M17x Stutter

[catacylsm]

Shame your experience with the q9 isnt so good, i would cry without mine

But its good to know its in operation working fine.

[Idmpc]

Wow. I have a TOSHIBA x205-SLI1 which comes with a Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM and with 2x8600m GT (256mb each) running on Windows Vista 32-bit and I also had problems with micro-stuttering (running smoothly then dropping to single-digits-FPS for 2-5 seconds then running smoothly again). I tried everything (updating video drivers, BIOS, stopping every background service, etc.) and nothing seemed to work. So while I was searching for a solution, I did run into a few interesting things:

- I ran into a forum where they were saying that the way SLI renders frames could be causing the problem, such as : While displaying frame 1, SLI is already rendering frames 2 and 3, but sometimes rendering frame 3 is finished before rendering frame 2, so when frame 2 is displayed, frame 3 is displayed right after, so you would notice that after one frame is displayed, it would take a long time for the 2nd frame to be displayed (causing the single-digits-FPS drop) but the 3rd frame would kick in faster, causing the so called Micro Stutter, so they said it's actually a problem with Multi-GPU solutions.

- I also read somewhere that there actually was a BUG on NVIDIA's GeForce 8k series that affected more mid-to-low range cards (like mine) where some kind of buffer on the video card wasn't being correctly cleaned up and after some minutes of gameplay (depending on how much video graphics processing the game you're playing is using) that buffer would overflow and the microstuttering would happen. It wouldn't happen with high-end videocards because they have more memory available and it usually would take way longer for this buffer to overflow.

- Some people reported that, when the microstuttering started, alt-tabbing out of the game to windows and alt-tabbing back again would make this buffer to properly clean up and stuttering would stop for a while. There was even a video on youtube showing this.

- There was this application (unfortunately I don't remember the name) that would lock the FPS for any DX9 game to a value you specified, I read that using it to run DX9 games and lock your FPS to 30 would cause the stuttering to stop. I tried it and the stuttering was not gone, but it did take much longer for it to start.

- For me, microstuttering stopped completely once I had SLI turned off, so I would get lower FPS on games because I was keeping them at the same video settings I used to play with SLI enabled, but at least the very annoying microstuttering never happened again. However, since I paid for a SLI notebook, as you all have, it's obvious we want to be able to turn it on and use it, just like the people here reporting that the problem is on the quadcores, they don't want to downgrade it

Well, this is just some info I found on the internet and yes, I know that my videocard's aren't anywhere as powerful as those contained on m17x, so some of the info posted here might not be very helpful to you, but I guess I just wanted to share my findings with everyone, since this issue is present on other notebooks from other brands, not only alienware =)

[scook9]

thanks for the info

taught me some

[Idmpc]

I've found some very interesting links that emphasize that the problem is indeed on Multi-GPU solutions, and can happen to everyone:

GPU "Microstuttering" FAQ
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1317582

Video proof: Micro stuttering may destroy the performance gains from current multi GPU technologies
http://www.pcgameshardware.de/aid,63...fikkarte/Test/

Micro Stutter: The dark secret of SLI and Crossfire
http://www.overclockers.com/index.ph...ds&Itemid=4266

What do you guys think? Could SLI/Crossfire actually be the cause of this problem?

[dondadah88]

nope not really... i disabled one gpu on my whitebook and it still continued.

[EviLCorsaiR]

Very odd that despite having a multi-GPU solution, I have never encountered micro-stuttering. (Well actually, I believe I might have seen it once in Lord of the Rings Online when Fraps was reading my FPS changing like crazy within a 10-fps range, however it was still constantly above 60fps so I never physically saw anything)

[Matthew Mirow]

I am having pretty much the same issues you guys are having with your AW M17's. I also think its has to to with the Quad core processor's. And here is my argument:

1. I bought my M17 with a 2.26 dual core processor and dual 3870's 4gb mem
I used the machine for 30 days and on the 30th day the power plug on the Motherboard started smoking. I then sent the machine out to be repaired. This was July 6th I just now got the machine back after I call Tech support litterly everyday. I was told the MB was replaced one day and that I would have the machine by the end of the week. I called the next day and was told they had to wait for the MB to come in. I then asked to talk to a manager and the best they had was a supervisor. So anyhow the ended up appointing this specialist to "My Case" and pretty much a BS guy. I really just wanted my money back but I gave in and figured I ed enough that they would get my system back to me. I got then machine back the next week and noticed I have a different processor.

