PC Drivers & Software

[miccellomann]

Hi AMD,

in your release notes to 21.10.1 drivers you stated, that the high memory clock issue, when running multiple monitor in idle, has been resolved. Fun fact guys - you didn't. VRAM clock still gets to full speed when expanding the desktop pver two screens, power consumptions and temperatures rise. 

So please finally adress this. The issue with monitores above 120 and 144 hz refresh rate, having the same issue with VRAM not clocking down, is also still present. When will this really annoying issue finally be resolved? With a short break in early 2020, this issue, especially with multi monitors, is present since 2012. 

[gilardes]

I have a single 144 Hz monitor and a 6800 XT, and this has been killing me. So far only 21.4.1 has solved the issue for me, and only if I set desktop refresh rate to 120 or 60 Hz. Only then I can restrict idle power draw to 20W and below (versus the problematic minimum of 40W coupled with an idle MCLK of 1300 Mhz or above). In all the other WHQLs, not even changing my desktop refresh rate is a solution.

This should have been solved ages ago instead of dragging along for so long. I forgot about this issue just for once and came to my senses again when I got a doubled-up power bill.

Right now I am back to 21.4.1. New drivers and release notes are totally menaningless to me at this point. I am still looking forward to the day when I can install a new driver without having to worry about idle power draw.

[j5i7]

I Have a 3440 x 1440 144 Hz monitor and a 1920 x 1080 60hz monitor and this driver also has high VRAM clocks speeds for me at idle too. 21.6.2 has idle VRAM downclocking as intended, but none of the new drivers seem to work. This is on a 6900XT.

[roylapoutre]

Same thing here. 6900XT with one 3440x1440 144 Hz main monitor and a 2560×1440 144Hz secondary on 21.10.1. If I connect any of the 2 monitors without the other, the VRAM downclocks properly. 

[gilardes]

Here is what saved me from all the MCLK and power draw problems: CRU.

And you don't even have to fiddle with all the different resolution profiles (feel free to, if you wish though). I have found out that the driver restart tool of CRU works wonders. It's like it flushes all the debris and lets the GPU run and downclock properly.

I know that Adrenalin has its own driver restart shortcut (shift + ctrl + win + B), but it certainly doesn't do the same. In fact, it's pretty much useless. If you try out CRU's driver restart though, you'll notice how it actually does a full-blown restart.

Right now, I am at my default refresh rate of 144 Hz and even color depth is set to 10 bpc. Driver version is 21.10.2. Pretty much no problems. When idle, I no longer get wacky clocks or wattage.

Update: I've just updated to 21.10.03 and run the CRU restart. Everything is still as it should be. No issues whatsoever.

[kodo28]

Facing also same issue, 6900XT with main monitor 3440x1440 144Hz and just a small display 800X400 used for monitoring (Aida64) purpose. VRAM stuck at High. When small display is disconnected, idles OK. 

Can't  understand why AMD is not fixing once for all this bloody issue ?!?!?!? And why telling is it fixed when still people facing the issue. 

[j5i7]

I just installed 21.11.2 to see what would happen and I'm shocked to say my VRAM is downclocking appropriately at idle. Who knows if other's will have the same experience, but I'm tentatively happy.

[kodo28]

Well, Just installed the 21.11.2 and still the same issue on my side and still the VRAM fullclock @idle. 

Did u update or did u select clean install ? 

[MacArthur]

hi 

i am using rx 6900 xt and 1 monitor 165 hz, memory clock at idle system : 1990mhz its normal ??

[gilardes]

As I suggested above, try using the driver restart tool of CRU. It may work wonders.

Another suggestion is to turn off hardware acceleration in browser settings and other programs like Steam. I have found that when it's on, the GPU literally never chills out in terms of both memory clock and power draw.

I have completely solved the problem with these two steps. Let me know if they help you as well.

[MacArthur]

@gilardes 

how i can run CRU or download or ... i don't know waht CRU (::

can you help me for this

and  this can eliminate stuttering ? and low GPU use ?

[gilardes]

Follow the link below. The download link is right at the top:

https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU

Unpack the zip and only use "restart" or "restart 64". Don't use anything else. CRU is short for "custom resolution utility". It creates user-defined custom resolutions. You don't need that. Again, only launch the restart file. After that, you can delete everything.

Also, do not forget about hardware acceleration. It's really a big part of the problem too.

Using the driver restart and disabling hardware acceleration on desktop apps (browsers in particular) can fix high idle power draw and memory clock. Stutters and GPU use are entirely different issues.

[MacArthur]

@gilardes 

i am run resstart.exe and a page opened that had 3 options to choose from ? And then what ?

[gilardes]

Just select exit. When the screen flashes back and forth, your driver has restarted. And that's it.

[MacArthur]

@gilardes  thank you ! +_+

[roylapoutre]

Lucky you. Upgraded to 21.11.2 without any hope and indee, nothing changed. Still high VRAM clock and 40W at idle on my 6900XT. Very frustrating.

[MacArthur]

@roylapoutre  

not fix yet bro xd

[gilardes]

I will repeat this again, as it was missed a few times already: If you want to get rid of the idle 40W power draw and high memory clock, the only way of achieving that is disabling hardware acceleration in browsers (Firefox, Chrome, whatever you use) and other desktop apps (Steam etc.). Do it and I guarantee that you will get a power draw of 5-8W at total idle desktop state along with a much more chill memory clock and 18-20W while browsing the internet.

The CRU driver restart is an additional step that gives the driver an actual full-blown reboot. But first things first: Disable hardware acceleration. Radeon drivers somehow allocate an aggressive amount of resources to just a browser that stays open in the background. Try that and let me know if it helps.

[roylapoutre]

It has nothing to do with hardware acceleration, at least in my case. The only thing that changes the behaviour for me is using only one of my two monitors, independently of opened apps. If I keep my 1440p 165Hz and disconnect my 1440p UW 144Hz, memory downclocks and the power consumption drops. Same thing the other way around. I can have Firefox opened or not, same thing. Moreover, I had a 1080Ti before my 6900XT with the exact same monitor setup and Windows installation and I never saw the memory fail to downclock at idle with the 2 monitors connected. 

[kodo28]

Yeah nothing to do with hardware acceleration. This simply need to be fixed and not by some user workaround.  

Actually facing the same problem with my display 3840x1600 144mhz working fine if connected alone but soon as a simple 800x480 60Mhz display that I simply use to check hardware temps and infos is connected memory stuck @max.   

[insomniak]

Hello,

Drivers 21.1.1 version fix worked for me

I just encountered this issue and this is how I resolved it, I don't have a 165hz monitor but a 4k + 1080p + 1080p monitors and was running into this.

Like explained in this thread download CRU (custom resolution utlity)

Go on this website Video Timings Calculator (tomverbeure.github.io) enter your desired settings then match the value of this website from the CEA-861 column to your highlighted resolution via the "edit" button in CRU.

Once the value of both CRU and VTC matches your need make sure that the Horizontal and Vertical Back Porch values are identical to the one given on the calculator above. (these values were the one maxing my VRAM)

next exit CRU and execute "restart64.exe" this worked for me I could add screenshots if needed

[Shippi]

Can you show it in a video please? or explane it more prominently! Thank you! I have nothing in the CEA-861 1920x1080 144hz and 2560x1440 75hz.