GPU or else?

[kovi29]

Hi all, please help me. I have lag problem in all racing games (except Track Mania), when I say lag, I mean that after 15 minutes of playing, there is a FPS drop from 30 FPS to 5 for about 15 seconds, then everything comes back to normal for aprox. 3-5 minutes, when lag again. The system is Athlon XP 5200+, Asus m2A-mx, 4gb DDR2, HIS Radeon 4650 1Gb DDR3, Win 7 Pro 32bit.

 

[xStampede]

Your PC is getting old, you should start thinking on buying a new one. Anyway it sounds like a PSU problem, can you try changing PSU and see if you still get the problem.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Your PC is getting old, you should start thinking on buying a new one. Anyway it sounds like a PSU problem, can you try changing PSU and see if you still get the problem.

PSUs do not cause intermittent lag like that.

OP, can you monitor temperatures, such as your CPU and your GPU. See if it is overheating in that time period.

When was the last time you cleaned the dust out of your PC?

 

[kovi29]

I have cleaned the PC 3 days ago, because I was thinking too that maybe it's overheating, but the same problem. xStampede, I know it's getting old, but I am talking about games like Colin McRae 2005 and NFS Most Wanted (yes, I Iove oldies but goldies)!! And the graphical details and are not at maximum (I've tried, it has nothing to do with the detail level or resolution)

 

[kovi29]

And I forget, in GPU temp the maximum was 52 degree.

 

[Rogue Leader]

How about CPU temperatures

 

[kovi29]

How about CPU temperatures

Maximum 58-59 degree

 

[rcald2000]

+kovi29 I admit that while reading your problem, I initially thought that dust accumulation inside the system might be causing thermal throttling of your CPU. My opinion changed when you wrote "everything comes back to normal for aprox. 3-5 minutes". My first thought is that you have a virus, trojan or malware causing this problem. Am I correct in assuming that you're running Windows XP or 7?

Close all programs and save your work, then run these two utilities; one after the other. They both will most likely reboot your system to clean whatever infection it find. Neither of them will harm any of your files. Run ADWCleaner and close the log file when it's done. Then do the same with Combofix. Once they've both completed, report back here whether the issue is better, worse or the same.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/

 

[Rogue Leader]

Ok so the cpu and gpu are not overheating based on that.

I would say you should run some data logging software like MSI Afterburner so we can see whats going on when the game starts to stutter.

At this point the GPU going bad seems like a distinct possibility.

 

[kovi29]

+kovi29 I admit that while reading your problem, I initially thought that dust accumulation inside the system might be causing thermal throttling of your CPU. My opinion changed when you wrote "verything comes back to normal for aprox. 3-5 minutes". My first thought is that you have a virus, trojan or malware causing this problem. Am I correct in assuming that you're running Windows XP or 7?

Close all programs and save your work, then run these two utilities; one after the other. They both will most likely reboot your system to clean whatever infection it find. Neither of them will harm any of your files. Run ADWCleaner and close the log file when it's done. Then do the same with Combofix. Once they've both completed, report back here whether the issue is better, worse or the same.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/

Thanks for the tip, but unfortunately it's not working. I've cleaned all the files (almost 200 infected files), but the symptom is the same.

 

[rcald2000]

+kovi29 I think your system is indeed thermal throttling after-all. I feel like your CPU might be teetering between the point of throttle & non-throttle. Your load temps are 10-15 degrees higher than what I've heard of in the past. A non-official website states maximum operating temp range 55°C - 68°C. These older athlon's can't withstand the 80C temps of a current generation Intel. Could you please do the following:

Re-check the temps with HWMonitor: http://www.cpuid.com/downloads/hwmonitor/hwmonitor_1.30.exe

Take at least two photos of the inside of your case, upload to imgur and share the link(s) here. I'd like to get an idea of the airflow inside your computer.

Open your computer case and tilt it toward the ceiling, to let excess heat escape while the power is on. Try to recreate the lagging problem. Is it better, worse or the same? If better then it's probably time to clean off and reapply thermal paste. In addition, there may be excess dust in places that you missed: inside power supply, case vents, etc. Obviously you'd want to re-clean with the power off and unplugged.

Addendum: I also wonder if AMD Cool n Quiet driver/feature is enabled and partially causing this issue.

 

[rcald2000]

Ironically, I just found this old thread:

Tom's Hardware: Games are lagging(CPU Problem I think?)
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2637593/games-lagging-cpu-problem.html

* user +dodo236 precisely describes the same issue on the same processor as yours. Even though there is no resolution listed, the last response was user +faalin theorizing that thermal throttling is the cause. I believe that he was correct.

 

[kovi29]

Ok guys, it looks that with your help I, or it's better to say rcald2000 have found the problem. I installed HW monitor, started to play, and it looks that the CPU its's going up to 76 degree, and this temp I think it's a little bit high. I will try to put some fresh thermo paste, and maybe a new cooler (it's the stock installed). And by the way, rcald2000, when I clean the PC, I leave in the tower only the motherboard with the cpu cooler on it, everything else it's taken out and cleaned, even the PSU.

 

[kovi29]

Hello again, i'm back again. So, it looks that the problem wasn't the heat, new thermo paste, CPU in full load 58 degree, GPU 51, problem the same....BUT, there is another issue I didn't mention (I tought it's not important). Sometimes when I start the PC, the monitor stays in power saving mode. if I get out the cable from the card, it says check signal cable, so it's not the cable and I think not the card. If I stop the computer from the power button, the power led didn't goes out only after 5-10 minutes. Can it be mobo or PSU???