Weird FPS Stuttering: Best way to test Mobo or PSU

[d3daiM]

mobo = Zotac mITX Z68, refurbished and bought from precious OCN owner (Zotac Z68ITX-A-E WIFI)
psu = Corsair TX650 650W, also bought from previous OCN member

So, I’ve been trying to find the root cause of my “skipping” FPS. The main symptom for my computer is that simply that games lag horribly, and I don’t think it’s related to my GPU performance. Some examples are that GTA IV stutters down to 20-30 fps with Low settings once I step outside my safehouse into the street, and I get a very low 3dmark06 score for my rig (~12000-14000 marks). 3dmark06 will be running fine (~140 fps) in the beginnings of the first test, and then after like the fist 8-10 seconds, it curtails down to around 20-40fps, starting at around the scene transition from the elevator and extending into warfight. My FPS seems to suffer the most during physics-intensive processes--like during the gunshot explosions and canister collapse scene in 3dmark06 during the warfight or when the lockness monster thing jumps out of the water in the next scene--and gets really jumpy FPS (120-78-43-69-111-98-55..etc).

Other than that, I exhibit no blue screens or crashes or anything in my daily use.

I believe this either to be related to my motherboard (most likely) or my PSU. I've changed out my GPU three times, so I don't think that is the issue. I have the latest BIOS version for my mobo, and Speedstep/Turbo is disabled. I've played with my BIOS for hours..there's not a lot of options with my board..nothing seems to change the issue..
What type of benchmarks/tests can I run? And I have a working Antec 550W that I am going to try out on my sig rig soon. Its enough power right?
Please...help me..



Recent benchmark results:

I am Prime95 and Memtest86 stable.
Sandra 2012: all of the General-Purpose (GP) Computing and Graphics Processor benchmarks pass certification and report to be performing around 85- 90th percentile range.
In CrystalDiskMark, my Samsung 830 128gb ssd performs at about 75-80% the speed of reviewed benches.
Cinebench: 35.68fps for OpenGL test, 4.32pts for CPU test....both seem low, no?
Passmark gives me an overall (partial) score of 1884.
3dmark06 = 12902 marks..
3dmark11 = 4888 marks..

 

[d3daiM]

--------------System--------------
CPU: Intel i5-2500K @ Stock
CPU Cooling: Antec Kuhler 620
MB: Zotac Z68ITX-A-E WIFI
PSU: Corsair TX650 650W
RAM: Kingston Hyper X 1600 RAM (2X4GB)
HD's: Samsung 830 (128GB) & Western Digital WD2000KS (2TB)
DSP: Apple 23" Cinema Display HD (2)
GPU: 1x XFX HD-695A-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 (2GB)
CD/DVD: None
Edit/Delete Message

 

[superunknown98]

Have you looked at your CPU temps when running these games? Sounds like throttling to me.

 

[d3daiM]

CPU temps are completely fine, I do not see any throttling when I watch CPUZ while running 3d applications. I have disabled Turbo Boost and SpeedStep in my BIOS.

Thank you

 

[Bill Brasky]

This doesn't sound like a PSU issue to be honest. Have you checked GPU temps as well? What about running Driver sweeper in safe mode, and then reinstalling drivers?

edit: You would get more help if this was in the General Hardware forum.

 

[d3daiM]

This doesn't sound like a PSU issue to be honest. Have you checked GPU temps as well? What about running Driver sweeper in safe mode, and then reinstalling drivers?

edit: You would get more help if this was in the General Hardware forum.

Just started my main troubleshooting last night.

Swapped out the PSU, same issue. Then swapped out the amd 7850 for my nvidia 465 gtx, same issue.

I am going to try running these same 4 graphics card/PSU combinations on my older s775/P35/ddr2 board over this weekend. If they all run fine on there, then it is definitely a motherboard issue with my Zotac Z68ITX-A-E. I will be very lucky if I can get an RMA..

Thanks for the tip, next forum post I make on this issue I will put in the General Hardware forum.

 

[tweakboy]

Try to raise your motherboard voltage and a single stick of RAM.

Let us know if it stutters still. thx gl

 

[Razorbak86]

So, I’ve been trying to find the root cause of my “skipping” FPS. The main symptom for my computer is that simply that games lag horribly, and I don’t think it’s related to my GPU performance. Some examples are that GTA IV stutters down to 20-30 fps with Low settings once I step outside my safehouse into the street...

--------------System--------------
GPU: 1x XFX HD-695A-CNFC Radeon HD 6950 (2GB)

I can't help you with your motherboard troubleshooting, but I might be able to help with GTA IV. Since your graphics card has 2GB of VRAM, you may be an unwitting victim of the infamous video memory bug in the PC version of the game.

Try using the following command line parameters in GTA IV:

-nomemrestrict -norestrictions

See the following link from Rockstar Games Technical Support for more details.

http://support.rockstargames.com/en...owing-video-cards-with-over-2gb-as-under-spec

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[d3daiM]

Thank you guys for the feedback!! I was feeling desperate

I just began my troubleshooting process last night. Gonna try swapping around motherboards/vid cards/psu's and see what the result is.

And, Razorbak, yes, I have played around with the GTA IV memory parameters quite a bit before posting. It makes no difference. Happens in every game really. So it looks like this issue goes way beyond that it seems.

- d3d