Need some advice here

[BaldEagl]

It sounds to me like you installed something about the time this started that's running in the background.  It might even be a virus or some type of malware/adware.

If you can remember what you might have installed just uninstall it and see if that works.  If you can't remember anything then I'd try a complete system tune up (run anti virus, system cleanup, defrag, etc.).  If that doesn't work you can try to roll back to a previous good configuration but you'll lose anything new since then.  If all else fails I'd go with a fresh install of the OS and all your applications but you'll want to back up all your data first.

[gyrene81]

I was thinking going to 3 GB or 4 GB -- 2 GB seem skimpy these days.  But I don't know if that would help.

windowsxp, 32bit version at that...jumping to 3 or 4 gb won't help.

Ink has a much better video card, it can handle graphical processes that the 7600gs can't. and having windows tweaked to minimal running processes before starting ah keeps his system from running out of resources and having the cpu occupied by background processes. with Tinkles system running 51 processes on a fresh boot, BaldEagl might be on to something...

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Been trying to figure out why my computer is suddenly so laggy all the time. If under 5 are in the area I'm OK (barely). But if more than 5 are in the area I start lagging like I'm carrying the world.

I understand my computer is older (by older I mean ancient). But I am trying to preserve it as long as I can. I am getting a new computer in April 2014, but right now can't get anything (period, no parts, components, or even hello-kitty stickers  )

I've played Aces High for almost 6 years now, and have never had these problems. Problems like this started roughly after January 2013, and I haven't been able to fix it. I was wondering if you guys recommend anything, or if I could do anything to make it so I can at least play a little longer. Otherwise I won't be able to do much except go in the 88 and look at the ground.


I was also wondering if connection = frame rate. From what I know, it doesn't. My connection has been fine ping at 50s-120s with no issue.

The videocard said that it was using 117.2/256MB    Less than half. Is this normal? Or should it be able to handle more before having issues?

If someone is able to help please respond.

Tinkles

<<S>>

It could be anything, even a windows update causing it. If your computer used to be able to run AH, a reinstall will probably fix it. Many people routinely reinstalled every year when they had XP. You can do a reinstall without formatting the drive so you keep all your files (or if you're like me and partition own data files to a separate partition as a rule).

Reinstall scares of many people and I never understood why. It's so much better to start from a fresh start again. Sure you need to copy files and/or install a program or two but so what? You get rid of all the crud cumulated along the years.

[Tinkles]

It sounds to me like you installed something about the time this started that's running in the background.  It might even be a virus or some type of malware/adware.

If you can remember what you might have installed just uninstall it and see if that works.  If you can't remember anything then I'd try a complete system tune up (run anti virus, system cleanup, defrag, etc.).  If that doesn't work you can try to roll back to a previous good configuration but you'll lose anything new since then.  If all else fails I'd go with a fresh install of the OS and all your applications but you'll want to back up all your data first.

That's what I thought at first too..

However, I just ran a full scan with Avast, but it didn't find anything.  So I am not sure why it has so many processes. When I look in Processes (after ctrl+alt+delete) Most of them are SYSTEM processes. There are only a handful of non-system listed processes that are a necessity (like explorer, which apparently is the start menu and all that, found out the hard way on that one).

So, I am not sure of what to shut down in terms of processes.

Tinkles

<<S>>

[Gman]

Check you power management profile settings.  I was having this exact problem a few years back, and somehow my power profile settings were switched in some sort of upgrade/windows stuff install, and the symptoms were similar to yours.  I would get huge spikes in ping to the HTC game server while playing, resulting in much lag and warp on my end, yet my connection at the time was 20mbit and very stable so far as other general net related tasks.

Go into your power profile, and see what you settings are.  I remember when I was having this trouble Skuzzy told me that in laptops this was a very common problem as the power management stuff was a nightmare back in the xp/vista days, and it turned out my OEM cheapy desktop at the time had the exact same issue.  Once I put it into a gamer/full power profile, all my trouble went away.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

That's what I thought at first too..

However, I just ran a full scan with Avast, but it didn't find anything.  So I am not sure why it has so many processes. When I look in Processes (after ctrl+alt+delete) Most of them are SYSTEM processes. There are only a handful of non-system listed processes that are a necessity (like explorer, which apparently is the start menu and all that, found out the hard way on that one).

So, I am not sure of what to shut down in terms of processes.

Tinkles

<<S>>

1) Malware/virus scanners do not find all infections. They're not reliable.
2) The cause of the slowdown can be anything from a incompatible windows update to recent driver update (did you upgrade your graphics drivers or something?)

