Fps Problems

AreteArete Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5921Members
<div class="IPBDescription">FPS Issues</div> Hey all..

-sighs heavily- This has been a problem that has plagued me for about a month now, and its basically caused me to stop playing any steam oriented FPS game.

This isn't a normal "i can't get above 30fps" problem. I have done all of the conventional techniques for fixing FPS issues, but this one is different from the norm.

I will log into Natural Selection(or counter-strike) and I will get a constant 99-100fps. I get the usual FPS stuttering down to 70 or so during really large action fights, or big open rooms ect.

But...my problem occurs after a random amount of time played. I'll be going along at 100fps perfectly fine, then boom. It doesn't seem to be a consistent action, and since it happens in counter-strike as well I can't seem to place where it occurs. My FPS suddenly drops to 20-30 and it NEVER rises back to 100 again. It will remain this way until I quit out of the game(and sometimes that doesn't even work..) I have tried all of the normal solutions for FPS issues, and I am confused to hell. V-sync is ALWAYS off, Anti-Aliasing ect is off, all of the normal fixes for FPS issues have been tried.

I am posting this here in hopes that this good community can find a solution for me.

I am running a 2.8GHZ Intel laptop. 1gig of ram, a 64meg Radeon 9000 mobility. I do not have FPS issues in other games, only counter-strike/natural selection that I have found. Since I can achieve 100fps, and I have always(previous to this issue) had 100fps without any problems I cannot put my finger on it.

Any advice is welcome!

Comments

  • davez0rdavez0r Join Date: 2005-01-31 Member: 39275Members, Constellation
    <ul><li> Are you playing in D3D or OpenGL mode in NS?</li><li> Are you turning off the high-end particles in the menu?</li></ul>
  • AreteArete Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5921Members
    OpenGL

    What particles? And why would that have changed within the last few months? I mean, I could blame any "setting" problems on CONSTANT fps issues, but I literally play for 10-30minutes before this issue occurs.
  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    that is... just odd....

    I almost wonder if it isn't your RAM or perhaps Power Supply being unable to keep running at such a high rate... but that wouldn't make sense...
  • davez0rdavez0r Join Date: 2005-01-31 Member: 39275Members, Constellation
    Try and clean our your cpu and video card heatsinks\fans. Might have accumulation in there that's causing heat disipation problems.
  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    Try limiting your FPS to 60- could help *shrug*
  • l0tusl0tus Join Date: 2004-09-07 Member: 31492Members
    edited February 2005
    sounds like you're overheating to me. unfortunately, you cant try removing the side panel on your PC because you're using a laptop. i don't really know what to tell you at the moment, but i'm almost positive it's your video card overheating, as this was a fairly common problem when i was working at a tech service. also, that 64meg card isn't doing you any favors, especially w/NS. i know it's not what you want to hear, but an upgrade (if it's possible with your laptop, not sure off·hand) would probably help...
  • SDJasonSDJason Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16841Members
    Tell me what programs you haev running in the backround....

    I traced my FPs problem

    Of every 2-4 seconds getting a momentary drop from 75 to like 20 (but this stutter was deadly in a firefight) to my Abit temperature monitoring software..

    Perhaps you have some program that automatically engages or something... check your cpu usage (ctrl alt delete)

    ~Jason
  • vOlumevOlume Join Date: 2004-09-19 Member: 31796Members
    I agree, it'd be a heat problem.
  • theclamtheclam Join Date: 2004-08-01 Member: 30290Members
    Laptops automatically power down their processors depending on heat and battery life.
  • surprisesurprise Join Date: 2003-01-16 Member: 12382Members, Constellation
    perhaps the server messes around with your fps_max ?!?!?! <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    OH A laptop! I see! Yeah, get one of those laptop cooling doohickers <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> That'll help a bunch <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • SDJasonSDJason Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16841Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-theclam+Feb 2 2005, 03:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (theclam @ Feb 2 2005, 03:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Laptops automatically power down their processors depending on heat and battery life. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    yeah i was thinking something like this maybe too...


    But i know next to **** about laptops.....

    Makes sense though...

    ~Jason
  • l0tusl0tus Join Date: 2004-09-07 Member: 31492Members
    edited February 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-theclam+Feb 2 2005, 03:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (theclam @ Feb 2 2005, 03:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Laptops automatically power down their processors depending on heat and battery life. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <i>maybe</i> 1 in 3 laptops i've serviced actually had a fail·safe function like this. it's definitely not the norm...
  • BulletHeadBulletHead Join Date: 2004-07-22 Member: 30049Members
    No, most of them have a power controler to keep battery life high- the thing is, as it gets hot, the battery's overall energy life shortens, and thus it can't supply as much power... *shrug*
  • AreteArete Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5921Members
    Thanks for all the responses.


