Annoying GPU usage drop.

[Siya]

I thought this issue was with my 970 so I returned it and went back to my 680, however the problem is still here. I get random GPU usage drops (around half) which is followed by being locked at 30 FPS as well. This happens with every game but doesn't last longer than 10 seconds. It also doesn't pop up all the time, I have went over a week without it happening and it just happened 2 times today. Any ideas?

[Exander]

1) Drivers
2) Chipset drivers
3) Bios
4) Windows issues

Would be my guess.

[Siya]

Ok I'm beginning to go crazy I think. When I returned my 970 it's because I was getting mad stuttering/frame hitching/skipping/whatever you want to call it despite being capped at 60 fps. My 970 was also having these periods of low GPU usage. When I installed my 680 things were working great for a week or so then it started happening again and I made this post.

So today I figured I would reinstall windows and update all my drivers/bios etc etc. I am still getting the usage drops as well as the major stuttering is back. I even went as far as to undo any OC I had just to check and see if that was the problem.

[Exander]

One thing to try, in nVidia control panel, in Manage 3D set power to Maximum Performance. Who makes you're 680?

Also... H81/Z87/Z97??

Are you're bio's up to date and settings in bio's for your PCI-E lanes set appropriately? Check and see if its on Auto, if it is set it to 2.0/3.0 respectively. You could also try disabling Performance Event viewer I think it's called and see if it helps.

[Siya]

Z87 and whenever I install/reinstall the first thing I do is always set max performance on any/all options. EVGA makes my 680 and the 970 I had was Gigabyte. And the PCI is most likely set to auto but I'll take a look at that.

Edit: Updated all of my drivers/bios right after the reformat.

[Exander]

Some arn't aware so was just gonna point that out. Also do you Install like the GeForce Experiance crap or do you simply just Install Drivers/PhysX drivers?

[Siya]

I never install geforce experience, hell I don't even install physx just the driver by itself.

[Exander]

Well cant really think of anything else to try at this second besides Bio's and settings. EVGA has a 24hr phone number if you want to see if they can try anything Im not thinking of at this moment.

1-888-881-3842

if you live in the US.

[Siya]

I have a forum post going with them atm =/ going kinda slowly. I don't think it's the GPU though as 2 different series from 2 different manufacturers is showing the same thing. I'm running WoW off my second SDD (used to be on my main til I reformatted) so I don't think it's a hdd issue. Not sure if motherboards can cause issues like this, I'm thinking (guessing really) it could be a PSU issue? I don't recall having this issue with my old 850w corsair (but it's been a really long time since I upgraded so I dunno). Other thing would be CPU I guess but don't know how I would go about finding that out.

[Exander]

If it's a PSU issue I don't think it would cause stuttering as it would sudden shut offs. Personally anyways, It COULD be a drive issue. Friend of mine had an issue with an old Vertex 3 SSD which is similar to stuttering. Wouldn't rule out a bad drive or say its the issue till all other Avenues are exhausted. 970 uses less power than a 680 if I remember correctly so id doiubt it.

Did you post it on the EVGA 600 series forum?

[Siya]

Yeah I did, just getting general things so far (take away OC etc).

[Exander]

Yeah I did, just getting general things so far (take away OC etc).

Gotcha, found you're forum post. Going to PM Jacob about you're thread. Are you running any other programs, Antiviruses, Fraps? anything?

Try 347.88 / 347.52 and see if it has issues. Could be driver related. I don't have a 680 so cant comment on that front. 347.52 tho I find very stable and I don't get stuttering like I experienced with the 350.12 with TitanFall.

[Siya]

kk gonna get 347.52 and see how that works out. I have a few things running in the background, Microsoft Security essentials (I've always used this), MSI afterburner to see what is going on and DisplayFusion which is something new I use for dual monitor but had this problem before using it.

I just find it so odd I was using my 680 for over a week and didn't notice any stuttering/use drops but now all of a sudden it's back.

[Siya]

Welp just tried both those drivers and got insane screen tearing on both, dunno what is up with that.

[Exander]

Change/Add anything sense than?

[Siya]

Well I figured out the tearing, I disabled aero as I read it can cause problems. Turned it back on and gonna test out the driver

[Siya]

Using 347.52 still has the spikes/stutter. Usage drop hasn't shown up but that thing seems to be random as hell and I haven't tested for long.

Each of those spikes is a skip/hitch/stutter.

Edit: On second note the stutter occures without the spikes in frame time, just had a nice stuttery session without seeing any real spikes.

[Exander]

Wondering if it has to do with the dual monitor program you mentioned. Try leaving it off and see just for kicks.

[Siya]

I had the issue long before the dual monitor program. Beck i was getting stutters and drops with jsu a single monitor =/ not goin ahould my breath but i can try

[Exander]

Try 347.25? Sounds more like a driver issue but just guessing now. We have nearly the same computer for the most part with few changes.

Asus Z97 Maximus VII Hero
i5 4690K @ 4.5Ghz on air
16GB DDR3 2133Mhz (8GBx2) G.Skill Ares Ram
2 970 GTX FTW in 2-way SLi
1300G2 EVGA SuperNOVA PSU (1300W gold certified PSU)
250GB 850 Evo Samsung SSD ( Windows/BF4 drive)
250GB 840 Evo Samsung SSD ( FFXIV/to many games drive)
120GB 840 Evo Samsung SSD (TitanFall drive)