Strange Graphics Card Problem...

[apratim2002]

I have the following PC configuration:
1.Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
2.Motherboard: ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO AM3
3.Hard Disk: Western Digital 320 GB 7200 rpm
4.RAM: 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1333 MHz Kingston Value RAM KVR1333D3N9/2G
5.Monitor: Samsung 20-inch SyncMaster B2030 Widescreen Monitor
6.Graphics Card : ZOTAC GeForce 260 GTX
7.PSU : Cooler Master 600W
Things were allright (atleast i didnt notice any problem) for the first 10-15 days...I had the graphics driver which came along with the card...but yesterday I installed the new graphics card drivers from NVIDIA....Since last night I have observed the following:-
there is this www.passmark.com "performance test 7.0" software which had been giving me graphics mark as above 1800.now it gives about 1600...now the funny thing is, just after I restarted the PC, it agn gave 1800...then I shut down the PC...when I switched on the PC after around say 2-3 hrs, it agn gave 1600...along with this, my games are also behaving in the same way...when its 1800, NFS Shift gives over 60 fps, but at 1600, it gives around 45-50 fps...now as u can see there are two states thru which my graphics card is going...it is fluctuating between these two states...but its never fluctuating when my PC is on...if i restart my PC after 2-3 hrs it will probably agn go to the 1600 state...agn if i switch off the PC and restart after a few hrs, it nite agn give 1800(the game frame rates follow accordingly)...pls suggest what to do...!!!I'm totally confused...I uninstalled the new drivers and reinstalled the old ones, but still no change in the fluctuations...now i cant understand the problem...can the sudden power loss damage the graphics card?

=======================================================
This thread has become a bit messy and difficult to follow, so I'm giving here all the information I can in one place(this can also be found on page 3 where I actually posted it):

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW(OR RATHER ALL THE INFO I CAN GIVE TILL NOW):
SPECIFICATIONS: The detail specifications of my PC can be found on page 1 of this thread.
INTRODUCTION: My PC's graphics performance alternates between two states.Let us call them "good state" (good performance state) and "bad state" (bad performance state).
OBSERVATIONS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM: This I present in a point-wise format...
1. As much as I have noticed, the PC can change from good state to bad state or vice versa only with a restart of the PC, or a fresh start altogether(I mean switching off completely then starting again).That is, it doesn't change states when my PC is on.
2. When I start the PC after some considerable amount of time (say 30 mins or so) it is almost always in the bad state.But then as soon as I do a benchmark using Performance test 7.0 (and find it in the bad state) and I restart my PC, it almost always goes to the good state.
3. Once I get this good state, no matter how many times I benchmark, it is always in the good state.If I now restart my PC, it still almost always remains in good state.
4. Now I switch off my PC.I start it gain after 30 mins or 1 hour...again in bad state.
Summary:
One Fine Morning --->Start my PC--->bad state--->restart my PC using restart button of windows--->miraculously it turns to good state--->restart my PC using restart button of windows--->still good state--->turn off my PC--->switch on my PC after 30 mins or so--->bad state.
The above summary is the usual path taken by my PC(as much as I have observed till date)...but there is no guarantee that the above path will always be taken... the above summary is applicable for let's say 7 or 8 out of 10 times.
OTHER PROBLEMS:I got no other PC to test...unfortunately all my friends who have gaming PCs have either shifted to other cities for college or use laptops for gaming.
A FEW NEW OBSERVATIONS: Our electric supply standby voltage is around 205 V, not 220 V.Can this affect?but if it does, then why does my graphics card sometimes perform well and sometimes doesn't?and moreover why didnt it affect gaming frames/sec in the first 2 weeks after i assembled the PC?
A FEW LAST WORDS: Thanks a lot to all you lovely people out there who have been trying to help...

 

[apratim2002]

i used CPUID hardware monitor to test the voltages...here is wht i got:
voltages:
value min max
Cpu VCORE:1.01 0.99 1.39
+3.3V: 3.36 3.34 3.36
+12V: 12.48 12.35 12.48
-12V: -6.27 -6.34 -6.27
VBAT: 3.25 3.25 3.25


do the voltages seem right?why isnt +5V showing?

 

[jarlmaster47]

wow ur -12v is really really low. ur psu is failing. I would get a new one immediately before it takes down the rest of ur comp with it. get a nice corsair hx650w. -12v should be 11.5-11.8v. the fact that ur 5v is not showing means there is a problem with psu's 5v rail. corsair psu's have single 12v rails with high ampage. you NEED a new psu and now. do not use ur computer until you get it because u don't want parts to be fried

 

[apratim2002]

but PC probe II which came along with my ASUS mobo shows the +5V as 5.02, but unfortunately -12V does not show there....so cant verify that...wht to do?

