shwooddotcom

THE PROBLEM: all video and audio output stutters ever so slightly, once per second... like an evil metronome. Nonstop. Happens in games, on the desktop, playing video, moving the mouse...


THE SETUP:
asus p5n32-e SLI mobo (onboard audio)
4gb RAM
EVGA 8800gt 512mb
XFX 8800gt 512mb
*having problem in xp AND vista*

WHAT I'VE TRIED:
At first I didn't even notice the video stuttering... I only thought it was an audio issue... audio sounds slightly garbled, with a small hiccup or audio glitch once per second. Then I noticed the small video hiccups, and disabled the drivers (using just the standard VGA driver), and noticed that the problem went away. Back to nvidia drivers, and the problem returns.

I thought it might be a bad card, so I've tried running just the evga, and then just the xfx card. moving cards around and reinstalling drivers will sometimes give me a session or two of lag free enjoyment, and then the dreaded pauses will return.

I've reinstalled vista 3 times, attempting to install drivers and vista hotfixes in different orders, hoping that would make a difference, to no avail.

I gave up on vista, and reinstalled xp, hoping it was just a vista incompatibility, and after one glorious night of stutter-free gaming, the pauses returned when I enabled and disabled SLI the last time.

I keep trying to get on support.asus.com to download a bios flash, but their site keeps timing out. I've tried a couple different versions of the nvidia drivers, and nothing makes a difference.

Frustration... rising... please... help...

1 g0t 0wn3d

What power supply do you have? And are you running them is sli if so try in single mode

shwooddotcom

PSU is a cooler master 600W SLI model

the problem has now occurred when cards are in SLI, when SLI is disabled, when using just the evga, and when using just the XFX. It has occurred in a fresh install of vista, and a fresh install of XP.

1 g0t 0wn3d

Can you post your temps and voltages using speedfan in my sig?

shwooddotcom

can you cut and paste from speedfan? it's not letting me highlight the numbers...

1 g0t 0wn3d

no you cant the main thing i need to know is the 12v value though

dai

650w min preferably 750w

1 g0t 0wn3d

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371001

shwooddotcom

just did it ghetto style. hope that works

shwooddotcom

In regards to the PSU... if that were the problem, then would I be getting the pauses while only one card is in the system? surely 600w is enough for just a single 8800gt?

1 g0t 0wn3d

Yeh see the power supply i linke dabove its time for a new one

1 g0t 0wn3d

It may be if it were a quality model but the only thing i would ever get would be a igreen or real power pro from them

dai

when it runs ok in safe mode and has problems in normal mode points to power
the speed fan reading on the 12v+ line also says the same if the the reading is correct

shwooddotcom

I would have thought that PSU issues would result in more massive symptoms: crashes, bsods, reboots, etc. This problem is a perfectly rhythmic stutter on both video and audio (one stutter per second. You could synchronize a watch to it)... is that right? Have you guys seen this exact problem before?

I've got to admit, too, that I have a tough time believing that a name-brand600W SLI-certified PSU can't even handle just one single-slot 8800gt... is there any way to check this without running out and buying a brand new PSU? Maybe remove some other devices and try to get enough power to the 8800gt?

dai

software readings are not that reliable,a multi meter is the best check
borrowing and swapping in another psu and checking before buying
check tempretures are within the normal range
check drives have not dropped back to pio mode
any of these can cause the same symptoms

shwooddotcom

UPDATE: I can now reliably trigger the problem, but for the life of me, can't guess why this should be a problem.

Turns out, I can start the stuttering by... plugging in a second monitor to any of the three available DVI ports between the two cards.

Doesn't matter if the second monitor is enabled or disabled... just the act of attaching the DVI cable causes it.

I checked the connections... it's solidly connecting at both ends... but has anyone heard of this kind of thing? I mean, audio hiccups from attaching a second monitor?

I'm going to try to duplicate the problem with my old 7800, as I've managed to get it happening with both of the 8800gt's.

FreoHeaveho

If its happening with both cards then it has nothing to do with the cards themselves. I think I agree with the other guys that you have a power issue. Can you borrow another PSU to try?

Also, is there potentially issues with two different makes of 8800GT? Maybe different clock speeds? Never used SLI so not sure, but I think you are pushing your PSU a bit too far, potentially 12V ripple?