GFX Card or PSU Problem?

[Damo84]

Hi,

I am having problems running games like BF2 & rFactor, they have started to run allot slower then before, low FPS, and some of the menu text is not the same quality it use to be, not as smooth as before, my other software like Photoshop 9.0, Abelton Live music software are running as normal.

Before I could run rFactor high settings 20 cars @ 70-160FPS, now, high settings 20 cars its running anywhere from 16-40fps, and sometimes it goes slow really slow to like 5fps if theres a crash, I have not installed any new hardware or software.

I have done the following to try and solve the problem:

Format
Reinstalling drivers
Testing Memory = fine
Testing CPU = fine
Testing Hardrives = fine
Cleaning out the AGP socket and cleaning out all my PC



My main specs are

Asrock K8NF6P-VSTA
Athlon 64 3400 @ 2.2Ghz
XFX 7950gt 512MB AGP
OCZ Modstream 520w 30amps @ 12V

I brought the 7950GT & OCZ Modstream together 2 months ago, I don't have the money to buy another PSU powerfull enough to run the 7950GT so I can test if its my PSU, does this sound more like a GFX card problem to you guys?

[Damo84]

Hi,

I am having problems running games like BF2 & rFactor, they have started to run allot slower then before, low FPS, and some of the menu text is not the same quality it use to be, not as smooth as before, my other software like Photoshop 9.0, Abelton Live music software are running as normal.

Before I could run rFactor high settings 20 cars @ 70-160FPS, now, high settings 20 cars its running anywhere from 16-40fps, and sometimes it goes slow really slow to like 5fps if theres a crash, I have not installed any new hardware or software.

I have done the following to try and solve the problem:

Format
Reinstalling drivers
Testing Memory = fine
Testing CPU = fine
Testing Hardrives = fine
Cleaning out the AGP socket and cleaning out all my PC



My main specs are

Asrock K8NF6P-VSTA
Athlon 64 3400 @ 2.2Ghz
XFX 7950gt 512MB AGP
OCZ Modstream 520w 30amps @ 12V

I brought the 7950GT & OCZ Modstream together 2 months ago, I don't have the money to buy another PSU powerfull enough to run the 7950GT so I can test if its my PSU, does this sound more like a GFX card problem to you guys?

[PrntRhd]

Welcome to the PC Guide forums!

I merged identical threads, please post one thread for one issue, we can move it if needed.

[Damo84]

Thanks for the welcome, :D

Sorry about posting 2 threads :(

:cool:

[eacan]

I am also new and here goes my first post :)
hello there.

you said the photoshop and other imaging applications shows no changes but only these 2 games .

how about checking the options on the game menu about the 3D graphic options , you are interested to find out the settings on
1. changing from 32bit to 16bit
2. try to disable antialising
3. set the image quality for performance rather than speed

right now i can think of a game configuration problem so how about trying these first.

regards
eacan

[Damo84]

Hi,

I have done all that and it don't really improve anything, it seems more like a hardware problem as the fps as dropped a hell of allot more then when it was all running smoothly before, would just like confirmation if it sounds like my GFX card or not.

Thanks for your help anyway ;)

[mjc]

fps as dropped a hell of allot more then when it was all running smoothly before...

Before what?

What changes have you made, recently?

[saphalline]

Overheating vid card. Check it for dust and/or fan failure problems.

[Damo84]

Forgot to mention, I monitor my temps and the card has not gone over 47C, ever, its on average 39-42C, and when I say before I mean like it was running ok before but I have not changed anything, not installed any new hardware or software and I have not overclocked anything.

If you read all my post I also said I have tried Cleaning out the AGP socket and cleaning out all my PC, which included all hardware.

[mjc]

You said you bought new hardware two months ago...so was the difference from before then and now or after the new hardware was installed and just a few days ago...we need to pin down a more exact time frame, here.

[Rick]

Your Mother board should have come with a system monitor program
One that shows temps and Voltages

I'd start by running that and If it allows you to record a file
Have it start one.
Then run your game and see what it shows

A drop in voltage across the board will show up in the log file

This could point you in the right direction as to PSU or Card

[George Hallam]

have you changed something in either Nvida control panel or something similar and turned the AA up and/or AF

[Damo84]

Your Mother board should have come with a system monitor program
One that shows temps and Voltages

I'd start by running that and If it allows you to record a file
Have it start one.
Then run your game and see what it shows

A drop in voltage across the board will show up in the log file

This could point you in the right direction as to PSU or Card

Havent got one of them programs, I have used one before though, you know any good ones you can recommend?


have you changed something in either Nvida control panel or something similar and turned the AA up and/or AF

The AA is on application controlled, as it as allways been, but I changed allot of stuff in the control panel the other day to see if it would solve the FPS problems and it did not, I only used the control panel to change the resoluction before, this is defo a hardware problem rather then a settings problem.


Cheers

[saphalline]

I agree. This is a hardware problem.

Drops in frame rates of that magnitude have to be related to either the vid card or CPU. Since other CPU-intensive tests pass fine, it must be the vid card. Even if it isn't overheating, it is faulty in some way. I'd get it repaired/replaced under warranty if I were you.

[Damo84]

Ok, I will be sending it back very soon, thanks allot for your help ;)

[saphalline]

In the mean time, maybe you could "borrow" a vid card from Best Buy or whatever. See if a new vid card (doesn't have to be fancy) gets you higher frame rates than 2 fps! That's always a good check.

And when you return the vid card, tell them it was incompatible! ;) Play dumb and they have to take it back. Tell them something about not knowing slot types or something. They get that all the time. Buy a movie when you return it, too. Or some DVD's. Smoothes things over a bit. :D

[Damo84]

LOL, thats a plan, will give it a try, when you say borrow you mean like I can borrow a card?, that would be cool lol, I have got a old PCI ATI 32mb something I can use for the meantime but it wont play any games will it lol