Computer's painfully slow.

[Monovertex]

Ok, lately my computer got a bit slow. It's working like a snail with about any application. I mainly noticed this while trying to play Half-Life 2: although my system is way over the recommended specs, I get an average fps of about 13 :|. Putting the details, effects and resolution on MINIMUM did not make much of a difference. The only things that actually worked were closing some processes that were eating from the RAM and setting the half-life process' priority to real-time.

At first I thought I've got some malware and I went drastically and reinstalled windows and cleaned out the system. I reinstall Half-Life, etc... guess what: same low fps :banghead:.

It seems really odd to me, as this system is good even on today's standards and Half-Life 2 is pretty old. Besides, I played Half-Life 2 Episode 2 about an year ago, on full details and with a weaker graphics card with higher fps . I have no idea what to do, can you guys help me?

Notice that it's not only about the game, it happens in other programs as well, that's why I posted here.

My system:

ASUS P5GDC PRO motherboard.
Pentium IV - 3.00 GHz
GeForce 8600 GT - 512 mb
2 GB DDR1 RAM
250 GB SATA HDD + 160 GB SATA HDD

If you need to find out anything else, ask.

 

[Demi666]

Well, obviously you would have a computer that are better then the game requires. But same thing happen to me when I play WoW, every other application like msn,skype,paint can take like 1 minute to start.

But WoW never lags though, also I didn't quite get it. Does your computer always go slow? or just when you are playing Half-Life 2 ?

I'm sorry if you mentioned it somewhere in your text, I kinda just woke up.

 

[Monovertex]

It's slow with any application, even if that application is the single major one going (Just Half-Life, with no media player, no messenger, nothing else going, except the system processes and some other stuff that is required). But I notice this slowness better in Half-Life 2, because that one's more intense in eating up resources. Another one which goes pretty slow is Photoshop 2. Hell, I had no lag with it before =/.

I dunno, it may be the fact that my computer is just old? I mean, the graphic card is the only thing I replaced from 2005, but I've always taken care of this comp, never overclocked, cleaned it up from time to time. I'll clean it up this time again and probably replace that thing between the cooler and the CPU, as well. Although temperatures are not the problem either.

 

[UndeadDragon]

Have you got many processes running in the background?

Try closing some (that you know what they are) and see if the problem still persists.

 

[MnkyOf[-]ate]

Something I find helpful when my computer is running slow; ctrl + alt + del and open task manager. Click on the "Processes" tab.

Sort your applications based on CPU usage.. if there is one process that is constantly eating away at your processor, end task.

Also sort applications based on memory usage, and check to see which ones use the most memory. Close them, and see if your computer speeds up.

Aside from that, if everything looks good a complete system scan for viruses and adware is recommended.

 

[Knight7770]

Have you got many processes running in the background?

Try closing some (that you know what they are) and see if the problem still persists.

Something I find helpful when my computer is running slow; ctrl + alt + del and open task manager. Click on the "Processes" tab.

Sort your applications based on CPU usage.. if there is one process that is constantly eating away at your processor, end task.

Also sort applications based on memory usage, and check to see which ones use the most memory. Close them, and see if your computer speeds up.

Aside from that, if everything looks good a complete system scan for viruses and adware is recommended.

You must not have actually read the post.

The only things that actually worked were closing some processes that were eating from the RAM and setting the half-life process' priority to real-time.

 

[MnkyOf[-]ate]

You must not have actually read the post.

If you look at the time I posted my message it was 16 minutes after Undead Dragon posted... Did it not occur to you maybe I had the window open for a while and his response wasn't there when I responded?

All I wanted to do was contribute my 2 cents to try and help him solve his problem.

If you don't have anything beneficial to say don't bother posting.

 

[Monovertex]

No, Knight7770 actually quoted from my post... I said I already tried that, but thanks for the suggestions.

If you don't have anything beneficial to say don't bother posting.

Please don't bash other users, just be nice. Plus, he was actually right.

EDIT: They worked, but did not do much of a difference.

And, I have tried Half-Life 1 as well, now. It's lagging as well -.-. I also defragged my hard-disk, but it wasn't too fragmented anyway so, yeah...

 

[Prometheus]

A shot in the dark here, are your drivers updated?
I was thinking the video card could be causing it.

 

[MnkyOf[-]ate]

Sorry if it came across as bashing, was not my intention. I just figured his post was in no way helping the situation; neither was mine but at least I was trying.

I had read your post but you only mentioned closing memory intensive processes which is why I mentioned to also check CPU intensive, and viral / malicious stuff.

Another thing to check, is what resolution are you running and do you have maximum detail applied? Could try disabling some features and see if that helps any.

 

[Monovertex]

Well, there was no CPU intensive process, honest to be, except that app itself.

As for resolution and detail, do you mean while in game or Windows interface? If it's Windows, I have the basic theme, not some fancy things or Vista's Aero. And I've already disabled some features. If it's in-game...

Putting the details, effects and resolution on MINIMUM did not make much of a difference.

KC, I will look into updating the drivers, but I think they are already at the latest versions. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[MnkyOf[-]ate]

Sorry for not being more specific, if you have the vid card cranked up in the windows setting it can override your in game settings.

