Why do I only get 5 FPS. Yes, 5! ***RESOLVED***

[ngomong]

So, I just put together an all-new system, and all seems to be well... except that my video card is _amazingly_ slow. Running 3DMark05, I only get a maximum of 5FPS. Mostly, it runs around 3. Then, about 30 seconds in, my computer freezes.

When I try to run the Far Cry demo, the computer freezes at the first screen, when it asks me to set the options. (Can't even get to the gameplay!)

It has also frozen when switching to the WinXP default screensaver, and when viewing a WMV movie.

When I say freezes, I mean, the screen freezes, my USB hub turns off, my mouse won't move... have to reboot.

Here is my system, nothing overclocked:
Mobo - Soltek SL-K8TPro-939
Proc - AMD 64 3000+ (939)
Mem - 2x Crucial 512MB PC-3200
HD - 3x Western Digital 120GB 7200RPM SATA (in Raid-5 config)
RAID - LSI MEGARAID SATA 150-4
PS - Antec 350W, (+12V 16A, +5V 35A)
Video - MSI nVIDIA GeForce FX 5900XT

I've got decent components everywhere, and the video card ought to do much better.

I have:
- Updated my video drivers
- Flashed my motherboard BIOS
- Given the video card its own power cable
- Unseated and reseated the video card
- Installed DirectX 9.0c (also tried 9.0b)
- Disabled fast-write cache, maxed out AGP aperature in system BIOS
- Ensured 2D and 3D were at same clock speed

Still no luck.

Since this is a new system with all new components, I can't be sure that the video card is at fault. For all I know, the motherboard has a bad AGP slot. Most of the messages I see around here, people's systems freeze midway through a game... I can't even get one to start!

Any suggestions, or words of wisdom?

Thanks!

 

[dguy6789]

That is normal speeds for a 5900 based card in 3dmark 05. I dont know why it freezes. My words of wisom: you should have got a radeon 9800.

 

[sparkyclarky]

3DMark 05 is very shader heavy, in specific using PS2/3. The 5X series from NVidia has lackluster performance using those shaders, so 3DMark 05 will run slow on them. But don't worry. It's only a synthetic benchmark, and even runs like a dog on my 6800GT. Games like that are at least 1.5 years away. Enjoy your hardware, which will be fine for some time to come. You might not get the full benefit of PS2 in games, but most reports seem to indicate that the difference isn't as striking as you would think (e.g. HL2 looks almost as good in PS1 as it does in PS2.

 

[Sideswipe001]

Just to make sure, since you didn't mention it:

Did you install your motherboard chipset drivers (including an AGP driver)?

 

[ngomong]

Okay, that's good then... I was thinking I should be getting 20-30 FPS. So, I thought perhaps I had a crazy problem somewhere.

But, now I have to figure out why my system keeps freezing.

 

[ElementK1]

What's your PSU?
EDIT: Saw it, seems OK. But it might be the problem, powering 2 HDDs.

 

[ngomong]

Well, I installed the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, and a couple other sets of drivers which were on the Soltek CD.

One thing I noticed... going into the NVidia control panel... it lists specs for the motherboard, GPU, OS, etc. Everything showed AGP 8x, but under the OS column, it said 2x. Seems fishy to me... how would I change that?

 

[ngomong]

My power supply is a 350W Antec. It came with my Antec case, SLK3700-BQE

 

[Bartokomus]

i can't actually recall seeing anywhere in a BIOS the opportunity to set a different AGP speed

 

[Sideswipe001]

Originally posted by: ngomong
Well, I installed the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, and a couple other sets of drivers which were on the Soltek CD.

One thing I noticed... going into the NVidia control panel... it lists specs for the motherboard, GPU, OS, etc. Everything showed AGP 8x, but under the OS column, it said 2x. Seems fishy to me... how would I change that?

Just to make sure it got installed right, I'd download the newest 4in1 and install them again. Make sure the AGP driver is installed in "turbo". I *think* it still gives that option (I haven't used a via chipset in a while, but from what I remember, that was the install if you wanted 8x AGP).

Something is certainly amiss if it's only running in 2x AGP mode.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

What are you temps, particularly the vid card? Also, is that 16A +12v what it says on the sticker on the PSU? I ask because I just setup a system using that case in bronze and the PSU was listed as 16A in the newegg pics but the model that actually came with it has 21A. If it is the 16A version then it may indeed be bonking under load. Try disconnecting any devices you don't absolutely need for the moment and see if that helps. If it does there is your answer.

 

[iversonyin]

did u try 3dmark 03?

try installing newest mobo driver and video card driver

FX series cards are not so great

in fact, that card its a waste for a system like this. you are better off selling the card out while its still worth some money

 

[ngomong]

Well then, what card would you recommend. I didn't really want to spend too much, as I'm not a hardcore gamer... I just wanted to check out the current crop of games. The 5900xt already cost more than an Xbox or PS2. Yes, the graphics are a million times better on the PC.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

It doesn't matter that it isn't a great gaming card, the system should not be locking up and forcing a reboot anytime you try to watch certain media or play certain games. Now answer my questions or I'm done with you.

