unexplainable lag

READY_4_LAG · 12-13-2008, 06:48 PM

Hi
I'v been havin trouble with my home built PC, its a lot to explain so i'll try keep it simple.
I bought all my computer components and put it together:
MSI Nvidia N9600GT graphics card
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-core 3.0ghz 6000+ cpu
DDR2-800 Kingston 2GB Kit
550wat power supply
ASUS M3A78-EMH HDMI motherboard
XP Home Edition
"17inch" screen

It works fine whenever im running basic desktop pregrams, but every time i play a game like COD4 or crysis (online and offline) it will lag in a very strange way. It will lag ever 20 seconds for about 5-10 seconds and then return to normal performance, at first i thought it was something to do with my graphics/resolution settings, so i lowered all the setting down to the lowest format and it still had the same lag effect!

resolution, antialising, graphics settings dont seem to make a difference. i tried reinstalling diifferent versions of XP and Vista but to no help.
All my drivers are up to date and iv replaced all my parts (cpu, motherboard, ram, power supply) so i dont think they might be broken.
My cpu temp stays around 50C* during gameplay and the longer i play the mroe frequently it will lag.

Please help this has been frustrating me for months!!!
my gaming future is in your hands

DaveTibbetts · 12-13-2008, 07:38 PM

Is your CPU usage always at an abnormal rate?

Tiber Septim · 12-13-2008, 08:56 PM

Got any programs running in the background? AntiVirus, Firewalls, Messenger services, VoIP?

What make/model power supply is that? How many amps on the +12v rail?

What temps is the GPU hitting under load?

iceICE · 12-14-2008, 12:51 PM

Try lowering cpu speed from 3ghz to 2.6 or 2.4 ghz. Do it in Bios (Amd overclocking). If this makes your lag almost disappear i know what your problem is..

Your cpu is overheating and automaticly cools itself down by taking a short break.
This is usually caused by dust. Try blowing the dust of your cpu fan and beneath the fan. Buy a dust cleaner or something..

Mcninjaguy · 12-15-2008, 06:07 AM

you can also check your temps by using Everest
http://majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

READY_4_LAG · 12-17-2008, 07:58 AM

Thanks veryone for your responses :)

My cpu will usually idle around 0-5%, but during gameplay it will be around 40%
I have no trouble with normal desktop programs.

I run COMODO firewall and AVAST anti-virus but i've never had any issues with them, it doesnt make a difference with or without them.
My power supply is a 550WAT V-POWER (sorry im not sure about the +12v rail)
The average temp for my GPU is 40C but gameplay will rise it to 52C

hope im making sense
cheers

READY_4_LAG · 12-17-2008, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceICE

Try lowering cpu speed from 3ghz to 2.6 or 2.4 ghz. Do it in Bios (Amd overclocking). If this makes your lag almost disappear i know what your problem is..

Your cpu is overheating and automaticly cools itself down by taking a short break.
This is usually caused by dust. Try blowing the dust of your cpu fan and beneath the fan. Buy a dust cleaner or something..

I am almost convinced that it is dust causing all these problems, but i've only had my computer for about a month and i'v looked at the cpu heatsink and it doesnt appear too dusty.
But thank you, I will definantly try cleaning it

Mcninjaguy · 12-18-2008, 12:58 AM

I clean my computer constantly since I have 4 120mm fans and a 200mm fan for my desktop so its always getting dirty

every day or so I can can wipe the dust off the fron of my comp (antec 900), its an open concept case with just grills on the front

a quick clean (can of compressed air) every 2 weeks or so will keep your computer running nicely. doesn;t take too much to keep it going but it is a machine and people forget that its electrical and they just take care of the software side well there is hardware cleaning too!

READY_4_LAG · 12-18-2008, 03:22 AM

I thought about the characteristics of the problem and did a bit of research, and i discovered that my cpu is being increasingly over-worked.
The cpu temp/usage gradually rises until it violently spikes and then goes down to 0%.

because its being worked so hard it over heats, but what im puzzled about is WHY its working so hard over nothing???
Iv recently done a full system scan, but couldnt find any viruses, and there aren't any obvious physical problems with the motherboard.

maybe by putting another heatsink on it, it might produce some results, but that wont fix it from being over worked.

Mcninjaguy · 12-18-2008, 04:39 AM

have you tried cleaning your computer yet?

READY_4_LAG · 12-18-2008, 07:35 AM

I cleaned the cpu (even though it was already dust free) unfotunantly it didnt help, though i dont know how to do it thoroughly

i thought maybe my cpu might be working too hard because it hasnt got a high enough cache, mines only 2MB which i dont think is anywhere near enough
Iv got apprximately 40-50 processes running during idle, so its not a lot.

I still dont know why the cpu violently spikes, it happens during standard gameplay then results in lag

iceICE · 12-18-2008, 09:39 AM

Have you tried lowering Cpu speed and voltage. This could help you identify your problem.

**RockmasteR** · 12-18-2008, 11:19 AM

I don't think your CPU has anything to do with these freezes, not even the Video Card. The only suspect I can think of is the RAM. it could be a RAM conflict with the board. You have 2 gig of RAM, is it one stick? or 2 sticks with 1 gig each? if it is 2, try to remove one and keep the other, and try to launch games.

