Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / My new comp- spotty Preformance. help please?

Author
Message
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 06:16
Link
I'm noticing some less-than-optimal performance in my new custom built desktop computer.

specs are-
Intel Core 2 duo 3.0 GHz
2GB RAM
Dual XFX Geforce 9800gt graphics cards running in SLI

now, that should be more than enough to run fear on medium settings at a good frame rate, Soldier front at full FPS, and most FPSC games at full, if not near full FPS, but it doesn't. or at least, doesn't always. performance is "spotty"; most often, games run at a low average to laggy frame rate, multiple imputs and effects at once bringing it even lower, and then sometimes, all of a sudden, out of the blue, it starts running the game perfectly, like it should be for about 5 seconds. then back to lag. Can this be fixed?

before you ask:
yes the latest nvidia drivers are installed
yes my SLI port is properly attached, and SLI is enabled



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
bitJericho
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 16:06
Link
under power management, make sure you're on performance mode and that your cpu is locked at 100% power. Make sure your cpu and gpu aren't overheating. You can check your temps with http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

A good temp for your processor is 20 to 30 degrees celcius at idle, and up to 40-60 under load. Any higher and you're overheating. For the gpu, make sure you stay under around 85 c.

Make sure you're running at a fairly high resolution. Modern graphics cards perform *better* at higher resolutions like 1280x1024 or better. Make sure you're not forcing AA, and make sure you play with your AA settings. Often times *higher* AA settings improve performance over lower AA settings. Turn off AA to test your graphics cards so you don't have to worry if AA is the cause.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Lucifer
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Dec 2005
Location:
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 16:46
Link
Quote: "Modern graphics cards perform *better* at higher resolutions like 1280x1024 or better."

Quote: "Often times *higher* AA settings improve performance over lower AA settings. "


What?! I have a geforce 9600, and in my experience what you just said is not true. And 85° is way to high, you should try to keep it under 70° because if you're anything around 80° your computer is going to freeze. My card is 60° at most when i play games and when i'm just browsing the web it's at around 40°.

Back to top
Profile PM
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 16:50
Link
full res, in game antialiasing? got it.

let's see if it helps



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
bitJericho
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 17:22 Edited at: 28th Jan 2010 17:26
Link
@lucifer. It is true. Try playing Crisis on your card at 800x600 or 640x480 vs 1280x1024. Chances are you'll have the same, if not better, frame rate at 1280x1024. AA is slower than no AA. But AAx4 on my GTX260 is choppy vs AAx16q which runs smooth.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 19:36
Link
my comp has a temperature reading on the front. 90 degrees farenheight right now. only the internet and the antivirus is running.

also, I have slightly lower than the same frame rate in soldier front and F.E.A.R. when upping resolution and anti aliasing.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Apr 2005
Location: The Fifth Plane of Oblivion
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 19:49
Link
I think the recommended temp of 60 degrees is centigrade.

Athlon64 2.7gHz->OC 3.9gHz, 31C, MSi 9500GT->OC 1gHz core/2gHz memory, 48C, 4Gb DDR2 667, 500Gb Seagate + 80Gb Maxtor + 40Gb Maxtor = 620Gb, XP Home
Air cooled, total cost £160
Back to top
Profile PM Website
zeroSlave
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 13th Jun 2009
Location: Springfield
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 19:50
Link
Are you letting the application decide quality settings or are you using the graphics card control panel to apply graphic settings?

There's something in this room that makes you can't speak well.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
bitJericho
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 20:00 Edited at: 28th Jan 2010 20:01
Link
What about your gpu temps? And check your cpu temps via software. May be that your case is 90f, but your processor could be way hotter.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 20:12
Link
I'm letting the aplication decide.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
zeroSlave
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 13th Jun 2009
Location: Springfield
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 20:40
Link
Hmmm.... I dunno. As far as testing temps, however, you might try SpeedFan. It also provides a lot more informations such as GPU temp, fan speed and HD info. I use it to keep track of my CPU since it is OCed. It might give some insight. I know it's not much help, but good luck anyway!

There's something in this room that makes you can't speak well.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Lemonade
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Dec 2008
Location:
Posted: 28th Jan 2010 21:32 Edited at: 28th Jan 2010 21:33
Link
My gpu runs at around 90c under full load. In the summer in went up to almost 100...No wonder why I get crazy artifacts in COD 2 after only playing for about 10 minutes with the gfx up...and then a computer crash. If I turn the graphics down, I can play without a problem, but if people throw a lot of smoke then the same thing happens. Only for COD 2 tho.
Back to top
Profile PM
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
20
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 10th Apr 2005
Location: The Fifth Plane of Oblivion
Posted: 29th Jan 2010 01:22
Link
Perhaps you should buy a cheap case that's actually good at keeping the insides cool rather than one that looks like a Christmas tree?

Athlon64 2.7gHz->OC 3.9gHz, 31C, MSi 9500GT->OC 1gHz core/2gHz memory, 48C, 4Gb DDR2 667, 500Gb Seagate + 80Gb Maxtor + 40Gb Maxtor = 620Gb, XP Home
Air cooled, total cost £160
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Neuro Fuzzy
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Jun 2007
Location:
Posted: 29th Jan 2010 01:39
Link
Quote: "I think the recommended temp of 60 degrees is centigrade.
"

[topic change]
Huh. for some weird reason that sentence sent me googling for the difference between degrees celsius and degrees centigrade. Apparently centigrade is defined by the points (temperature at which ice melts at STP = 0) and (temperature at which water boils)=100)

Quote: "The problem was that the ice point, the “temperature of melting ice...at standard atmospheric pressure,” which was used to define zero degrees on the centigrade scale, cannot be measured with enough precision. Ideally one takes the temperature of a bath of pure, air-saturated water containing pure melting ice. But as ice melts it surrounds itself with a layer of insulating meltwater that is not air-saturated. The bath cannot be stirred because that would heat it."


