My system idle process runs 80-90% all the time.

Thanks for the confirmation, Adrynalyne. Ain't much point in playing CPU intensive games if you hamstring your CPU. I think korz has other troubles (with graphic card conflict, maybe). Can you reread this thread from the start and offer your expert opinion on possible hard drive/driver problems. It is out of my league. Thanks, Bazza.

===

 

Well, we know that the onboard video is being utilized, due to his system not reading the full 256mb ram in System Properties.

Onboard video is notorious for slowdonws over time. Have you updated the video drivers?

If you are using a pci or agp vid card, you NEED to disable the onbaord video. It may not be the problem, but its for sure not helping.

What version of DirectX are you running? Do games only slowdown online? What other games have you tried?

As mentioned prior, high cpu useage during games is normal. Not really gonna argue either way with that one, its a fact. So, have you considered that you are running out of physical memory? Looking at your partial screenshot of task manager, you are using over 86mb of ram just in what little you are showing. Thats not a good example, so...look at your ram useage prior to starting the game, and then look at it when it bogs down.

 

Why do i feel like im being ignored in this thread? Anyways, did he try that internet thing i mentioned? Cause im thinking that maybe the lags can be explained from his internet connection. But yes i agree with adrenaline. Those two cards have to be cut down to one. Pick which card is better and use the better one and get rid of the other one. It should say how to turn off the onboard one in the pc manual. I know mine i had to set a jumper for my onboard sound card.

 

because your posts are useless? you made several wasted posts that showed that you didnt even read my original post which clearly explained what i had tried,what i use on my computer etc,you pointed me towards steps i had allready followed a few times...

Do you honestly think i would be going through this much hassle if i had a slow connection? i am not complaining about having a slow internet connection,where did i ever say that? i have 2mb broadband,no problems at all...

 

"Well, we know that the onboard video is being utilized, due to his system not reading the full 256mb ram in System Properties."

if my computer isnt using the full 256mb wouldnt this have an effect on games?

"Onboard video is notorious for slowdonws over time. Have you updated the video drivers?"

I had no idea till i ran the program that bazza recommended that i had onboard graphics enabled,as far as i knew i was running my geforce and i have the updated drivers for this card installed.

"If you are using a pci or agp vid card, you NEED to disable the onbaord video. It may not be the problem, but its for sure not helping."

Id love to do this to see if it makes a diff,ill try and get someone to show me how to use bios and disable it...

"What version of DirectX are you running? Do games only slowdown online? What other games have you tried?"

I pretty sure i have the latest version of directx installed via windows update,but im not sure how to check which version it is..Games like c&c normally slow down the longer i play them,i used to play a game called asherons call which is like everquest but i had to give up playing it because my computer slowed down so much.

"As mentioned prior, high cpu useage during games is normal. Not really gonna argue either way with that one, its a fact. So, have you considered that you are running out of physical memory? Looking at your partial screenshot of task manager, you are using over 86mb of ram just in what little you are showing. Thats not a good example, so...look at your ram useage prior to starting the game, and then look at it when it bogs down."

high cpu usage yes but i used to play this game on this very same computer with no problems,bear in mind c&c tiberian sun was released in 1999 when my computer was considered high spec.

 

ok i just went into BIOS and had a look and couldnt find the option to disable the onboard graphics..

I did find something that i wasnt sure should be enabled...

Pci dynamic bursting - i did a search and people say this should be enabled for better pci performance?

anyway i have no idea how to disable the onboard graphics i couldnt see the name trident cyberblade anywhere...

 

In XP, you could disable it via Device Manager, but I am not sure you want to do that. Its better to disable it at a hardware level.

Yes, having less than 256mb of ram due to onboard video might be hurting you. As the previous poster said, see if there is a motherboard jumper to disable it.

It may have been mentioned somewhere, but do you know the exact brand and model of your motherboard?

 

Yeah, or by the BIOS. Disabling it via Device Manager or Hardware profiles is only a software "trick" persay....outside the OS, its still active and may not let go of the resources vs. disabling it at a hardware level.

 

my motherboard is a "PLE 133 (MS-6368 v2.1A)- MicroStar"


http://www.mainboard.cz/mb/msi/PLE133.htm

i didnt see any options for video in bios,saw soundcards but no video options that were changeable

(Edit: also how can i tell if my computer isnt using the full amount of memory?)

i just disabled the video controller in device manager i would like to check if its changed anything

 

In BIOS, under Integrated Peripherials is Init Display First you can choose between PCI and AGP. Select PCI that will initialize your Video card at boot and not the onboard AGP chipset. Also it is not a bad idea to keep the onboard video disabled in the device manager.

 

i have done as instructed and in BIOS it was allready set to PCI.

i have disabled it in device manager but everest still shows its enabled.

 

i assumed this was the onboard graphics i didnt find anything called trident cyberblade-i7.

 

I noticed in your device manager you are using a USB Router vs pluging your NIC into a router that is connected to your modem. USB is much slower than Ethernet.

[EDIT] Have you ever loaded the chipset drivers for you motherboard? [/EDIT]

 

"Actually what your looking for is the Nvidia GeForce 2 MX/MX400
Is that your current graphics card?
If so, then the VGA controller disabled may be your onboard."

My current card is the geforce2 yes,this is the only card i want running.
The screenshot i posted was to show if i had disabled the right thing.

"I noticed in your device manager you are using a USB Router vs pluging your NIC into a router that is connected to your modem. USB is much slower than Ethernet.