**koala** · 12-18-2008, 11:40 AM

Please post the temperatures and PSU voltages listed in BIOS.

Remove the side panel from your case to see the PSU label. It should say +12V1 and +12V2 both have 18A (their combined total is enough for your PCIE card).

What size is your hard drive, and how much free space is left? Do you defrag regularly?

Have you installed the AMD Dual Core Optimizer?

Press ctrl-alt-del to bring up the Task Manager. Click the Processes tab and then click the CPU column header twice to re-order the list. The process with the highest CPU usage will be at the top of the list.

Using Everest, what are your temperatures and PSU voltages during fullscreen gameplay when the game starts to lag? (alt-tab out of the game to see Everest)

iceICE · 12-18-2008, 02:33 PM

i had the exact same freezes /lags/stutters. And Yes, it is the Cpu that is overheating, If it was the ram it would be more like very low Fps and crashes.. But it runs perfectly exept for the lag

Tiber Septim · 12-18-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by READY_4_LAG

Iv got apprximately 40-50 processes running during idle, so its not a lot.

Actually that is quite a lot. I've got a few extra things running and I still have half the amount of processes running as you.

You may want to try just turning everything off (except for System processes) and see if that helps at all.
I don't know how you managed to have so many things running at once

.

Mcninjaguy · 12-19-2008, 02:09 PM

I have 55 processes running at idle

with around 1- 4% proccessor usage

with a very stable 40C on idle
AND AM2 6000+ windsor 3ghz x 2

have you though about buying some new thermal past and a cheap heatsink?

thermal paste
$6
Artic silver 5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007

heat sink
$25
XIGMATEK HDT-S963 92mm Rifle CPU Cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233001

Tiber Septim · 12-19-2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mcninjaguy

I have 55 processes running at idle

What the heck are you guys running?

Mcninjaguy · 12-19-2008, 03:53 PM

im gonna post what I usaully have running while runnig F@H GPU client

Tiber Septim · 12-20-2008, 04:07 AM

That's with everything I need running, plus the task manager.
I could probably get rid of LGDCore, it's just the LCD driver for the G15 keyboard, which I never use.
I think my Vista setup used to run about 28 processes, but I formatted that as I wasn't using it.

I keep my OS clean, lean and mean.

12-13-2008, 06:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
READY_4_LAG Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 10 OS: xp Home Edition	unexplainable lag Hi I'v been havin trouble with my home built PC, its a lot to explain so i'll try keep it simple. I bought all my computer components and put it together: MSI Nvidia N9600GT graphics card AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-core 3.0ghz 6000+ cpu DDR2-800 Kingston 2GB Kit 550wat power supply ASUS M3A78-EMH HDMI motherboard XP Home Edition "17inch" screen It works fine whenever im running basic desktop pregrams, but every time i play a game like COD4 or crysis (online and offline) it will lag in a very strange way. It will lag ever 20 seconds for about 5-10 seconds and then return to normal performance, at first i thought it was something to do with my graphics/resolution settings, so i lowered all the setting down to the lowest format and it still had the same lag effect! resolution, antialising, graphics settings dont seem to make a difference. i tried reinstalling diifferent versions of XP and Vista but to no help. All my drivers are up to date and iv replaced all my parts (cpu, motherboard, ram, power supply) so i dont think they might be broken. My cpu temp stays around 50C* during gameplay and the longer i play the mroe frequently it will lag. Please help this has been frustrating me for months!!! my gaming future is in your hands

12-13-2008, 07:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
DaveTibbetts Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 40 OS: XP SP2 My System	Re: unexplainable lag Is your CPU usage always at an abnormal rate? __________________ I'm here to help you! Main Specialties: Windows Errors, Reformatting, Online Gaming Trouble

12-13-2008, 08:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tiber Septim Asst Manager, Games Team Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 2,866 OS: Fedora 11 / Windows 7 My System Blog Entries: 5	Re: unexplainable lag Got any programs running in the background? AntiVirus, Firewalls, Messenger services, VoIP? What make/model power supply is that? How many amps on the +12v rail? What temps is the GPU hitting under load? __________________ First Steps - System Specs - SIW Help TSF beat Cancer and other serious Illness.

12-14-2008, 12:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
iceICE Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 17 OS: Vista Ultimate 64-bit sp1	Re: unexplainable lag Try lowering cpu speed from 3ghz to 2.6 or 2.4 ghz. Do it in Bios (Amd overclocking). If this makes your lag almost disappear i know what your problem is.. Your cpu is overheating and automaticly cools itself down by taking a short break. This is usually caused by dust. Try blowing the dust of your cpu fan and beneath the fan. Buy a dust cleaner or something..

