Intel HD 4000 Graphics (i7-3770K) occasional flicker

[idata]

I have an i7-3770K on an Asus P8Z77-V PRO and am using the on-board Intel HD 4000 Graphics to drive two displays.

My displays are a Dell 3008WFP at 2560x1600 on DisplayPort, and a Dell 2407WFPHC at 1200x1920 (rotated 90 degrees to portrait) on DVI.

Running the latest drivers (8.15.10.2761) on Windows 7 Ultimate N x64.

32GB memory, water cooling, Intel 240GB SATA3 SSD and a 750W Corsair PSU round out the box.

When working (writing code, web surfing, watching video) on the machine, the video will quickly cut out on one monitor or the other and then come back. The 24" Dell on DVI handles this [in a small fraction of a second] like a champ and I hardly notice. The Dell 30" looses the signal, goes blank and then takes a couple seconds to reacquire the signal before showing the desktop again... it's REALLY annoying!!

Anyone seen something like this before, or have ideas?

I've changed the DisplayPort & DVI cables, tried a different motherboard of the same model, tried a motherboard from a different manufacturer (Gigabyte), hooked it up to a Dell 3011WFP (which re-acquires the signal much faster than the 3008WFP btw), reset monitors to factory defaults, and installed the latest drivers. To no avail.

Help?!?

[idata]

A quick update: I just now experienced the issue at the office using my Dell U2410 (1920x1080). So it's not limited to using a crazy-high res screen.

Interestingly enough, what happened was a momentary flicker off/on that more closely mimics the other reports I've read in this thread. This is different than with what happens on my 27": a total blackout until I turn off/on the monitor or reset the connection in some other way.

[idata]

When I had the computer hooked up to a Dell 3011WFP, it was just a momentary flicker of the image... but that same momentary signal lapse into my Dell 3008WFP causes a 5-7sec blackout of the display while it figures out what's going on.

[rjal]

i'm wondering if this has something to do with ram.

i have corsair DDR-1600 (4x8GB) but it's running at 1333. The mainboard simply refuses to boot (beeps only) when i set the memory timings to xmp-1600. These dimms where validated by intel to run at 1600mhz on a i7-3770K.

what do you guys have ?

i also tried to reduce the maximum multiplier that the igfx can us but that did not help.

[idata]

I too have Corsair DDR-1600 (4 x 8GB) Ram...

http://www.corsair.com/memory/intel-memory-upgrades/quad-channel-intel-memory-upgrade-kits/vengeance-32gb-quad-channel-ddr3-memory-kit-cmz32gx3m4x1600c10.html CMZ32GX3M4X1600C10

... and now that I'm looking at it, running at 1333.

I jacked up the memory (to 1GB) dedicated to the igfx, and that didn't help either.

[idata]

Interesting theory...

I have too have Corsair Vengeance DDR-1600 (2 x 8GB) (http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Laptop-1600MHz-CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10/dp/B0076W9Q5A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1340385590&sr=8-7 www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Laptop-1600MHz-CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10/dp/B0076W9Q5A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1340385590&sr=8-7)

It would make sense that the memory could be the culprit (never would have thought of that as I'm so used to having discrete graphics), and very suspect that all of us are running the same kind.

[idata]

I have G.Skill Ripjaws 4x8GB. They're clocked for 1866 but I believe they're running at 1333 since this is a new build and I didn't set them so things will be cooler in the case. I also have a program called AI Suite 2 that came with the mobo that shows info about the system and my GPU frequency constantly is switching from 350 to 650 even though I thought it was supposed to be at 350 when doing little (like I am now, sitting at the desktop) and ramped up to 650 for games and such. Unfortunately, it looks like it is just flipping between those frequencies every 4 seconds or so...

[idata]

@allan_intel

Are there any updates? The issue happened 3 times on my way to this thread. This is beyond frustrating, and really unacceptable.

I feel that without any signal as to the cause and remedy, I will have to return this laptop. The experience is quite terrible, especially as it regularly interrupts my work.

[idata]

@allan_intel - I too would very much like an update on this issue.

Please.

Thank you.

[idata]

Why we need to keep asking the updates here??? PLEASE Intel, isn't it that is the least you can do? We're paying premium for your products and I hope we deserve a bit better than this? Let me know if we're unreasonable here!

[idata]

I just tweaked the BIOS to clock my memory up to 1600. Machine boots just fine, and the video-dropping problem persists.

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Hi there!

The Intel engineering department is aware of this thread and they are currently working to get this issue resolved. I still do not have an estimate time of resolution but you can keep checking this post for updates.

Thanks

Allan

[idata]

Thanks Allan! If the engineering department needs guinea pigs, I'm game.