[Bizman]

My view is that it doesn't matter how many processes are running -- only how much CPU is being used.  If it's 5% or less by everything else, that isn't going to impact things significantly.  When you run AH, check your CPU usage (via task manager).  It probably isn't stuck near 100% while running AH, so a few percent devoted to other background things won't matter.

The CPU usage of now doesn't tell the full truth. Running processes can occupy future CPU usage, like table reservations in a seemingly empty restaurant. I've also read that alongside with the direct percentage of CPU cycles, the amount of handles a process uses can significantly affect performance. Someone more savvy might be able to tell what the handles are for, for me it's enough to know that shutting down a process will free the handles it uses.

@Tinkles: Not all processes under the username SYSTEM are actually Windows related. My process count at the moment is 30 (XP Pro) which I cut down to 20ish before gaming. Among the SYSTEM labeled ones are things like TomTomHome, NitroPDFReaderDriver, GoogleUpdate etc. which definitely are no Windows services. There's also a bunch of Windows services that you can safely disable like Wireless Zero Configuration if you don't use wifi. Blackviper, as has been said, has several options to reduce processes, from moderate to hardcore.

[Brooke]

The CPU usage of now doesn't tell the full truth. Running processes can occupy future CPU usage, like table reservations in a seemingly empty restaurant.

That's why it's good to look at CPU usage over a period of time.  True, a given process could possibly hog 100% of CPU, but that is true if you are running 2 processes or 100 of them.  Rather than cutting down number of processes, I think it's a better use of time just to look into what is hogging down the cpu at the time your computer goes from running OK to starting to chug.  Then you pop up task manager and see which process is hogging the cpu.

[Bizman]

Yeah, well... I was rather thinking about eliminating processes that might go through a daily updating routine in the middle of a furball... It's funny how device manufacturers think that if someone installs their device, they wouldn't do anything else but using that given gadget. Multifunctional printers are among the worst. Not only do they want to install a floating thingy on the desktop, they also want to check for updates daily. Come on! Who has ever needed to update printer drivers even semi-annually?

[Brooke]

Multifunctional printers are among the worst.

Oh, yes!  I wasn't even thinking of that until your post.  I remember HP software for their Photosmart series being almost criminally horrible.  Not only for updates, but it would sit there and hog CPU in just polling the device!  HP hardware is great, but they have some of the most inept, horrendous software I've ever seen, and it's been that way for 20 years.

[BaldEagl]

Tinkles, have you allowed Windows to update any of your hardware drivers?

My brothers laptop was having all kinds of problems until I had him roll back a driver update that he got courtesy of Windows update.  I made him turn off HW updates in the future and he hasn't had a problem since.  It seems to me his timeframe coincides with yours and could be the same problem.

The only problem is I can't remember what piece of HW it was but you could check the dates of all your HW drivers.

[Denniss]

What about your harddrive? How full is it, especially the system drive c: ?
Have you cleaned-up and defragmented the c: drive recently?

BTW a Dxdiag crash in system information is strange.

If your system acts weird, please check for dirty fans/heatsinks on your CPU and graphics and carefully look into the PSU (another fan) as well.

[Tinkles]

Tinkles, have you allowed Windows to update any of your hardware drivers?

My brothers laptop was having all kinds of problems until I had him roll back a driver update that he got courtesy of Windows update.  I made him turn off HW updates in the future and he hasn't had a problem since.  It seems to me his timeframe coincides with yours and could be the same problem.

The only problem is I can't remember what piece of HW it was but you could check the dates of all your HW drivers.

It says all drivers are up to date. Including the graphics card (GeForce 7600)

What about your harddrive? How full is it, especially the system drive c: ?
Have you cleaned-up and defragmented the c: drive recently?

BTW a Dxdiag crash in system information is strange.

If your system acts weird, please check for dirty fans/heatsinks on your CPU and graphics and carefully look into the PSU (another fan) as well.

I take apart my computer once a week and clean it out with a large salvo of Q-tips 

Hard drive is 180GB used  98GB remaining.

Hasn't had a defrag in about 3 months.   

Tinkles

<<S>>

[guncrasher]

do you have films saved up in your film folder?

semp

[BaldEagl]

It says all drivers are up to date. Including the graphics card (GeForce 7600)

Yes, that is what it would say although MS update is notorious for intalling incompatible "up to date" drivers.  You need to find the installation dates and if one corresponds to the time your problems started then roll that driver back.