Drivers & Software

[dave59274]

Hey everyone. So for the past month or so my GPU has been crashing whenever I'm in a game and Relive is enabled. This wasn't happening when I first got my GPU, but something must have happened for this issue to suddenly crop up. This happens in pretty much any game that I play (i.e Apex Legends, Titanfall 2, Devil May Cry 5, etc.) and it seems to happen whenever, usually when the game just launched or when I Alt-Tab in/out of the game. As for what happens, my monitor will turn black, stating that there's no signal, and then return a few seconds later. Whatever game I was in crashes and my computer begins to stutter frequently until I restart.

I've tried using DDU to reinstall my display drivers and I reinstalled Windows, neither of which solved the issue. Any ideas on how I can solve this? Thanks!

P.S my system has also been experiencing some other odd behavior (e.g my entire screen was a neon magenta color and I could only solve it by restarting.)

Here's my system:

• GPU
  • SAPPHIRE RX VEGA 64 8GB
• Driver version
  • AMD Adrenalin 2019 ver 19.7.1
• OS
  • Windows 10 Home build 18362.175
• Display
  • BenQ XL 2730 2560x1440 @144Hz; connected via DisplayPort
• Motherboard
  • MSI Z87-G45
• CPU
  • Intel i7-4770K @3.5GHz
• PSU
  • EVGA Supernova 650 G2 650W Gold
• RAM
  • 16GB DDR3, GSkill

[edmondvonersung]

Oh!...

I have the EXACT same problem since forever with Vega, and trust me i spent a lot of time troubleshooting this.

Here is the rundown:

This is a driver issue and you can't do anything about it, matter of fact, i sent back my Sapphire Vega 64 Nitro+, got a replacement (and it absolutely IS a replacement, since i had to "downgrade" from a Vega 64 Nitro+ Limited Edition to a Vega 64 Nitro+) and i still have the issues. (even tried the card in another PC, same problems, different windows versions, clean installs, older drivers... everything you can think about, my other cards like GTX 670 or R9 280X works just fine.)

Relive doesn't CAUSE those problems, it only AMPLIFY the problem you already have even if you turn off Relive, as well as adding new scenarios for the problem to happen (like alt tabbing).

For the stutter after the crashes, it's amdow.exe (The AMD Radeon Overlay) constantly crashing/restarting in the background.

For the pink screen, it's yet another driver issue since 19.5.1 but unrelated to those black screen instabilities, there is a fix for this which is to make the "Display Enhancement Service" start automatically. See here: https://community.amd.com/thread/240032?et=watches.email.outcome&messageTarget=all&start=50&mode=com... 

We should add each other on Discord or something so we can maybe figure this out easier, i'm actually trying something weird and tricky with the drivers right now but so far so good.

[dave59274]

Good to know I'm not alone on this issue! I haven't touched the driver settings too much, so I don't have much of a clue as for what I should do next. I've pretty much been coping with the problems ever since they occurred. But if you want to get together on Discord, feel free to DM me your Discord username and I'll add you.

[edmondvonersung]

I sent you my Discord in DM.

[benman2785]

first of all you should know this:

a not 100% stable RAM-OC or CPU-OC can cause ReLive (or better AMD AMF) to crash = ramp up CPU and RAM Voltages
ANY GPU-OC also on VRAM can crash AMD AMF = try it with stock settings

pro-tipp: USE OBS STUDIO! i know the dev of AMD AMF Encoder for OBS - he didnt continues his work but did a good job so far  = you have much more settings for the encoder AND much more possibilities with OBS Studio to enhance your recordings

if you need any help speak to me
also post your current settings and voltages

[edmondvonersung]

Stock settings absolutely didn't do anything in my end, and as i mentioned previously i even tried the card on my others PC which then had the same problems.

All those PCs runs perfectly fine with other cards, this is a driver issue.

[benman2785]

dude believe me - it is a hardware issue
i spoke to AMD Driver Devs about it many times

[benman2785]

i dont mean stock settings by Sapphire - but by AMD. so the real "stock" settings

[edmondvonersung]

It is not a hardware issue, you are not experiencing the problem yet you are trying to prove a point.

By the way, in case you didn't know, Sapphire settings including the two switchable BIOS add nothing more than a custom power limit.

Raising that power limit to 50% is always recommended for better stability and performance anyways, in case you didn't know.

[benman2785]

GitHub - GPUOpen-LibrariesAndSDKs/AMF: The Advanced Media Framework (AMF) SDK provides developers wi... 

understand this and do as i said

first make your CPU and RAM OC stable = if not working next step
second step is to lower Sapphire Vega56 to AMD Stock = if then not working speak to DriverDev at github i posted

[dave59274]

I'll probably do this as well. I need all the help I can get honestly as I'm running out of ideas.

[benman2785]

have in mind - if you use AMD AMF you stress your vram and ram HARD
any instability will cause an error or bluescreen or crash of game/encoder etc

[benman2785]

i had this error with HD7970 & RX480
believe me - IT IS AN HARDWARE ERROR!

[edmondvonersung]

It is not.

In fact, i mentioned that i absolutely don't have any problems with my 280x, which is a rebrand of the 7970 in case you didn't know.

Please stop spamming the thread and spreading misinformation.

