nvidia 6800 GS Random Choppy Performance

[Andrew Nelson <freeandy@gmail.com>]

Hello all,

I have a EVGA 6800 GS video card that doesn't seem to be working
correctly.  Here's the symtoms.

1. System runs perfectly fine for a bit.
2. Some random moment in time later everything becomes very choppy.
3. Start up a 3d app like ppracer or glxgears.  (for just a second or two)
4  2D apps run perfectly fine for a bit.
5. Some random moment in time later everything become very choppy.

Does anyone have any ideas where I could start looking to explain problems
like this?

//andy