OK, I feel like taking a bat to this PC...

I'm extremely frustrated, at this point you are my last hope. I'm going upstairs and I'm gonna run a bath and drop this stupid computer into the tub with me...

Here is what I'm running:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 OC'd to 3.28GHz

Ram: 8GB DDR2 800Mhz

Mobo: Asus P5N-D Sli MB

Video Card: Dual GTX 260 896MB

I have tried this setup running each Video Card individually and as an SLI set

I'm getting poor preformance in games, sometimes... For a while everything works great... after a few minutes the clock speed and memory speed of the video drops down to it's 2D clock speed. For example, in 3D games the clock runs at 600/1000 but during plain old windows the clock speed drops to 300/100.

I'll be playing a while and all the sudden the clock speed makes the drop like I am not playing a game. Frames drop down to like 10FPS. It will stay this way for several mintues and then return to normal and repeat the process every couple of minutes.

It sounds like it's overheating or something, but it isn't. The temprature has never surpassed 50C under full load. I'm at my wits end here, please help me before I destory this PC.

It seems like you have Intel's Speedstep and/or C1E feature enabled in your BIOS.. Those features shouldn't cause that problem. How it's supposed to work is basically when your cpu is in an idle state, your frequency and multiplier on your cpu will drop, and when it's under load, it jumps up to what it's supposed to be at. It's basically power saving features.

Do you have the latest BIOS? Does this problem exist when your computer isn't overclocked? Do you have the latest drivers for sound, video, chipset as well?

800 Watts

http://www.nzxt.com/products/pp800/

800 Watts

http://www.nzxt.com/products/pp800/

mfp16

Hmm you houldnt have any issues. but are you willing to try something? Do you have a old psu like a 500 watt or something to test to see if it is your psu causing the issue? Or you can spend $100 or so for a different brand psu.

I'm extremely frustrated, at this point you are my last hope. I'm going upstairs and I'm gonna run a bath and drop this stupid computer into the tub with me...

Here is what I'm running:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 OC'd to 3.28GHz

Ram: 8GB DDR2 800Mhz

Mobo: Asus P5N-D Sli MB

Video Card: Dual GTX 260 896MB

I have tried this setup running each Video Card individually and as an SLI set

I'm getting poor preformance in games, sometimes... For a while everything works great... after a few minutes the clock speed and memory speed of the video drops down to it's 2D clock speed. For example, in 3D games the clock runs at 600/1000 but during plain old windows the clock speed drops to 300/100.

I'll be playing a while and all the sudden the clock speed makes the drop like I am not playing a game. Frames drop down to like 10FPS. It will stay this way for several mintues and then return to normal and repeat the process every couple of minutes.

It sounds like it's overheating or something, but it isn't. The temprature has never surpassed 50C under full load. I'm at my wits end here, please help me before I destory this PC.

mfp16

powersupply.

I don't think your PSU has enough "umph" for your duel GTX260's. On Nvidia's website, they say the MINIMUM power requirement for ONE of these cards is 500w. You have a decent psu, it just needs more wattage, I believe.demonx5584

I doupt it very much. 800w is plenty for two of those cards.You don't just double the min needed for SLI. Otherwise you'd need like 900w for SLI 8800GTs, which you just plain don't need.

I don't think your PSU has enough "umph" for your duel GTX260's. On Nvidia's website, they say the MINIMUM power requirement for ONE of these cards is 500w. You have a decent psu, it just needs more wattage, I believe.demonx5584

His Psu should run those with no problem even with only one. But as I said before some psu's have trouble supplying the corredct of power to certain cards such as the antec 800 or 850 I cant remember which one that series had issues running a single 8800GT but it had over 40 A the the 12v rail/s

when you arent getting enough power the cards will downclock.

check this out, i was researching how much power it takes to run two gtx 260's, and i found this on toms hardware

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-gtx-280,1953-25.html

im no scientist, but 270 x 2 = 540, if you got fans, cpu, hard drive, and disk drive,

your cuttin it very close on power

Well This Psu will fix your issues if it is a psu issue causing your graphic card/s not to run correctly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006 -CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W -$110 ($90 AR)

you do realize he has an 800w,

how would a 750w help?

how about this PSU... would this be better. I really can't afford more than this...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159072

you do realize he has an 800w,

how would a 750w help?

wolfdogelite

Lol! Watts dont matter, quality does PC_X360

well, it is SLI rated... it's not a generic PSU. (The one I have already that is)

Well, I went ahead and bought this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159072

The page specifically states will run dual GTX 260s. Plus it's modular. I really hope this works because I'm out of ideas.

good choice, you went with quality and watts

=]

good choice, you went with quality and watts

=]

wolfdogelite

Watts maybe, quality, no way.

mfp16, cancel that order if you can. Here's a nice review of that unit by Johnny Guru.

cool max? i havent heard anything bad about them?

have you had any bad luck with them?

The Corsair 750 watt I posted is the way to go with quality and power.04dcarraher

Agreed. I'd take that over a Coolmax any day.

I just cancelled the order. It sounds kinda silly to me to get that 750W psu... the 800W PSU (I have currently) is a gaming PSU that is SLI certified so I don't think it's going to do me much good.

I'm just going to wait a little while and save up for the corsair 1000W PSU. That way I'm assured enough power to OC the CPU and both GPUs and to be certain I'm eliminating all power issues.

Thanks guys... just gotta do some saving.

I forgot to mention before that I also have a liquid cooled CPU so that is probably grabbing a good chunk of power as well...

ok so i have a 600w modular psu, xion supernova

it has enough pci-e connections to hook up two any two cards, it has two 6pin and two 6+2pin,

so could i run two gtx 260's?, or two 9800gtx's, even though its only 600w?

No you can only run one gtx 260 at best because your psu doesnt have enough amps on the 12v rail/s.

if you still get frustrated fill a box with some murderous packing peanuts, drop your system in it from a distance of many milimeters, and pm me for my address.

sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do...

No you can only run one gtx 260 at best because your psu doesnt have enough amps on the 12v rail/s.

04dcarraher

but it will run one, no prob right??

cuz i kinda just bought it right now

=]

I just cancelled the order. It sounds kinda silly to me to get that 750W psu... the 800W PSU (I have currently) is a gaming PSU that is SLI certified so I don't think it's going to do me much good.

I'm just going to wait a little while and save up for the corsair 1000W PSU. That way I'm assured enough power to OC the CPU and both GPUs and to be certain I'm eliminating all power issues.

Thanks guys... just gotta do some saving.

I forgot to mention before that I also have a liquid cooled CPU so that is probably grabbing a good chunk of power as well...

mfp16

According to a few reviews on newegg, i can pretty much say that "SLI" badge was pure marketing and can fool some people.

The psu seem to not handle that well SLI, according the review even 2 8800gt in sli can put this PSU to its knees.