FPS problems

[Tom]

The problem in short:
Games i play alot, ends up at a very low framerate.

My HW and SW:
Windows XP PRo SP2
DirectX 9.0
Intel P4 3,4Ghz
2GB RAM
Radeon X800 XT 256 Mb RAM


I'll try to detail my problem and what i've done to try and fix it.

When i first installed World of Warcraft and Unreal Tournament 2004 i
could get optimal framerate with allmost max graphics settings ingame.
Then after i've played these games on a regular basis for some months,
they suddenly start to give me an awfull low FPS.
WoW now runs at about 5 to 15 FPS depending on where i am.
UT2k4 runs at about 15 FPS while i'm in action.

If i look into the ground and zoom in to minimize what the graphics
engine has to render, i get FPS upto 50+ easily, so it can still
happen.

What i've done to try and fix it:
- Reinstalled Windows
- Reinstalled both games
- Run graphics settings to a minimum
- Tried out different Graphics drivers
- Run both games without any addons
- Run both games in Fullscreen mode and Windowed mode
- Checked for viruses and spyware etc.
- Defragged the games drive
- Flushed both games cache
- Run diagnostics on DirectX
- and lots more i can't remember at the moment

None of the above gives me any significant changes to the FPS, it
still remains low.
The oddest thing is that when i first installed the games they both
worked perfect. And when i install new games like F.E.A.R i can run it
flawlessly at maximum settings, FPS is superb.
The FPS reduction seems to have happened slowly, without me noticing
before it was really bad.

It has come to the point that i don't know how to fix this myself, and
i fail to enjoy the games as i should.

What i think might fix it:
- Maby get some new Graphic drivers
- Install the games on an entirely new disk
- Check games with a different Graphics card

But the above suggestions is either too expensive or i'm at a loss.

Please if anyone has some ide on how to fix this, or know some
graphics drivers (perhaps older version) that might help me, let me
know and i'll be eternally greatfull.

_____________
Tom

 

[Jimmy S.]

Hi Tom,

Are you seeing this slowdown in offline/campaign mode,
or are you only experiencing lag while playing online?

--
Cheers, *Windows_XP_MVP_Shell/User*
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Visit my MSN Zone.com and Gaming Help Site: http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits
MS Games Help and Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

Tom Wrote:
=================
| The problem in short:
| Games i play alot, ends up at a very low framerate.
|
| My HW and SW:
| Windows XP PRo SP2
| DirectX 9.0
| Intel P4 3,4Ghz
| 2GB RAM
| Radeon X800 XT 256 Mb RAM
|
|
| I'll try to detail my problem and what i've done to try and fix it.
|
| When i first installed World of Warcraft and Unreal Tournament 2004 i
| could get optimal framerate with allmost max graphics settings ingame.
| Then after i've played these games on a regular basis for some months,
| they suddenly start to give me an awfull low FPS.
| WoW now runs at about 5 to 15 FPS depending on where i am.
| UT2k4 runs at about 15 FPS while i'm in action.
|
| If i look into the ground and zoom in to minimize what the graphics
| engine has to render, i get FPS upto 50+ easily, so it can still
| happen.
|
| What i've done to try and fix it:
| - Reinstalled Windows
| - Reinstalled both games
| - Run graphics settings to a minimum
| - Tried out different Graphics drivers
| - Run both games without any addons
| - Run both games in Fullscreen mode and Windowed mode
| - Checked for viruses and spyware etc.
| - Defragged the games drive
| - Flushed both games cache
| - Run diagnostics on DirectX
| - and lots more i can't remember at the moment
|
| None of the above gives me any significant changes to the FPS, it
| still remains low.
| The oddest thing is that when i first installed the games they both
| worked perfect. And when i install new games like F.E.A.R i can run it
| flawlessly at maximum settings, FPS is superb.
| The FPS reduction seems to have happened slowly, without me noticing
| before it was really bad.
|
| It has come to the point that i don't know how to fix this myself, and
| i fail to enjoy the games as i should.
|
| What i think might fix it:
| - Maby get some new Graphic drivers
| - Install the games on an entirely new disk
| - Check games with a different Graphics card
|
| But the above suggestions is either too expensive or i'm at a loss.
|
| Please if anyone has some ide on how to fix this, or know some
| graphics drivers (perhaps older version) that might help me, let me
| know and i'll be eternally greatfull.
|
| _____________
| Tom

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom,

Are you seeing this slowdown in offline/campaign mode,
or are you only experiencing lag while playing online?

