5850M low gpu load

It seam that my 5850 will not go above 40% gpu load while gaming. The temps aren't that bad to underclock it (around 70C max) and the core clock speed reached its normal 625 and 1000. I have no idea what could be causing this but I have been trying different drivers to no avail. But another thing I should note is that when I install a driver (no matter id its dell official or ati) at the end of the installation process it says "installation complete (Warnings occurred during installation process)". But the driver is updated and so is CCC so I am not sure what these warning are. When I look into the detailed information it shows no errors where encountered and everything installed successfully.

Any ideas?

 

Do you have vsync enabled?

 

Run 3dMark11 after opening GPU-Z and clicking Log to File and Continue Refreshing . . . etc. on the Sensors Tab/Page. Then post the log file for review. There may be nothing wrong. 3dMark11 will push your 5850m to 100% loads, whereas many games will not given the capabilities of your card.

The warnings during ATI driver installation are nearly always the result of the installation package including an older version of MS Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable than is already installed on your computer through Windows update. The installation routine will not install a older driver/utility etc. over a newer one, so it does not install the driver package version and returns an error. Ignore it. It's doing what it's supposed to do.

 

No, vsync is never enabled when I play games.

Passmark results here: Result

It ran like crap, the majority of the time it didn't even go above 6 fps. The GPU did reach 100% load, so I'm not sure why its not doing the same while gaming.

I'm having some problems uploading the gpuz log so I'll post that later

 

Ferius, your problem appears to be CPU based. The 3dMark11 graphics scores are a little low for a stock 5850m, but not dramatically so and are probably accounted for by the underperforming CPU. The Physics score, which is a pure CPU test, is very low at 5fps (my old 820QM did about 16fps and my 920xm scores around 19fps at stock settings). While your i5 CPU can be expected to score less than the quads, it should not be near that low. Unfortunately, I have no experience with i5's, so I don't know what normal performance would be.

If you could now run Throttlestop (Monitoring only, i.e., turned off) and enable logging and then rerun 3dMark11, we can see what the processor is doing. We really need someone who can give us a base performance profile for the i5 in 3dMark11. Which i5 CPU do you have? Maybe I can find it at Orb. What are your CPU temps?

 

Found this -- Result -- which is a 3dMark11 test run on an Alienware with an i5-540 and 5850M @ 625/1000.

Alienware with i5-540 and 5850M

3DMark Score. . . . . . . .P1909
Graphics Score. . . . . . . .1799
Physics Score. . . . . . . . .2738
Combined Score. . . . . . .1918
GraphicsTest1. . . . . . . .9 FPS
GraphicsTest2. . . . . . . .8 FPS
GraphicsTest3. . . . . . .10 FPS
GraphicsTest4. . . . . . . .4 FPS
PhysicsTest. . . . . . . . . .8 FPS
CombinedTest. . . . . . . .8 FPS

Your M15x

3DMark Score. . . . . . . .P1822
Graphics Score. . . . . . . .1918
Physics Score. . . . . . . . .1625
Combined Score. . . . . . .1527
GraphicsTest1. . . . . . . .9 FPS
GraphicsTest2. . . . . . . .9 FPS
GraphicsTest3. . . . . . .11 FPS
GraphicsTest4. . . . . . . .5 FPS
PhysicsTest. . . . . . . . . .5 FPS
CombinedTest. . . . . . . .7 FPS

As you can see, your performance is not that far off. In fact, your graphics scores are slightly higher than the comparison model, but the CPU test (Physics Test) is noticeably lower. Your CPU needs a boost, but don't expect miracles. Any significant performance increase is going to require a new, more powerful CPU.

 

The benchmark test pc has the same CPU as I do.

 

Exactly. Same CPU, but he is enjoying considerably better CPU performance: 2738 (him) v. 1625 (you). His CPU is performing almost 70% better than yours.

 

Do you think there is any way of finding out what is slowing down my cpu?

 

You might try Passmark (free trial version), which is a system benchmark test that includes CPU testing and allows comparison to results from a large number of the same CPU. PassMark PerformanceTest - PC benchmark software. Intel processors are very rarely defective. CPU under-performance is usually due to some local setting that prevents the CPU from using its full capabilities. The Passmark results might give us more insight into the operation of your CPU that could suggest a cause. Again, I have no experience with the i5 mobile processor, so this is a blind-leading-the-blind situation. We need a little help from i5-540 users.

Edit: Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool - http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19792. Performs a thorough diagnostic analysis of Intel CPU's.

 

If i remember correct when i had a i5 540 throttle stop could over clock that chip.

 

I'll test both 3dmark and passmark with throttlestop and post the results when I get home from work later today.

 

@raven

I didn't think you could over clock with throttlestop. Or is it just a minor increase?

 

Well when i checked it was just before i got the 920xm and i wanted to get familiar with throttle stop, i must admit i was pretty confused by the program but if memory serves it functions exactly the sames as with the 920xm

 

Let's talk in terms of the performance you get in games. Have you tried Dirt 2 or Dirt 3? Perhaps Dragon Age II?

If you can run these games at 1080p without/minimal AA at a decent FPS, then do not worry, your GPU is doing just fine.

Also make sure that you have switched off 'Stealth Mode' on your M15x.

 

I ran 3Dmark again with throttlesop running and logging in the background but I'm having some problems finding where the saved log is. To add to the confusion this was the result of the test: Result

I didn't change anything since I last ran the test and it seams my results have gone down quite a bit. I didn't even hear the fans for either the gpu or cpu turn on anymore then if I was watching a movie.

