Can bad memory cause game lag, but not game/computer crash?

[fusk]

Hi.
I am playing a few different game, in two specific games "wot & nf2" i would get stutter/microfreeze. No matter what setting i used. I had absolutely no idea as to what the problem is.
So first i searched the internet, found out there was an issue with nvidias 500 series gfx cards, where in some cases they would do this, it was random. Nvidia knew of the problem but not what caused it.
So after talking with zotac we agreed it was the gfx card, so that went off to rma.

Before that i bought a gtx460 for 20€ or something like that. Completely reinstalled windows, reinstalled the games which runs from a different hdd.

But i still get the same problem. So i'm thinking, my psu is powerful enough, my cpu is fine, the mobo is fine, apparently the gfx was fine as well. But maybe it's the memory. In the past i've had a few bsod's from memory management.
I've run memtest but only for like an hour as i've not been able to find the time to let it run longer. But no errors during that hour.

Any suggestions ?

 

[YoYo155]

Bad RAM has a broad range of negative effect on a system, so yes it is possible.
In your case I'm suspecting the GPU's driver version, what release are you using at the moment?

If you're unsure on how to verify the version:

• Start Menu> RUN> "MSINFO32" without the quotes then hit [Enter].
• 
• The last 4 digits are the driver version, in this case it's 1422 or 314.22.

Latest buggy nVidia drivers are the 320.xx familiy.

 

[fusk]

I am using the latest beta driver. But there has been no change through the updates.

 

[YoYo155]

Roll back your drivers to a more stable release, I suggest 314.22.

• Nvidia, Uninstall Graphics Drivers

• Then follow with a pass of Driver Sweeper | http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/83814-drivers-clean-left-over-files-after-uninstalling.html

Download 314.22
When installing select Custom Settings and uncheck:

• 3D Vision (all of them).
• HD Audio.
• Nvidia Updates.

Do check Preform a clean installation.
​

 

[fusk]

I always install costume, no 3d or audio, only driver and phsysx. But i think you are missing something, this didn't just start 2 days ago, it's been several months, and there has been maybe 10 driver updates since then, in the beginning it was just the regular stable release, but then i changed it to beta hoping for something.
The 460 i'm using now is using 326.41.

So far it's only these two specific games where i notice it. I know i've played tf2 without problems. But i don't know if that's caused by games working differently from each other.

But i can give 314.22 a try. But i'm pretty sure i've already had that one installed.

 

[YoYo155]

These issues started from 320.00 (BETA) onwards.

 

[fusk]

Ok 314.22 is installed, removed everything, made clean install of only driver and phsysx.
Zotac didn't even suggest this, instead they wanted to turn up voltage to 1.025 or update with a secret bios update you can only get through support.
I will know shortly as i usually get these microfreezes around 4 times a min. They last for around ½ sec.

Well, if it turns out to be this simple, then i'm blowing you kisses.

 

[YoYo155]

Ha ha, it's a waiting game now (no pun intended).
Keep this thread open for a few days, if all is well mark it as solved !

 

[fusk]

Okay, i can tell you already now that it didn't help.
I play with around 70 fps, so that should be pretty fluent.

 

[YoYo155]

Download Speccy and post a scrennshot.
What games are you playing?
Do you have V-sync enabled?

 

[fusk]

Not sure what you want me to take a screenshot of, and why i'd need that program for it.
I don't have v-sync on, and atm. i have team fortress 2, league of legends, world of tanks & navy field 2.

Edit: I got it.

Idle:

Load:

 

[YoYo155]

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough in my previous post.
I want to rule-out heat related issues, so I asked you to post a screenshot of Speccy inorder
to know more about the current state of the machine.

Please post a picture while idle and a picture during a game shutter.

 

[fusk]

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough in my previous post.

You were clear enough, just didn't know what the program was for, when i spend 30 sec to actually read the page i knew what you were after.

 

[YoYo155]

Do mind testing the RAM?

• Follow this toturial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html
• Take special note of Part 3, if errors are found.
  

 

[fusk]

As mentioned in the first post, i have tried memtest, but only for an hour with no errors. Planning on running a longer sessions when i find the time.

 

[YoYo155]

As mentioned in the first post, i have tried memtest, but only for an hour with no errors. Planning on running a longer sessions when i find the time.

That is up to you.

Download CPUID - HWMonitor, and post a screenshot, in order to verify the voltages being supplied.
How old is the power-supply?
Do you have a spare one you can test with?

Download CPU-Z and put a load on the system using Prime95 and post a screenshot.

• Put a load just for a couple of minutes and don't go through the entire testing process for now.

This will tell us if the CPU is reaching it's boost clock speed.

 

[fusk]

PSU is about a year old.

Load from game:

Load from prime:

During prime:

 

[fusk]

Today i ran memtest for a bit over 5 hours with no errors. In bios the performance setting for memory is "extreme"
So, more or less hardware fault is ruled out. Maybe i should try some even older drivers?

 

[YoYo155]

How many passes did it complete?
Try setting the RAM back to stock.

Check for dust accumulation particularly in and around the slots.
What is your BIOS revision?

 

[fusk]

How many passes did it complete?
Try setting the RAM back to stock.

Check for dust accumulation particularly in and around the slots.
What is your BIOS revision?

3 completed.