-Z should hopefully be attached.

 

I am 99% certain this is my current bios:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/191898/sapphire-rx580-8192-170323

 

 

This is the most recent but it has the core clock down at 1411 rather than the 1300 quoted to me by GPU-Z, the version number also looks the same despite a more recent date:

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/197330/sapphire-rx580-8192-171019

 

 

I also should have mentioned the card is a Sapphire 580 Nitro+ which has a dual bios, one I believe puts the 1411 overclock on and the other keeps it at stock 1300. This can be changed by either the sapphire software or a switch directly on the card, I have always used the stock 1300.

 

 

Interesting, I have the same card as you, but some of the numbers don;t add up... For example, my overclock gives me a nice increase over your Pixel fillrate.. texture fillrate is quite a way behind. But look at that bandwidth difference due to my memory overclock.    Possibly down to mine having Hyrix memory over samsung.

 

Same bios info, but my stock speeds are 1366/2000 and my overclock is 1430/2200.... It will actually go higher, but I was having heat issues and redid the thermal paste a few weeks ago... Just haven't got around to pushing the card higher again.

 

The memory for example, will hit 2230 quite happily and the gpu will go to around 1450ish

 

just for comparison, I reset mine to stock speeds and that stock 1366 gpu still gives me a slight advantage in pixel/texture fillrates 43.7 & 196.7

[FunsOver]

Hi anomnomnomaly,

 

That is strange, my exact model is a Nitro+ which comes with a small overclock out of the box and a dual bios but if I remember correctly I am running it in the slower mode. I have found the same bios version on TechPowerUp but the dates are different, my version is the second most recent (23/03). Do you think my values could indicate something more serious?

[Anomnomnomaly]

My bad... I double checked the box and I've actually got the Sapphire Pulse RX580... Which is supposed to be a slightly inferior version to the Nitro... yet mine has a higher base clock and OC's nicely.

 

Have you tried the other bios?

[FunsOver]

Hi,

 

I'll give the other BIOS a try.

 

I think I may have found a temporary solution, at least for part of the problem. After searching the AMD forums there are a whole host of people who are having a green/pink overlay randomly and specifically when installing any drivers for their card in the 1903 update for windows. A few people suggested enabling VT in the bios if you have an intel CPU which has fixed it for some. However I have set my monitor (tv) and card to run in 59hz rather than 60 and I have no issues for any kind so far. Might be worth a try for @c00face

[Anomnomnomaly]

I'd highly recommend replacing the thermal paste on the gpu as well, I did mine a few weeks back and saw a huge drop in temps (from 81-82ºC to 67-68ºC).