[d4005]

I've seen this in a lot of threads. Suggestions have been:

- try disabling ATI Overdrive (tried, didn't help)
- try creating CCC Profile (example was in CCC10.5, but I have 11.2 and it has no options menu)
- use MSI Afterburner (tried, didn't help, although I didn't set any custom values in it).

So here I am, same problem and none of the aforementioned solutions works. I have read in various forums that it's to do with 2D clocks and 3D clocks and maybe even voltages. I don't know what to set them to, how to set them or where. I imagine MSI Afterburner lets me do it. The 11.2 CCC isn't very helpful.

What I'm seeing is that if I do something like scroll a browser window or move a window around the screen or resize it on the main monitor, the second monitor will flicker. If I leave everything alone (no mouse, no keyboard, just sit back) then the second monitor almost doesn't flicker at all.

I have found one workaround that limits the flicker quite a lot, but it's one I'd rather not have to do. If I change the second monitor from 32 bit color to 16 bit color, the flicker is gone. Watching video on it (which I do *very* often) it looks pretty crappy. If I don't find a better solution, I'll go with that though.

Here's a screenshot of what CCC shows me right now (I have seen the GPU clock and Memory clock at the bottom jump up to much higher values, but then they settle back down to 157 / 300).

I don't do any 3D (unless Windows 7 Aero qualifies as 3D) if that helps. I've also never OC'ed the graphics card, I wouldn't know how to or why I'd want to. I'm not a gamer.

Config:
Monitor 1 = LG Flatron E2750 27" set at 1920x1080 connected via DVI.
Monitor 2 = Samsung Syncmaster 19" 913N set at 1280x1024 connected via VGA (with DVI-VGA adapter of course)

 

[Suj999]

may be its the vga connector?

 

[d4005]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suj999;13064121
may be its the vga connector?

That was my first thought. Tried multiple cables. Not only are the connectors well pushed in, but the little screw things are tightened too.

It's a famous problem with the graphics card itself.

 

[Scorpii]

Ahh man this problem.

I had exactly the same when I was running 2 monitors on my 5850 (1920x1080 and 1680x1050), both on DVI.

I couldn't find any way of stopping it unfortunately. I did read around a bit, and it seemed quite a lot of people had the same issue, so I just put it down to the drivers in the end...

Luckily I wasn't using the second monitor permanently, but in the time that I did it was massively annoying... good luck finding a solution!

 

[prjindigo]

what are your refresh speeds, can you run 59 on one and 60 on the other?

Remember they're using the same frame buffer set on the card, could be they're causing collision.

 

[d4005]

Quote:

Originally Posted by prjindigo;13064174
what are your refresh speeds, can you run 59 on one and 60 on the other?

Remember they're using the same frame buffer set on the card, could be they're causing collision.

I've got 60 on both. My second monitor (the flickery one) will only support 60. The main monitor adapter will support 25, 29, 30 (but the monitor itself won't support anything under 33). The adapter will also support 50, 59 and 60. I tried 50 and then the main monitor flickered like crazy. Only 59 was a workable variation I could try, but it didn't help.

I'm relatively sure that the solution here is to be found with the graphics card's clock speeds (according to various other threads on various forums). I don't know what to set them to though, or how to. Apparently it's to do with 2D clocks and 3D clocks and power-saving mode where the clock is allowed to go too low. I'm just repeating what I read, I don't know what to do about it though.

In these other forums here and here (which I'm not a member of) they suggested using CCC and MSI Afterburner, but they were referring to older versions that don't have those same menus (or config file options) anymore, so I couldn't implement those solutions.

 

[d4005]

Well, seems to be good news so far. I've downloaded the AMD GPU Clock Tool and the flicker appears to have gone. I'll come back in a day or two to confirm it stuck.

I had 157 for Engine and 300 for Memory Clock. I set them to 400 and 900 (as suggested in this thread in the 3rd post) and clicked Set Clocks and that was it.

 

[d4005]

So my permanent solution is not as automated as I'd like, thanks to no ability to set an idle clock speed in CCC11.2 or MSI Afterburner.

The only thing that's working for me is to start the AMD GPU Tool in my Windows "Startup" folder, and when it comes up, I put 450 in the Memory clock box and click set clocks and close. So I've got 157/450 then. That works just great. No flicker.

 

[Odessa]

I too had tried multiple ways of fixing this problem, searching ALL over the Net... many were quite complicated & risky, particularly when 'flashing' the VGA BIOS!

Upon closer inspection of the VGA BIOS for each of my Gigabyte 5850 OC... I noticed that while both had the same basic version of F11, they varied slightly when displaying VGA BIOS information in either the AMD Catalyst Control Center (Information / Hardware) OR via MSI AfterBurner (System Information).

AND they had different GPU Clock & Memory Clock values.

Below is a dump from MSI AfterBurner (System Information).

GPU1
________________________________________________________________________________
Display device : ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series on RV870 GPU
Display driver : 7.14.10.0894
On-board memory : 1024MB
BIOS : 011.020.000.023
GUID : VEN_1002&DEV_6899&SUBSYS_21E41458&REV_00&BUS_2&DEV_0&FN_0
Multi-GPU role : master

GPU2
________________________________________________________________________________
Display device : ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series on RV870 GPU
Display driver : 7.14.10.0894, Catalyst 12.3
On-board memory : 1024MB
BIOS : 011.019.000.023
GUID : VEN_1002&DEV_6899&SUBSYS_21E41458&REV_00&BUS_1&DEV_0&FN_0
Multi-GPU role : synchronized with master

I wanted to try 'flashing' both cards to the same F12 VGA BIOS update... the easiest, safest & fastest way was by using GIGABYTE 'Easy Boost'.

<<< WARNING - As per any BIOS 'flash' update there are risks involved!! >>>

1. Download & install 'Easy Boost' - http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3354#utility
2. Run 'Easy Boost'.
3. Click 'Live Update' & select 'Next (N)' to ensure you have latest version of 'Easy Boost'.
4. Click 'BIOS Setting' tab on left.
5. Select 'Model / Location' dropdown box for first GPU #1 - GV-R5850C-1GD (1,0,0)
6. Click 'Backup' & save VGA BIOS to your h/disc.
7. Click 'Autoflash' button on right.
8. Click 'Next (N)' button.
9. Select 'Region' - America
10. Select 'Bios Update Information' - F12 (there may be several options)
11. Click 'Next (N)' button.
12. Click 'Yes' when prompted to 'Flash bios now?' & wait until complete (Do NOT reboot after 'flashing GPU #1, wait until you have done both).
13. Repeat Steps 5 to 12 for GPU #2 - GV-R5850C-1GD (2,0,0)
14. Reboot System.

FIXED!!