BF2S Forums Some basic confusion.

Speedfan?

Rivatuner will show you your videocard temps in-game.

Coretemp will show your CPU temps (but I don't believe that works in-game). To get load temps on CPU, run Prime95 or Orthos or something until CPU is at 100%, then look at Coretemp.

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

What are your system specs phetal?

Getting old they are. Not enough time to type them all up right now.
2.2ghz dual core intel
nvidia7900
2 gigs ddr2 @6hundredsomething mhz.
I have a laptop. Makes it hard to open up and blow dust off.

I know I won't run the new games WELL, because... my computer is just a bit old... but I want to run them as well as possible.

Many thanks to those who answered. rivatuner I believe was the one someone else suggested, but I'll check all suggestions out.

When it comes to tech, you guys are always great. Thanks.

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

djphetal wrote:

Scorpion0x17 wrote:

What are your system specs phetal?

Getting old they are. Not enough time to type them all up right now.
2.2ghz dual core intel
nvidia7900
2 gigs ddr2 @6hundredsomething mhz.
I have a laptop. Makes it hard to open up and blow dust off.

I know I won't run the new games WELL, because... my computer is just a bit old... but I want to run them as well as possible.

Many thanks to those who answered. rivatuner I believe was the one someone else suggested, but I'll check all suggestions out.

When it comes to tech, you guys are always great. Thanks.

What games does it get choppy in?

If it's BF2, then it's not that your hardware isn't up to the job - unless you're trying to run with absolutely everything maxed...

Even that's just a 7900GS, it should handle BF2 fine - my AthlonXP3200+ with AGP X800XT PE, 2GB RAM handles bf2 on mostly highs no problem.

So, if you getting choppyness in BF2, I'd first try deleting the BF2 shader cache, then defrag (ideally with a decent (i.e. not windows built-in) defragger)), then run BF2, load into a server (you need to get to the fully loaded, ready to spawn, point) then immediately quit and defrag again.

If that doesn't help, try uninstalling bf2, then defrag, then reinstall, then defrag, then run, immediately set graphics settings, join server, quit, defrag.

If that doesn't help, try a complete reformat and reinstall of windows et al.

If it's any other game(s), you'll have to wait for someone with a similar setup and the same game(s) to tell you whether choppyness is to be expected or not...

Also, if you do end up doing a reformat and reinstall, then consider really pairing back on what other software you install - maybe even run a separate partition with separate 'gaming' install of your OS - ideally, for best gaming performance, you want just OS + essential drivers + minimal utils (eg vent/xfire) + games - and nothing else - well, except AV and Firewall if you're not behind a hardware firewall, but ideally be behind a hardware firewall and don't use either software AV or Firewall - of course, that's not the best set up for general use, hence the suggestion to use a second partition and OS install just for gaming.

The games I get the choppiness in are TF2 and Insurgency (a source mod), as well as Fifa 09, which was a surprise, and MVP Baseball 05 (but running a mod with a slight graphical improvement) which was certainly a surprise. I'll get the lag in practically anything the least bit graphically intensive, which is why I think it's a problem with overheating. I notice no choppiness or poor performance when running multiple programs for music, as I often do, because I make music.  I can run Starcraft just fine (I'd throw this away if i couldn't...) so it's not something that affects EVERYTHING... It's as though my computer is performing (much) worse than it should, after about 5 minutes of working fine. In TF2, with all settings minimum, and the system I described above, and no other programs running... I will frequently spike to 2-5 FPS, then back up to 10-15, then down, then if things calm down, back up to 60+ (but the latter become increasingly rare, the longer the game has been running).

I used to be able to play TF2 on highish settings at 3o+FPS, with an IM program and iTunes running, just fine. I liked that. I've never really cared about graphics, and so long as I'm getting 30-40fps, I'm fine with it... but the spikes make the games playable for 20-30 minutes before I just get frustrated and quit.

I'm going to reformat as soon as I get my windows CD from my parents house, so hopefully that will solve my issue. If not, I'm going to assume it HAS to be overheating, in which case, I'm slightly screwed, cuz my laptop isn't easy to dust out or replace fans on...

Oh well, that's what technology gives you right? It's strange that we put up with it... Though we wouldn't if it wasn't worth it.

Oh, and I've defragged, run CCleaner, made sure my registry is all fine, I've virus scanned with AVG and Avast, I've run spybot, I've spent hours myself going through and deleting erroneous files and such, I've read hours worth of tutorials on how to deep-clean your PC... and my games still get choppy.

I'm optimistic though. And thank you all.

Hmm... lappy... As you've already surmised, phetal, that's gonna make it difficult to rectify if it is a heat issue... But, if a complete wipe and reinstall doesn't work, try Freezers suggestion.

Ah, also, when you play games and they get laggy are you on battery or mains power?

Okay i've figured this much out. Now that I think about it, i haven't heard my computer's fans go on high in a while... maybe that's selective memory, but it works out with my theory. When I try to set my fans on high, they go for a short period of time, varying anywhere between half a second to five seconds before they slow down again. I can click "apply" again and they start, then shut off quickly.

If I set it to "force fans on high," the fans go on high, then periodically, like i said above, every 1-5 seconds about, they jump back down to low, however, because it's set to force on high, it goes right back to high.

This leads me to believe that some other program on my system is telling the fans to slow down. Does anyone else think I might be right?