Help with laptop GPU not running properly

[Xsinar]

About three weeks ago I gave my laptop to my brother as I am not using it all that much. When he started playing games he is not able to run any game higher than the lowest settings. I thought it's probably because of all the stuff in the system and decided to format it. After formatting the laptop the games starting running fine. Now it's started having the same problem again. The games are running at very low fps. I checked for malware or viruses but did not find any thing.

 

Here are the laptop details:

 

Alienware M17xR3

CPU: Core i7

GPU: GTX 580m

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate

 

Any help is much appreciated.

[Minzo]

Is it filled with dust? Does it get hot?

 

Stupid question but did you install drivers?

 

[Xsinar]

Is it filled with dust? Does it get hot?

 

Stupid question but did you install drivers?

 

I doubt it will work fine for 2 weeks if I did not install the drivers   Like I said it was working fine after I formatted now after 2 weeks this problem started appearing again. It's not filled with dust... I always make sure to keep my Laptop and PC clean 

 

Have any other ideas?

[dragoon20005]

use GPU-Z ID and check the temps when games are running

 

might be thermal paste caking already

[Xsinar]

use GPU-Z ID and check the temps when games are running

 

might be thermal paste caking already

 

I will check the temps when I get back home from work.

[Xsinar]

use GPU-Z ID and check the temps when games are running

 

might be thermal paste caking already

 

@dragoon20005 I checked the temps when the GPU is on load it's at 50-55°C. There don't seem to be any problem with the temps. When I tried Unreal Benchmark 1.0 I ran it @ 1080p, Low settings, with no AA and the benchmark ran at 8 FPS.

 

Anyone had any idea, what could be the problem?

 

Edit: I also did a clean Nvidia driver install but there is no difference at all.

[dragoon20005]

check in the Nvidia control panel to see if the maximum performance is enabled

 

check if you enabled high performance in power settings

 

try to update the driver

[Xsinar]

check in the Nvidia control panel to see if the maximum performance is enabled

 

check if you enabled high performance in power settings

 

try to update the driver

 

Yes, yes and yes (it's on the latest driver). It's still having the same problem. I'm starting to think the gpu must be damaged somehow or something else is causing this problem. @dragoon20005 what do you think?

[dragoon20005]

@Xsinar

 

post a screen shot of the GPU load when Unigine Heaven is active

[Xsinar]

@Xsinar

 

post a screen shot of the GPU load when Unigine Heaven is active

 

I left for work right now. I will send the screen shot after I get back home. Thanks

[Bouzoo]

Dumb question, but have you checked if you're using integrated graphics on those programs? And, this happened to me, i used my laptop on the battery and after pluging it in the charger everything was really bad, took me a while to realize it didn't change battery saver on it's own.

[Xsinar]

Dumb question, but have you checked if you're using integrated graphics on those programs? And, this happened to me, i used my laptop on the battery and after pluging it in the charger everything was really bad, took me a while to realize it didn't change battery saver on it's own.

 

Yea, It happened to me before so that is what I checked first. It not running on integrated graphics.

 

Nice try though 

[Bouzoo]

Yea, It happened to me before so that is what I checked first. It not running on integrated graphics.

 

Nice try though 

Np Then I agree with dragoon and you should check the GPU load. 

And are you getting any artifacts? I was getting them from time to time before my mobility HD4650 died.

[Xsinar]

Np Then I agree with dragoon and you should check the GPU load. 

And are you getting any artifacts? I was getting them from time to time before my mobility HD4650 died.

 

I did not get any artifacts when running the benchmark only very low fps at 5 - 10 fps the settings did not matter. If I run it at Ultra or Low the benchmark runs at crappy fps. I made sure it's not the problem of the benchmark by running it on my pc and it works just fine.

 

I have half day today so work will finish in about 2 hours. When I reach home I put a screenshot of what I am getting on the benchmark 

[Xsinar]

@Bouzoo @dragoon20005 Here is the screenshot...

 

[Bouzoo]

I don't see your GPU usage, maybe because I'm on my phone. I'll check it on my pc when I get home.

But in case you don't know what your usage was, you can try this

http://www.overclock.net/t/1229915/how-to-cpu-and-gpu-usage-along-with-fps-in-game

helped me a awile ago. Not the exact guide I found, but it's the same thing, so you can see your usage in any game and that will tell you the best what's happening

[dragoon20005]

@Bouzoo @dragoon20005 Here is the screenshot...

 

Capture.PNG

i see the really slow GPU speed

 

def not a good sign

 

try to reinstall the GPU drivers

[ApolloX75]

@Xsinar

Use HWinfo instead of HWMonitor, it will show you the GPU VRM temps. Those cause throttling when they get too hot. My 570M in my GT780 was doing the same thing until I took it apart and repasted/padded the whole thing.

Also download Throttlestop for your CPU, its a handy little utility for Core iX mobile CPUs to keep them from idling when not necessary.

www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2288/throttlestop-6-00/

[Xsinar]

@dragoon20005 @ApolloX75 @Bouzoo Thanks guys for your reply   I have tried the stuff you guys suggested like reinstalling divers, but that haven't helped. I used GPU-Z to get the load on my GPU when running the benchmark and it doesn't look good...

 

 

Is there anything else I can do other than to give it to some repair shop and have them replace or repair the GPU?

[ApolloX75]

Is there anything else I can do other than to give it to some repair shop and have them replace or repair the GPU?

Have you run HWinfo to see the VRM temp? Because that's likely the issue. The GPU being at 99% is fine, its the clocks not increasing that is the issue. The core temp at 55C is only part of the picture. Its going to stay low at 55C because its not clocking up at all. Guaranteed you need to change the thermal paste and pads.

Its not hard to do on your laptop, everything is accessible from the bottom panel and it takes about an hour of your time.

Just need some 1mm silicone thermal pads and a good thermal paste like MX4. A little isopropyl alcohol and paper towel or a coffee filter to clean things up and a can of compressed air to get rid of dust in the heatsinks. You'll need a small jewelers screw driver kit too to make your life easier.

[Bouzoo]

Yeah those clocks look bad. You should definitely, try and clean it if you haven't already. Maybe try and set clocks manually with MSI Afterburner?

[Xsinar]

Have you run HWinfo to see the VRM temp? Because that's likely the issue. The GPU being at 99% is fine, its the clocks not increasing that is the issue. The core temp at 55C is only part of the picture. Its going to stay low at 55C because its not clocking up at all. Guaranteed you need to change the thermal paste and pads.

Its not hard to do on your laptop, everything is accessible from the bottom panel and it takes about an hour of your time.

Just need some 1mm silicone thermal pads and a good thermal paste like MX4. A little isopropyl alcohol and paper towel or a coffee filter to clean things up and a can of compressed air to get rid of dust in the heatsinks. You'll need a small jewelers screw driver kit too to make your life easier.

Yeah those clocks look bad. You should definitely, try and clean it if you haven't already. Maybe try and set clocks manually with MSI Afterburner?

 

@ApolloX75 @Bouzoo Great I will try that out thanks for the help guys. Will let you know once it's done.