7800 gs+ underperforming?

[Generator]

Just like to start off by saying this is my first post here, been 'lurking' here for a while but only just started posting now.
So - Hi to everyone!

About a month ago I bought a Bliss 7800 gs+ from Overclockers. Had a bit of trouble up till Monday of this week and finally got it working. Now I wouldn't say I'm a computer expert at all so I'd really like some opinions from on here.

When I got the card working I was very pleased to see high fps in games I like to play, and it seemed so high to me because before this I was used to crappy 128mb integrated graphics -_-'
Anyway, sometimes I play an old game ('bout 3/4 years old) called Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, now in this I get high fps quite a lot 100 - 200 (sometimes a bit more) but its just constantly changing. In the same second or 2 I may experience 15 fps and 150 fps. Also I will sometimes get periods of it constantly going up and down about 70 fps which results in a sort of stuttering lag. I also tried half life 2 and get fps of about 35 - 50 in corridors and down to 10 - 15 outside sometimes. Should it be this low?
I ran the free version of 3dmark 05: http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=2177260

I also think that maybe I CPU is a bottleneck? but on an old game such as ET it shouldn't really be causing this much trouble... should it?
And another side note, I couldn't install the drivers on the disc that game with it (expertool + 84.something drivers) I could get into safemode with the drivers but not normal mode so I'm running 91.33 drivers.
Mobo is Asus p4r800-vm
2gig ram (3-3-3-8)
p4 2.8ghz northwood FSB =100mhz
and as I've already said a gainward bliss 7800gs+ (500/1400)
Also I found out my hdd is quite highly fragmented and it doenst seem to be degragmenting easily so I have to keep running disk keeper every night and it seems to slowly getting better.

Well, any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[Tetras]

If your hard drive is clocked full then it doesn't leave enough space for the swap file which even though it won't be greatly used when you have 2GB of RAM, can definately cause performance issues. If your defragmenting is going very slow then that says to me your drive is just WAY too full, you need to clear some space!

If the drivers on the disk didn't install then I'm guessing you either didn't disable the onboard graphics and/or the drivers weren't uninstalled/installed correctly. If it was me I'd re-install the graphics drivers (not over the top, use add/remove programs to remove them and possibly driver cleaner too, read the instructions for that first though, don't just run it with the drivers installed, that isn't how you use it ) and do the same for the AGP / chipset ones (minus the driver cleaner bit).

Your CPU *will* be a botteleneck in some form, how big depends on your settings and the game in question. Your 3D Mark 05 score is too low, should be at least another 50% on top of that and the same goes for the CPU. I'd get your drivers sorted out first and then go from there.

The GPU (and your CPU actually) also underclocks itself if it is getting too hot, so that is another thing worth checking (the temperatures)...

 

[Usher]

I just bought one of these cards & it runs everything fast & maxed out except Oblivion where it gives a bit of a problem with HD enabled & above 1027/ 768 where it momentarily hesitates when accessing the hardrive when galloping on a horse.
I only got the card Thursday so still experimenting, just tried new Nvidia driver 91.36 & it seems worse than the one supplied with the card

You don't mention your PSU as it must be 400watts or more & this is very important from what I read on various forums

 

[Elrein]

1st thing i noticed is that you said your FSB in 100MHz?

Im using the same card also with a 2.8 northwood overclocked to 3026MHz on a 216MHz fsb with 2GB of ram, nVidia driver 91.31 and the Gainward Expert Tool Version 4.03 making use of the 500/1400 3D setting and 400/1400 2D setting.

