<< Solved >> Vega 64 Hard Reset

[MacAndor]

Hello everyone!

I've been having a weird issue with my MSI Vega 64 card (https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/Radeon-RX-Vega-64-Air-Boost-8G-OC).

I was trying to run some stability tests on it (10.13.6) and everything was fine until I tried GpuTest (https://www.geeks3d.com/gputest/). When I tried to run the GpuTest_GUI app, and clicked on the benchmark button, nothing happened (expected the benchmark to begin). But when I opened GpuTest_GUI > right click > show package contents > Contents/MacOS/GpuTest_GUI and clicked on the Benchmark button, the whole system shut down and went into a hard-restart. No Kernel-panic screen, just like when you push the reset button.

Did anyone have similar issues? Can anyone recommend me a Vega 64 card which works OOB and passes 5 minutes of GpuTest?

 

[MacAndor]

Some extra info:

• GpuTest on Windows on the same machine works fine
• Swapped GPU for a GTX 1080, GpuTest on macOS works fine

 

[pastrychef]

Hello everyone!

I've been having a weird issue with my MSI Vega 64 card (https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/Radeon-RX-Vega-64-Air-Boost-8G-OC).

I was trying to run some stability tests on it (10.13.6) and everything was fine until I tried GpuTest (https://www.geeks3d.com/gputest/). When I tried to run the GpuTest_GUI app, and clicked on the benchmark button, nothing happened (expected the benchmark to begin). But when I opened GpuTest_GUI > right click > show package contents > Contents/MacOS/GpuTest_GUI and clicked on the Benchmark button, the whole system shut down and went into a hard-restart. No Kernel-panic screen, just like when you push the reset button.

Did anyone have similar issues? Can anyone recommend me a Vega 64 card which works OOB and passes 5 minutes of GpuTest?

Hi, Kakashi.

The FurMark benchmark is probably the most demanding thing you can put a GPU through. That being said, I just ran FurMark for 5 minutes without issue. I launched it using the GUI.

My system consists of an overclocked i9-9900K, an MSI Vega 56 Air Boost, and an 850W Seasonic power supply. The i9 is overclocked to 5.1/5.0GHz and the Vega 56 is undervolted. This put my total system power draw (from the wall) right at 500W and my Vega was at 82-83C while running FurMark.

Assuming that you are running your Vega 64 at stock voltages, your total system power draw could be exceeding what your power supply can handle. That may be the cause of the sudden shutdown. MacPro1,1-5,1 users experience this quite frequently when they try to use cards that are too power hungry.

 

[pastrychef]

Some extra info:

• GpuTest on Windows on the same machine works fine
• Swapped GPU for a GTX 1080, GpuTest on macOS works fine

Monitor FurMark running in Windows to see if it's throttling. When I ran it in macOS just now, there was no throttling and my card was just pegged at full load.

The GTX 1080 is much, much more efficient in terms of TDP vs a Vega 64.

 

[jaymonkey]

Monitor FurMark running in Windows to see if it's throttling. When I ran it in macOS just now, there was no throttling and my card was just pegged at full load.

@pastrychef,

Just noticed that you have Vega Sensors showing up in iStat Menus .... Nice !

I haven't been able to get any Vega stats to show up in iStat no matter which version of FakeSMC + Sensor kexts i use.

I'm currently using HWMonitorSMC2 which has an option to poll the MacOS IOAccelerator process for AMD GPU stats but its not a great solution.

I'm guessing that you are using VirtualSMC ? .. if so maybe it's time for me to give it a try.
If not and you are using FakeSMC can you let me know which build/version your using.

Cheers
Jay

 

[pastrychef]

@pastrychef,

Just noticed that you have Vega Sensors showing up in iStat Menus .... Nice !

I haven't been able to get any Vega stats to show up in iStat no matter which version of FakeSMC + Sensor kexts i use.

I'm currently using HWMonitorSMC2 which has an option to poll the MacOS IOAccelerator process for AMD GPU stats but its not a great solution.

I'm guessing that you are using VirtualSMC ? .. if so maybe it's time for me to give it a try.
If not and you are using FakeSMC can you let me know which build/version your using.

Cheers
Jay

I've tried the HWSensors fork of FakeSMC and VirtualSMC in the past to try and get readings from my Vega. While the HWSensors fork of FakeSMC did provide some readings, it also broke motherboard fan readings for me. VirtualSMC didn't show any Vega readings at all, but the last time I tried was with version 1.0.1 when it was just released. I haven't tried version 1.0.2 at all.

In the end, I just stuck with RehabMan's fork for FakeSMC and lived without any Vega readings for a long time. Then, one day I just noticed that iStat Menus suddenly gave readings. I think it was about two updates ago... I have iStat set to auto update so I'm not positive on which version... This is just with the standard, latest version of RehabMan's FakeSMC that is on Bit Bucket.

 

[jaymonkey]

In the end, I just stuck with RehabMan's fork for FakeSMC and lived without any Vega readings for a long time. Then, one day I just noticed that iStat Menus suddenly gave readings. I think it was about two updates ago... I have iStat set to auto update so I'm not positive on which version... This is just with the standard, latest version of RehabMan's FakeSMC that is on Bit Bucket.

@pastrychef,

Thanks for the info, I'll give rehabman's fork of FakeSMC another shot tomorrow.

Cheers
Jay

 

[jaymonkey]

In the end, I just stuck with RehabMan's fork for FakeSMC and lived without any Vega readings for a long time. Then, one day I just noticed that iStat Menus suddenly gave readings. I think it was about two updates ago... I have iStat set to auto update so I'm not positive on which version...

@pastrychef,

Sweet .....

I reinstalled Rehabman's fork of FakeSMC + Sensor kexts and updated iStat menus to 6.31 (I did not have auto updates on) and now getting Vega Stats ...




I tried Rehabms FakeSMC sometime ago but was running with iStat Menus 6.2 which showed nothing for the Vega.
According to the iStat's Change Log AMD GPU stats for Mojave was added in version 6.3 :-

Thanks again for heads up, nice to finally see some graphed trends on Vega Stats ...

Cheers
Jay

 

[MacAndor]

After some more testing, it came out that Windows was also instable, it just came later.

It seems I have the same issue as here:

I'll be back after some more testing and share the results (maybe even a fix if I have one )

Cheers for the answers!

 

[MacAndor]

Hi everyone!

The solution was a beefier power supply...