[1 BTC BOUNTY CLAIMED!] Get 6 radeon 7970 installing and mining in Windows

[ssateneth]

I have a problem. I cannot get 6 7970 running in Windows 7. Z77A-G45 motherboard, 4GB RAM (Installing 8GB has no impact), dual core celeron G530. I've tried "amd_radeon_hd7900_win7_64" (The 7970 release driver), 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.6, 12.8, 12.10, 13.1, 13.3 beta 3, 13.4, and 13.5 beta 2.

From release driver to 12.6 I can get 5 7970's installed. The 6th one has an error in device manager with a yellow ! mark. The error is "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)" and it is not detected in cgminer or gpu caps viewer.

When using 12.8 or higher, only 4 7970 will install and the other two will have an error in device manager with a yellow ! mark. The error is "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)" and it is not detected in cgminer or gpu caps viewer.

I also need to underclock memory much more than 150mhz below core speeds and I heard ADL doesnt allow this, which is the only way of changing gpu clocks and volts in linux. Also ADL can't change 7970 volts. I absolutely need to be able to underclock memory and undervolt. Only MSI Afterburner and Sapphire trixx allows this to my knowledge, which both only work on windows.

1 BTC bounty if you can show me how to get 6 7970s mining in windows. For what it's worth, I have 8 GPU's working with the same hardware, but they are radeon 5000 series (5850, 5870, 5970), so I know its not a motherboard limitation.

Bounty has been claimed.

[ensign_lee]

I thought you needed to be in Linux to run more than 4 GPUs?

[wildbud]

I thought you needed to be in Linux to run more than 4 GPUs?

I heard windows 7 with 13.1+ allows for 8 GPUS

[ssateneth]

I thought you needed to be in Linux to run more than 4 GPUs?

I heard windows 7 with 13.1+ allows for 8 GPUS

I tried 13.1, 13.3 beta, 13.4, and 13.5 beta. All only allowed 4 GPUs.

[Jude Austin]

Have you tried swapping cards in slots?

Just to see if that particular card is the problem?

[Rawted]

I thought you needed to be in Linux to run more than 4 GPUs?

I heard windows 7 with 13.1+ allows for 8 GPUS

8 cores

[MashRinx]

Jude's suggestion of swapping cards to make sure the problem doesn't follow is a good. one.  Seeing you already have another large rig running well, I imagine you have power worked out okay with enough juice going to each card and are you using powered risers so there's not too much power trying to go through the board?

[ssateneth]

Have you tried swapping cards in slots?

Just to see if that particular card is the problem?

Didn't work. Device manager yellow !'s seem to be random on each reboot. Next?

Jude's suggestion of swapping cards to make sure the problem doesn't follow is a good. one.  Seeing you already have another large rig running well, I imagine you have power worked out okay with enough juice going to each card and are you using powered risers so there's not too much power trying to go through the board?

power is fine. next?

[Jude Austin]

You stated that you have 6 cards on the same hardware, but the same OS also?

From everything I have read Windows 7 only supports 4 GPUs.

[bcpokey]

I'm running 5 GPUs (3 cards) on Win7 x64. I had to use 11.12 though, I would get BSODs logging into Windows with 12.X

What you need is

Windows 7 x64
11.xx drivers

12.x drivers don't support more than 4 GPUs.

Using 6 single GPU cards on a MSI Z77A-G45 on Win7 x64, 11.12 drivers, 2.1 SDK. Would have 7 but the board turns off a 1x slot if the adjacent 1x slot is populated.

Seems a lot of consensus on that point. Something worth trying. 7970s seem to be picky cards, tons of weird problems with them that vary from person to person. This might be one of them.

[camaro69327]

Think i was looking at correct Motherboard specs...that has Onboard Video .?..

For sure it is disabled in BIOS and win is not seeing that either??

[brucemangy]

Did you look closely in your BIOS ?

Look for a way to let the Operating System take care of the devices Addresses on boot.
Maybe Windows cannot see them because your BIOS could not address everything needed for them to work.
(you could search this way ...)

Hope you have an EFI ...

[ssateneth]

Did you look closely in your BIOS ?

Look for a way to let the Operating System take care of the devices Addresses on boot.
Maybe Windows cannot see them because your BIOS could not address everything needed for them to work.
(you could search this way ...)