@ gracemillian I usually use bad company 2 as my benchmark for testing. I can usually run the game (with fairly frequant fps drops) in medium/low settings at 1600X900 (full res). I always check to see if stealth mode is on or not, I am a m15x owner after all, lol.

Edit: After recieving such low results I tried the test again, but this time I checked to make sure that stealth mode was not on and I opined GPU-Z. When I started the test I instantly got a blue screen of death and it restarted. I tried the test again while running gpuz and throttlestop and the results were the same as the first result I posted.

 

Do you have intel speedstep disabled in your bios? I had severe CPU performance issues until I re enabled it.

 

Just took a look and it is enabled.

 

Ferius2, do u have A09 bios? Do u have a 540 cpu? as from ur first test and second test your cpu is running pretty bad its at 1/2 phisical logical processors instead of 1/4, and its @ 1 core instead of 2. , from ur 3d mark test i can see the ur video card is not reaching 3d clocks its staying at 300/400. I recommend going back to a08, or toggle stealth mode on and then off to clear any errors from ur intitial start up.... could u provide a screen shot of hwinfo32 summary and of sensors?

 

To elaborate on Mexic00ls point, here is a copy of the CPU description for the i5-540M used in the model test ( Result) referred to in Post 6:

​

But here is the processor description for your M15x ( Result):

​

3dMark11 sees only 1 core of your i5 CPU operating, instead of 2 cores as expected, even if you have a 520M. There are no single core i5 mobile processors. Your M15x is running on one leg. The question is why. Download and run the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool referred to in Post 10 to determine whether there is some physical defect. If none is found, then some setting in Win7 or some app is disabling the second core, which needs to be found and corrected.

 

@Mexic00ls

I have A09 installed but I'll try A08 later tonight.

I ran the program and took a screenshot of it.

@The Revelator

I ran the test and it passed and I also went into bios to see if anything there would be causing only 1 core to function, but all settings were at factory defaults.

 

Very strange, you certainly have a 540M, and all appears normal. But TS and HW32 are low level (hardware driven) utilities. 3dMark11 has to function through the operating system, so the core loss has to occur there, or the benchmark (or its Systeminfo) has been corrupted in some way that leaves it unable to properly recognize the CPU. Try this. Click on Start/All Programs/Accessories/Run. Then type "msconfig" (no quotes) into the box and select Run as Administrator, if available. Then click on the Boot tab, then Advanced Options and Uncheck the box titled Number of processors (or if checked, set to 4). Click OK, then Apply on the next screen. Then click on the General tab and select/click on Normal Startup, Apply and OK. Then restart at the prompt. Run 3dMark11 and see if there is any change.

 

Ur cpu is only running one core (#0), and it should be running two (#0, #1), try revs solution, and if it fails we'll think of something else.....

 

Okay, I did as instructed and there doesn't seam to be any changes

Graphics Score
1919
Physics Score
1633
Combined Score
1541
GraphicsTest1
9 FPS
GraphicsTest2
9 FPS
GraphicsTest3
11 FPS
GraphicsTest4
5 FPS
PhysicsTest
5 FPS
CombinedTest
7 FPS

 

Doesn't give us much to go on unless you describe what you did, what you saw and how the computer performed. Was the Number of Processors setting checked? If so, how many processors were specified. Did you change it? How?

Edit: Why not try restoring to a time when it was working properly? If that doesn't work, call Dell and tell them it's broken. Maybe they have access to diagnostic tools that can identify what's causing the CPU to limp along.

 

try reflashing a09, if your still running on 1 core, then go thru the same procedures that rev has outlined. if it doesnt work then try reverting to a08 bios. it could be the chipset drivers or the bios, software wise, rare things like a registery change during the installation of a game, can affect the binary data of your machine. the last software step would be a fresh windows install.... if that fails then your cpu is non-functional and u need to replace it to get the desired proformance...

 

one question, did you use msconfig to configure your startup, or use something like vlite to make a custom install?

i remember accidentally changing the number of cores visible to windows.
it's under boot/advanced/number of processors in msconfig.

in fact, i'm almost sure it's that. because hwinfo3 shows 2 physical cores however only 1 visible under usage.

tell me, with windows task manager (ctrl+shift+esc) how many cores do you see under the performance tab in the "cpu usage history box"?

 

Its not the msconfig settings, it still shows 2 cores there and it also shows 2 cores in task manager.

I just re flashed to A08 and there are no changes. It still only shows 1 core in WINinfo32 and 3Dmark11 performance is the same.

Ill give dell a call tomorrow to see if they can figure this all out.

 

Ferius, it should show 4 processors in msconfig and Task Manager. (2 cores = 4 logical processors due to hyperthreading). My 920xm has 4 cores, but shows 8 processors in Task Manager (and also Device Manager).

 

So its showing that both cores are running in Task manager and msconfig but only one in WiNinfo32?

 

Good luck, Farius2.

 

Ah ha! Something happened! When I restated my laptop today I recieved a warning about my power supply not being the original 150W power supply. This happens every time I start my laptop now and the majority of the time the battery wont charge.

Im thinking the cpu might not be getting enough power so its only running on 1 core but then again it would probably downclock rather then not use an entire core.

Im assuming my PS is dying?

EDIT: I've managed to get rid of the warnings by disabling checking the psu in BIOS, this also allows me to charge my battery but I fear its only a band aid fix

 

So I called Dell support (3 times), they ran a variety of tests in which they concluded that my CPU is fine (Despite me showing them several times that it's not working properly). I just did a fresh install of windows and still am getting the exact same performance as before... I'm out of ideas....

 

The problem has been solved, all that needs to be done is un check the box in msconfig->boot->advanced settings->number of processors, then restart. After that recheck the box and select 4 processors