GPU Compute in Cycles is broken on AMD stable drivers and Blender stable release #48028

System Information
Windows 10 x64 Pro
Radeon R9 380 4G

Blender Version
Broken: 2.76b
Worked: On AMD drivers from last year

I have already reported this bug in the past, but it was ignored because AMd drivers were not stable then.
Now it happens on certified stable driver release, and on blender stable release.
The problem is: If you use GPU compute on AMD GPU with Cycles, the sampling is broken and results in visible horizonral artifacts instead of normal noise.

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
I attach the simplified project here, just hit F12 to render again with AMD:
bug.blend

Here is also the errornous render result:

Please don't say again that you don't care, apparently a lot of people use their AMDs to render things and WONT want to downgrade drivers.

Thank you.

Changed status to: 'Open'

Added subscriber: @afl_ext

#48031 was marked as duplicate of this issue

Added subscriber: @MrAster

I get the same issue on Windows 8.1 x86-64, AMD Radeon R7 200 series with latest AMD drivers, and Blender 2.76b.

I also tested 2.77 f185eff build version and it's still the same

Added subscriber: @ThomasDinges

Can you both confirm, that 2.76 is broken too?

Because in that case, I doubt it is Cycles fault. Blender 2.76b is several months old, and we did not get such reports back then. Which means, the issue is in the driver, and yes we cannot fix that.

Added subscriber: @StefanW

I tested it on version 2.76 and 2.76b
So probably there's something with the latest AMD Driver :/

Please consider that AMD won't give a damn about such issue. Maybe there is easy workaround? It looks like compute work group X dimension is read incorrectly. I'm not familiar with Cycles code to test solutions.

Maybe there is a workaround, but such Driver issues are very difficult and time consuming to find. Time we should spend on other things. If AMD cannot get their act together, that is unfortunate for both developers and users, but that is simply not fixable from our side.

For now, I suggest to downgrade the driver and test an older one.

Added subscriber: @VukGardasevic

Tested the same file on Linux and Windows. Same machine, dual boot.
R7 360, X3 455 8 gig ram

Linux:
Xubuntu 15.10 Driver Packaging Version 15.201.1151-150908a-188977E
Blender Build 2683dd8

Windows 7 64-bit
Driver Packaging Version - 16.15-160307a-300321E
Blender Build 29bb10e

Windows has installed the non-WHQL 16.3 driver from 09.03. The horizontal lines are very noticable in the render preview/render on lower samples; after a while they clean up, but still can be noticed. First image is after 5 samples, the second one after 144.

Linux (Older) Driver, on the other hand, doesn't have that problem. Even on lower samples.

I fired a ticket to AMD support but well, I can only expect that if stars constellation is fortunate I will see the fix in next year :)

Added subscriber: @JeffreyEngelstad

Just tested on
blender-2.77-f185eff-win64
Windows 10
AMD 7970 6gb
AMD Driver 16.3.2

GPU Render no settings changed.
No artifacts in the render other then normal noise.

In #48028#367886, @JeffreyEngelstad wrote:
Just tested on
blender-2.77-f185eff-win64
Windows 10
AMD 7970 6gb
AMD Driver 16.3.2

GPU Render no settings changed.
No artifacts in the render other then normal noise.

Are you completely sure you have GPU compute enabled? I tested exactly this driver version, on the same os and the same Blender version, and got the bug.

Added subscriber: @MauroCastaldi

Same issue on

Blender 2.76b build f337fea
Blender 2.77 build 22a2853

AMD R9 390 NITRO 8 mb,
AMD Crimson driver version 16.3.2
Driver Packaging Version 16.15.2211-160321a-300865C

O/S Windows 10 64 bit

Does anyone know the latest working AMD drivers version ?

In #48028#367934, @MauroCastaldi wrote:
Same issue on

Blender 2.76b build f337fea
Blender 2.77 build 22a2853

AMD R9 390 NITRO 8 mb,
AMD Crimson driver version 16.3.2
Driver Packaging Version 16.15.2211-160321a-300865C

O/S Windows 10 64 bit

Does anyone know the latest working AMD drivers version ?

http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/AMD-Radeon-Software-Crimson-Edition-16.1-Hotfix-Release-Notes.aspx
This is the latest version working, I use it now and it works.
Keep in mind that cleaning up after Crimson drver is PITA, be sure to uninstall it via control panel and then switch the driver in device manager to something older, so installer won't spot new driver already in place.

Adrian.

Yes I am positive I am Using GPU Render on my system.
User preferences OpenCL Device is set to (Tahiti)
and your default settings in the file you submitted has the Render settings of supported and GPU Compute.
Works fine on my system. it may be a Problem with the new AMD GPU's as I see you have the R9.

Adrian thank you, 16.1 Crimson drivers work like a charm.

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Archived'

Closing this then, as it is a driver issue, and that is simply not fixable by us.

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GPU Compute in Cycles is broken on AMD stable drivers and Blender stable release #48028