For all the people that knows about PCI-E I need your help or for people that encounter the same problem read up.

I was playing Crysis 2 hand down without any problem but recently I've been encountering something new after the game crashes (turns black screen and the sounds keep replaying) then magically comes back. I noticed my framerate drops down from 60-70 fps to 20-40 fps after every time the game crashes. Upon further inspection, my GTX 460 Hawk's clock rate drops down from 825/1650/1835mhz to 405/810/1835mhz. Found out, my PCI-E bus interface drops down from v 2.0 to 1.1 every crash and it won't go back to 2.0 until I reboot my computer.

Is anybody else encountering this problem? Any solutions so I could keep running the fricken game with my GPU overclocked <_<. Even with default clocks of 780/1560/1800mhz, the game still crashes and PCI-E slows down.

Do you get this along with it? Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding?

I had a problem with that, but I was dropping to 10 frames per second. Re-installed latest drivers and seems to have worked. Got the error when I overclocked with too high a clock speed.
Hope that helps.

Try removing any overclocks on your hardware, and then install the latest BIOS for your motherboard, and then go about installing the latest graphics drivers and chipset drivers. And make sure your video card is not overheating.

I've had the latest nvidia drivers and they've been working fine. But the crash is what bothers me the most, When I first installed the game (even my overclocks for the card was higher 850/1700/2000) the game was running fine on singleplayer and multiplayer. It's been around a week or two ago when the game started crashing and every now and then downclocks my PCI-E bus. I've downclocked by GPU but I'm not even gonna downclock it further than the default clocks <_<

Make sure windows isn't automaticly updating your video drivers.....mine did that a few times, and the one's it installed always messed up.

I haven't updated with windows automatic update for about a month or more now so I doubt it and rule out that one.

What is the motherboard model ? is the system overclocked ?

Foxconn Aloe 785G nvidia chipset =\

I know it's kinda trash but my system runs BFBC2 alright. Besides, I just found a solution last night. I've lowered the maximum pre-rendered frames on this game specifically using the Nvidia Control Panel from 3 to 2. As of today and last night, I haven't had any problems.

The game crashing and the PCI-E slow has stopped and I haven't seen any related problems so far.

For all the people that knows about PCI-E I need your help or for people that encounter the same problem read up.

I was playing Crysis 2 hand down without any problem but recently I've been encountering something new after the game crashes (turns black screen and the sounds keep replaying) then magically comes back. I noticed my framerate drops down from 60-70 fps to 20-40 fps after every time the game crashes. Upon further inspection, my GTX 460 Hawk's clock rate drops down from 825/1650/1835mhz to 405/810/1835mhz. Found out, my PCI-E bus interface drops down from v 2.0 to 1.1 every crash and it won't go back to 2.0 until I reboot my computer.

Is anybody else encountering this problem? Any solutions so I could keep running the fricken game with my GPU overclocked <_<. Even with default clocks of 780/1560/1800mhz, the game still crashes and PCI-E slows down.

I've been getting that since day one. It doesn't happen often. But when it does, there will be a pause, and when it resumes, it feels like perpetual motion blur. Have to shut off my pc to get things back to normal. And i still reboot my pc everytime i get it. My card is a GTX480, and i have the latest drivers.

I just found a solution last night. I've lowered the maximum pre-rendered frames on this game specifically using the Nvidia Control Panel from 3 to 2. As of today and last night, I haven't had any problems.

Changing the maximum pre-rendered frames has to do with CPU usage. When it was at it's default setting, you could have been overheating it. Check to make sure it's all good and clean inside there, and it has good ventilation. Make sure your temperatures are normal.

Sounds like a PSU issue to me. Ive heard of PCI-E lanes switching from x16 to x8 because they arent getting enough juice.

Sounds like a PSU issue to me. Ive heard of PCI-E lanes switching from x16 to x8 because they arent getting enough juice.

That goes great with my CPU usage/overheating theory, where his maximum pre-rendered frames were pushing the CPU to use more power, too much that the PSU could output.

Sounds like a PSU issue to me. Ive heard of PCI-E lanes switching from x16 to x8 because they arent getting enough juice.
DAMN WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT.....

I had the same issue with a weak PS

Sounds like a PSU issue to me. Ive heard of PCI-E lanes switching from x16 to x8 because they arent getting enough juice.

That goes great with my CPU usage/overheating theory, where his maximum pre-rendered frames were pushing the CPU to use more power, too much that the PSU could output.

Maybe it is the PSU >_< I only have 550 watt Fatal1ty series modular PSU. But I find it really strange, because this is the only game that encounters this issue. I thought BFBC2 was more CPU intensive because frostbite engine relies more on the CPU to do all the destruction physics.

