Low FPS in games - possible bug or tweak tip needed?

[Simeon]

Wasn't too sure where to post this... but I am experiencing slower pc performance and dramatically low FPS in games for some unknown reason. Please help.

I like CSS a lot, and I used to play it on my system with a 9800pro just fine. It's also been excellent with my X1950 but recently it just blows! I have even lowered all settings and still get jerkyness. It really annoys me.

Perhaps some bug on my pc? I would have thought that my system could cope with CSS just fine - christ, it handled Oblivion really well on quite high settings. It has deteriorated in performance though.

PC: (Ignore the signiture - I've updated my PC since I wrote it)
P4 2.8ghz OC @ 3ghz 800fsb
2GB ram
ATi X1950 Pro (AGP) (7.4 catalyst) - 7.6 is out but I doubt that is the cause?
WD 74GB Raptor
WD 160GB 7200rpm

Games running:
Oblivion
CS Source
Battlefield 2
Tomb Raider Anniversary

System freshly defragged.

I'm guessing people are going to reccomend a complete clean up on my system. If so, please reccomend a list of things to do or programs to run.

Thanks :)

[Google]

[sickofsoyo]

download ad-aware and spybot run both

scan with antivirus, and try shutting down unneeded processes with msconfig, but be careful what you turn off, it may stop your computer from booting

most likely you have some ad-ware or spyware on your system thats causing the slow down, Im sure others will post applications you should try.
_________________
P4 3.2ghz
lanparty pro875b
Enermax Liberty 500 Watt Modular PSU
Sony 52X CD-RW
Samsung 120gig SATA hdd
Maxtor 100gig SATA hdd
Powmax Demon case
ATI X800 XL AIW, 525 Core, 525 mem
Creative X-Fi Platinum
PDP systems Patriot Ram 2,3,2,5 timings

[Simeon]

Yes I've already used ad-aware and Norton. Just tried out spybot and... nothing except for about 8 tracking cookies. I really don't know what it is. I'm quite certain my PC is clean. I've looked at the processes in task manager... there is nothing out of the ordinary, or anything killing my performance.

I'm really confused and frustrated. I even get delays when clicking on a web page now. I'll click, then wait a few seconds before anything "clicks" or does anything. My PC isn't behaving how it used to or by the standards of a system half as good.

This all started before I installed Norton 360 - but I suspect that Norton 360 isn't helping either... I suspect the "fraud monitoring" on ie7 is one of the causes of slow down on ie7. Can this be turned off?

Any thoughts out there about Norton 360 and it's effect on the performance of a PC?

[Simeon]

UPDATE: CPU usage goes up to a shocking 70 - 80% when openeing a new ie7 tab (not page - just a tab) or clicking on a link! This explains the lag when (trying) fast-browsing.

But, why is the cpu usage being hammered like this for such a small process?

It makes perfect sense that my PC can't handle games at the moment if it can't even handle browsing adequately.

Any ideas? Is it possible my CPU is dying? I've had it for about 4 years...
_________________
P4 2.8ghz OC @ 3ghz 800fsb
2GB ram OCZ pc3200
ATi X1950 Pro (AGP)
WD 74GB Raptor
WD 1TB
Creative Audigy 2
Creative Megaworks 5.1
Thermaltake Xaser 3 case
Thermaltake 550w psu

[Simeon]

Further update:

Why would CSS run the same crappy frame rate even on all low settings @1440x900 and then provide the same crappy framerate - no difference at all - even at all other lower resolutions and all low settings?

Surely something is messed up here? 10-25 fps on high settings and then 10-25fps on low settings and low resolutions?
_________________
P4 2.8ghz OC @ 3ghz 800fsb
2GB ram OCZ pc3200
ATi X1950 Pro (AGP)
WD 74GB Raptor
WD 1TB
Creative Audigy 2
Creative Megaworks 5.1
Thermaltake Xaser 3 case
Thermaltake 550w psu

[Xal]

2 things:

1: What are your system temps?
2: have you tried a fresh OS installation?

Try installing a fresh OS on your sytem along with all the latest drivers and such and see if your problem persists. Also give us your system temperatures, you can downlaod Speedfan to monitor these (google is your friend).