[EDIT] Have you ever loaded the chipset drivers for you motherboard? [/EDIT]"

I was instructed by bt in the installation guide for my bb modem to use a usb port,my previous bb modem was connected different,i cant remember how though,i dont really think my internet connection is the problem as i get good results on speed tests/downloads etc.

I really need to disable this onboard graphics in BIOS or anyway possible and see if it boosts my memory

 

i allready run freeramxp pro but ill download it now and give it a shot.
really need to get this onboard graphics disabled and see if that helps with my problems.

 

ok i ran it but its same as FreeRAMxpPro jumps up to 150 and quickly goes back to around 130...

I think this memory issue is a big part of my problem,i have 247 mb ram and only half of it shows as working...

Hopefully if someone can help me disable these onboard graphics that might free up the other half?

anyone else have any ideas on how to sort this memory issue out?

Edit: no i have no manual,bought the computer from a friend about 4 years ago with nothing. i know my motherboard is a PLE 133 (MS-6368 v2.1A)- MicroStar.

 

VIA PLE133T User Manual

 

i cannot read pdf

 

Install Adobe Reader

 

i downloaded adobe and im looking through it now,cant find anything about onboard graphics...

 

I've done some research. The motherboard won't allow it to be disabled fully. Which means, you can't reclaim your lost ram...

Try my other suggestion. Check ram useage before starting the game, and when it gets to running bad, minimize it and check the ram useage again. You can do this via task manager.

 

yeah the ram goes really low when running the game,i think we found my problem...
i assumed all my ram was working and didnt think that was it

How could this have happened though,i swear my computer used to manage the memory fine and run all these games without any problems...

again thanks for your help i really appreciate you doing the research to try and help me,i apologise if im a pain

 

Could u tell me why half of my memory is tied up by an onboard graphics that i dont even use?

 

In BIOS under Advanced Chipset Features

AGP Aperture Size
Selects the size of the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) aperture. Aperture is a portion of the PCI memory address range dedicated for graphics memory address space. Host cycles that hit the aperture range are forwarded to the AGP without any translation. Options: 4M, 8M, 16M, 32M, 64M and 128M.

Change it to 4M

 

OK! i am going to go try it now sir...

sounds promising

 

ok i set it at 4mb and ram is a little bit better but still stablised around 140,and when game is running drops down to 80-90

 

Im pretty sure it feels a bit better now,thanks for the instructions...

heres a screenshot from everest u can see my memory useage,also what processes im running...

what else can i do to try and free up more memory,bear in mind that i have allready streamlined what services i run and i got rid of alot of crap that didnt need to be running.

Also is there any way to disable the onboard vga further?
What else could i do in bios to improve my computers performance?

 

I would increase the size of your swap file to 768Mb. Other than that you are looking pretty good. No there is no way to permanently disable your on-board video, I've looked at the owners manual pretty throughly.

 

Ok i assume i do that in BIOS aswell.. (swap file)

and thankyou so much for spending the time to look through that manual,i think it will make a difference...

 

Right-click on My Computer

Select Properties

Click-on Advanced tab

Click-on Settings button under Performance

Click-on Advanced tab

Click-on Change button under Virtual Memory

Select the Drive for which you want to change Virtual Memory

Select Custom

Enter 768 in Initial Size

Enter 768 in Maximum Size

Click-on OK

Click-on OK

Click-on OK

Restart the computer

 

ok thats done...

i noticed in bios theres settings

CPU HOST/PCI CLOCK
mines set to default but it has the options
133/33
138/34
140/35
150/37

should i set it higher ? are there any other things i can do to fine tune my computer?

 

Leave it set to default.

In BIOS under Advanced Chipset Features

Frame Buffer Size
Frame Buffer is the video memory that stores data for video display (frame).
This field is used to determine the memory size for Frame Buffer. Larger
frame buffer size increases video performance. Settings: 2M, 4M and 8M.

Change it to 2M

 

Okay okay sorry dude. Look i thought that could be the problem cause i know we have had instances where the isp went stupid on us. Maybe from here im gonna sit this one again. Adrenaylne seems to have it under control. Well i will just watch and learn here. Might help me with a problem im haveing with my pc myself.

 

Ok thats done and it seems to have helped the memory again

Should i change AGP Aperture size to use less too?

 

Actually, SPD seems to have a handle on it. I just helped identify the issue, not fix it

 

i guess another thing i could try and do would be to use the ethernet instead of usb for my bb modem?

 

The minimum AGP Aperture size is 4M; you can't go any lower than that. Yes try running your BB Modem connected to the NIC and not the USB and see what that does for your online gaming issue.

 

Sorry again i am a bit confused as to how to connect my modem via ethernet,i know i had my last modem connected this way but have no idea how i did it,what port i plugged it into,what cable i used etc

currently i have my modem plugged into one of the 2 usb ports on the front of my computer and there are another 2 usb ports on the back of the case one of which is being used by my keyboard... i shutdown and unplugged the modem from the front and plugged it into the other usb port on the back (thinking this might be the ethernet) when i rebooted and checked device manager its still showing the modem connected to usb.

my main questions are what does the port i am looking for look like,does it normally have any icons next to it to identify and do i need a different cable? the only cable they supplied with the modem was the usb i am currently using...

 

The back of your computer may or may not look the picture above; but you are looking for a port that looks like the one above the 2 USB ports.

 

ahh yes its exactly like that thanks

i just need the cable...