Hope you have an EFI ...

Think i was looking at correct Motherboard specs...that has Onboard Video .?..

For sure it is disabled in BIOS and win is not seeing that either??

I disabled every device that was non-essential. Onboard video is disabled. There doesnt seem to be a way to manually set resources, but I don't see why this would be a problem? I already have 8 GPU working on identical supporting hardware and OS, aside from 11.12 driver, but this is also with radeon 5000 series and not 7000 series.

You stated that you have 6 cards on the same hardware, but the same OS also?

From everything I have read Windows 7 only supports 4 GPUs.

Also another screencap showing 5 7970 installed and mining. 12.6 driver with SDK from 13.1.

[camaro69327]

I already have 8 GPU working on identical supporting hardware and OS, aside from 11.12 driver, but this is also with radeon 5000 series and not 7000 series.

8 - 5000 series cards on the same type of Power supply as 8 - 7000 series cards is never going to work.

What Power supply is this your using that can power 8 7000 series cards?? and what are you using to plug them all in ...Adapters?...Duel power supplys?

[brucemangy]

The 7900 have more video memory ... could be the reason.

Could you mix 5800 and 7900 ?

[brucemangy]

The 7900 have more video memory ... could be the reason.

Could you mix 5800 and 7900 ?

Explanation :
Theory : the BIOS has to address all the video memory ... with 8 58x0 (8x 1 GB) was still ok ...but with 79x0 ... 8x 2GB (maybe 3) ... it is too much to handle.
Worth the try... that would explain the different behaviour ...

[ssateneth]

I already have 8 GPU working on identical supporting hardware and OS, aside from 11.12 driver, but this is also with radeon 5000 series and not 7000 series.

8 - 5000 series cards on the same type of Power supply as 8 - 7000 series cards is never going to work.

What Power supply is this your using that can power 8 7000 series cards?? and what are you using to plug them all in ...Adapters?...Duel power supplys?

I'm not going 8 7970. I'm doing 6 due to PCI-E slot quantity limits. I am also undervolting. I use Rosewill Lightning 1300W. Power supply is not the issue here though. I just need all 6 -installed correctly-. If and when power becomes an issue, then I will address it. I highly doubt it would cause driver issues though, especially when all of the cards are IDLING.

The 7900 have more video memory ... could be the reason.

Could you mix 5800 and 7900 ?

I was in the process of doing this as a compromise before I even saw your post. The bounty is for 6 7970 in a single windows machine though, and not for a compromise.

The 7900 have more video memory ... could be the reason.

Could you mix 5800 and 7900 ?

Explanation :
Theory : the BIOS has to address all the video memory ... with 8 58x0 (8x 1 GB) was still ok ...but with 79x0 ... 8x 2GB (maybe 3) ... it is too much to handle.
Worth the try... that would explain the different behaviour ...

Possible, but numerous people have also told me they have 6 7970 on linux, as well as spotting a couple pictures with 6 79xx cards per motherboard. It's definately not a hardware limitation, but a software limitation or badly wrote software. I have a couple problems with this solution though. 1: I have never touched linux before. 2: There are no solutions that I'm aware of that allow you to significantly underclock RAM and significantly undervolt the GPU core. If ADL on Windows (which is what cgminer uses for over/under clocking/volting) is anything like ADL on Linux, it can't underclock RAM more than 150 below core, and I am unable to change the volts at all on my 7970's with ADL. They are reference though and I am able to undervolt with utlilities such as MSI Afterburner and Sapphire Trixx. Afterburner also lets me underclock memory significantly.

[brucemangy]

I was in the process of doing this as a compromise before I even saw your post. The bounty is for 6 7970 in a single windows machine though, and not for a compromise.

Your point is understood. Make them mine (the verb ... to mine :> )^^ nice setup you got there ...

[vonross2012]

I know this cost money but I would try 3 more things

1) Put dummy plugs on all the cards.. Yes people say the newest drivers doesn't need it.. Still would do it to find out.
2) Use 1x to 16x powered risers on all of the cards
3) Cross your fingers.

Pm me if it works.

[brucemangy]

Possible, but numerous people have also told me they have 6 7970 on linux [...]

Windows MIGHT be the problem then ^^

If you want to try Linux : BAMT works almost right out of the box ... i believe you just need a few command line and how to edit a file ...