So instead, the celsius scale is used, defined with -273.15 as absolute zero, and 100 as the boiling point of water.

(^^above info from teh interwebz - not necessarily factual^^)
[/topic change]

dat compooters to hat


Back to top
Profile PM Email
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 29th Jan 2010 06:00
Link
umm... help me out? It's unnerving to own a computer that's better than most of my friend's computers in every way, yet play games as If I were using a tandy.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
bitJericho
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 30th Jan 2010 04:17
Link
You've yet to report your temps from speedfan. It's possibly a temperature issue as your processor would downclock if overheating.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Melancholic
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Nov 2009
Location:
Posted: 30th Jan 2010 10:30 Edited at: 30th Jan 2010 10:30
Link
Or try get a refund if your processors(GPU or CPU) cant run at the default clock speed
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 31st Jan 2010 06:18
Link
I got it off ebay. none of that. I'll give you a reading from speedfan.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Hockeykid
DBPro Tool Maker
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Sep 2007
Location:
Posted: 31st Jan 2010 06:29
Link
Quote: "I got it off ebay"


Was it new or used? If it was used what was the sellers reason for selling it?

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 31st Jan 2010 06:44
Link
He couldn't game anymore. it was hardly used. he's been great giving me lots of tech support for other problems.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Hockeykid
DBPro Tool Maker
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Sep 2007
Location:
Posted: 31st Jan 2010 06:49
Link
Quote: "He couldn't game anymore. it was hardly used. he's been great giving me lots of tech support for other problems."


Check your computers temperatures with speed fan and post them.

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 31st Jan 2010 07:28
Link
k I will on tuesday.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 2nd Feb 2010 05:25
Link
k. here is what I got.

(attachment)



to fenix mod!

Attachments

Login to view attachments
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
bitJericho
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 2nd Feb 2010 05:55
Link
So uh... that's your problem.

You need to reseat your cpu heatsink. You also need to get more airflow in your case (which will probably help with your graphics card temps). That temp that's at 127 degrees is either a misreading or something's burning up. Probably just a misreaing.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Randomness 128
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 13th Feb 2007
Location:
Posted: 2nd Feb 2010 06:13
Link
Wow. The CPU is way too hot. The GPU's temperature is ok, but that's really high for an idle temp, and it would probably have issues under load. The problem could be as simple as a lot of dust clogging the heatsinks. Try opening the case and using compressed air to clean the dust out and see if that helps.

Windows 7 x64, Core i7 860, 8 GB DDR3 1333 RAM, Radeon HD 5850, 1.25 TB HDD capacity
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 2nd Feb 2010 06:14
Link
Quote: "You need to reseat your cpu heatsink. You also need to get more airflow in your case (which will probably help with your graphics card temps). "


now how might I go about doing that? and are you sure it's my problem? lots of times things were SAID to be my problem, me having fixed them, and having them not help out at all.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
bitJericho
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 2nd Feb 2010 15:20 Edited at: 2nd Feb 2010 15:24
Link
Well, your temperatures are the problem. So you need to diagnose the cause. For the cpu, it's either dust, a bad fan, or a bad mounting of the heatsink. Take care of any dust. Check the speed of your fan. If it's whirling and not making any noise, it's probably ok. If you know how fast it's supposed to go, check in your BIOS and see what rpms it's spinning at. Some bioses let you set the speed, turn it up all the way and see if it runs ok.

If your fan seems to be moving a lot of air, and it's not dusty, you should reseat your heatsink. There's lots of tutorials for odoing this, so just do a search and read around. Some tips are, make sure you have grease on hand. Clear the old grease with isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth, and you cna clear the bulk of the old grease with an old credit card. You must remove the old grease, you cannot leave it as it may cause problems. Isopropyl wipes will be the best, they are super handy. When you put the new grease on, make sure it's only a dab about the size of a grain of rice in the middle of the processor. Then put the heatsink on and do not move the heatsink off again. It might scoot around a little, that's ok. If it comes off completely after you put the new grease on, I recommend redoing it. Any type of grease is fine, but if you want to shave a couple of extra degrees off, get some of the highend arctic silver stuff.

Also, make sure you have a few fans workingo n the case itself. the GPUs are not dangerously hot, but they could become so if that's under idle. So make sure they have a way to get the hot air out.

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 2nd Feb 2010 15:43
Link
got 2 working fans on the case. they're whuirring, and the computer makes an average amount of noise.

I'll try to remove the dust with compressed air, and look into getting the heatsink re-sunk.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Uncle Sam
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 23rd Jul 2005
Location: West Coast, USA
Posted: 3rd Feb 2010 09:44
Link
Wow those temps are high! (just looked at the pic)

Back to top
Profile PM Email
Bugsy
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 24th Nov 2008
Location: another place in time
Posted: 13th Feb 2010 21:04
Link
fixed it. cleaned the processor fan and installed better power supply. thx for the help guys.



to fenix mod!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2025-05-24 21:21:40
Your offset time is: 2025-05-24 21:21:40