Computer Lag Plz Help

[myuphillbattlek]

i have a computer with decent specs but when gaming there is lag from fps drop.

computer specification:
CPU: pent. 3.0 ghz
RAM: 1gb dual corsair
VID CARD:256mb NVIDIA6800GT
MB: p4p800-E Deluxe
PS: 500WATT ANTEC
HD: BRAND NEW MAXTOR 200GB

VERSUS

a hp computer w/ 2.4ghz 1gb ram and a 128mb geforce 5950ultra
which out performs my comp -_-

the frames per second drops from 100 to 50 - 60 or sometimes 80's. while my friend's hp computer gets a constant 100 his comp is so smooth while mine is laggy and a bit choppy when it lags. at first i thought it was the PS but after upgrading it didn't help. Same with processor because my previous one was overclocked so i thought it was done for. so i upgraded to 3.0ghz. it did help a little but not alot. so i brought a 1gb dual memory instead of using 2 512 that didn't match the same brand and that didnt' help. and hard drive too which did bring down the MS from gaming which is computer/internet lag. I thought itw as because the vid card was running low on power so i upgraded it to a 500 watt which also didn't help that much. SO NOW IM PUZZLED AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

could it be that i need to flash the bios? if anyone know or think they know wat could possilbly be wrong feel free to help =] because im really puzzled why a lower spec comp does beda in gaming than mine =*( so please help me.

[saphalline]

It's most likely a driver problem. Which drivers are you using? Do you have the latest version of DirectX? What games are you running? What settings/resolution are you playing them at?

[myuphillbattlek]

i use the driver that came with the card. i also use powerstrip, which improved a bit by disabling direct 3D vert sync. the game is in open gl. does it matter if i have directX for that? could it be the router? its like 5 years old but i doubt that would be the problem because when i lag its the computer lag, no relivant to the ping/latency. so iono.

the drivers i use for the vid card, doesnt change much. wat other drivers can i update? or wat should i do? is there a way to log something for you guys to see so you can further help me. and tell me which driver needs to be updated?

the thing is i get 100 fps when i stand there alone. When i encounter other players the fps drops going down and back up down n back up, so its not constant. my friends comp is always constant. so any comment is always welcome. please help me out here.

[myuphillbattlek]

by the way the resolution i use is irrelivant. because when i play in 640 x 480 it lags and 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768 i still encounter the same issue.

[saphalline]

Ah, but the resolution is relevant! Just based on the fact that changing resolution doesn't affect the problem tells me a lot! There's a reason I ask these questions. ;)

What game is this, anyway? Is this an MMORPG or what?

Definitely sounds like a driver problem. For your chipset, see if you need the latest INF update (http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df-external/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=N&ProductID=1049&DwnldID=9589&strOSs=44&OSFullName=Windows*%20XP%20Professional&lang=eng) from Intel. For your vid card, get the latest ForceWare driver (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_81.98.html) from NVidia. For the latest version of DirectX, go here (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3F2828FA-0E3C-4837-AFC0-6C67DCAA54BF&displaylang=en). You shouldn't need a new BIOS version, and in any case that should be a last resort. So just leave your BIOS alone right now.

What are you doing with PowerStrip? Have you OC'ed your vid card? If so, that might be why you're having problems.

[myuphillbattlek]

appreciate your help, after updating the intel driver and direct x, the comp is a bit better, the game is counter-strike fps based game. i still don;'t get the constant 100 fps like my friend but i do get around 99 constant now. i'm not overclocking the card, i just used powerstrip to disable direct 3D application. it does improve alittle on performance. is there something else that could be holding my comp back from working its best or wat? because i think my card should be getting constant 100 instead its getting around 98-99. so let me know if theres another trick or something to help it even beda thanks.

[saphalline]

i just used powerstrip to disable direct 3D application. it does improve alittle on performance.What? You disabled Direct3D and it improved performance? That's not suppose to happen. Worse than that, it suggests a larger problem with your system. If you're playing an OpenGL game, D3D is not active so it should have no impact whatsoever. Unless PowerStrip was doing something else...

So did you update your NVidia driver? That should help a lot if you're were running a really old display driver before.

As for anything else holding your computer back, yeah! It's entirely possible. Try posting an HJT log in the security section to see if anything has infected your system. Also have a look at your start-up processes in msconfig. And let us know if you've ever upgraded a component in your system without properly removing the previous drivers (like your vid card). Finally, let us know the last time you reinstalled Windows.

One of the toughest things to do with a Windows computer these days is to optimize it for playing games. Just remember that.

