[Resolved]Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and stays there.

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donkeyhigh
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

Nice advice :pBut I love Windows 7 for everything else.However if I can't figure this out soon I'm formatting, installing Windows 7 64-bit and XP on a secound partition just in chase Tongue

lectorgc_
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

I checked my parameters and my gpu doesn't heat up as your (stays on 47 as in windows), but it loads about 20% in game (~3% when in windows). Check how much your gpu loads and your gpu/mem clocks.

I have the enemy flag!

* lectorgc_ rolls the dice 2 times ⚅ ⚅ and gets 12

donkeyhigh
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

So I started Quake3 and checked CCCenter, it says the GPU is still on 0% activity.
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4773/fanspeed.jpg

lectorgc_
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

And also your current gpu clock=240 instead 880 that means it is in energy save mode.

I have the enemy flag!

* lectorgc_ rolls the dice 2 times ⚅ ⚅ and gets 12

donkeyhigh
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

So how do I change that? :)It's always been like that.. So that would probably give me quite a boost, right?

lectorgc_
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

Search through ati driver settings. I don't know where, but it should be like "Power Management Mode". Also check gpu clock when modern game running. It should grows up to relevant value.

I have the enemy flag!

* lectorgc_ rolls the dice 2 times ⚅ ⚅ and gets 12

joey
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

yeah, i don't have an amd to show you the screen but your catalyst will have an option to set the power saving options. And if not there, check the windows powermanagement

donkeyhigh
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

So I looked around in the Catalyst Controll Center, but didn't find anything like that. I guess it's supossed to be ATI Overdrive, but that doesn't seem to work to me.So in Power Management I changed the settings from Balanced to Performance. Even disabled PCI Express in all my powersettings profiles just in chase. But still the CCC said my GPU was clocked at 240MHz. So I downloaded a small tool called GPU Tool. It let me manually change the voltage and clock speed.So I set it to 880 in 2d/low mode, meaning it should always be clocked at 880MHz, right?
Anyway, now I can't change any settings in CCC, however this isn't a big problem as I can use GPU-Tool for that now.But still, whenever I play Quake, it works fine for a while, then my FPS drops like hell.It's not capped at 30FPS any more, it goes all crazy all over the place.First it's stable 125 like it used to be, then it goes from 3-80 FPS, before it goes to 125 for a little while again, then down to 2-3 fps.I even tried setting all Quake 3 settings to the ultimate low, like pikmip 3 or whatever, and 640*480 resolution, just to test. It's still like 5 FPS.
The thing that pisses me off the most is that CCC still says there is 0% Activity on the GPU.

New screen:http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/1105/gputool.jpg

donkeyhigh
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

Okay, this is getting beyond stupid. I actually went as far as editing and replacing my BIOS to force my GPU to stay at 880mhz even in 2D mode. So it's basicly the same as disabling PowerPlay I guess. Now my GPU Clock says 880MHz in CCC all the time. And yes, I amped the voltage as well as the GPU Clock. (However the PC wouldn't start correct at first, but after a few boots and tests I got it running again though. Almost gave up and flashed it back.)
But here's the bad news, the activity is still just around 0-3%, even when gaming Q3. And it starts lagging after a while again. Just like before.
Any ideas why this could be? I'm thinking trying a few different drivers might be more profitable now that I've disabled PowerPlay in the VBIOS. Suggestions? Happy

donkeyhigh
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Re: Runs smooth 125 FPS for 1 minute, then drops to 30 and ...

Okay, played some more now, still dropping FPS, but at least now the Activity in CCC is starting to move some.It goes from 3% to 7-8%. But it's still laggy as hell. So I'm guessing now it's more likely to be a CPU problem?