They installed the QX9300 2.53 now Im having issues were the machine is shuddering randomly.

Ive run 3 different OS's on this machine before I found out that its a common prob. Vista 64 Win 7 and now Vista 32

On Vista 32 the shuddering is alot less but it still is a random thing. Win 7 forget it its like alot more frequent

And Vista 64 is in between the two.

Mainly it happens running WOW but sometimes just doing things as simple as browsing online.

Wish there was a fix for this, but I think I now should push the issue for my money back.

[dondadah88]

Wow. I have a TOSHIBA x205-SLI1 which comes with a Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz, 2GB RAM and with 2x8600m GT (256mb each) running on Windows Vista 32-bit and I also had problems with micro-stuttering (running smoothly then dropping to single-digits-FPS for 2-5 seconds then running smoothly again). I tried everything (updating video drivers, BIOS, stopping every background service, etc.) and nothing seemed to work. So while I was searching for a solution, I did run into a few interesting things:

- I ran into a forum where they were saying that the way SLI renders frames could be causing the problem, such as : While displaying frame 1, SLI is already rendering frames 2 and 3, but sometimes rendering frame 3 is finished before rendering frame 2, so when frame 2 is displayed, frame 3 is displayed right after, so you would notice that after one frame is displayed, it would take a long time for the 2nd frame to be displayed (causing the single-digits-FPS drop) but the 3rd frame would kick in faster, causing the so called Micro Stutter, so they said it's actually a problem with Multi-GPU solutions.

- I also read somewhere that there actually was a BUG on NVIDIA's GeForce 8k series that affected more mid-to-low range cards (like mine) where some kind of buffer on the video card wasn't being correctly cleaned up and after some minutes of gameplay (depending on how much video graphics processing the game you're playing is using) that buffer would overflow and the microstuttering would happen. It wouldn't happen with high-end videocards because they have more memory available and it usually would take way longer for this buffer to overflow.

- Some people reported that, when the microstuttering started, alt-tabbing out of the game to windows and alt-tabbing back again would make this buffer to properly clean up and stuttering would stop for a while. There was even a video on youtube showing this.

- There was this application (unfortunately I don't remember the name) that would lock the FPS for any DX9 game to a value you specified, I read that using it to run DX9 games and lock your FPS to 30 would cause the stuttering to stop. I tried it and the stuttering was not gone, but it did take much longer for it to start.

- For me, microstuttering stopped completely once I had SLI turned off, so I would get lower FPS on games because I was keeping them at the same video settings I used to play with SLI enabled, but at least the very annoying microstuttering never happened again. However, since I paid for a SLI notebook, as you all have, it's obvious we want to be able to turn it on and use it, just like the people here reporting that the problem is on the quadcores, they don't want to downgrade it

Well, this is just some info I found on the internet and yes, I know that my videocard's aren't anywhere as powerful as those contained on m17x, so some of the info posted here might not be very helpful to you, but I guess I just wanted to share my findings with everyone, since this issue is present on other notebooks from other brands, not only alienware =)

your issue is your video drivers. you need to experiment with them. what numbers have you tried. i suggest 185.85........

also if you can't find any turn v-sync on.

[scook9]

185.85 was a pretty bad driver though...had alot of issues, is why the 186 drivers were so exciting when they came out lol

[dondadah88]

not for my 9800m gtx. But i'll do some testing on it.