[idata]

@allen_intel

Do you have any updates for us on the engineers' progress on identifying and rectifying this issue? It is happening for me a dozen-plus times a day, and seeing as how this is a business machine it's been incredibly disruptive (not to mention annoying).

Any updates would be much-appreciated.

[idata]

I just noticed this to some channels too... any update will be appreciated!

[rjal]

I just did some more tests.

I got some cheap whitelabel ddr3-1600 ram, micron, (2x4GB) these dimms run at 1600MHz on my system using SPD. However the problem is still there.

I switched the primary and secondary output in the bios, set things to manual etc but, that did not help.

however what does help is using the hdmi output only. I connected it to my projector and then the problem is gone. the max res is 1920x1080p@60Hz

I'll try using the DP output using a DP to hdmi convertor and see if that makes a difference.

Frojo, what mainboard are you using and what timing did you set for your ram. I can't find one on my setup that boots using the corsair@1600 , not even with one dimm per channel. One dimm, single channel is the only thing that seems to boot sometimes.

[idata]

Mainboard: Asus P8Z77-V PRO

Specified 1600 clock on the memory (really 800 x 2)

Memory timing: 10-10-10-27

... still running solid.

[rjal]

Hi Frojo,

did you use XMP or did you set it manually ? if manual what where the other parameters (tRFC,tWR, etc) you used ?

did you increase the voltage ?

thanks,

Robert.

[idata]

I specified the frequency and then let the BIOS work everything else out. After it booted I verified with CPU-X.

[rjal]

ok thanks.

i fiddled around with it some more but I'm beginning to believe there is a bug in the firmware of my board. i can take the spd settings, crank up the bus speed to 105Mhz and everything works without effort. The ram is thus running at 1400MHz but one dimm per channel @ 1600 does not work at all, one dimm single channel works sometimes. not even relaxed settings make it run @1600.

I'll file a separate BZ for this, if they work on your system that easily it should not be impossible for me to get it working on mine.

[rjal]

Frojo,

can you do me a favor ? can you run cup-z and post the Memory SPD part of your report ? i would like to compare it to mine. in my report the max bandwidth is reported as 1333 which is not what it should be.

thanks,

Robert.

this is what i have:

DIMM # 1

SMBus address 0x50

Memory type DDR3

Module format UDIMM

Manufacturer (ID) Corsair (7F7F9E0000000000)

Size 8192 MBytes

Max bandwidth PC3-10700 (667 MHz)

Part number CMP32GX3M4X1600C10

Number of banks 8

Nominal Voltage 1.50 Volts

EPP no

XMP yes

XMP revision 1.3

JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency

JEDEC # 1 6.0-6-6-17-22 @ 457 MHz

JEDEC # 2 7.0-7-7-20-26 @ 533 MHz

JEDEC # 3 9.0-9-9-25-33 @ 685 MHz

XMP profile XMP-1600

Specification PC3-12800

Voltage level 1.500 Volts

Min Cycle time 1.250 ns (800 MHz)

Min tRP 12.50 ns

Min tRCD 12.50 ns

Min tWR 15.00 ns

Min tRAS 33.75 ns

Min tRC 50.63 ns

Min tRFC 260.00 ns

Min tRTP 7.50 ns

Min tRRD 7.50 ns

Command Rate 2T

XMP timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC-CR @ frequency (voltage)

XMP # 1 6.0-7-7-17-25-2T @ 480 MHz (1.500 Volts)

XMP # 2 10.0-10-10-27-41-2T @ 800 MHz (1.500 Volts)

[idata]

Of course...

DIMM # 1 SMBus address 0x50 Memory type DDR3 Module format UDIMM

Manufacturer (ID) Corsair (7F7F9E0000000000)

Size 8192 MBytes Max bandwidth PC3-10700 (667 MHz) Part number CMZ32GX3M4X1600C10 Number of banks 8 Nominal Voltage 1.50 Volts EPP no XMP yes XMP revision 1.3JEDEC timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC @ frequency JEDEC # 1 6.0-6-6-17-22 @ 457 MHz JEDEC # 2 7.0-7-7-20-26 @ 533 MHz JEDEC # 3 9.0-9-9-25-33 @ 685 MHzXMP profile XMP-1600 Specification PC3-12800 Voltage level 1.500 Volts Min Cycle time 1.250 ns (800 MHz) Min tRP 12.50 ns Min tRCD 12.50 ns Min tWR 15.00 ns Min tRAS 33.75 ns Min tRC 50.63 ns Min tRFC 260.00 ns Min tRTP 7.50 ns Min tRRD 7.50 ns Command Rate 2TXMP timings table CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC-CR @ frequency (voltage) XMP # 1 6.0-7-7-17-25-2T @ 480 MHz (1.500 Volts) XMP # 2 10.0-10-10-27-41-2T @ 800 MHz (1.500 Volts)