 

[ngomong]

Sorry, DAPUNISHER, didn't see your post there...

Don't know the temps on the video card, as I haven't seen them anywhere in the utilities. Do I need powerstrip or something similar?

The 16A +12V is indeed from the Newegg photo. (I'm at work.) I'll check what the actual PSU says when I get home.

I don't what else I could disconnect really. I guess my DVD-RW and case fan... but the DVD isn't spinning, and the fan doesn't pull much current. Will give it a shot, though.

You are quite correct... regardless of the card, the system shouldn't be freezing up like this.

 

[ngomong]

CPU temp is around 50*C... that should drop eventually, as I'm using Artic Silver Ceramique, and from what I've read, it takes a while to reach maximum thermal conductivity.

 

[Squally Leonharty]

Originally posted by: Sideswipe001

Originally posted by: ngomong
Well, I installed the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, and a couple other sets of drivers which were on the Soltek CD.

One thing I noticed... going into the NVidia control panel... it lists specs for the motherboard, GPU, OS, etc. Everything showed AGP 8x, but under the OS column, it said 2x. Seems fishy to me... how would I change that?

Just to make sure it got installed right, I'd download the newest 4in1 and install them again. Make sure the AGP driver is installed in "turbo". I *think* it still gives that option (I haven't used a via chipset in a while, but from what I remember, that was the install if you wanted 8x AGP).

Something is certainly amiss if it's only running in 2x AGP mode.

Actually, you should *NOT* install that AGP driver from the 4-in-1 package. Let Microsoft's Universal AGP driver handle the AGP slot and everything related to it. It is known that the AGP driver in the Hyperion drivers causes conflicts.

 

[Sideswipe001]

Originally posted by: Squally Leonharty

Originally posted by: Sideswipe001

Originally posted by: ngomong
Well, I installed the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, and a couple other sets of drivers which were on the Soltek CD.

One thing I noticed... going into the NVidia control panel... it lists specs for the motherboard, GPU, OS, etc. Everything showed AGP 8x, but under the OS column, it said 2x. Seems fishy to me... how would I change that?

Just to make sure it got installed right, I'd download the newest 4in1 and install them again. Make sure the AGP driver is installed in "turbo". I *think* it still gives that option (I haven't used a via chipset in a while, but from what I remember, that was the install if you wanted 8x AGP).

Something is certainly amiss if it's only running in 2x AGP mode.

Actually, you should *NOT* install that AGP driver from the 4-in-1 package. Let Microsoft's Universal AGP driver handle the AGP slot and everything related to it. It is known that the AGP driver in the Hyperion drivers causes conflicts.

Since when?

Like I said, it's been a while since I used a VIA chipset myself, but I do remember that NOT installing that driver = neutered performance before.

 

[ngomong]

Well, I think I got it sorted... For the benefit of others with a similar problem who may stumble across this thread in the future, here's what I did.

There was a newer version of my motherboard BIOS on Soltek's Tawain server, which wasn't on the Europe server. (I'm now on W1.2) I had previously had a problem getting my two sticks of memory to work in dual channel mode... wouldn't boot, so I was running in single channel mode. With the new BIOS, dual channel mode is working, and I can now run Far Cry and 3DMark03 without freezing. Whew!

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Squally Leonharty]

Originally posted by: Sideswipe001

Originally posted by: Squally Leonharty

Originally posted by: Sideswipe001

Originally posted by: ngomong
Well, I installed the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, and a couple other sets of drivers which were on the Soltek CD.

One thing I noticed... going into the NVidia control panel... it lists specs for the motherboard, GPU, OS, etc. Everything showed AGP 8x, but under the OS column, it said 2x. Seems fishy to me... how would I change that?

Just to make sure it got installed right, I'd download the newest 4in1 and install them again. Make sure the AGP driver is installed in "turbo". I *think* it still gives that option (I haven't used a via chipset in a while, but from what I remember, that was the install if you wanted 8x AGP).

Something is certainly amiss if it's only running in 2x AGP mode.

Actually, you should *NOT* install that AGP driver from the 4-in-1 package. Let Microsoft's Universal AGP driver handle the AGP slot and everything related to it. It is known that the AGP driver in the Hyperion drivers causes conflicts.

Since when?

Like I said, it's been a while since I used a VIA chipset myself, but I do remember that NOT installing that driver = neutered performance before.

My bad, I wasn't specific enough. Not installing the AGP driver only applies to those who have Windows XP SP2 installed. The recently released 4.55vp1 Hyperion drivers will not update the AGP driver if the system is running WinXP SP2, in line with Microsoft?s recommendations concerning AGP drivers.