Author Topic: Graphics Card slowing (Read 2015 times)

tomoya-kun · « **on:** March 21, 2011, 11:51:30 PM »

Hello. The issue is regarding a 9800m GS nvidia card.

When gaming, after maybe 5 mins, the GPU usage drops to something like 20% and the clocks drop to 400/300 as opposed to 530/800.

FPS drops to maybe 10 FPS and game is unplayable.

Any idea on why my card "downclocks" itself during gameplay?

Laptop is well ventilated in a well cooled area. Temperature during gameplay is around 85c.

TMRNetShark · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2011, 12:06:36 AM »

Quote from: tomoya-kun on March 21, 2011, 11:51:30 PM

Hello. The issue is regarding a 9800m GS nvidia card.

When gaming, after maybe 5 mins, the GPU usage drops to something like 20% and the clocks drop to 400/300 as opposed to 530/800.

FPS drops to maybe 10 FPS and game is unplayable.

Any idea on why my card "downclocks" itself during gameplay?

Laptop is well ventilated in a well cooled area. Temperature during gameplay is around 85c.

That is why your card is "downclocking" or under clocking it's performance. Most cards (even the bigger desktop models) do not ever really go past 80c under any condition.

Sosseres · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2011, 12:22:11 AM »

Quote from: TMRNetShark on March 22, 2011, 12:06:36 AM

That is why your card is "downclocking" or under clocking it's performance. Most cards (even the bigger desktop models) do not ever really go past 80c under any condition.

I agree with the diagnosis. But the fact of never passing 80c is incorrect.

For example:

http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/1258/gtx480_load.jpg

WiiLeeYum · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2011, 12:53:49 AM »

This one?

Not sure if its the same for laptops, but if its newly installed, did you uninstall the old driver and correctly installed the new drivers?

Maybe the game's graphics are too high for the graphic card. I'm just saying. Other than that, don't think I can help much.

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2011, 01:50:15 AM »

Quote from: WiiLeeYum on March 22, 2011, 12:53:49 AM

This one?

Not sure if its the same for laptops, but if its newly installed, did you uninstall the old driver and correctly installed the new drivers?

Maybe the game's graphics are too high for the graphic card. I'm just saying. Other than that, don't think I can help much.

It came stock with the laptop.

The game graphics I don't think are the issue, I'm playing CS:S and TF:2 which are not exactly demanding games.

This did not happen before... so I am wondering what may have caused this to start happening.

Looked through the logs generated by afterburner; always downclock before it hits 90c.

kitamesume · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2011, 02:57:50 AM »

clean up the insides and test it again, if that doesnt work then maybe its a defect? anyway, for extreme solution, change the cooler, for a more 1shot solution, replace the card.

wait, thats a laptop right? what does a laptop card look like o.o

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2011, 03:41:39 AM »

Quote from: kitamesume on March 22, 2011, 02:57:50 AM

clean up the insides and test it again, if that doesnt work then maybe its a defect? anyway, for extreme solution, change the cooler, for a more 1shot solution, replace the card.

wait, thats a laptop right? what does a laptop card look like o.o

Like this. MSI GT627 is my model. Pretty customizable one.

(click to show/hide)

HiddenJumper · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2011, 05:59:05 AM »

Is there a cooling unit or vent of some sort underneath where the GPU is?

My laptop CPU just fried a couple days ago because the temps in the laptop were too high. My GPU was constantly hitting 70 to 80c, yet I was surprised that the CPU went first (CPU was hitting about 50 to 60c on average). The temps greatly reduce the FPS during play, so finding some way to add in an extra type of cooling would help greatly, but if you don't have enough vents, I highly doubt it'll do any good anyway.

However, that's just from my personal experience. Other's might experience things a bit differently.

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2011, 06:03:43 AM »

Quote from: HiddenJumper on March 22, 2011, 05:59:05 AM

Is there a cooling unit or vent of some sort underneath where the GPU is?

My laptop CPU just fried a couple days ago because the temps in the laptop were too high. My GPU was constantly hitting 70 to 80c, yet I was surprised that the CPU went first (CPU was hitting about 50 to 60c on average). The temps greatly reduce the FPS during play, so finding some way to add in an extra type of cooling would help greatly, but if you don't have enough vents, I highly doubt it'll do any good anyway.

However, that's just from my personal experience. Other's might experience things a bit differently.

The laptop is suspended in the air by two supports, meaning the entire surface of the laptop is exposed to air for cooling. I may have to replace my heatsink, as the laptop is getting a bit old.

It seems to be this card in particular; I also have a Nvidia 260m GTX and an FX3700m which both work fine in the laptop.

Tatsujin · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2011, 06:46:09 AM »

Did you check to see if the graphic card is clean? Do you regularly clean your laptop? Do you set your laptop on a solid material (table, concrete, wooden floor, etc) or something like a pillow, blanket or a couch? Do you allow the vents below and to the sides of your computer to have air flow at all?