With my setup the card is super fast and ive yet to have 1 hicup

Im using an Antec NEOpower 480watt dual rail PSU to feed it as well

Soz i cant really offer any ideas apart from whats allready been mentioned

Just ran 3dmark05 with a score of 5867 and 3721 on the cpu (quality setting in nVidia control panel)

 

[Usher]

the Gainward Expert Tool Version 4.03 making use of the 500/1400 3D setting and 400/1400 2D setting.
u (quality setting in nVidia control panel)

I dont think my expert tool works properly, when safe mode is selected then it reads 400/500 but when I select enhanced mode then what should the setting jump up to as it goes up 450/625 & pushing it manually to 500/700 gives a warning notice when I select 'apply' is this right ? The include booklet shows a different version of expert tool

 

[4T5]

Strip out your drivers properly and install the 91.33's Betas. They are stable and what i am using.
Yes press enhanced and yes 450/625 is correct and an inbuilt overclocking feature. Go over this and you void your warranty, this is up to you mate but most 7800GS+ will go to 495/700 stable and well within safe temps.
Check your cards temps after load and monitor to check for it over heating and holding back.
The ultimate test is the deep Freeze test in 06. When you run 06 take note of your CPU score aswell.

Your score is **** poor it should be up around 7k in 05 with your rig.

Also did you defrag your H/D ? If not clean out all crap and run S&D and Ewido, empty temp files and Defrag.

Let me know how you get on.

 

[Elrein]

I dont think my expert tool works properly, when safe mode is selected then it reads 400/500 but when I select enhanced mode then what should the setting jump up to as it goes up 450/625 & pushing it manually to 500/700 gives a warning notice when I select 'apply' is this right ? The include booklet shows a different version of expert tool

Yep exactly what is said above regarding the expert tool, im quoting the DDR speeds so to keep it clean im on 2D 400/700 and 3D 500/700

And 7k in '05? hmmm

Must admit ive never thought 3Dmark gave any real indication of performance, the only way for sure is real life gaming and with my system FEAR @ 1600x1200 and all the settings @ max soft shadows on and AF x16 AA x4 its smooth as baby oil on a water bed so all in all im very happy

 

[Usher]

Y

And 7k in '05? hmmm

thats Generators score not mine,
I just downloaded 3dmark 06 but cant install it without a password & it wont accept mine that I used for 03

 

[Elrein]

Yes i realise you were pointing out that Gen should be getting 7k but i can only get 5.6k? Now im thinking where my 1.4k is?

 

[4T5]

And 7k in '05? hmmm

Don't doubt me mate

I said 7k but it's 7295 actually but i haven't pushed it as i want it run in properly first.
I suggested in my earlier post what to do, please do it then post back.

 

[Elrein]

I never doubted you i doubted my system, i have installed all the latest drivers and nVidia 91.33beta and best i can do is 5914??

Are you using coolbits to overclock? what gpu/memory setting are you using?

Going to do some more fiddling i post results

Thanks

 

[4T5]

Enhanced settings in Expert tool gives 450/625 and does Not effect your warranty.
How many power leads do you have plugged into the card ?
How many processes do you have running ?

 

[Elrein]

Enhanced settings in Expert tool gives 450/625 and does Not effect your warranty.
How many power leads do you have plugged into the card ?
How many processes do you have running ?

Im running 499/699 shh dont tell

1 PCI-E power connector

Lots of processes about 57 i counted (ok this might be a lot )

Best ive managed is 6127 3D marks, up 300 before i started playing around

To get over 7k i have no idea what to do? well apart from a fresh install and that aint gunna happen !!

 

[[TBR]MadMark]

Hi,
Have you tried to see if your card is actually at the speed you think it is, the reason I ask is that my 7800gs+ did'nt seem to be as quick as I thought it should even though expertool said it was at its standard spec of 450/625(1250).When I investigated with rivatuner it showed that the card was infact underclocked to 418.5/625.The card was sent back to OC/UK for testing and they confirmed this ( the actual score was 421/625), I am now waiting for a new card from Gainward. So I would just check with rivatuner to check your card.