Heya !

I experience this during online gameplay in World of Warcraft, but it
is allso visible in offline playing Unreal Tournament 2004.
It's more a FPS problem then anything else. I've tried
ADSL2+/Cable/SHDSL connections and it has nothing to do with the
framerate.

_____________
Tom

 

[Jimmy S.]

Hi Tom,

You've done a lot of troubleshooting already, so I'm wondering if some
of the software that you've installed since the time that your FPS is at
fault, or if your profile has simply become too bloated.

Obviously, it makes more sense to test the profile theory first:

1. Play your favorite game and take a FPS benchmark
2. Uninstall your favorite game
3. Make a new user account (with Administrator priviledges)
4. Reinstall your favorite game
5. Give it a test drive - and see if the FPS have improved at all.

--
Cheers, *Windows_XP_MVP_Shell/User*
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Visit my MSN Zone.com and Gaming Help Site: http://mvps.org/nibblesnbits
MS Games Help and Support Center: http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

Tom Wrote:
=================
|
|| Hi Tom,
||
|| Are you seeing this slowdown in offline/campaign mode,
|| or are you only experiencing lag while playing online?
|
| Heya !
|
| I experience this during online gameplay in World of Warcraft, but it
| is allso visible in offline playing Unreal Tournament 2004.
| It's more a FPS problem then anything else. I've tried
| ADSL2+/Cable/SHDSL connections and it has nothing to do with the
| framerate.
|
| _____________
| Tom

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom,

You've done a lot of troubleshooting already, so I'm wondering if some
of the software that you've installed since the time that your FPS is at
fault, or if your profile has simply become too bloated.

Obviously, it makes more sense to test the profile theory first:

1. Play your favorite game and take a FPS benchmark
2. Uninstall your favorite game
3. Make a new user account (with Administrator priviledges)
4. Reinstall your favorite game
5. Give it a test drive - and see if the FPS have improved at all.

Hey again, tnx for your answer.

I've tried to reinstall the games, i've even reinstalled windodws.
FPS has not improved, nor gotten worst, its excatly the same.

I'm at a loss atm, the only thing i think i can try is the following:
- Test with another graphics card
- Install game on another HDD
- Test other RAM

And stuff like that, which might take some time for me to do.
But since games like F.E.A.R can run smoothly at high graphics
settings, its very unlikely it should be Hardware aswell.

Might simply be memoryleaks from patches for the games, i don't
know...

________________
Tom

"Reading computer manuals without the hardware is as frustrating as
reading sex manuals without the software."
-- Arthur C. Clarke - The 69th Law

 

[Paul Smith]

Have you checked the CPU temps? The Pentium 4 will throttle back if it gets
too hot, make sure all the fans are spinning etc.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove 'nospam.' to reply by e-mail*

 

[Tom]

Have you checked the CPU temps? The Pentium 4 will throttle back if it gets
too hot, make sure all the fans are spinning etc.

I haven't installed the software to monitor the Fans etc. after i
reinstalled windows.

I'm on it

Tnx
______________
Tom

 

[Guest]

Hello people, I have the exact same problem in openGL games, I dunno what to
do, I tryed everything Tom tryed (reistalling windows, reinstalling games,
updated display drivers, etc) and i still get low FPS in Counterstrike,
HalfLife, Day of Defeat, etc. This happened to me just like to Tom, worked
great, and suddenly one day low FPS. I think i reinstalled windows like 3
times over a month to try to fix this, but still same thing even after I
install windows, display drivers, directX 9 and then the game, and just that
(no other software that might cause the problem). If anyone has any ideas I
would like to hear them