Could I get some general system help please?

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 15:42

Hello OCUK

Apologies if I have written this thread in the wrong forum, I looked down the list of sub-forums but I couldn't decide which one to categorize this one under so if a Moderator could move it (if it needs moving) I would be very grateful.

So down to my issue:

I've had my computer since around January time and ever since then it's had one persisting problem. TRANSPARENCY. I know this is pretty obscure but hear me out.

So whenever I have Windows Aero enabled my computer lags. Not as in my CPU usage is being guzzled like a cold pint on a hot summers day, but lag as in frame rate sort of speak. Having Aero enabled causes my games to be slower, my mouse (in game or out of game) to be slower in responsiveness, my windows to lag when I move them around my screen (Very very bad lag may I point out), Lag when opening and closing windows (You can really see it), Typing delay lag. The list can go on. I have a program called "Microsoft Fix It" which ASUS recommended me to get and it says:

Your video card does not support Windows Aero. Install a video card that supports this feature. Your video card does not support DirectX 9.0 or OpenGL 2.0.

However, All of this disappears when I go into Windows Basic mode. By now you'd probably think "Why not just stay in Basic mode and shut up then?" Well, Basic mode isn't exactly problem free either. Whenever I move my windows around in basic mode, both of my monitors flash white constantly for the duration of me moving the window until I stop, and when I cross a window to another screen they stay white permanently until I bring that window back to the window it was opened on. (Weird right?)

After speaking with technical support of the distributor they said that I need to try my GPU in a friends PC to see if it's the card, and if the card works fine then it might be the PCI-E controller inside the CPU that isn't working correctly, or the motherboard.

Either way, Can I get some advice from you guys on what this might be or potential fixes?

Thanks in advance for baring with me.

Specs:
CPU: Intel™ Core i5 3570K (Ivybridge) @ 4.6GHz
CPU Cooler: Corsair H80i
Motherboard: ASUS Sabertooth Z77 (LGA1155)
Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum 16GB (4x4GB) @ 1600Mhz
SSD #1 (Boot Drive): Corsair Force 3 120GB
SSD #2: OCZ Agility 3 60GB
HDD #1: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB
HDD #2: Seagate Barracuda 500GB 6GB/s
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 660 Ti OC 2GB
PSU: Corsair HX850W Modular 80+ PLUS Silver Certified
Optical Drive: LG 22x DVD/RW
Sound: ASUS Xonar Essence STX
Case: Corsair Carbide 500R

Running dual 24" monitors at 1920 x 1080.

Idleman · 1 Sep 2013 at 15:59

Are all your mobo and Gpu drivers up to date and have you tried the card in another PC or another card in yours?

ExRayTed · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:04

My thoughts too, ensure motherboard chipset and GPU drivers are up to date. You could use driver sweeper to clear out any old drivers.

wazza300 · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:05

try with just one monitor see if 2 monitors are affecting things in any way

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:07

Idleman said:
Are all your mobo and Gpu drivers up to date and have you tried the card in another PC or another card in yours?

All the drivers for everything in my system is at the latest. Trying my card in my friends system tomorrow when he comes round with his PC for a mini-LAN and i'll try his in mine and get back to you on that one.

wazza300 said:
try with just one monitor see if 2 monitors are affecting things in any way

Good idea, I'll try that now.

foster grant · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:11

ExRayTed said:
My thoughts too, ensure motherboard chipset and GPU drivers are up to date. You could use driver sweeper to clear out any old drivers.

+1

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:15

wazza300 said:
try with just one monitor see if 2 monitors are affecting things in any way

Okay so I tried running one monitor by pulling out the HDMI cable in one of them and when one was running the problem seemed to have completely gone! However plugging back in and boom, problem returns?

wazza300 · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:17

idk how nvidia is with two monitors but on amd cards they don't enter the low idle clocks so that they can run two monitors and im guessing aero as it needs more gpu processing power

try looking in the monitor config in NVidia control panel

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:31

wazza300 said:
idk how nvidia is with two monitors but on amd cards they don't enter the low idle clocks so that they can run two monitors and im guessing aero as it needs more gpu processing power

try looking in the monitor config in NVidia control panel

The only thing I could think of for this would be to select under the NVidia control panel for my card to be in "Multi Display Performance" mode which it already was. Can't think of anything else that would affect this issue :\

wazza300 · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:38

what hz monitors? above 60hz also affects gpu idle state

could try with dvi ports if you have them see if that help,cant think what else you can try,its clearly dual monitor issue somewhere(I think

)

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:51

wazza300 said:
what hz monitors? above 60hz also affects gpu idle state

could try with dvi ports if you have them see if that help,cant think what else you can try,its clearly dual monitor issue somewhere(I think )

Both monitors run at 60Hz 1920 x 1080. Both are running HDMI to the card however my main monitor is HDMI input and the secondary is using an HDMI to DVI adapter and then plugging into the cards DVI port.

wazza300 · 1 Sep 2013 at 16:55

idk,you could try driversweeper and wipe all NVidia drivers and install them again

does aero work on just the hdmi to dvi monitor?(if you disable the hdmi to hdmi monitor)

could be driver bug somewhere

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 17:12

wazza300 said:
idk,you could try driversweeper and wipe all NVidia drivers and install them again

does aero work on just the hdmi to dvi monitor?(if you disable the hdmi to hdmi monitor)

could be driver bug somewhere

I've tried driversweeper on a couple of occasions before with no success, also reformatted once about a month ago to try and fix the issue but also, without luck.

Aero works on either of them, HDMI input or the HDMI using a DVI adapter. As long as it's just one or the other it doesn't make a difference. :/

wazza300 · 1 Sep 2013 at 17:15

ahh I see

have you tried with older driver versions? I don't know what else

EDIT: did a quick google it seems its more common if the cards are of different vendors/manufacturers

oh and you've tried connecting both monitors to the upper card? and again on the lower card? same result?

SomethingRoyal · 1 Sep 2013 at 17:57

wazza300 said:
ahh I see

have you tried with older driver versions? I don't know what else

EDIT: did a quick google it seems its more common if the cards are of different vendors/manufacturers

oh and you've tried connecting both monitors to the upper card? and again on the lower card? same result?

I only have one card, I don't have SLI. I have two monitors.