Good computer, WoW still runs bad

WickedAngel666 · 10-10-2007, 02:13 AM

I bought a computer about 10 months ago, and it runs World of Warcraft terribly, even though there is no reason why. It has a 2.80 GHz Intel Pentium D processor (two cores), 1gig of RAM, 225 gig hard drive with 81% free space, and I run Windows XP Media Center Edition. This exceeds the game requirements. I also recently bought a new graphics card and power supply to go along with it. It is a NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT. Me and one other computer share the internet, so I even bought a new router. This helped ever so slightly, but not a noticeable difference. The video card made the game bearable to play, but wasn't an immense improvement from the integrated card. With all this, my computer still runs World of Warcraft terribly. The other computer in my house is a few years older than mine, has a slower processor (but it's an AMD), an older video card, but yet it still runs World of Warcraft beautifully, and way better than mine. Both the computers are Compaq. I am sure it's not any virus or spyware slowing it down, because my computer was like this the day I bought it. Could it be a hardware flaw? Or that maybe Intel isn't the best for gaming? Or could it be that the media center edition of XP isn't very good? Or a combination of these things? I am at a loss, I am spending money on improvements that don't seem to help, and it is frustrating to try and do something I enjoy and not be able to do it. Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks.

u551 · 10-10-2007, 03:59 AM

Does this happen with other games too or is it just WoW running badly?

WickedAngel666 · 10-10-2007, 04:54 PM

WoW is the only game I play on PC so I don't know for sure.

**pharoah** · 10-10-2007, 05:02 PM

what kind of video card does the older computer have?

WickedAngel666 · 10-10-2007, 05:07 PM

It is a Radeon 9600. It was recently replaced with a Radeon 1650X, because the other one got fried, (I guess because it was really old and just wore out) but it was running the game fine before that and there was no reason to replace it until that happened and we were forced to.

**pharoah** · 10-10-2007, 05:08 PM

thats the answer right there the ati 1650 is a midrange card.your nvidia 7300 is a low end card.

WickedAngel666 · 10-10-2007, 05:10 PM

Yes, my card isn't as good as the Radeon, but my game still ran worse even when that computer had the old but good card.

**pharoah** · 10-10-2007, 06:45 PM

well if possible try this.temporarily swap out your nvidia card with that radeon.if the problem goes away you know what is wrong.just be sure to uninstall the nvidia drivers before the swap,and install the proper ati drivers for that card while it is in your computer.

u551 · 10-11-2007, 04:17 AM

WoW "works" even with high-end GeForce 2-3 cards so that card should be able to run it decently. Do try the swap anyway, I'm not saying you shouldnt.

It's a very scalable game, have you tried playing around with your graphic settings? I mean you can easily get your fps down by having all set to very high...

GDkitty · 10-11-2007, 10:08 AM

I ran Wow on my gforce 3, wasnt at top settings but worked pretty well. Have much better now.

Are you running WoW fullscreen or windowed? I find that even on my newer machine, WoW runs better for me windowed that fullscreen. THough it does appear to have an overlay problem that it jerks if you try to run some windows overtop of it. (but that is what my dual screen display is for, throw all the rest of the stuff on the 2nd window)

10-10-2007, 02:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
WickedAngel666 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Good computer, WoW still runs bad I bought a computer about 10 months ago, and it runs World of Warcraft terribly, even though there is no reason why. It has a 2.80 GHz Intel Pentium D processor (two cores), 1gig of RAM, 225 gig hard drive with 81% free space, and I run Windows XP Media Center Edition. This exceeds the game requirements. I also recently bought a new graphics card and power supply to go along with it. It is a NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT. Me and one other computer share the internet, so I even bought a new router. This helped ever so slightly, but not a noticeable difference. The video card made the game bearable to play, but wasn't an immense improvement from the integrated card. With all this, my computer still runs World of Warcraft terribly. The other computer in my house is a few years older than mine, has a slower processor (but it's an AMD), an older video card, but yet it still runs World of Warcraft beautifully, and way better than mine. Both the computers are Compaq. I am sure it's not any virus or spyware slowing it down, because my computer was like this the day I bought it. Could it be a hardware flaw? Or that maybe Intel isn't the best for gaming? Or could it be that the media center edition of XP isn't very good? Or a combination of these things? I am at a loss, I am spending money on improvements that don't seem to help, and it is frustrating to try and do something I enjoy and not be able to do it. Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks.

10-10-2007, 03:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
u551 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 197 OS: WinXP, sp2 My System	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad Does this happen with other games too or is it just WoW running badly?

10-10-2007, 04:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
WickedAngel666 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad WoW is the only game I play on PC so I don't know for sure.

10-10-2007, 05:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
pharoah TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,188 OS: vista business edition My System	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad what kind of video card does the older computer have? __________________ Follow These Steps First Power Supply Selection Posting System Specs Oblivion Tweak Guide Video Drivers& Information TSF folding at home team 85015

10-10-2007, 05:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
WickedAngel666 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad It is a Radeon 9600. It was recently replaced with a Radeon 1650X, because the other one got fried, (I guess because it was really old and just wore out) but it was running the game fine before that and there was no reason to replace it until that happened and we were forced to.

10-10-2007, 05:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
pharoah TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,188 OS: vista business edition My System	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad thats the answer right there the ati 1650 is a midrange card.your nvidia 7300 is a low end card. __________________ Follow These Steps First Power Supply Selection Posting System Specs Oblivion Tweak Guide Video Drivers& Information TSF folding at home team 85015

10-10-2007, 05:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
WickedAngel666 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7 OS: Windows Vista	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad Yes, my card isn't as good as the Radeon, but my game still ran worse even when that computer had the old but good card.

10-10-2007, 06:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
pharoah TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,188 OS: vista business edition My System	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad well if possible try this.temporarily swap out your nvidia card with that radeon.if the problem goes away you know what is wrong.just be sure to uninstall the nvidia drivers before the swap,and install the proper ati drivers for that card while it is in your computer. __________________ Follow These Steps First Power Supply Selection Posting System Specs Oblivion Tweak Guide Video Drivers& Information TSF folding at home team 85015

10-11-2007, 04:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
u551 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 197 OS: WinXP, sp2 My System	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad WoW "works" even with high-end GeForce 2-3 cards so that card should be able to run it decently. Do try the swap anyway, I'm not saying you shouldnt. It's a very scalable game, have you tried playing around with your graphic settings? I mean you can easily get your fps down by having all set to very high...

10-11-2007, 10:08 AM	#10 (permalink)
GDkitty Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 76 OS: XP/Vista My System	Re: Good computer, WoW still runs bad I ran Wow on my gforce 3, wasnt at top settings but worked pretty well. Have much better now. Are you running WoW fullscreen or windowed? I find that even on my newer machine, WoW runs better for me windowed that fullscreen. THough it does appear to have an overlay problem that it jerks if you try to run some windows overtop of it. (but that is what my dual screen display is for, throw all the rest of the stuff on the 2nd window) __________________ ~Mitch "GDkitty" Sgt. Johnson: "Now listen up! Back in my day, we didn't have fancy tanks! We had sticks. Two stick and a rock for the entire platoon! And we had to share the rock! You should consider yourself very lucky marines!" (Halo 2)