 

[jarlmaster47]

but PC probe II which came along with my ASUS mobo shows the +5V as 5.02, but unfortunately -12V does not show there....so cant verify that...wht to do?

that is really really strange. but the point at then end of the day is is that your psu is the problem. go ahead and get a corsair hx650w. you will be doing urself a favor. if ur psu dies then it could take out EVERY other part with it. u do NOT want that. ur 5v rail is fine. but -12v rail at 6v or so is an enormous problem

 

[linkin]

HWMontior is not accurate with voltages. it says my +5v rail is 4.76v, if that were the case i think my computer would not be alive.

Use the BIOS to check voltages, it is more accurate than HWMonitor but in some cases still not so accurate. FYI my +5V reads 4.95v in BIOS.

 

[jarlmaster47]

HWMontior is not accurate with voltages. it says my +5v rail is 4.76v, if that were the case i think my computer would not be alive.

Use the BIOS to check voltages, it is more accurate than HWMonitor but in some cases still not so accurate. FYI my +5V reads 4.95v in BIOS.

that is a good point. but his -12v rail is still a massive problem. that is just not normal

 

[apratim2002]

HWMontior is not accurate with voltages. it says my +5v rail is 4.76v, if that were the case i think my computer would not be alive.

Use the BIOS to check voltages, it is more accurate than HWMonitor but in some cases still not so accurate. FYI my +5V reads 4.95v in BIOS.

will BIOS show -12 V rail's reading also?ya i know that these softwares vary a lot in checking the voltages...but as u said tht it shows 4.76V instead of 4.95(in BIOS)...tht surely is a lot too not keep ur PC alive, but still the percentage difference is quite less...but my -12V shows around -6Vin HWmonitor...itsnt tht too much of a difference...?if my BIOS doesnt show -12V, is there any other software which can show fairly accurate voltages and is compatible with my mobo?

 

[jarlmaster47]

will BIOS show -12 V rail's reading also?ya i know that these softwares vary a lot in checking the voltages...but as u said tht it shows 4.76V instead of 4.95(in BIOS)...tht surely is a lot too not keep ur PC alive, but still the percentage difference is quite less...but my -12V shows around -6Vin HWmonitor...itsnt tht too much of a difference...?if my BIOS doesnt show -12V, is there any other software which can show fairly accurate voltages and is compatible with my mobo?

dude I keep telling you that those voltages are NOT safe. I will tell you for the last time. GET A NEW PSU!!!!

 

[Aastii]

HWMontior is not accurate with voltages. it says my +5v rail is 4.76v, if that were the case i think my computer would not be alive.

Use the BIOS to check voltages, it is more accurate than HWMonitor but in some cases still not so accurate. FYI my +5V reads 4.95v in BIOS.

that is a good point. but his -12v rail is still a massive problem. that is just not normal

dude I keep telling you that those voltages are NOT safe. I will tell you for the last time. GET A NEW PSU!!!!

+1 what linkin said

-1 what jarl said.

Using his logic, my just over 1 yr old PSU is failing because it shows my +3.3 as being 0.56, and I don't have any others but my +3.3 and +5 showing, so my +12V rail MUST have a problem

Post what the BIOS says first before jumping to premature conclusions.

The power cut could haev damaged the graphics card, but if that happened, it would have most probably killed it and other components, not just made it not as good as it was before

 

[apratim2002]

+1 what linkin said

-1 what jarl said.

Using his logic, my just over 1 yr old PSU is failing because it shows my +3.3 as being 0.56, and I don't have any others but my +3.3 and +5 showing, so my +12V rail MUST have a problem

Post what the BIOS says first before jumping to premature conclusions.

The power cut could haev damaged the graphics card, but if that happened, it would have most probably killed it and other components, not just made it not as good as it was before

u know the strange thing abt the graphics card is not that it is not working as good as before...its that sometimes its working AS GOOD AS BEFORE...sometimes (usually after i again start the PC after 2-3 hrs rest) it ISN'T... it means that lets say today at 2 pm if it gives me 65 fps for NFS Shift, I play the game, enjoy it...close the PC....then again I start the PC lets say at 6pm and it will give me 45fps for NSF Shift, with all settings exactly the same...its not just this game, all other games and benchmarks...they keep changing between two widely different values...for xample in NFS Shift it either gives 45fps or 65fps, why not anything in between? and if the graphics card is damaged, why doesnt it always give 45fps or less?why does it come back to its original 65fps?now my question is: Can a graphics card have inconsistent performance?sometimes performing outstandingly well....sometimes not...I just cant imagine a PC being able to play Crysis at 1pm and not being able to play it at 3pm just because I had switched off the PC once in between to have my lunch...
OK...i have got the power stuff from BIOS...
VCORE 1.36V
3.3: 3.344V
5: 5.068V
12: 11.795V
but nowhere is -12V or -5 V or -3.3 V mentioned in the BIOS...the HWMonitor software said -12V as -6 ...the +12 V is somewhat near what the BIOS says...
Latest updates from this morning:-
1.I start the PC:
2.test run nfs shift
get 45 fps(approx obviously)
3.close NFS Shift after 4 minutes
4.Restart my PC
5.test run NFS Shift again
get 65fps(my PC should be performing like this, which it consistently used to do a week or so back)
Now what changed my PC in a matter of 7 minutes...?now i also know that if I switch off my PC and start it after say an hour or so, again probably it will go back to that bad performance state of 45fps in NFS Shift...

