Weird post-restart FPS drop

[Skies]

So I have a... Very weird issue. I'm suffering severe FPS drops, down to 2 or 6 FPS, but those happen... Exclusively after restarting.
Let me be a bit more clear: I go and update my drivers, after that process is complete (computer doesn't restarts) the game runs very smoothly. However, if I restart for some reason (I don't tend to turn the computer off) then suddenly I get massive FPS drops nearby groups of people or when turning the camera.

I'm using a Radeon HD6800

What could be the source?

[Julusp]

Hmm, what you describing is interesting, try to update DirectX drivers, they sometimes go craz, also you have some kind of GPU computation program installed - Boinc, Bitcoin miner, or something else (could even be some virus which is doing gpu computations for something), it would explain why you have high fps after driver update (because the update will kill all programs using it), and its back with the restart. So If you are not aware of something, run antivirus scan. Possibly you can use eset sysinspector for quick overview what is running in your system (if you use it, slide risk level to 6, and manually look on what is left in the list), you can even use it for comparing of what is running before and after driver update (just save the log before update and run again after update and use compare).

[Skies]

Okay this is... Ever weirder, Julusp.
I've done as you've instructed, and I realized there was only a single change:
After updating the processes mom.exe and ccc.exe were now running. They weren't killed, they were added.
And those are processes from the Catalyst Control Center, ATI's graphics driver thingy?

So for whatever reason, the CCC isn't booting up when I turn the computer off, and it needs to be active to run XIV smoothly. Now I have no idea what is up anymore.

[Julusp]

Hmm, Any chance your computer has two GPU? Maybe it's booting with integrated one, and driver install just forces to use the dedicated one. (New CPU's have GPU integrated to them, in BIOS you can disable them).
If not, make sure you use WHQL signed drivers, widnows may refuse to use them on boot. (WHQL drivers can be downloaded from amd.com)

[Skies]

Hrm, Yeah I presume I am using the WHQL drivers as I directly downloaded them off of amd.com

How do I check if my CPU has an integrated GPU? It's not actually the lastest GPU around it's a Phenom 2

[Julusp]

what windows version? Also if you try to start CCC manualy (search for catalyst in startmenu), is there any change? (and no, you have CPU that does not posses integrated GPU)

[Skies]

Starting it manually appears to fix my framerates...
I'm also on windows 7.

Interestingly, I also realized that CCC wasn't actually on my 'execute on startup' list on the computer, so whenever I turn it off it closes Catalyst and doesn't restarts it later until asked to

[Julusp]

Wierd, never seen to CCC cause frame drop issues.
The CCC should be in different startup list after installing (you can find it by lauchning msconfig>startup tab), anyway if the solution by putting it into startup folder works for you, then there is nothing more to solve