GTX 970 overclocking, memory clock randomly locks

[Villentretenmirth]

I've recently been trying out overclocking my gpu and have been getting on quite well. But after around 20-30 mins of gameplay or benchmarking, it goes down, specifically from 4000-3000 for some unknown reason. I've tried rolling back my nvidia drivers, uninstalling the latest driver and reinstalling them, but to no avail.

I use msi afterburner. GPU temps are usually around 70-72 during gaming. Kinda new to this so I don't really have a clue as to why this is happening.

Any thoughts are very much appreciated

 

[AdmiralDonut]

How much did you overclock the core and memory by, and is it just the memory that downclocks or does the core also revert back?

 

[Unolocogringo]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

 

[Villentretenmirth]

How much did you overclock the core and memory by, and is it just the memory that downclocks or does the core also revert back?

its only the memory clock. its +40 on the core clock and + 500 on the memory clock. other parameters are untouched.

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner[/quote

Thanks, i'll give it a try

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

 

[AdmiralDonut]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

 

[Unolocogringo]

I looked and it appears the new version of Kombuster does not have error checking. The older version was based on furmark which did.
OCCT still has error checking and reporting.
Give it a try.
You may need to place a check mark in the error detection option.

 

[Unolocogringo]

As stated above, GDDR5 has error checking and correction. MOST errors will result in a memory re-read and you will not get graphical errors unless the errors are extreme.

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

 

[Sergeant_Sneaky]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

Download Display Driver Uninstaller, let it restart into safe mode and choose which driver you want to uninstall and click clean and restart. Once it has rebooted, you can reinstall the driver manually

 

[AdmiralDonut]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

Download Display Driver Uninstaller, let it restart into safe mode and choose which driver you want to uninstall and click clean and restart. Once it has rebooted, you can reinstall the driver manually

OP, this is what you should do, but for the love of god don't reinstall 364.51. That driver is a hot sack of crap that has caused no end of problems for tens of thousands of people.

Here is a link to DDU:

http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

and here is a link to the last stable NVIDIA driver:

http://www.nvidia.com/download/driverResults.aspx/99201/en-us

Do as Sergeant said, run DDU, and then when you restart, just go to the NVIDIA link and download that driver. After that, you should be fine.

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

Download Display Driver Uninstaller, let it restart into safe mode and choose which driver you want to uninstall and click clean and restart. Once it has rebooted, you can reinstall the driver manually

for some reason, this driver version seems to be incompatible with my windows 7 version. i had to reinstall 364.51. Naturally, my problem still persists

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

Download Display Driver Uninstaller, let it restart into safe mode and choose which driver you want to uninstall and click clean and restart. Once it has rebooted, you can reinstall the driver manually

The problem i'm afraid is still persisting.

 

[Sergeant_Sneaky]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

Download Display Driver Uninstaller, let it restart into safe mode and choose which driver you want to uninstall and click clean and restart. Once it has rebooted, you can reinstall the driver manually

The problem i'm afraid is still persisting.

Can you take a screenshot of the MSI Afterburner graphs when the speed drop happens? It may show something helpful.

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Usually an unstable overclock.
GDDR5 memory has ECC (Error checking and correction) built in.
If the driver sees to many errors it will down clock to stop errors.
Use a overclocking stress tool such as OCCT or MSI kombuster that has error checking built in.
Also you need to run them at least 20-30 minutes to fully heat the card and memory up.
Memory errors are more likely to occur when the memory is hot instead of cold.
OCCT
http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download
Kombustor
https://gaming.msi.com/features/afterburner

so i've tried using kombuster but no instability was shown. i am still able to overclock for about 20 mins, then the memory clock goes down to 3000. Restarting allows me to overclock again, but in 20 mins, it again downclocks.

Which version of the NVIDIA drivers are you currently using, have you tried an older/newer one, have you done a clean install/driver sweep, and have you checked the Windows logs to see if anything is falling over in the background?

Driver version is 364.51. I'm afraid i don't know how to do a clean install or driver sweep, nor do i know how to check windows logs. I am not very tech savvy i'm afraid.

Download Display Driver Uninstaller, let it restart into safe mode and choose which driver you want to uninstall and click clean and restart. Once it has rebooted, you can reinstall the driver manually

The problem i'm afraid is still persisting.

Can you take a screenshot of the MSI Afterburner graphs when the speed drop happens? It may show something helpful.

Here you go. Hope it helps.

 

[Unolocogringo]

Have you checked with OCCT to make sure there are no errors?

 

[Villentretenmirth]

Have you checked with OCCT to make sure there are no errors?

Left it on for 11 hrs. No errors.

 

[Villentretenmirth]

I'm a moron. It was the gpu temp. Bumped up the fan to 95% and the overclock held for as long as i played. Live and learn i guess. Thanks for the effort and time of all who commented.

 

[Sergeant_Sneaky]

I'm a moron. It was the gpu temp. Bumped up the fan to 95% and the overclock held for as long as i played. Live and learn i guess. Thanks for the effort and time of all who commented.

Everyone makes mistakes, I'm glad it's all sorted now