Have you recently installed any OS updates or upgrades? IE, Media Player or even a bad DX install could really mess up your OS.

Good luck.
_________________
Phenom II x4 955 @ Stock
Asus M3N78-EM
4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR2 667 @ 800
1gb Powercolor Radeon HD 5850 @ Stock
X-fi Extreme Audio PCI E
Nexus 600W Silent PSU
Nexus Fans
Custom case

[Simeon]

Hmmm I wonder if a bad DX install could be the problem; especially with games. If no one can help me here I certainly will do a fresh install. It's been a year since my last fresh install.

Anyway, speed fan results: (idle)

System: 41C (green check/tick)
CPU: 50C (burning flame)
AUX: 84C (burning flame)
HD0: 41C (green check/tick)
HD1: 42C (green check/tick)

What do you think?
_________________
P4 2.8ghz OC @ 3ghz 800fsb
2GB ram OCZ pc3200
ATi X1950 Pro (AGP)
WD 74GB Raptor
WD 1TB
Creative Audigy 2
Creative Megaworks 5.1
Thermaltake Xaser 3 case
Thermaltake 550w psu

[fussnfeathers]

Your mobo temp is WAY high. It shouldn't be more than a few degrees above your proc, which is also running quite warm for that processor at idle. I would look at your cooling fans, it might be time to give them a thorough cleaning (or replacement with better fans, they're cheap enough).

It could also be that your mobo is dying, if the chipset has been running that hot for a long time. 84C is ridiculously high.
_________________
Big enough to scare you

[Xal]

I have seen speedfan misreport temps in the past. 84c is dead motherboard hot, try checking with a few other monitoring apps and in your BIOS, if they tell the same story its time for a new motherboard.
_________________
Phenom II x4 955 @ Stock
Asus M3N78-EM
4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR2 667 @ 800
1gb Powercolor Radeon HD 5850 @ Stock
X-fi Extreme Audio PCI E
Nexus 600W Silent PSU
Nexus Fans
Custom case

[Simeon]

I checked Bios and it had 40 - 41C for MB and about 55C for CPU.

So perhaps that reading above is not too accurate?

Ok, other than a fresh install, can anyone suggest anything else?

Also, any comments re Norton 360? I'm not so sure i'm happy with it due to high cpu usage it sometimes has... BUT then it could simply be due to my PC problems at the moment.

Sigh
_________________
P4 2.8ghz OC @ 3ghz 800fsb
2GB ram OCZ pc3200
ATi X1950 Pro (AGP)
WD 74GB Raptor
WD 1TB
Creative Audigy 2
Creative Megaworks 5.1
Thermaltake Xaser 3 case
Thermaltake 550w psu

[Zero_Fresh]

Check to make sure the fan on your video card is actually spinning. If not, remove the fan and peel off the sticker on the center hub half way, add a drop of motor oil (any motor oil is fine). Manually work in the oil by spinning the fan a couple of times and the replace it. However, if you check the fan and it seems to be spinning just fine then leave well enough alone.
_________________
"....Or as almost every word in a sentence; Tweak the tweaking tweakers!"

Josh Awards = 2

[Xal]

Try a second install of XP in a different folder if you don't want to do a complete reinstall. If that works and everything returns to normal then you will have to do a propper reinstall. Sadly a borked OS usually means reinstall.
_________________
Phenom II x4 955 @ Stock
Asus M3N78-EM
4gb Corsair XMS2 DDR2 667 @ 800
1gb Powercolor Radeon HD 5850 @ Stock
X-fi Extreme Audio PCI E
Nexus 600W Silent PSU
Nexus Fans
Custom case

[Simeon]

Fans are fine and clean.

I gave up and just went with a fresh install of xp. Everything is running like it should be now; greased freakin' lightening. Can't believe how bad it was before. CPU process up in the 75-100% usage most of the time. Now it stays nice and low. Am about to try out CSS and HL2 - that will be the test to cap it all off.

Thanks for the advice though peeps :)
_________________
P4 2.8ghz OC @ 3ghz 800fsb
2GB ram OCZ pc3200
ATi X1950 Pro (AGP)
WD 74GB Raptor
WD 1TB
Creative Audigy 2
Creative Megaworks 5.1
Thermaltake Xaser 3 case
Thermaltake 550w psu