(this is why I don't like laptops ...)

kitamesume · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2011, 07:06:24 AM »

if i wanted laptops i`d want the portable ones, ones that lasts half a day (12hrs tops) so yea low powered loptops.

i dont really care if it can game but atleast it should be able to play vids on the laptop's native resolution.

on the other hand, try resitting your heatsink it might've been misplaced or got shaken a little bit and isnt in full contact with the graphics card. or this is a possibility but your fan might be running slower than usual, it usually happens when the bearing starts to wear.

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2011, 02:47:16 AM »

Quote from: Tatsujin on March 22, 2011, 06:46:09 AM

Did you check to see if the graphic card is clean? Do you regularly clean your laptop? Do you set your laptop on a solid material (table, concrete, wooden floor, etc) or something like a pillow, blanket or a couch? Do you allow the vents below and to the sides of your computer to have air flow at all?

(this is why I don't like laptops ...)

Card is pretty clean, the laptop is not in contact with any material at all. I have the laptop suspended in the air.

I'm thinking it may be a faulty card or something; no way a 9800 should run hotter than a 260 gtx

zat0x91 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2011, 02:54:24 AM »

What percentage is the fan running at when it peaks at reaches those temperatures? On a side note, gaming laptops have somewhat of a reputation for overheating.

Quote from: TMRNetShark on March 22, 2011, 12:06:36 AM

That is why your card is "downclocking" or under clocking it's performance. Most cards (even the bigger desktop models) do not ever really go past 80c under any condition.

My overclocked 5850 peaks at ~87C but never above 90C and I have no problems, although I have no cleaned out the stock cooler since I recieved it last year. If it starts to go above 90C, then it's probably an issue.

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #13 on:** March 23, 2011, 02:57:27 AM »

Quote from: zat0x91 on March 23, 2011, 02:54:24 AM

What percentage is the fan running at when it peaks at reaches those temperatures? On a side note, gaming laptops have somewhat of a reputation for overheating.

Quote from: TMRNetShark on March 22, 2011, 12:06:36 AM
That is why your card is "downclocking" or under clocking it's performance. Most cards (even the bigger desktop models) do not ever really go past 80c under any condition.

My overclocked 5850 peaks at ~87C but never above 90C and I have no problems, although I have no cleaned out the stock cooler since I recieved it last year. If it starts to go above 90C, then it's probably an issue.

Fan is running at 100%. Temperature keeps rising until it hits 90 then the card downclocks itself.

This didn't used to happen; I used to run the card at a stable 92c.

NaRu · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2011, 12:38:04 AM »

The card is downclocking itself so it doesnt over heat. What is the brand of the laptop? Also how do you know if the fan is running at 100%

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2011, 12:50:36 AM »

Quote from: NaRu on March 24, 2011, 12:38:04 AM

The card is downclocking itself so it doesnt over heat. What is the brand of the laptop? Also how do you know if the fan is running at 100%

The brand is MSI.

How do I check the fan speed or change it?

HiddenJumper · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2011, 12:52:46 AM »

Quote from: tomoya-kun on March 22, 2011, 06:03:43 AM

The laptop is suspended in the air by two supports, meaning the entire surface of the laptop is exposed to air for cooling.

Its never recommeded to keep cases open as I imagine you have it. There's a reason why there's a vent system in place to channel the heat. If the heat is allowed to go all over, its not really cooling down, you're just pushing hot air around (also dependant on your environment). Usually if you want to keep things cooler than what the laptop case is allowing, you would buy a docking station that has an extra, larger fan on it.

Quote from: tomoya-kun on March 24, 2011, 12:50:36 AM

How do I check the fan speed or change it?

You can use a program like Speedfan or Everest or something to check your fan speed. The fan speed could potentially be displayed in your bios as well (on some brands).

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2011, 12:56:54 AM »

Speedfan doesn't read my fans as in existence.

For everest; where is fan speed displayed?

kitamesume · « **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2011, 12:22:22 AM »

they dont really accurately say what speed your fan is spinning, they only say the voltage it's running and the standard speed on that voltage most fans runs.

take out that fan and put in the max voltage it should be given for a test and see if the fan is pushing enough air, if it doesnt, then its deteriorating which is baaaad.

tomoya-kun · « **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2011, 01:11:35 AM »

Quote from: kitamesume on March 25, 2011, 12:22:22 AM

they dont really accurately say what speed your fan is spinning, they only say the voltage it's running and the standard speed on that voltage most fans runs.

take out that fan and put in the max voltage it should be given for a test and see if the fan is pushing enough air, if it doesnt, then its deteriorating which is baaaad.

I'm assuming that was the issue, thanks, I replaced my fan with another one and now it runs a stable 87c.

Also when overclocked, I disabled the temperature downclocking and it runs at around 96c on GPU and 105c on CPU, is that damage compnents? CPU is overclock 2.53 --> 3.5 and the GPU is 40% overclock (turned up voltage for both and CPU multipliers are unlocked)