Lag Spikes and FPS Drop m17xr3

So i changed my ram back to the stock 4gb is came with, and kept trying my game. A small drop in FPS for normal use, which is to be expected a little. The lag spikes and sudden fps drop only happened once or twice again and has not happened since. i am going to try out some other games that were having the trouble too and see if the issue is corrected.

You might want to download GPU-Z to check your temps.

 The GTX 580M / M17X Throttling issue It is well known and has been heavily discussed on a number of forums.

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=210198

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/648538-conference-call-nvidia-geforce-gtx-580m-throttling-78c-when-playing-games-see-post-39-64-a.html

I use speedfan to check my temps, and been running around 50-70 C. I think it is the throttling of the 580m since about 60+ I start hacing lag, and under that I dont.

At least it seems its not the ram haha.

@ PhoenixBennu : you are saying that the problem is the RAM that cause dropping in FPS ?

im using M17x R2 and having same issue like you for every game i play, even sometime watching youtube.

to solve this , i just have to go out and buy new RAM for my laptop ?

I do not know if anyone has tried, but the problem was in the BIOS. Not sure what is the exact problem, but here is the link to the new BIOS by DELL and install it. It is quite fast and my stuttering was gone. Also i saw a better framerate in Planetside 2 and SMITE.

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails/Product/alienware-m17x-r3?driverId=9MJ02&osCode=W764&fileId=3011582943

Bogdan90,

In your case I would recommend running hwinfo64 and logging all activity on your system during the lag and then going back to check everything. What I assume you are noticing is a spike in gpu temp.

Be sure to update directx. This has been known to cause some of these lags. Also, try the basic uninstall and reinstall of the game. I would also check logging with other games to see how they compare to ac3. I have no lagging issues on ac3, so there is obviously something abnormally causing the issue.

I would also suggest resetting the virtual memory, potential to default or app controlled.

Please, also check with FRAPS to see how much of a drop in FPS you are getting while playing.

Post the log filed and other info back here and I will be happy to give it a look. :)

I  mailed u the logging activity during the lag...(didin't know how to post it here sorry:P) , the virtual memory is set to recommended , 18-23 fps normally ( maximum settings) drops to 3-4 fps durin lag:(..

So..first i readjusted the virtual memory beacuse i was getting low fps when playing shogun 2(  suggestion taken from a forum) the result was preety ok.....(no problems with anything so far) then i installed ac3..played it for 2 days i think..without having any problem...then suddenly yesterday when i was playing it it started to lag.....i thought it was the game's fault but checking the other games i found out that all act the same now  :( could it be a software problem or a physical one ( gotta mention when i installed ac3 i played it in bed and the lap top got heated up a bit)...

many thanks for your time

I am going to take a look at the logging, but right off the bat it sounds like a possible airflow issue. If you are comfortable doing so, then check the airflow.

First, put the back of the hand up to the vents and see what kind of flow you can feel. The back of the hand is more sensitive to this. Then pull off the bottom cover, and inspect the fans. Dust should be apparent. Then pull out each fan. There are usually just a few screws to loosen, and the unplug the power jumper and pull out the fan. This will allow you to see easier any dust buildup along the heat sink.

Use a can of air to clean. Never use your breath. I even use a q tip from time to time.

There can also be lingering damage from overheating, but it is pretty unlikely if it only happened once. I will be checking for things in the log, though.

Here is also a helpful article about check on lagging and frame drops.

support.dell.com/.../document

Alright, so I do need some clarification. The logging isnt a long bit of time, so I want to know when you started and when you ended logging. Did you start logging before playing the game, during a lag, etc?

From what I can see if that you are changing P states on the 560m. The 560m had the following states:

Perf 0 = P12 state = 50 core / 135 mem / 101 shader at 0,820 Volt

Perf 1 = P8 state = 202 core / 324 mem / 405 shader at 0,820 Volt

Perf 2 = P0 state = default clocks (or what you put in to OC) at 1,000 Volt.

Basically, P0 is where you should be at for good performance, P8 is an intermediary, usually after hitting 63C temps and having a voltage hrottle from 1 to 0.820 volts. P12 is essentially everyday, web browsing, IGP use. It is also the state most 560m/580m cards enter at 78C with the thermal throttling.

The issue here is that your temps and everything else state pretty much the same, but you are changing P states. You can see the different in clock speeds between being at 1.000 volts and 0.820 volts. It makes a pretty big difference.

The concern is that the temps in the logging are a little misaligned for hitting these points.

So, help me clarify.

When did you start and when did you end the logging What is during, before, after the lag, etc.

Can you do a log showing normal use, like web browsing for a few min, then hopping into one game that did not have the issue before and playing until it does have the issue, and then doing ac3 and doing the same, and then shutting down the game and ending logs. Take note of the times when you start game, have lag, lag stops, exit game, start new game, have lag, lag stops, exit game. etc. That way I can correlate it to the logging.

Also, check for dust and clogs, as mentioned earlier, before doing the new logging. Make sure everything is cleaned out. Make sure that power cords are plugged in properly (as throttling can incur from being unplugged and on battery power...but this was not the case in your last logs..they show me batt power and system power).

Let me know what driver version, bios version, and if you are doing anything else, like OCing.

As of right now, I can only assume it is a matter of voltage throttling from P0 to P8 state when hitting 63C. Keep in mind that not all temps are recorded in logging. In fact, one of the major areas of the cards temp that causes throttling is not monitored by the logging, and required separate tools to do so. I've have this conversation before with the Dell Lab and project managers in Texas.

Let me know if the cleaning helps, and if it doesnt then get back to me with the other info :)

Bios fix was not a fix. Do you have any words from dell labs? It is a known problem. My warranty expired a month ago and now i am left with this throttling. Should i try adjusting P0 state manually or wait for an update?

Thank you!

There are outside of the box things to do, such as repasting the cards and cpu to make sure cooling properly, using external cooling like a fan, using customer rigged vbios and drivers, however I would still come down to a good thorough cleaning before anything else.

Did you get a chance to clean everything out thoroughly?

Hello...having the EXACT same problem as this person and just installed hwinfo64. Would love your advanced advice on things...Going to run this while I play League of Legends and then send the log to you..New to these forums. Sorry. :(

i have been able to fix it. I have no stuttering any more. I just took a vacuum cleaner, open the lap top and started vacuuming. At the end, it vacuumed a little bit of dust, and now it works perfect as before. No problem at all. 

You can also vacuum without openning the case. I also did that and no problem. As soon as i get a little bit of stutter, i vacuum it for a sec and there is no problem. I live in an area that has a lot of dust, and vacuuming every 2 months is a fix i guess:)

hopefully this helps :)