verify ATi Gfx card is working

my x1900 xt 256mb seems to be underperforming, im only getting 15 fps in quake 4, when it sounds like, at the settings i put a 6800 can get 30 from somebody else, so i was wondering if there was a way that i could just verify to myself that the 3D clocks from the ATi control panel were actually being applied when i started up games. As i fear i amy have screwed it up with ATiTool. it also gives me artifacts in 3dmark 06 regardless of settings, but from what i read this is to be expected for some reason

**edit**
i just ran 3dmark 06 and it didnt artifact, and i got an average of 12.5 fps on 1680 * 1050, 4xaa 16xaf, and i checked off force full precision just for fun

artifacts = not good. like notquitehere said, try reinstalling drivers. but i suspect the problem may be something deeper, such as high temps or a bad card.

check ur gpu temps using atitool... also check ur system temp.