 

[Elrein]

Hi,
Have you tried to see if your card is actually at the speed you think it is, the reason I ask is that my 7800gs+ did'nt seem to be as quick as I thought it should even though expertool said it was at its standard spec of 450/625(1250).When I investigated with rivatuner it showed that the card was infact underclocked to 418.5/625.The card was sent back to OC/UK for testing and they confirmed this ( the actual score was 421/625), I am now waiting for a new card from Gainward. So I would just check with rivatuner to check your card.

K ive downloaded Rivatuner, how do i chk the clock speeds?

Ahh no problem ive found it, ran the expert tool and everything comes up good, (core clock domain 1) 418/700 2D and 502/700 3D, i have checked the ORB with '05 and my cpu is on average 300 points down on similar cpu's though

 

[Usher]

Hi,
Have you tried to see if your card is actually at the speed you think it is, the reason I ask is that my 7800gs+ did'nt seem to be as quick as I thought it should even though expertool said it was at its standard spec of 450/625(1250).When I investigated with rivatuner it showed that the card was infact underclocked to 418.5/625.The card was sent back to OC/UK for testing and they confirmed this ( the actual score was 421/625), I am now waiting for a new card from Gainward. So I would just check with rivatuner to check your card.

I just checked mine with rivatuner & it reads the same 418, that is the 2D setting as moving the 2D slider a little in Expert tool alters it up to 450 or more, mine now 468 & still in the green so still safe.

 

[Generator]

People earlier were saying about defragging...
Before earlier this week, I never really did defrag much (a sin... I know)
Now I just seem to have so many ****** up files and defragging don't seem to be helping much... any advice?

 

[4T5]

Hi,
Have you tried to see if your card is actually at the speed you think it is, the reason I ask is that my 7800gs+ did'nt seem to be as quick as I thought it should even though expertool said it was at its standard spec of 450/625(1250).When I investigated with rivatuner it showed that the card was infact underclocked to 418.5/625.The card was sent back to OC/UK for testing and they confirmed this ( the actual score was 421/625), I am now waiting for a new card from Gainward. So I would just check with rivatuner to check your card.

x 2.
I don't know what you or Oc are thinking here and maybe i am just way of the mark but why are you reading the 2D clocks as the 3D clock speeds.
The card defaults back to 2D whilst in Desktop which is why your clocks read 418/625.
Then it will go to the 3D speeds of 450/625 when it needs to, also altering fan speeds to suit.

Why would Oc replace a card that is working perfectly or am i missing something here, very
I honestly think that Gainward will send you back your card saying the same.
Please correct me if i am wrong.

 

[fish99]

People earlier were saying about defragging...
Before earlier this week, I never really did defrag much (a sin... I know)
Now I just seem to have so many ****** up files and defragging don't seem to be helping much... any advice?

Give PerfectDisk a try, it's supposed to be much better than the windows defragmenter. It comes with a months trial. Freeing up some space will help too if your drive is nearly full.

There's no way HL2 should be running 10-15 fps for periods on a 7800 GS+ with a P4 2.8, especially with 2 GB ram.

Check in system information to see if anything is sharing an IRQ with the 7800 GS+.

 

[[TBR]MadMark]

x 2.
I don't know what you or Oc are thinking here and maybe i am just way of the mark but why are you reading the 2D clocks as the 3D clock speeds.
The card defaults back to 2D whilst in Desktop which is why your clocks read 418/625.
Then it will go to the 3D speeds of 450/625 when it needs to, also altering fan speeds to suit.

Why would Oc replace a card that is working perfectly or am i missing something here, very
I honestly think that Gainward will send you back your card saying the same.
Please correct me if i am wrong.

I questioned OC about this and my card was underclocked to 421/625 on the 3d setting Riva tuner showed the core clock to be around 420.Also in 3d 06 it also said the card was at 418.5, my previous card, a BFG 6800 ultra always showed its core clock to be 425, which was correct (for that card), this is what first made me question the card + the fact that my 3d score was not as high as I thought it should be.Finally OC have probably tested more cards than I've had hot dinners so they surely would have told me that I was wrong and returned the card to me, Instead of troubling Gainward for a new card.