Random FPS drops and GPU usage

[Lpeezy]

Example



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I don't know if this helps but here's a picture of MSIa during a session of RIFT. The dips in GPU usage are when my FPS also drops and as soon as GPU usage goes back up so does my FPS. What could this mean?

 

[qubit]

This might well be a driver problem. Any chance on you borrowing a similar performance nvidia card and trying that? If it fixes it, then it's definitely a driver problem.

Do you have Windows fully patched and the latest DirectX runtime installed? Do this first, if you haven't.

[url]http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/5240/gpus.jpg[/URL]

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I don't know if this helps but here's a picture of MSIa during a session of RIFT. The dips in GPU usage are when my FPS also drops and as soon as GPU usage goes back up so does my FPS. What could this mean?

The only thing I'm sure of is that it's definitely a software problem, not hardware. Have you tried doing the bit I've quoted myself on? Patch everything, you'll be surprised what weirdness it cures!

 

[n-ster]

crank up the fan to 60% fixed, see if somehow there is a temp throttle that is too low. Also, set your core to 800 and mem to 1250mhz

 

[Andrei23]

have you tried overclocking your gpu by 10 mhz? I used to get the same problem as you with my 6950 and it went away after I oced it

 

[95Viper]

Make sure you are using High Performance power setting.
Also, another thing you might want to check is under advanced power options.
You might try setting the PCI Express > Link Power State Management to Off.

 

[Lpeezy]

I've tried everything that was mentioned, everything is up to date, I've had the GPU fans at 60%, and overclocking the GPU slightly like in the picture. the Link Power State Management was never on in the first place to turn off. So sorry to say, but none of these suggestions work.

 

[n-ster]

did you try downclocking to stock 800/1250?

if that doesnt work, try to see if you downclock a lot.... 700/1100

 

[Lpeezy]

Yes I have tried leaving it at stock 800/1250. I don't think downclocking it will do anything because I previously had a HD5750 in the same system and it still produced the same problems. Same with the geforce 9600gt I also tried.

 

[Goodman]

It's a on line game?
Could this be your internet acting up?

What about other games?

 

[n-ster]

Yes I have tried leaving it at stock 800/1250. I don't think downclocking it will do anything because I previously had a HD5750 in the same system and it still produced the same problems. Same with the geforce 9600gt I also tried.

ohhh.... hmm.... this is weird.... imana do some research

 

[95Viper]

I am curious, as to:

1. What chipset does that SSD use?
2. Are you using it as your OS drive?
3. Where is your swap/page file; is it on the SSD?
Or, do you use one(a page file)?
4. How much free space is on the SSD, is it close to full?

It could be a case of the GPU and CPU having to wait for the data from the drive causing delays, maybe.
Older JMicron chipsets used in the first generation SSDs were known to be laggy and stutter... I have one.
If you are using the 30GIG SSD as the OS/pagefile drive and it getting low on space it will choke, sorta like using no pagefile and some programs do not like, not having a pagefile.

This all conjecture, as, I do not know how you have setup your system.
And, if, I throw enough darts, I'll hit the board and, possibly, a bull's eye, eventually.

 

[Lpeezy]

I really appreciate all the help, I'm not quite sure how long this problem has persisted, but I started noticing it when I got the 6950. I'm not quite sure what kind of chipset my SSD uses but like I said before. I've tried both having the OS on the SSD and the HDD (not at the same time) but the problem persists in both scenarios. I've also tried having the game (RIFT) on each drive with no luck. Only RIFT is on the SSD and BFBC2 is on the HDD but I still have the same problems. The SSD still has 18.4gb free out of 27.8gb.

 

[n-ster]

I've heard RIFT has problems... This happens in all your other games as well though right?

 

[Lpeezy]

I've heard RIFT has problems... This happens in all your other games as well though right?

Yep, this happens with other games BFBC2 and HoN also. I'm already aware of the compatibility problems RIFT has with some cards (mainly ATI) but I've scanned the Tech forums for RIFT and the problems others have posted seem unrelated to mine.

 

[n-ster]

try removing (back it up in another folder)

D3DCompiler_42.dll
D3DX9_42.dll
d3dx10_42.dll
d3dx11_42.dll

From your BFBC2 folder, and see if that fixes it in there

try this as well http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=322616

just googling to see what worked for others and sharing it with you



Also, some people have had this problem solved by OCing their CPU, even though their CPU was definitively not the bottleneck. So OC your CPU to 3.2Ghz or something and hope a miracle happens lol

 

[Mathragh]

Are you doing anything in the background, like watching flash video's in some explorer?

Flash can cause the GFX to downclock randomly, even when a 3d application is running(atleast on a mobility 4650, mobility 5650, and a radeon 6870).

My brother has the same problem with rift and watching youtube on his second screen with his 1055t(overclocked) and a 6870.
He also has it playing WoW and CoD.

 

[SpookyWillow]

whats your max temp the card is hitting? pretty sure your graph say 84c, i had this exact same issue with my brothers 5850's just yesterday and the cards were throttling around the same temps, your after burner graph looks identicle to his.

try putting fans to 100% and leaving the side panel of the case off and see if it still does it.

 

[Funtoss]

Tell us your specs

 

[95Viper]

Tell us your specs

Did you look at his first post, he gave some there...

