Random Framerate Drop

[Kobold_Kommando]

Hello there soldiers, archers, and bandits of calradia,

   I'm going to get right down to business. I've been having a problem that started within the last four months or so.  It happens on any game nowadays, and I have lurked the internet extensively looking for an answer to the solution. It appears I'm not the only one getting this problem.

The problem is that every couple minutes or so(It's random, really and sometimes doesn't even happen for an entire day) my framerate which usually sits at 120+ on a light load(Small games) and about 70+ on a heavy load(Full Battle/Siege servers) randomly drops to about 10- FPS for absolutely no reason.  I say no reason because I can be staring at an empty plain, completely away from the match, or I could be in the thick of the fighting. It makes no difference. This drop will last about 30s-1m and then everything will jump back to a normal framerate.  Again, even this recovery has no actual determining factor for when it will take place.

I've tried many solutions. At first I thought it was my Asus Laptop, because one of the suggestions was that they come with multiple sound drivers and so I got rid of the extras. That didn't change anything. 

I thought it might be overheating, so I bought a cooling pad.  That changed nothing. 

I tried messing with settings, wondering  if maybe my gfx cards just have problems loading shaders, or physics, or something of that sort. No changes still.

I even tried playing windowed with a smaller resolution because someone somewhere on the webz suggested that as a possible solution. Nothing.

I've tried watching my CPU speeds and load while the drop is happening as well, and there are no changes. Nothing with temperature, either.

One thing I have noticed is that it seems to be a graphical issue of some kind, because I can alt-tab out and my FPS will be fine while using any other application, but as soon as I go back into the game, it continues the lag.


It's really hard playing a game that requires such precision timing and fast reactions as M&B or a FPS when your framerate drops to 10 or less at random intervals.  I'm sure you can all acknowledge how troubling this can be.

So my question is whether anyone has experienced this problem, or has a friend who has, and whether or not they have a solution to it?

My system Specs. Or at least most of the important stuff.
As a side note: My Drivers are all up to date. I made sure to try that first.

(click to show/hide)

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/21/2011, 09:16:59
       Machine name: THEMONSTER
   Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.110408-1633)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
       System Model: G72GX
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 09/22/09 17:33:18 Ver: 08.00.14
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     P8700  @ 2.53GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.5GHz
             Memory: 6144MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 6144MB RAM
          Page File: 2151MB used, 10132MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 64bit Unicode
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M 
       Manufacturer: NVIDIA
          Chip type: GeForce GTX 260M
           DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0618&SUBSYS_202B1043&REV_A2
     Display Memory: 3817 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 1001 MB
      Shared Memory: 2815 MB
       Current Mode: 1600 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)
       Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
      Monitor Model: unknown
         Monitor Id: LGD01DD
        Native Mode: 1600 x 900(p) (60.080Hz)
        Output Type: Internal
        Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0012.6776 (English)
     Driver Version: 8.17.12.6776
        DDI Version: 10
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 3/17/2011 05:38:00, 12862568 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: Yes
    WHQL Date Stamp:
  Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4558-11CF-8B69-27001CC2C535}
          Vendor ID: 0x10DE
          Device ID: 0x0618
          SubSys ID: 0x202B1043
        Revision ID: 0x00A2
 Driver Strong Name: oem25.inf:NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6.1:Section014:8.17.12.6776:pci\ven_10de&dev_0618&subsys_202b1043
     Rank Of Driver: 00E60001
        Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C
  D3D9 Overlay: Supported
            DXVA-HD: Supported
       DDraw Status: Enabled
         D3D Status: Enabled
         AGP Status: Enabled

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
            Description: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
 Default Sound Playback: Yes
 Default Voice Playback: Yes
            Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0663&SUBSYS_104314D3&REV_1000
        Manufacturer ID: 1
             Product ID: 100
                   Type: WDM
            Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
         Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5924 (English)
      Driver Attributes: Final Retail
            WHQL Logo'd: Yes
          Date and Size: 8/25/2009 07:28:07, 1990304 bytes
            Other Files:
        Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
         HW Accel Level: Basic
              Cap Flags: 0xF1F
    Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0
 Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
              HW Memory: 0
       Voice Management: No
 EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
   I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

[Erika_Furudo]

Machine name: THEMONSTER

oh you.


Anyhow.
I'm having a similiar issue. But mine is due to respawns. On battle servers do I always get a small spike lag at the start of the match. Due to everyone respawning.
On siege servers I have minor lag here and there when there are people respawning. But obviously not that big of lag since it's only a few people respawning.

[Kobold_Kommando]

hehe. Yes. I love naming things.

And I think we all get that problem.

It's a matter of SUDDENLY: BODIES. HUNDREDS OF THEM!

[Earthdforce]

I'm assuming you've tried using directx 7 as opposed to 9? I was having problems with my fps (constantly below 40), and that fixed it for me.

[MrExxc]

you could try using windows defraggler.

[BlackMilk]

He has a GTX 260, there is no need for bloody DX7!

[Kobold_Kommando]

you could try using windows defraggler.

Did you mean the defragmentation? Or something else? I defrag my computer every Wednesday(Make sure to keep it on and let it run). And do regular disk cleanups at least once a week, month if not.

I'm assuming you've tried using directx 7 as opposed to 9? I was having problems with my fps (constantly below 40), and that fixed it for me.

Ummm :\

He has a GTX 260, there is no need for bloody DX7!

This.  It's not general lag. I can run games like BF:BC2 on huge matches with no problem until this thing rears its ugly head. And it doesn't have to be when a lot of things are on screen. I've had it lag when there was nobody around, and then fix itself in the midst of a heavy siege fight.

[Earthdforce]

He has a GTX 260, there is no need for bloody DX7!

I have an ATI Mobility™ Radeon® HD5870 and I use dx7 -.-

[Stabby_Dave]

I get something similar. My fps randomly drops to 0 for like half a second occasionally then shoots back up, sometimes it full on freezes for 5-10 seconds. Changes graphics settings does nothing and yet I have played on a gf's laptop with massively worse hardware yet it runs smooth as hell with solid FPS. Weird.

[Kobold_Kommando]

From what I gather, it has something to do with Steam and playing Multiplayer games. It doesn't happen on any other game while Steam is not running. And it mostly happens during multiplayer. Though I have had the issue while playing Portal 2 Storyline.

A friend of mine who never had the problem recently bought M&B through Steam and started having the problem. But it's not as frequent for her. so I have no idea still, but it does seem to be related to Steam.

[Formless]

I think its a warband thing.  I bought warband right from the publisher so I do not have steam on my computer.  I still have the same problem.