[SOLVED] GPU using more VRAM than it has (VRAM leak?)

[antf14go]

I have an RX 580 8GB GPU and it starts using more VRAM than it has after running a game for a while which causes graphic issues like transparent textures which also leads up to crashes. I tried different drivers, stock clocks, and stock voltages with no luck. The only thing I have done to the GPU is undervolt it but this also happens at stock voltages.

 

[BurgerandChips66]

If your GPU uses more memory than it has in terms of dedicated VRAM, then it is using the system memory. This will cause performance issues as the system memory has a lower bandwidth. Try turning down Textures and maybe AA to get within the VRAM limit of your GPU.

 

[7664stefan]

Where and when are you seeing that more than 8GB are in use? Speaking about gaming I have my doubts that this can happen even playing at a 4k resolution.
What is the rest of your system please?

 

[antf14go]

Where and when are you seeing that more than 8GB are in use? Speaking about gaming I have my doubts that this can happen even playing at a 4k resolution.
What is the rest of your system please?

When I got the GPU 3 weeks ago I undervolted it to what I think is a stable voltage. Games ran fine without issues until I updated the drivers. I didn't know my GPU was using more VRAM than it had until I tried out the AMD performance monitor which shows pretty much everything including VRAM usage. When I start getting graphic issues I notice that the VRAM usage is above 8GB, sometimes even reaching 10GB. I tried setting the voltages to stock and trying older drivers but it only ended up reducing the problem, the GPU still sometimes starts randomly using more VRAM than it has and the graphic issues come back.

 

[antf14go]

Where and when are you seeing that more than 8GB are in use? Speaking about gaming I have my doubts that this can happen even playing at a 4k resolution.
What is the rest of your system please?

Here are my specs:
OS: Windows 10
CPU: i5-8400
GPU: RX 580 8GB
RAM: 16GB
Current AMD Drivers: 18.10.2

 

[7664stefan]

Well, there is no more VRAM than the available 8GB, sorry for being to picky. Still I can not consider a gaming use case when your available 8GB should be fully consumed. Would you mind to try out GPU-Z for monitoring your VRAM consumption please?

 

[RobCrezz]

Are you sure your not monitoring system ram not vram?

 

[BurgerandChips66]

Are you sure your not monitoring system ram not vram?

That might be it

 

[antf14go]

AMD performance monitor shows both VRAM and system RAM usage, and VRAM usage is clearly labeled as such. I have both showing up on the performance monitor and the VRAM sometietimes goes above 8GB and when that happens I get graphic issues like transparent or strtetched-out textures. System RAM usage doesn't even reach 8GB btw.

 

[isilen]

What's your psu?

 

[BurgerandChips66]

AMD performance monitor shows both VRAM and system RAM usage, and VRAM usage is clearly labeled as such. I have both showing up on the performance monitor and the VRAM sometietimes goes above 8GB and when that happens I get graphic issues like transparent or strtetched-out textures. System RAM usage doesn't even reach 8GB btw.

What games/resolution/settings are you using that are requesting >8GB VRAM ?!!

Don't think I've ever seen >7GB and I game at 1440p Ultra

 

[antf14go]

What's your psu?

EVGA 430W 80+

 

[antf14go]

AMD performance monitor shows both VRAM and system RAM usage, and VRAM usage is clearly labeled as such. I have both showing up on the performance monitor and the VRAM sometietimes goes above 8GB and when that happens I get graphic issues like transparent or strtetched-out textures. System RAM usage doesn't even reach 8GB btw.

What games/resolution/settings are you using that are requesting >8GB VRAM ?!!

Don't think I've ever seen >7GB and I game at 1440p Ultra

1080p since I don't have a better monitor yet. This problem didn't happen when I had a GTX 960 4GB. Graphic issues start to happen after playing for about 2-3 hours. I use high texture setting with TAA same as I did with my other GPU. Before the graphic issues happen, VRAM usage rarely goes over 6GB.

 

[antf14go]

I'm pretty sure this is not that my GPU is running out of VRAM because if that was the case it would be stuttering like crazy, but it does not stutter even when the graphic issues are present.

 

[antf14go]

After downgrading graphic drivers, undervolting my GPU doesn't change how often the graphic issues happen, so I currently have my GPU undervolted to a maximum voltage of 1010mV (stock is 1150mV).

 

[antf14go]

Yesterday the readings for VRAM usage were above 8GB again, but this time I didn't get any graphic issues untill 3 hours passed and didn't crash for the other 2 hours I played with the graphic issues since only 1 or 2 textures were affected.

Graphic issues aside, is having a VRAM usage higher than the capacity of your GPU normal?

 

[bystander]

Memory leaks are not hardware problems, but software problems. What game are you having an issue with? It's more likely an issue with the game, but could also be driver related.

 

[antf14go]

Memory leaks are not hardware problems, but software problems. What game are you having an issue with? It's more likely an issue with the game, but could also be driver related.

This happens with Fallout 76 but I haven't found anyone else with the same issue in this game.

 

[bystander]

A memory leak is when software mismanages memory, by allocating more than is releases, until it starts asking for more than there is available. It's not a hardware issue. It could be an issue with drivers, as they may have some memory management issues too. It could also be 3rd party software you have running in the background, but most likely it's the game.