I know he could post them in his user CP, but maybe these will help you help him.

CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055t @ 2.8ghz / ASETEK 510LC 120MM WATERCOOLER
MB: ASUS M4A77T/USB3
Memory: 4GB Corsair 1600mhz
HD: 1TB SATA II 3.0 GB 7200RPM HD & 30GB KINGSTON 2.5 IN SATA SSD
PSU: SIGMA SP-600AB 600 WATT ESP 80+ POWER
GPU: XFX HD 6950, 11.3 Drivers CAP 3

 

[Lpeezy]

Hmm, I guess heat could be an issue because when I first turn my PC on for the day, it doesn't seem that I will get FPS tanks for a few hours but I could be wrong. I will monitor GPU and CPU temp today and get back to you all.

@Mathragh I am not running anything in the background that could be causing this sort of problem.

 

[susim]

I've lurked on these forums for years, but i felt compelled to reply to this thread.

I had exactly the same issue as the OP, and I tried everything that has been suggested.

Specs:


Phenom B55
4gb DDR2 RAM
8800GT/MSI 5850/GTX 260 (Problem occurred with all these cards)
1TB F3
OCZ Modstream Pro 600W/Corsair CX430/NorthQ Pacific 2.
Asus M4A77T

FPS would plummet from 60-70 to 10-15 for no apparent reason, then jump back up. GPU usage followed a similar pattern to the OP.

I spent weeks trying to solve the problem using several combinations of hardware, to no avail. I finally got some advice from a guy on another forum, who suggested that the Asus MB was to blame. I was sceptical, but I was at my wits end, so I followed his advice. Purchased a cheap Biostar board which solved the problem, and I've not looked back since. I've even put all the components back into the Asus board and the problem reoccurs. Asus didn't recognise the problem, so they were useless at trying to help.

 

[HalfAHertz]

Are you doing anything in the background, like watching flash video's in some explorer?

Flash can cause the GFX to downclock randomly, even when a 3d application is running(atleast on a mobility 4650, mobility 5650, and a radeon 6870).

My brother has the same problem with rift and watching youtube on his second screen with his 1055t(overclocked) and a 6870.
He also has it playing WoW and CoD.

I second the browser suspicions. Even having a browser open in the background without flash can cause problems, because the latest versions of popular browsers come with some form of hardware acceleration that uses your GPU and can force it into 2d clocks...

 

[n-ster]

I second the browser suspicions. Even having a browser open in the background without flash can cause problems, because the latest versions of popular browsers come with some form of hardware acceleration that uses your GPU and can force it into 2d clocks...

Guys, look at the MSIa screenshot closely... the clocks DO NOT DROP, therefore it does not go into 2D clocks

I've lurked on these forums for years, but i felt compelled to reply to this thread.

I had exactly the same issue as the OP, and I tried everything that has been suggested.

Specs:


Phenom B55
4gb DDR2 RAM
8800GT/MSI 5850/GTX 260 (Problem occurred with all these cards)
1TB F3
OCZ Modstream Pro 600W/Corsair CX430/NorthQ Pacific 2.
Asus M4A77T

FPS would plummet from 60-70 to 10-15 for no apparent reason, then jump back up. GPU usage followed a similar pattern to the OP.

I spent weeks trying to solve the problem using several combinations of hardware, to no avail. I finally got some advice from a guy on another forum, who suggested that the Asus MB was to blame. I was sceptical, but I was at my wits end, so I followed his advice. Purchased a cheap Biostar board which solved the problem, and I've not looked back since. I've even put all the components back into the Asus board and the problem reoccurs. Asus didn't recognise the problem, so they were useless at trying to help.

It could be that the PCI-E slots or bus or something is to blame

 

[qubit]

I've lurked on these forums for years, but i felt compelled to reply to this thread.

I had exactly the same issue as the OP, and I tried everything that has been suggested.

Specs:


Phenom B55
4gb DDR2 RAM
8800GT/MSI 5850/GTX 260 (Problem occurred with all these cards)
1TB F3
OCZ Modstream Pro 600W/Corsair CX430/NorthQ Pacific 2.
Asus M4A77T

FPS would plummet from 60-70 to 10-15 for no apparent reason, then jump back up. GPU usage followed a similar pattern to the OP.

I spent weeks trying to solve the problem using several combinations of hardware, to no avail. I finally got some advice from a guy on another forum, who suggested that the Asus MB was to blame. I was sceptical, but I was at my wits end, so I followed his advice. Purchased a cheap Biostar board which solved the problem, and I've not looked back since. I've even put all the components back into the Asus board and the problem reoccurs. Asus didn't recognise the problem, so they were useless at trying to help.

Sounds like a BIOS fix is required on that mobo. I'd be really pissed if I'd spent all that money on it, to have this stupid problem they won't fix.

I've had zero problems with my Gigabyte board (see specs) and my friends are pleased with theirs too.

And welcome to TPU. Do take part in our forum!

 

[Lpeezy]

Again, I appreciate all the responses. I had suspected my MB to be the problem but I had to make sure by asking you all before shelling out some cash for another one. I've already tried looking for new BIOS updates for the board but there aren't any new updates. I guess I will just have to pick up a new board.

Can anyone recommend me a decent board that would fit my specs? Obviously, I'm not too good at picking them .