Help a fellow gamer!!!

[strangefamous]

I am having issues with my new computer. I bought it strictly for gaming and it is not running the way I had hoped and I can't figure out why.


First off is what I am running.
Windows Vista x64
AMD Phenom 9500 Quad-Core Processor
8 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX+

No matter what game I am playing, my FPS range anywhere from 20-25. This is very wrong concidering my last computer that was junk was running better. I have no processes running other than the game I am playing. I have all the up to date drivers. I have ran modem checks to make sure my connection is at a normal pace.
PLEASE HELP! I have no other ideas and this is so frustrating. :(

[RockmasteR]

hello and welcome to TSF

what is your PSU wattage (W) and the amps (A) under the 12V
you need to open up you side case of your desktop and look at the stickers on your PSU, you will find the information we need

[strangefamous]

It is sort of hard to make out as it is mostly in Chinese. 400W?? I hope this helps.

[koala]

You need to upgrade your PSU. A 400W Chinese generic PSU is not suitable for a 9800GTX and quad CPU.

Corsair 650W - $79
Corsair 750W - $99

[Tumbleweed36]

I agree that the power supply lack of power is most likely your issue. See if you can find a decent power supply to try in there.

[RockmasteR]

like the guys said, this is what making the lag and the 20 to 25 FPS
your current PSU isn't giving much power to your components and especially the 9800 GTX+ that monster needs a huge PSU and a good one
Corsair are the answer for that problem
if you won't change it it'll blow up and take some PC parts with it

[strangefamous]

Wow! I officially hate Best Buy. Not only are their prices way too high but they know absolutley nothing about their products. Thanks sooo much guys. I am loooking into new power supplies as we speak. I will lay off the games until then.

[Origin]

I run my graphics cards on a seperate dedicated power supply, it takes a lot of the stress off the main PSU, maybe it's worth you giving that a try.

This is what I use: http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10923&Itemid=1

[Tumbleweed36]

Originally Posted by Origin

I run my graphics cards on a seperate dedicated power supply, it takes a lot of the stress off the main PSU, maybe it's worth you giving that a try.

This is what I use: http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10923&Itemid=1

While that will work, it is actually a patch job to get by without addressing the real needs of your computer. The best scenario is to get a power supply that will do the real job for you and it is cheaper over time because of the inherent electrical cost of running two power supplies.

[strangefamous]

Well I bought a 700w PSU and I am still getting terrible FPS. Any other ideas?

[koala]

What make/model is the new PSU?

Make a note of your temperatures and voltages in BIOS, then run a fullscreen game for a few minutes and note the temps/volts again. Post back with both sets of readings so we can see how your system copes under stress.

Is everything in BIOS set to default/optimized?

Do you only get low framerates while playing online games?

Do you have any security software running in the background?

Have you tried running with only 4gb, and have you tested the RAM sticks one at a time with memtest?

Run the 2 tests in Start > Run > dxdiag > Display tab to test DirectX performance. Any problems listed in the Notes box?

[strangefamous]

Not quite sure of everything you are looking for. I dont know how to check Bios. I just got a Antec 750 Watt PSU. the temperature of it right now and when i am gaming is around 56 degrees C. I also dont know how to text my stick of RAM. I ran the 2 tests that you told me to and it can up with no problems. Can you please explain the bios part for me? Thanks so much for helping.

[koala]

To enter the BIOS, you need to reboot the computer, then press the Delete key on your keyboard while the computer is starting (white text on black screen, before Windows loads). It will tell you at the top or bottom of the screen which key to press. See here for a list of alternatives if Del doesn't work.

To monitor the temps/volts during gameplay, run SpeedFan while playing fullscreen, then alt-tab out of the game when it starts to lag, and take a screenshot of Speedfan.

If Speedfan doesn't show the graphics card (GPU) temperature, you can monitor this with the nvidia control panel or with Riva Tuner.

I'll give full instructions for RAM testing after we've looked at the other options, since it can take a long time to complete the tests for each stick.

[strangefamous]

ok everything in my Bios is set to default. Here is the screenshot of tiny pic while playing a fullscreen game.
http://i40.tinypic.com/29uq6bp.jpg

[strangefamous]

here is another one with 2 games open
http://i44.tinypic.com/n62kqu.jpg

[koala]

The CPU temperature and PSU voltages look ok, but the graphics card is overheating and Temp2 which rises during gameplay is the mobo/case temperature. So it looks like the case fans aren't exhausting all the extra hot air being generated by the graphics card.

Check your case fans and graphics card fan to make sure they're spinning and free of dust. The front case fan should be pulling in cool air and the top rear fan should be blowing out warm air. There should be a clear path between the 2 fans with no cables obstructing the airflow.

[strangefamous]

Well it looks like that is the problem. My case does not have a fan in the front. Only has 1 in the back. There isnt even a slot for a fan in the front. Any suggestions on what I should do about it? I have the case open right now and im using a room fan to keep it cool for now.

[koala]

Print out your Speedfan screenshot and this thread, then take the computer back to BestBuy and tell them to fix it and test for overheating. There should always be a minimum of 2 case fans, one front and one rear. Side and top fans are optional.