    This has just started happening within the last few months so it could be buildup or overheating I suppose. I can always attempt to open my laptop, I dont think it is under warranty anymore anyway.

    The 64 Meg card has always worked fine in the past, and I have 1gig of ram. It isn't like this has been ongoing, I have owned this laptop and played NS on it for more than 2 years now. I cannot upgrade the video card.

    From what i know about my laptop the only function in which it cuts processor power would be when I boot the computer up on battery power, in which it halves it. I am booting the computer on AC power plugged into a wall outlet so that shouldn't be happening.

    The problem is It doesn't feel any warmer than normal, and the fans seem to be working like they have been. I may try consulting the Sager Forums for answers as well, but thank you for all the advice.
  • AreteArete Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5921Members
    Doesnt look to be a heat issue and I examined the fans(without opening the computer) and they dont seem to be clogged or working incorrectly.

    I opened the room(its winter with snow outside) and turned a fan on aimed at my computer to see if that helped. Its like 50 degrees in my room and I still have the issue and the computer feels cool to the touch.


    I dont understand this. Its driving me insane. I need my NS.
  • SDJasonSDJason Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16841Members
    have you checked to see if any programs run in the backround (maybe you have a program that begins running 20 minutes after your computer boots up or something???

    Its not as completely rediculous as it sounds....

    Spyware bogging it down??

    something you might want to try

    Run a benchmarking software (like 3dmark03 or 05 or something) and get the score right when you boot up (and ns would play fine) then wait till ns stops working right, minimize it (leave it running) set the HL process to LOWEST priority (temporarily) run the benchmark again, then CLOSE Halflife alltogether, wait 10 seconds or so, and run the benchmark a third time

    Compare the three results..... see where the problem is...

    is it ns itself, or is it simply the computer being on for a certain amt of time
    ~Jason
  • AreteArete Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5921Members
    I dont have any spyware, I have run several virus/spyware scans.

    I monitor my processes by looking at Taskmanager during the problems and I see nothing new. I only have a few exe's running, HL, Steam ect.


    How would a 3dmark program help me figure out the problem?
  • invTempestinvTempest Join Date: 2003-03-02 Member: 14223Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    I had a very similar problem with my laptop that is now a year old. Even though you might not think that its a overheating problem, it is. To my amazement I opened up my laptop and pulled out a huge wad of dust that was cloging the heatsink. Now I get 90-70 fps in ns while I used to get around 30 before!

    - Are the fans blowing out at a decent rate compared to what they are sucking in?
  • TykjenTykjen Join Date: 2003-01-21 Member: 12552Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    this tool could solved my stuttering problems

    <a href='http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=951' target='_blank'>http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=951</a>

    read the forum thread link in there, its too much for me to try and explain, but i read the thread, did the adjustments that was needed, and my stutter was gone. few knows about this tool, but be careful, and make sure you only adjust what u are supposed to.
  • TykjenTykjen Join Date: 2003-01-21 Member: 12552Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    this tool could solved my stuttering problems

    <a href='http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=951' target='_blank'>http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=951</a>

    read the forum thread link in there, its too much for me to try and explain, but i read the thread, did the adjustments that was needed, and my stutter was gone. few knows about this tool, but be careful, and make sure you only adjust what u are supposed to.

    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->This tweak is an important one, and one well worth checking into. Apparently, newer high-end video cards hog PCI latency for no known reason. This makes other components wait for access and causes stutters and thus lower frame rates. If you adjust the latency this might benefit you, users are reporting big improvements.

    You can download this small utility program that allows you set your PCI latency. Adjust the PCI latency from for example 248 to 64, and there's a very good chance of stutter free performance & sound.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
  • SDJasonSDJason Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16841Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Arete+Feb 4 2005, 11:53 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Arete @ Feb 4 2005, 11:53 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I dont have any spyware, I have run several virus/spyware scans.

    I monitor my processes by looking at Taskmanager during the problems and I see nothing new. I only have a few exe's running, HL, Steam ect.


    How would a 3dmark program help me figure out the problem? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Doing the 3dmark would tell you several things....

    1. If its NS, or your computer itself

    2. If you let your computer idle (possibly cool down) and try the benchmakr again,(4th time) depending on the scores you get that fourth time you could find out whether its a heat problem, a problem in steam/ns, or something else


    It wont tell you much, but its somewhere to start from, and thats what you need right now... somewhere to start from....

    ~Jason
  • BerettaBeretta Join Date: 2003-08-16 Member: 19794Members
    Possibly get one of these <a href='http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=5119829916&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=61069' target='_blank'>fans</a>

    if it is an overheating issue <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    or underclock you graphics card?
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