 

[rwm19]

just a side note, just purchased a zotac 9800 gt myself and notice they have a life time warranty, not sure about the 260 but if it is the card, zotacs got you covered (if u register ur card). good luck mate

 

[apratim2002]

just a side note, just purchased a zotac 9800 gt myself and notice they have a life time warranty, not sure about the 260 but if it is the card, zotacs got you covered (if u register ur card). good luck mate

ya i know...i have registered it...thanks anyway...if its the PSU then I have even got 2 years warranty for my Cooler Master PSU...but I must first be sure what the problem is...then only I can send the particular part...

 

[linkin]

when you RMA, if you think something is not right they will accept it. when they get it they will test it and if it's borked they'll replace and if it isn't they will send it back.

Contact CoolerMaster and explain the situation (-12V reading as -6V) and see what they have to say. it might be normal for your unit to get that reading.

The only way you can be sure is with a power supply tester, i don't suppose you have one of those?

 

[apratim2002]

when you RMA, if you think something is not right they will accept it. when they get it they will test it and if it's borked they'll replace and if it isn't they will send it back.

Contact CoolerMaster and explain the situation (-12V reading as -6V) and see what they have to say. it might be normal for your unit to get that reading.

The only way you can be sure is with a power supply tester, i don't suppose you have one of those?

no i dont have a power supply tester but why do u say that it mite be normal for the unit to get that reading?-6V at -12V?ok, I'll contact cooler master...
but about that fluctuating graphics card performance?I think I can do something, but I dont know how to implement it.U people can help...My graphics card is fluctuating between two widely different performance states,right?one normal good performance state and the other bad/abnormal performance state...Say, there is a software which can give readings of various different parameters of a graphics card...now when my card is in the bad performance state, I run that software and take screenshots to note down all the various parameter reading of the card...then I turn off the PC...again after a few hours I start the PC and if my card is in the good normal state, then I run the software again and note down all the parameters...then I can compare and see if there's some too much difference in any of the parameters...because the frame rate change is drastic....20 fps(for NFS Shift)!!!
now the question is, is there any such software?I have checked with GPU-Z...all parameters remain same...but there are too less parameters in GPU-Z...and one more thing...does the clock speeds of graphics cards change?like when I'm not playing games...are the graphics card clock speeds supposed to decrease?

 

[rwm19]

id try rivatuner, might be useful.

 

[apratim2002]

Can this fluctuating graphics card performance problem be the reason of some mobo problem?

 

[rwm19]

probably not, ive seen mobos change cpu multiplier but thats a different story, it shouldnt be changing or throttling the gpu, especially if you try to play a game.

 

[Aastii]

Can this fluctuating graphics card performance problem be the reason of some mobo problem?

probably not, ive seen mobos change cpu multiplier but thats a different story, it shouldnt be changing or throttling the gpu, especially if you try to play a game.

no but mobo problems could be the cause of graphics problems if there is a problem with the PCIe slot or the paths/controllers for it.

Have you tried eitehr using a different video card in there and seeing if it does the same, or putting your card in a different system and seeing if it does it?

If you can do both, that would be even better, because then if neither showed any kind of fault, you would know that it is either a software problem, or another piece of hardware acting up that isn't your GPU or mobo

 

[apratim2002]

no but mobo problems could be the cause of graphics problems if there is a problem with the PCIe slot or the paths/controllers for it.

Have you tried eitehr using a different video card in there and seeing if it does the same, or putting your card in a different system and seeing if it does it?

If you can do both, that would be even better, because then if neither showed any kind of fault, you would know that it is either a software problem, or another piece of hardware acting up that isn't your GPU or mobo

Thanks a lot...thts a gr8 way to test the problem...but at the moment I don't have any other system which will support my graphics card...if I know a frnd who has one, then I will try out ur suggestions...btw, can I test with my on-board graphics enabled instead of connecting to the graphics card?I know it probably wont run NFS Shift but I can test with the software called "Performance test 7" as I have been doing with the graphics card...then If I see that the 3D score is fluctuating between two widely different values(as it has been doing for the graphics card), then I'll know the graphics card is not faulty...what do u say?