8800GTX SLI micro stutter problem

E

erexx

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
472
I have played through CoD4 (1.4) and noticed a "micro stutter" problem.
Does not matter what resolution, Single or Dual GPU
CoD4 stutters randomly for about 1sec
Using Fraps I have recorded the anomaly and found that indeed about 8-9 frames are missing / duplicated when this happens
(Just still frames, no key frames but the clock keeps ticking)
I have not played on line.
Punk Buster is not installed.

I have tried:
Custom configs
Official and Omega Drivers (169.21)
nHancer Compat settings
Dual (AFR1 and 2, SFR) and Single GPU rendering.
Optimized settings (at an abysmal 1024x768)
Changing the PCI latency settings.
Enabling and Disabling 60Hz FrameSync
(which surprisingly plays smooth a butter until the glitch hits)

Nothing seems to make it go away.
To me it seems like the system freezes randomly for 1 second or so.
I have watched the CoD FPS indicator flash Red for a split second when the lockup occurs.
I could be running at 120-200 fps/sec and it doesn't matter.

I have not been able to find a solution.

Micro stutter is a term I had not heard of before.
I have read everything about it from "its input lag" to "its a virus" to "Multi core systems have a data sync problem"
"nVidia does not care" and "ATI posted a hot fix" that works sometimes.

Does not seem to effect any other game that I have
Call of Duty 4 is the most graphics intensive game I have.
Doom, Quake4 and FEAR are not effected.

It is really annoying during game play and seems like a ugly smear on a such an expensive new system.

If anyone can has any insight I would greatly appreciate the help.

Here is a summery of the system.
WindowsXP
3.0GHz Core 2 Duo E8400
2GB DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333
2 BFGTech GeForce 8800GTX-OC 768MB
XFX NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra Motherboard
2 1TB Western Digital Caviar GP Sata Hard Drives
BFG ES800 Power Supply
 
you've not mentioned what resolution you game at, nor what settings you apply.
 
I try to run the game at 1920x1080p
But like I said it does the same thing with the default "optimal settings" using 1024x768

Motherboard and CPU temp rarely exceed 90-125F ; 34C-52C
GPU temps rarely exceed 150F-160F ; 66C-70C
 
Have you played with the render frames ahead option? try 1 or 2 instead of 3.
 
dnottis said:
Have you played with the render frames ahead option? try 1 or 2 instead of 3.
Click to expand...
I have not.
I will give that a try.
Atech said:
You might be shit out of luck:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1299226
Click to expand...
I read that article. (that is what I meant by the multi core comment above)
Very disheartening... not something I want to think about.
If it true this seems like something the [H] would be all over since it would potentially effect many hard core gamers.

Going to try disabling the second CPU core and see what happens.
I have already tried Single GPU rendering with the same results.
 
silent-circuit said:
Try some drivers from this century. ;)
Click to expand...
Oh, you mean like the latest greatest ForceWare Release that I am using?

ForceWare Release 169 WHQL
Version: 169.21
Release Date: December 19, 2007
Operating System: Windows XP, Windows XP Media Center Edition
Language: U.S. English
File Size: 43.8 MB

Thanks for the bump...
 
I tried:
Render frames ahead options 0, 1 and 2.
Disabled 1 CPU
Disabled HPET (WindowsXP cant use it anyways, correct?)

Bah, guess I am going to give up and live with it.
 
No. The latest greatest would be something in the 174 or 175 series. Try the betas -- WHQL means approximately jack.
 
This is going to sound lame, but have you tried reinstalling Windows? I was following the 9800 GX2 stuttering problem, and that's the one thing that fixed it for a few people.
 
silent-circuit
I took your advice and tried a few beta drivers 171.23 and 174.74
Same damn thing.
I am going to try 174.93 next...

Raxxath
Not lame, I have been thinking this but it is the last resort for me.
I already tried a repair install... clean install is the only option remaining.
 
174.93 the same thing.
Going to try a clean install.
Dont know what else to try.
 
The two cards are not clocked differently are they? If you any OCs at all have you tried going back to stock?
 
I have triple sli with 8800 GTXs and I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

I have played just about every game out there and I have smooth gameplay all the way.

I have used every beta driver since the 169.29 which was the first to allow Triple-sli.

I use a global setting for all my games. Default except force 16x AF, enhance the application with 4xAA, I use multisampling transparent AA.

Currently I am using the 175.12 driver version.

did you enable dual gpu in the COD 4 control panel???
 
Yes, I have enabled Multi GPU's in the CoD4 options.
I read that has helped others even with single cards and just seemed like the right setup option from the start.

I will check to make sure the clocks are exactly the same on both cards.
They are the OC versions of BFG768 so they are already "over clocked" by default.

Thanks for all the help so far.
 
I have a BFG OC2, a BFG OC and a BFG reference; all combined in Tri-SLi and all running at their assigned speeds, again without this "stutter" you speak of.

Could it be related to system memory???
OS???
CPU???

I'm curious.:eek:
 
I really wish I knew what the problem is.
Since I am in the minority I can start assuming its specific to my setup.
I am only trying describe the problem
I didn't make up the description.
The term is all over the net in various forms and it seemed like the closest thing I could use to describe the problem.

For those who wanted to know the timings are the same for both cards
This is what they come with as rated from the factory.
Core: 600MHZ
Memory: 900MHz
Shader Clock: 1404MHz
 
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