[benman2785]

i hope you now have checked the links i provided - like the one of the AMD AMF DriverDev who does the "Magic" behind ReLive...

[benman2785]

btw a fix for this is also if you lower details in game (less stress for RAM) or use a second gcn gpu like rx560 2g for encoding and the vega for gaming

[benman2785]

dude - I WORKED WITH AMD DRIVER DEVS ON THIS SINCE 5 YEARS!

just try what i mentioned and see that it works...

maybe try this: RX 480 Encoding Overload w/ Specific Title · Issue #358 · obsproject/obs-amd-encoder · GitHub 

[benman2785]

i posted the github of the AMD Driver Dev who works on AMD AMF (the magic behind ReLive) - you can ask there for direct help 

[dave59274]

Just an update, after some extra fiddling, I've found that running Adrenalin 19.3.2 kind of resolves my issue. When Relive is on, my GPU doesn't crash. But any drivers above 19.3.2 will result in crashing with Relive on. Obviously this solution isn't perfect since I'm running outdated drivers and the crashing still occurs, but at a much lower frequency. Not very pleased that this bug exists on the high end of AMD's offerings, so I hope this problem is acknowledged and fixed soon.

[exekverad]

I have noticed a lot during my research into this the past month. 

One thing I've learned is that quite a lot of games have issues with FreeSync. Either in combination with frame limitation and in-game v-sync / soft-sync settings or Monitor hertz / Free sync and Frame-rate limitation.

I also noticed that there is no direct correlation between the GPU (or even my AMD CPU) and these issues.

For example; I can successfully and without any similar problems record all full-screen Open GL, Direct3D, DX9,11, and whatever else I might be missing. It's not quite as effective as ReLive (when it actually works) but it proves that both the HEVC and AVC codecs and the GPU are handling the workload and multi-tasking well. 

This should help if we apply Ockhams Razor to the majority of cases, as long as they don't show additional problems like overheating or a surge in resource usage in connection to ReLive and Radeon Host Overlay Crash.

What I find odd is that with the 19.17.5 drivers I can run games with extraordinarily good performance and yet during long sessions of gameplay I am met with alerts and messages queued claiming "system failure, reset drivers". 

Important note

I have noticed that Bink and CTFMon is mentioned in almost all crashes caused when attempting to initiate ReLive record/streaming (in certain games). Sometimes simply eliminating processes like CTFmon, well, frankly the more processes associated with I/O or graphic overlay functionality (Logitech Gaming Framework, for example) the results are directly proportional in game sessions. Sometimes a gaming session (mostly Rage 2 atm) basically need to crash before I can run it as intended.

[pro4tlzz]

I have the same problem

[exekverad]

I wouldn't want to attempt at presenting any kind of technical thesis or reason for the sudden stability and array of resolved issues related to performance, FreeSync, WattMan GUI issues and ReLive: Streaming and recording.
However since 19.8.1 (and some careful WattMan exploration) I can breath a little easier again and claim massive success on this delivery and probably the best release I've experienced on my Vega 64 RX card since the famous 19.5.(1/2) driver claiming 16% performance boost in Rage 2 release. 

Since 19.8.1 I have not only had tremendous performance and intensively lowered watt production;
With a default (preferably a little bit customized) WattMan profile I have successfully been able to stream and record at highest graphic settings at highest resolution at 60 fps, be it streaming or relive local recording. 

Last gen. driver series instantly locked down any full-screen Vulcan/OGL/OCL/DX program and forced a complete wattman reset, instantly and I could often tell that WattMan spiked the GPU Clock setting seconds/milliseconds and directly followed by a graphic driver crash (not system wide, that's never been an issue).

19.8.1 really did something right with regard to streaming,
ReLive and efficiency over-all. Seeing as I have FreeSync on my Omen "Gaming" monitor (And a Samsung 28" UHD 10 bit for my Photoshop/Editing);

I want to show just how casually and stable the performance have been since the release of 19.8.1.

Look at this Rage 2 (latest update incl. Hot-fix) streaming session, it's 30+ minutes and it's hard to differentiate from most hardware-captured streams (used to capture console output or multi-streaming in some advanced OBS configurations):

Rage 2 - Project Dagger the Final Step and last boss fight! - YouTube 

Mind you this was impossible between 19.6.* trough 19.7.*!

New issues, not the end of the world, worth mentioning:
When I run a full-screen or pre-configured/customized game/application profile (wattman, 19.8.1) it usually switch to the correct profile. If for some reason a program crashes or I alt-tab WattMan stay on the custom profile (instead of toggling back to global). Since there's no direct link to the profiles made using Radeon WattMan driver GUI and the Overlay shortcuts (allowing 3 save/load profile slots) there's only reset or switching to the pre-set configurations, Balance, Energy or Turbo left. This doesn't work as intended. 

It really hurts me to complain since the 19.8 gen. driver release currently working miracles for me. 
Last optional/beta driver I ran constantly froze and forced a re-initiation of the entire AMD Host/Display/Service Application. It looks looked like a genuine hang but simply switching on and off an additional monitor or the one in use usually forced Windows to release the full-screen hook.

[benman2785]

about the profile-issues

please report them to amd.com/report - looks like a driver bug