[myuphillbattlek]

yes i have installed the Nvidia Driver. There is no difference between the new driver from the driver provided with my video card.

I had just brought a new hard drive and installed WINDOWS on it. i dont' think spyware is the issue with the comp because, i had the same problem for over a year already, thinking it was because i needed to upgrade some components like the power supply. i'm currently at work but i will post a HJT log first thing tomorrow morning.

As for the D3D i'll turn it off on powerstrip and mess around with it to see if the performance is still the same.

in msconfig, i always have most the programs closed from start up, only leaving norton anti virus on and aim.

As for upgrades. I have recently upgrade a PENT 2.4GHZ to a 3.0GHZ ( i'm not sure, but is there something i need to update? in order to proceed this procedure? ) also upgraded my video card, which was geforce fx 5900xt to winfast a400/geforce 6800gt. I did installed the driver for that. And i upgraded my power supply from 430watt to 500watt. Ram i used to use two random brand 512 pc 3200 which caused alot of computer crashes, so i upgraded it to 1gb dual pc3200 corsair ram. And from my previous hard drives i had formated many times so it was working poorly, i replaced it with a new one. I did however, like in 2004 upgraded the motherboard. from a SOYO motherboard to a P4P800-E ASUS. i did install the drivers it has with the cd provided. I had replaced just about everything -_- and i'm not satisfied with the results. and windows has just been installed when i got the hard drive so its a brand new one with an OS in it for the first time. :(

[myuphillbattlek]

and i would like to just thank saphalline for helping me out. really appreciate it.

its so stressful when you spend money on a comp where it doesn't improve much. :(

[myuphillbattlek]

if it helps, the bios was updated around 2004 just after i got the motherboard. A friend i used to know did it for me, he was the one that built my comp in 2002.

old comp:
soyo motherboard
pent. 2.4ghz @ 3.0ghz (in 2005, this processor had gone bad, and i could only overclock it to 2.9 then 2.8 then i couldnt' overclock it no more. and @ 2.4ghz it was as if it was actually running at 1.4ghz. learned my lession not to overclock =] )
512mb ram
geforce fx 5200
ps350watt

does it sound like i need to flash the bios again? because i have basically changed everypart of the CPU

[myuphillbattlek]

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 9:56:07 AM, on 2/15/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~4\GHOSTS~2.EXE
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~2\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~2\SPEEDD~1\NOPDB.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\program files\powerstrip\pstrip.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\SAVScan.exe
R:\Steam\Steam.exe
C:\Program Files\WinRAR\WinRAR.exe
C:\DOCUME~1\RICKLI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\Rar$EX00.843\Hi jackThis.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard,ShellNext = http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PowerStrip] c:\program files\powerstrip\pstrip.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward &Links - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cac&hed Snapshot of Page - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Si&milar Pages - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1139115795871
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: GhostStartService - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~4\GHOSTS~2.EXE
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Norton Unerase Protection (NProtectService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~2\NPROTECT.EXE
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Speed Disk service - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~2\SPEEDD~1\NOPDB.EXE
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe

[saphalline]

There won't be a problem with an errant driver install or bogged-down registry if you just recently did a fresh install on a new hard drive. However, looking at your HJT log, I see a few things that shouldn't be there.

I'm no expert in that area, though, so I'd suggest re-posting that HJT log in the Applications and Security section where the experts can decipher that.

At this point, I think there's some background processes running while you're playing games. Even just a couple of background bloaters can eat into your gaming performance by a good amount. They just might be what's causing your games to stutter and slow down. I've done all I can with drivers and DirectX (the BIOS is fine and PowerStrip just needs some experimentation on your part), so I would advise moving on to the security experts now.

[myuphillbattlek]

i just wanna say that thanks for reading this and trying help me out. i was finally able to make this comp show its potential (finally, after 1 1/2 year already) the drivers and everything was good help, but what really did the trick in fixing this comp was flashing the BIOS. It seems after everything i did, my comp was crashing, and the error report mentioned about my bios and that it should be updated when you change to a new processor, which i did. So now my comp is running how its supposed to run instead of a 1.4 ghz cpu or some**** (you don';t know how slow this comp was until you used it) well anywaise this is the end for this thread. so thanks for reading.

[saphalline]

Oh cool, glad you fixed it. Needed a new BIOS version, huh? That's odd. Seems to be happening a lot lately, though. Mobo's are being shipped with BIOS versions that are way too old for the CPU's that are being sold with them. :rolleyes:

Thanx for posting back the solution. We'll have to keep that in mind for the next person.