Sager 5720 FPS problem

Hopefully this isnt off topic for this forum, if it is im sorry, but I have a "problem" if you will that I can't currently seem to find an answer to

I have a Sager 5720, if you dont know what that is heres the spec:

17in 1920 x 1200 display
Nvidia Geforce GO 7800gtx
Centrino 2.26ghz
2gigs RAM
100gb 7200rpm SATA HDD


Now, the problem. While running Battlefield 2142 at highest settings, minus the Anti Aliasing, Everything runs really smoothe for the most part. But then, suddenly the FPS drops down to about 2-3 fps, and continues to play that way for about 1 and a half to 2 mins, then jumps right back up to normal like it never even happened.

So far I have ruled out the fact that my card cant handle 2142 on highest settings, for if that were the case, It would constantly be low FPS (correct me if im wrong), and I want to rule out overheating also. I have a chillmat that is always running underneath my computer while Im gaming, but maybe it IS overheating? A touch of the case right over the processor usually tells me that, and 80% of the time the CPU isnt really hot when it starts with the FPS lag.

If anyone can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.

a link for a free cpu temp software may be nice.

Plus, if someone could tell me what temperature "overheating" on a 2.26ghz centrino is that would be appreciated, it may help to answer a couple questions.

Thanks Guys

 

Your graphics card should certainly be able to run that game, at respectable frame rates. The best thing to do to try and fix the problem will be to upgrade the drivers you have. Alot the times, it seems that they are the cause of problems.

Regarding the overheating. If you are using a cooling pad, then you shouldn't really have nay porblems with it. Also, the processor shouldn't really overheating. Yes, it may get hot, but it it probably doesn't ever reach the 80 or 90 C needed to damage it. If you need a prgram to monitor temperatures (among other things) of both of these, then use Everest:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Hope this helps.

 

umm.... I think that you ran into the same problem as me. And you have the same videocard too.

Read this thread that I made:
3D intense games have RANDOM FPS DROP... Heat? VideoCard?

As you read it, you will know that I experienced the same thing and turn out to be the overheating of the videocard... which pretty gave it damage. I had it swapped (under warranty) and now it works perfect again.

I am now more aware of the dangers of heat, so I made a guide to monitor GPU temps:

Monitoring mobile ATI & nVidia Video Card Temps - Do your temps worry you?

Hope this helps,

-Gophn

Remember to always use the Fn+F2 function command to toggle the all the fans to max out while gaming, it significantly helps.

 

yah Gophin, that is EXACTLY what im experiencing. I dont really understand it though, 10 months without a problem and suddenly my GPU is damaged.

ugh, that means sending it back to Sager and being without a gaming/school laptop for 2 weeks, I REALLY wish there was a way around that, but I suppose if there isn't much of a choice on the matter, I should contact Sager right away and see what needs to be done.

Thank you for the help guys, NotebookReview forums saves me once again!


~Poseign

 

its more than likely that its physical damage, so you need to swap it before the warranty is gone.

I had mine for 6-7 months when it occured. And the same for some others as well in the Alienware and Sager forums.

tell them that its the videocard and not to waste time looking for other problems, 95% sure that its the videocard.

-Gophn

 

yah, I have emailed Sager's tech support about the problem, and told them that i was just about positive that the GPU was the problem. Im currently waitin for a reply.

How long did it take between the time u sent your laptop out to the time you got it back?

 

well... i actually drove to City of Industry to get my problem fixed in person. So that was quick for me, but that only cuz I can commute, I think the average time for doing it through mail is 1-2 weeks.

 

ah, so i would asume if i want this problem fixed (which i do obviously), since im still in yr 1 of my 3 yr warranty, it has to be sent back to California for repairs.

 

Here a question for you actually. I was just running another test on the GPU while in battlefield 2142, and when my framerate slowed down, it went down to 15fps, the 15fps was steady, it didnt waver from that, and my page file usage went up.

wait one minute now, page file is used when the system runs out of resources, it emulates the RAM correct? Did this happen when your GPU went?

 

i didnt look too much at the pagefile, because I wanted to rule out the possiblity of being a software issue.

So I wiped and reinstalled Windows on different harddrives, same issued still occurred.
Swapped out Cpu, ram.... still same problem

That pretty isolated the problem to the physical videocard.

 

Hopefully this physical video card issue will be non-existent in Clevo's next-gen notebooks. It looks like it is only isolated to the notebooks with the ultra high-end cards; I'm hoping it does not happen to me. I am out of warranty. I am a bit nervous though since my M560A shares the same chassis design as the M570A/M570U. The parts are also installed very similarly in the same general places.

 

Im SO thankfull I got a 3 yr warranty. Although Id still be in the standard 1 yr warranty range as of now, i think of what may have heppened if this occired three months from now and I didnt pay the extra money for the extended warranty.

I hope the next Gen Sagers dot have this issue also. It really sucks to know that Im going to be out of a computer for about 2 weeks.

Sager Tech support emailed me back and told me to check the fans, heat sink, and to blow it out with compressed air, and told me to update the BIOS. I guess I'll update the BIOS since I havent done that yet, but they told me if the problem persists I will need to send it in.

Looks like thats where im headed then