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Super Desktop, Inferior Game Running :(

N

Niv

New Member
Joined
May 26, 2008
Messages
112 (0.02/day)
System Specs
System Name Black Box
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.4GHz (4CPUs)
Motherboard GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard
Cooling XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler
Memory Dual OCZ Platinum Revision 2 2GB (PC2 6400)
Video Card(s) NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
Storage Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Case Rosewill R6423-P BK ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply SeaSonic SS-500ES 500W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 Power Supply
Software Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)
Benchmark Scores Great Desktop, Game Problems.
I've just purchased a new desktop and it's specs are fantastic (well to me it is). However, the thing can't play ANY game without lagging ridiculously.

The game would first run smoothly, if not hyper-speeding everything, then it would go into this 1 frame/5sec mode for couple seconds then repeat the same process again.

I don't know what's up with the system, but after checking TaskManager, I noticed that when the lag starts the CPU would spike up an extra 10% and that SYSTEM in the list would appear to be trying to do something that lags the game! Please help! This is pretty depressing for me since I was greatly expecting some fantastic game play.

Any help is much appreciated. :)
 
Welcome to TPU!

You'll be able to get more help if you fill out your System Specs in your profile or give them here. That way our awesome community has more info to work with.
 
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This is my system's specs:
 
What are the specs of the computer?
 
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Sorry for making so many multiple posts I'm very unfamiliar to forums :(

Here are the specs reposted:

OS: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center 2002
CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6400+
Mthr Brd: ASUS M2N-VM DVI
RAM: 3GB
Vdeo Crd: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT
 
I was just slow in posting, and by the time my post went through you had responded.
 
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That's alright :) any help is appreciated. Your being here is already giving me comforts in this vast community of experts. The last forum I requested help in gave me cold shoulders for a long time and that doesn't exactly give me peace of mind. :(
 
Basically there are two things that could be causing the problems, either something hardware related (if you bought the computer from a store, posting a link could be helpful) or something software related. What game(s) have you noticed this with, and what other software have you installed since buying the computer.
 
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k atm I'm 99% certain that this is purely hardware (and maybe 1% that some bad software) for these reasons:

- All games installed in my other laptop and tablet (both are inferior to the desktop and much older) are able to run the games 100% problems free
- All games currently installed in this desktop has the identical lag problem (begins smoothly/ hyper speed, lag lag lag, returns smoothly/ hyper speed)
- All games when lagging have SYSTEM popping up in the TaskManager followed by some CPU spiking

Games that I've tried are: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade, Voyage Century Online, Caesar IV

Things that I've done hoping to solve this problem:
- reinstalled NVIDIA driver using newest version provided by company site
- run anti-spyware, greyware, malware etc. with NOD32, ThreatFire, Xoftspy (returns 0)
- running the games with ALL defense softwares turned off
- updating directX to most recent version 9.0c
- restarting computer

and of course none of them worked :(
 
Hrm...well the only way to be 100% sure it isn't a software program is uninstall everything you have installed. Yes it is a lot to do, but the only way that can be 100% sure without totally formatting the system. If that doesn't seem to work, then you may want return or exchange the system if it is bought, if you built it, you could test the hardware, but not sure if you have spare parts, or have a friend who could help.
 
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0_0 dang... if it's software anyway I can test that first?
 
So the games start out playing fine, then starts really lagging and stuttering? I am thinking that a background program is interfering with it. You could try shutting down all unnecessary background programs and see if that helps.

Also, what brand and wattage is your power supply? It could be running out of juice and causing something like this.
 
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I would uninstall everything, then just install the games and see how they run. If the lagging still happens it could be hardware, like the graphics card overheating, if it doesn't then install one program at a time, and try gaming. If you don't get any problems, install another program. This might be a lot of work, but in the end it is probably the best way of checking the system that I can think of.
 
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k I'll try the back ground program solution right now. How do you check the power supply brand and wattage? It's only a piece of long plug with no labeling s...
 
Niv said:
k I'll try the back ground program solution right now. How do you check the power supply brand and wattage? It's only a piece of long plug with no labeling s...
Click to expand...

Check the inside the computer, there should be a sticker on the power supply that tells what I need to know. I am willing to be that it's going to be a low powered power supply. Also, is this computer a name brand, like Dell, or HP, or did someone else build it?
 
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What virus protection are you running? If any shut it down and try it. I had this same problem. Turned out it was my virus protection running in the background.
 
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k power supply I will check in 1min. The protection programs I have are listed above, I'm going to shut them down (don't hack me please) from TaskManager and see how it goes. The desktop is custom build, so it's got things from everywhere. Specific companies related are in the specs.
 
Where did you purchase the parts from?
 
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parts are purchased from a small computer store called flycomputers, their website is www.flycomputers(dot)com (I don't know if this forum allows links) my desktop is a custom build using one of the entertainment system there as a template. (swapping parts)
 
LMAO k I shut off half the total things in my TaskManager and the games now run at 3x of their supposed speed instead of 2x with the same problems still occuring. I'm gonna go restart my computer now and I'll be back with the power plug answers.
 
The power plug has these writings on them hope this is what you're looking for:

27 TEC 53(RVV) 300/500V 3X 0.5mm^2 (written on the part inside the case)
XD RVV WGX3C P.V.C WIRE B (written on the part outside the case)
 
Hrm... 3GB. Is that 3 sticks? Try taking one stick out if it is 3 sticks. You're probably not running dual channel.
 
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I think what I would like to stress is that the games start most of the time ULTRA-fast. Games run at 2x~3x their supposed speed for 5~10secs then lags to some incredible degree (as if the computer processed too fast and then decided to do nothing), then goes back to the 2x~3x hyper-speed again (as if computer realized that it has forgotten about the game program and decided to pick up the work again) which of course will result in the lag again. This process repeats at a steady pace as if the computer times it.
 
Nope, sorry I see only 2 sticks (chips). Do you still want me to take one out?
 
3GB of memory with only 2 sticks?
 
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