Computer running in Slow Motion - ATI Drivers

[shjacobs_82]

I'm having a problem that I think have narrowed down to ATI drivers. Different ATI video cards, different drivers, same slow motion problem but only when drivers are running. I also noticed that the AMD system monitor doesn't show the GPU doing anything at all, 0 MHz. Both GPU's are correctly identified by AMD and the device manager.

Motherboard: Asus A8S-X BIOS: 1001
CPU: Opteron 180
Ram: GSkills 2GB dual channel
Graphics: ATI 4870 or ATI x800 Pro
PSU: Thermaltake TR2-430W
HDD: 260GB IDE
Operating System: Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise

This began after upgrading from AMD64 3200+ to Opteron 180 and 1GB of 2x512 to 2GB at 2x1GB ram. Recent Bios update from 801 to 1001 for Opteron support. Graphics acceleration and ATI drivers worked without issues before hardware upgrade.

Screen now blacks out for a second or two randomly when ATI drivers are enabled but didn't earlier.

Ram has no errors and same problem with old ram. Fresh windows install and no viruses. No HDD errors.

Any help would be great, I've run into a wall here and just can't figure it out. It would be really nice to have a halfway decent resolution and control over the aspect ratio (using a 16:10 monitor).

 

[stant1rm]

I had a similar problem on a computer that had Radeon HD 4850.

Use driversweeper to completely erase all evidence of past driver installation and install a slightly older set of catalyst drivers. I recommend 10.2. Let me know how that works for you.

If that doesn't work it might be your PSU can't supply enough juice to keep the 4870 happy. Those Thermaltake TR2 units aren't very good.

 

[shjacobs_82]

Will give it a try. Forgot to mention that the x800 was running 10.2 and the 4850 is on 12.6

 

[stant1rm]

Try the 4850 on 10.2.
I think most likely it's not a driver issue. I think it's probably a PSU issue, those Opteron CPU's can be pretty power hungry and both X800 and 4850 aren't light weights either.

 

[shjacobs_82]

Used drivesweeper and tried 10.2 with same problem. Is there a way to test the PSU load? I've also removed every non-essential item, so all that's running now is the motherboard, ram, cpu & fan, IDE HDD, and x800 w/fan.

 

[shjacobs_82]

The computer runs at full speed with no issues when the ATI drivers aren't installed. Problem is, then the resolution and aspect ratio is messed up. I wouldn't mind being able to play an old game or two as well.

 

[stant1rm]

Hmm. I would keep trying different drivers. I still think it's a PSU issue, I don't think the cards are using much power when the drivers aren't installed, but one the drivers are they are drawing too much. Do you have a really low end ATI card to try? Something that will sip power?

 

[shjacobs_82]

The x800 is the lowest end I have. I have a gaming pc with a 700 Watt PSU that runs a high wattage Phenom II 965 quad BE and 2 x 6850's. Just tried running it off that PSU but it doesn't seem compatible. It starts the fans then immediately shuts down.

 

[stant1rm]

Thats... Interesting. It might be a motherboard problem. That's very unusual. Maybe your motherboard has just had enough.