Nvidia GPU's - How To Stop Undervolting (Lock Your Overclock! Advanced Users Only)

[HyperionXL 0]

It was really p**sing me off when I put FSX into windowed mode and was tracking what my GPUs were doing while flying through crazy weather and cities. I found half the time it would fall back to its underpowered idle'd clock speeds. Sometimes it would boost up to half of what I set my overclock to. Now, Nvidia cards do this to keep temps low and reduce power consumption while not under stress. Well, FSX should be putting stress on our video cards, but I guess either, its not enough for the drivers to care or its just not functioning properly. I needed a fix.

 

I found this: http://www.overclock.net/t/1267918/guide-nvidia-inspector-gtx670-680-disable-boost-fixed-clock-speed-undervolting

 

What this allows me to do is set my overclock and set it permanently with no drop in clock or power consumption or boosts or any of that other funny stuff your GPU is doing. Summary: It keeps your clock stable at the settings you want it at.

 

Since doing this mod, I've noticed more consistent frame rates on FSX and less stuttering. Is it a game changer? I doubt it, but it does seem to stop that boosting and step-downs which I think were a major issue behind the reasons for my microstutters and hiccups that would come along every so often.

 

If you can figure out the instructions, give it a shot. Since I am using a 690 there were 690 .bat settings on the page made by someone else that I used and work wonderfully. Each GPU is different so each of your settings and .bats (if that is the way you're going to run it) will be different. I'll try to write a tutorial later when I understand more, but if someone else wants to come in and write it, be my guest. I'd like to do a more in-depth post on it at simterminal.com.

 

Cheers and enjoy! Overclock and use this information at your own caution. I'm not responsible for those that don't understand it and blow their GPU up!

[superglide17 11]

I think EVGA PrecisionX is much easier to use for OCing your GPU. Then use NVidia Inspector for driver settings.

[Ben Cap 89]

I think EVGA PrecisionX is much easier to use for OCing your GPU. Then use NVidia Inspector for driver settings.

 

I completely agree.

[Noel 4,503]

It was really p**sing me off when I put FSX into windowed mode and was tracking what my GPUs were doing while flying through crazy weather and cities. I found half the time it would fall back to its underpowered idle'd clock speeds. Sometimes it would boost up to half of what I set my overclock to. Now, Nvidia cards do this to keep temps low and reduce power consumption while not under stress. Well, FSX should be putting stress on our video cards, but I guess either, its not enough for the drivers to care or its just not functioning properly. I needed a fix.

 

I found this: http://www.overclock...ed-undervolting

 

What this allows me to do is set my overclock and set it permanently with no drop in clock or power consumption or boosts or any of that other funny stuff your GPU is doing. Summary: It keeps your clock stable at the settings you want it at.

 

Since doing this mod, I've noticed more consistent frame rates on FSX and less stuttering. Is it a game changer? I doubt it, but it does seem to stop that boosting and step-downs which I think were a major issue behind the reasons for my microstutters and hiccups that would come along every so often.

 

If you can figure out the instructions, give it a shot. Since I am using a 690 there were 690 .bat settings on the page made by someone else that I used and work wonderfully. Each GPU is different so each of your settings and .bats (if that is the way you're going to run it) will be different. I'll try to write a tutorial later when I understand more, but if someone else wants to come in and write it, be my guest. I'd like to do a more in-depth post on it at simterminal.com.

 

Cheers and enjoy! Overclock and use this information at your own caution. I'm not responsible for those that don't understand it and blow their GPU up!

 

I'm puzzled by this. I would think what is happening is that FSX just isn't demanding anywhere near what the GPU can do, hence the low demand back throttling, and that this is not affecting FSX performance in any way, i.e. the back throttling isn't deteriorating performance. Are you suggesting the driver is actual deteriorating game performance because of this? If so, that is a real driver defect.

[Ben Cap 89]

I have had issues with my 580 using the 301.42 drivers. My 580 will sometimes throttle down to the 2D app speeds and it will severly hamper my FPS when flying through heavy clouds.

 

Thankfully, the newest 304.79 BETA driver seems to have resolved this for me.

[HyperionXL 0]

Bahg. I wrote a long reply but for some reason it has disappeared.

 

What this hack does is allow you to lock in your overclock. Meaning it won't use boost and it won't downclock. It stay consistent at what you tell it to. With the beta drivers, I was watching my clocks bounce up and down all over the place while flying, and I could tell when it needed to initiate boost for that extra bit of autogen or clouds popping in is when I would notice stutters and lag. While the call to grab that extra boost from the GPU is only fractions of a second, it translates to stuttering or lag on my end - whatever you want to call it.

 

With my overclock locked with this hack, I have noticed much smoother flights, more consistent FPS, less crashing, and I've been able to bump my AA up a notch with what looks like 0 negative impact so far. Maybe its just a placebo effect, but from my testing I think it is actually working. I've also tested on maxed settings on BF3 and Grand Theft Auto 4 and the effect is much more significant there. No boost lagging, as I'll call it, and extremely smooth gameplay on 64 person matches in BF3.

[Swofford 155]

As Ben said the 304.79 BETA has stopped this for me on my GTX 670. It stays at full throttle regardless during an FS session. Might give them a go if your having this issue.

[HyperionXL 0]

probably a 690 issue then as beta and whql drivers don't keep the clock maxed.

[Swofford 155]

dual GPU's on it might be freaking it out I dont know. Weird deal would drive me nuts for sure. Glad you got it sorted.