Also, when I first installed the game, I've played the game overclocked with no problems until recently, like I said in my first post. I'm really hoping that my system isn't degrading or anything on such a short time <_<

OH wait that PCI-E juice kinda makes sense. I've turned down my auxiliary voltage back to 0 and tried giving more juice to the gpu... maybe it does make a difference?

OH wait that PCI-E juice kinda makes sense. I've turned down my auxiliary voltage back to 0 and tried giving more juice to the gpu... maybe it does make a difference?
Yep, that cut it off. Id suggest getting a high quality PSU such as a Corsair or a Antec one. Might even get a 750W one for future upgrades. Make sure you get atleast a 80 Plus Silver one, as they are way more efficient than standart PSUs.

OH wait that PCI-E juice kinda makes sense. I've turned down my auxiliary voltage back to 0 and tried giving more juice to the gpu... maybe it does make a difference?
Yep, that cut it off. Id suggest getting a high quality PSU such as a Corsair or a Antec one. Might even get a 750W one for future upgrades. Make sure you get atleast a 80 Plus Silver one, as they are way more efficient than standart PSUs.

And here I thought that 550W 80+ Bronze was gonna be enough for my GTX 460 Hawk, I guess I was wrong.

Your PCI-E lane resetting to 1.1 is real awkward as this is initialized at boot/runtime this could be
A: DX api crashing as well and resetting your card
B: CryTEK's error handling in Soft/hard reboot of your card is messed up

an 80+ should be enough as it really delivers 80% of the power it takes out of your socket a 550 80+ should be enough (compared to a 700watt normal psu)

Your PCI-E lane resetting to 1.1 is real awkward as this is initialized at boot/runtime this could be
A: DX api crashing as well and resetting your card
B: CryTEK's error handling in Soft/hard reboot of your card is messed up

an 80+ should be enough as it really delivers 80% of the power it takes out of your socket a 550 80+ should be enough (compared to a 700watt normal psu)
A GTX 460 Hawk draws 25A on the +12V rail. He has two rails both rated at 25A which have a combined power output of 450W. He runs a Bronze 80+ PSU, which means around 82% efficiency. 55*8,2=451 Watts the PSU actually delivers. The GTX 460 Hawk requires about 205 Watts on its own. Now just keep the degradation of the PSU in mind and add up the rest of his system and possibly we will get to the point where theres just not enough juice for the PCI-E lane left, which causes it to downclock to x8 in order to continue operating. Not saying Im right but I spent quite some time on my theory.

Your PCI-E lane resetting to 1.1 is real awkward as this is initialized at boot/runtime this could be
A: DX api crashing as well and resetting your card
B: CryTEK's error handling in Soft/hard reboot of your card is messed up

an 80+ should be enough as it really delivers 80% of the power it takes out of your socket a 550 80+ should be enough (compared to a 700watt normal psu)
A GTX 460 Hawk draws 25A on the +12V rail. He has two rails both rated at 25A which have a combined power output of 450W. He runs a Bronze 80+ PSU, which means around 82% efficiency. 55*8,2=451 Watts the PSU actually delivers. The GTX 460 Hawk requires about 205 Watts on its own. Now just keep the degradation of the PSU in mind and add up the rest of his system and possibly we will get to the point where theres just not enough juice for the PCI-E lane left, which causes it to downclock to x8 in order to continue operating. Not saying Im right but I spent quite some time on my theory.


Uh...no...A GTX 460 draws 14A on a 12V rail...

Your PCI-E lane resetting to 1.1 is real awkward as this is initialized at boot/runtime this could be
A: DX api crashing as well and resetting your card
B: CryTEK's error handling in Soft/hard reboot of your card is messed up

an 80+ should be enough as it really delivers 80% of the power it takes out of your socket a 550 80+ should be enough (compared to a 700watt normal psu)
A GTX 460 Hawk draws 25A on the +12V rail. He has two rails both rated at 25A which have a combined power output of 450W. He runs a Bronze 80+ PSU, which means around 82% efficiency. 55*8,2=451 Watts the PSU actually delivers. The GTX 460 Hawk requires about 205 Watts on its own. Now just keep the degradation of the PSU in mind and add up the rest of his system and possibly we will get to the point where theres just not enough juice for the PCI-E lane left, which causes it to downclock to x8 in order to continue operating. Not saying Im right but I spent quite some time on my theory.


Uh...no...A GTX 460 draws 14A on a 12V rail...
It does draw 24A according to various internet sites. Its safe to say the Hawk one draws even more infact. Putting that aside, it wouldnt even matter as the minimum to run a GTX 460 system is a 450W PSU(probably going for a 80+ Silver or maybe even 80+ Gold) and thats hardly a good system. Considering the OP might have a Quad core setup he would be running close in terms of wattage, which MIGHT cause the PCI-E lane to downclock.