12-15-2008, 06:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: unexplainable lag you can also check your temps by using Everest http://majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

12-17-2008, 07:58 AM	#6 (permalink)
READY_4_LAG Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 10 OS: xp Home Edition	Re: unexplainable lag Thanks veryone for your responses :) My cpu will usually idle around 0-5%, but during gameplay it will be around 40% I have no trouble with normal desktop programs. I run COMODO firewall and AVAST anti-virus but i've never had any issues with them, it doesnt make a difference with or without them. My power supply is a 550WAT V-POWER (sorry im not sure about the +12v rail) The average temp for my GPU is 40C but gameplay will rise it to 52C hope im making sense cheers

12-18-2008, 12:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: unexplainable lag I clean my computer constantly since I have 4 120mm fans and a 200mm fan for my desktop so its always getting dirty every day or so I can can wipe the dust off the fron of my comp (antec 900), its an open concept case with just grills on the front a quick clean (can of compressed air) every 2 weeks or so will keep your computer running nicely. doesn;t take too much to keep it going but it is a machine and people forget that its electrical and they just take care of the software side well there is hardware cleaning too!

12-18-2008, 03:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
READY_4_LAG Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 10 OS: xp Home Edition	Re: unexplainable lag I thought about the characteristics of the problem and did a bit of research, and i discovered that my cpu is being increasingly over-worked. The cpu temp/usage gradually rises until it violently spikes and then goes down to 0%. because its being worked so hard it over heats, but what im puzzled about is WHY its working so hard over nothing??? Iv recently done a full system scan, but couldnt find any viruses, and there aren't any obvious physical problems with the motherboard. maybe by putting another heatsink on it, it might produce some results, but that wont fix it from being over worked.

12-18-2008, 04:39 AM	#10 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: unexplainable lag have you tried cleaning your computer yet?

12-18-2008, 07:35 AM	#11 (permalink)
READY_4_LAG Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 10 OS: xp Home Edition	Re: unexplainable lag I cleaned the cpu (even though it was already dust free) unfotunantly it didnt help, though i dont know how to do it thoroughly i thought maybe my cpu might be working too hard because it hasnt got a high enough cache, mines only 2MB which i dont think is anywhere near enough Iv got apprximately 40-50 processes running during idle, so its not a lot. I still dont know why the cpu violently spikes, it happens during standard gameplay then results in lag Last edited by READY_4_LAG; 12-18-2008 at 07:51 AM.

12-18-2008, 09:39 AM	#12 (permalink)
iceICE Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 17 OS: Vista Ultimate 64-bit sp1	Re: unexplainable lag Have you tried lowering Cpu speed and voltage. This could help you identify your problem.

12-18-2008, 11:19 AM	#13 (permalink)
RockmasteR Moderator, Games Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lebanon Posts: 3,157 OS: Vista Ultimate 32bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: unexplainable lag I don't think your CPU has anything to do with these freezes, not even the Video Card. The only suspect I can think of is the RAM. it could be a RAM conflict with the board. You have 2 gig of RAM, is it one stick? or 2 sticks with 1 gig each? if it is 2, try to remove one and keep the other, and try to launch games. __________________ CPUz GPUz Nvidia Drivers ATI Drivers System Information for Windows (SIW) Revo Uninstaller RivaTuner ATITOOL Directx 9.0C !!Please don't PM me for Tech Support!!

12-18-2008, 11:40 AM	#14 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,338 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: unexplainable lag Please post the temperatures and PSU voltages listed in BIOS. Remove the side panel from your case to see the PSU label. It should say +12V1 and +12V2 both have 18A (their combined total is enough for your PCIE card). What size is your hard drive, and how much free space is left? Do you defrag regularly? Have you installed the AMD Dual Core Optimizer? Press ctrl-alt-del to bring up the Task Manager. Click the Processes tab and then click the CPU column header twice to re-order the list. The process with the highest CPU usage will be at the top of the list. Using Everest, what are your temperatures and PSU voltages during fullscreen gameplay when the game starts to lag? (alt-tab out of the game to see Everest) __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

12-18-2008, 02:33 PM	#15 (permalink)
iceICE Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 17 OS: Vista Ultimate 64-bit sp1	Re: unexplainable lag i had the exact same freezes /lags/stutters. And Yes, it is the Cpu that is overheating, If it was the ram it would be more like very low Fps and crashes.. But it runs perfectly exept for the lag

12-19-2008, 02:09 PM	#17 (permalink)
Mcninjaguy Temporarily Banned Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 10,422 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: unexplainable lag I have 55 processes running at idle with around 1- 4% proccessor usage with a very stable 40C on idle AND AM2 6000+ windsor 3ghz x 2 have you though about buying some new thermal past and a cheap heatsink? thermal paste $6 Artic silver 5 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835100007 heat sink $25 XIGMATEK HDT-S963 92mm Rifle CPU Cooler http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835233001

12-20-2008, 04:07 AM	#20 (permalink)
Tiber Septim Asst Manager, Games Team Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 2,866 OS: Fedora 11 / Windows 7 My System Blog Entries: 5	Re: unexplainable lag That's with everything I need running, plus the task manager. I could probably get rid of LGDCore, it's just the LCD driver for the G15 keyboard, which I never use. I think my Vista setup used to run about 28 processes, but I formatted that as I wasn't using it. I keep my OS clean, lean and mean. __________________ First Steps - System Specs - SIW Help TSF beat Cancer and other serious Illness.