Your card being a GForce should have a NVidia control panel where you should be able to adjust settings.

 

[Monovertex]

Oh, ok, I will check that.

 

[Hurosaki]

well its got to be your processor but try closing off the startup applications at the bottom right hand corner of the screen and also see if you can monitor your processing speed and try and see if you can download an aplication called "speedfan"

however still i dont understand why would your pc stick sooo much with the specs that the system has 2 gb ram isnt suppose to give any trouble when tell me if you got the problem fixed and how so i can learn from it

No Double Posting please

Post Merged

Miz

 

[TFlan]

run -> msconfig

-> Services Tab

-> Check "Hide All Microsoft Services"
-> Checkoff all unknown services that you know are not required. Make sure to leave your required ones checked off (Manufacturer should be named if it anywhere near required, good rule of thumb)
-> Apply​

-> Startup Tab

-> Disable All
Again check all required items.​

-> Apply
-> Close
-> Exit without restarting
​

Control Panel -> Display

-> Appearance

-> Change Windows and buttons to "Windows Classic Style"
-> Change Color Scheme to "Windows Standard"
-> Change Font Size to "Normal"​

-> Apply
-> Ok
​

Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Performance Settings

-> Visual Effects Tab

-> Click "Adjust for best performance"
-> Apply​

-> Advanced Tab

-> Virtual memory change

-> Change Initial Size & Maximum Size to the Recommended
-> Set
-> Ok​

-> Apply
-> Ok​

-> Apply
-> Ok​

After all this, restart your computer.

If you don't notice anything drastically change when running high-end games. Go back to the last step, enter a number 10 times the recommended. It will give you an error saying it exceeds the maximum, enter the maximum number (it will give you it in the warning).

Only do that if you have a lot of free space on your hard drive.

---

Edit:
I know you said you reinstalled your OS, but double check malware and viruses tests. That is the main offender in slow computers.

 

[Monovertex]

well its got to be your processor but try closing off the startup applications at the bottom right hand corner of the screen and also see if you can monitor your processing speed and try and see if you can download an aplication called "speedfan"

however still i dont understand why would your pc stick sooo much with the specs that the system has 2 gb ram isnt suppose to give any trouble when tell me if you got the problem fixed and how so i can learn from it

I already modified the start-up procedure and set it that only necessary programs start with the windows. Plus, turning them off from the tray bar is the same as cleaning up the processes that eat up too much.

run -> msconfig

-> Services Tab

-> Check "Hide All Microsoft Services"
-> Checkoff all unknown services that you know are not required. Make sure to leave your required ones checked off (Manufacturer should be named if it anywhere near required, good rule of thumb)
-> Apply​

-> Startup Tab

-> Disable All
Again check all required items.​

-> Apply
-> Close
-> Exit without restarting
​

Already did this, sorry for not saying it.

Control Panel -> Display

-> Appearance

-> Change Windows and buttons to "Windows Classic Style"
-> Change Color Scheme to "Windows Standard"
-> Change Font Size to "Normal"​

-> Apply
-> Ok
​

Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Performance Settings

-> Visual Effects Tab

-> Click "Adjust for best performance"
-> Apply​

-> Advanced Tab

-> Virtual memory change

-> Change Initial Size & Maximum Size to the Recommended
-> Set
-> Ok​

-> Apply
-> Ok​

-> Apply
-> Ok​

After all this, restart your computer.

If you don't notice anything drastically change when running high-end games. Go back to the last step, enter a number 10 times the recommended. It will give you an error saying it exceeds the maximum, enter the maximum number (it will give you it in the warning).

Only do that if you have a lot of free space on your hard drive.

Already knew about the visual and display settings, but how would those affect the things in-game? I know it might speed up while running non-fullscreen apps, but the most troublesome are the fullscreen ones. I will try this, though, hope it does some difference .

Also, I will increase the virtual memory stuff.

I know you said you reinstalled your OS, but double check malware and viruses tests. That is the main offender in slow computers.

Already did it, I am aware that malware are the main programs that slow down comps.



I am at school now, when I get home I will check the drivers, the settings of the video card and try the interface and virtual memory changes. Thanks everyone, repped all users that replied so far.

 

[TFlan]

The virtual memory will serve as extra "RAM" for your OS when your running high-end games. The system stores your OS on your hard drive instead of your RAM, which, basically, in the end will free up more room for your game.

 

[Prometheus]

For the virtual memory, my system recommends 3000 but I just set it to the maximum possible.
4096

 

[TFlan]

I guess there is a global maximum, I thought it varied from system to system depending on HD capacity. But now that I think about it, 32-Bit systems only support 4Gb of RAM so it makes sense that you can only have 4Gb of Virtual Memory.

On 64-Bit its 16 exabytes, and unless you have a super computer. Good Luck with that.

 

[phyrex1an]

Another possibility is hardware problems, cpu slowed down due to overheating, psu which can't provide enough watts, underclocked ram for whatever reason, activated energy save mode ect.
I guess you could try to find some benchmark program that tests if you hardware really lives up to the specs you posted above.