Low Framerate/Popping on WoW

[Docter A]

Computer Specs:

OS: Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor: Intel Pentium D 2.8 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics Card: Nvidea GeForce 8800 GT (up-to date drivers)
Wired Broadband Internet connection

I'm getting very low FPS for how good my graphics card is, and i get a really weird popping sound every few seconds when I have sound turned on. I got my computer (HP) back in 2005 and started playing World of Warcraft on it 6 months ago. I then realized i needed a new graphics card, and upgraded from an intel chipset piece of crap. I then bought a 500W PSU and got the RAM that I have today. I was maxing out at 20-25 FPS and thought it was normal. Then i went to a friend's house and he was getting 60 FPS and he had a worse graphics card than me. I decided to deal with it, but just recently it has become annoying (because now i am a high level doing raids).

I have tried many different things to try and fix this, but nothing seems to work. I used to play Runescape, so I tried playing that to see if there was any lag, and there was (although there was no popping in the sound). I have tried high and low graphics settings on both games to no avail.

Recently, I read up on how to fix this, and they said that sometimes your processor "can't handle" some newer graphics cards and gives bad output. Does this mean a new processor will do the trick?

ANY help with be appreciated.

[Aus_Karlos]

Hi Docter A and welcome to TSF,

Make sure you have the lastest graphical drivers from Nvidia and its advised to re-install Direct X if you have made a recent graphical hardware change.

However your CPU could be bottlenecking your system. An 8800GT performs best when used with a Dual Core as do most games nowadays. So a new CPU is worth investing in.

[Docter A]

Thanks a ton, Aus. Would this also fix my popping issues or is that a different problem? And also can someone recommend some good CPUs for me?

[RockmasteR]

Hello, before buying a new CPU try some fixes first :

1- update your directx as Aus_Karlos said

2- uninstall your current video card drivers and download driver sweeper from my sig use it to clean all the Nvidia drivers left over and then reinstall a fresh copy of the latest Nvidia Drivers (182.06) you can also find the Nvidia drivers download from my sig

3- download CPUz and GPUz from my sig and compare the CPU temps in idle and under stress in CPUz and the video card temps in GPUz

4- Sometime doing a full PC Format and installing a fresh copy of windows could fix lots of problems

5- if you have 2 + 2gig sticks of RAM try to remove one of them and see if it's a RAM conflict

6- if you have other games try them or most of them to see if it's a problem on all games.

WoW is an old game and don't demand a great CPU to work, even an old P4 can handle the game greatly, so that's why you need to wait for a new CPU although it'll help you for future uses.

[Docter A]

Hey, RockmasteR.

1) How do you update DirectX? I don't want to mess anything up.

4) If I get to the point where I have to mess with reformatting, I'll just get a new CPU.

5) Good idea. On DxDiag, It says I only have 3GB of RAM, but I know that I have 4. What could this mean?

6) Like I said, I tried Runescape (a browser-based game) and it lagged but did not have the sound popping. I'll have to buy some more games.

EDIT: Also another thing I noticed on DxDiag was that it said my graphics card has over 1.7GB of memory when I know the kind I bought was not over 1GB. What's wrong here?

Thanks,
Docter A

[RockmasteR]

your windows is 32 bit so it only sees 3 gb RAM even if you have more than 4 Gb, the 64 bit of Windows can see 4+ gb RAM

your video card shares some of the Vram with the RAM that's why it shows up more than 1 gig of Vram

for the Directx it's so easy to download and install
download the installer from here : http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

run it and it'll do the rest, it'll update your dx to the latest version

to download it from microsoft you just need to validate your windows copy and your good to go

[Docter A]

Alright, I'm done with steps 1-3. I didn't see any changes on 1 or 2, and for the GPU and CPU temps, here's what I got:

66 degrees C (GPU) and 0 degrees C (CPU) when doing nothing.

69 degrees C (GPU) and 0 degrees C (CPU) while playing my browser-based game.

I don't know anything about temperatures for computers, so is it good or bad?

[Docter A]

I also looked at my RAM, and i have 2 X 1GB and 2 X 512MB, so I guess I really only have 3GB. After doing those methods with no results, it seems that getting a new CPU is the easiest fix. The only thing I am not sure about is if the new CPU will fix the popping in the sound. If it does fix the issue, does anyone have any good CPUs in mind?

[RockmasteR]

0 C for the CPU LOL!!!

ok download Speedfan from my sig to check the real CPU temp

as for the 8800 GT can take up to 110 C but when idle it's 66 C it's not right I think, download RIVAtuner from here : http://downloads.guru3d.com/RivaTune....html#download

install it and open it now under target adapter expand the settings (besides customize...) and choose the first setting (the Video card figure)
now a new window will open and it's called Fan now tick the enable low-level fan control and reboot your PC and it's done rebooting open Rivatuner again and repeat the same things from above, when you reach the fan window, just increase the fan speed, it's a safe way to increase your video card fan speed and keep your video card cooler.

[Docter A]

RockmasteR,

Yeah i thought there was something wrong with my processor at freezing point . Actually, i was using speedfan to check it all along because your CPU-Z link didn't work for me. I'll try a different program and also the RIVAtuner

EDIT: Should i use the "Ambient" and "Remote" sensors? If so, then my temps are:

Ambient: about 35 degrees C
Remote: about 50 degrees C

[Docter A]

What is a recommended setting to use for the GPU fan speed? I dont want to go too high.

[Docter A]

Ok, right now i am at 55% fan speed and the temperature has cooled to 54 degrees C. Looks good. But still, my original problem is not solved, and i will probably invest in a new CPU.

Thanks for all the help, guys.