Thought I'd share a performance solution I found

[Guest]

I just solved a performance problem on my machine running Windows XP Home Edition. This problem was particularly with running games

I have a P4 1.7 GHz Compaq Presario with 512 MB RAM and an 80 GB hard drive, with a cable modem internet connection. In other words, this computer shouldn't have any problem running most software

Upon startup it would run fine and not have noticable problems with the web and email, but running any game would give occasional choppy performance. These programs all used to work perfectly and the choppy sound and graphics would happen periodically, even rhythmically. For 35 seconds the game would be fine, and then the next 35 seconds would be unplayable. Back and forth.

I tried everything from service packs to driver upgrades to spyware removal to defragmentation to disabling devices to total OS reinstallation. None of these fixed the problem (though the first three are recommended practices)

The solution to my problem: keep the interior of the PC free of dust.

I happened upon this when I decided to start unplugging components one at a time. I noticed the heat sink on the CPU (which on my P4 resembled a tomoto sauce can with a fan on the top) was clogged with dust. With the computer unplugged (!) I popped the heat sink assembly off the top of the CPU and vacuumed it out. After replacing the assembly - Voila! The performance problem was gone. The funny thing was that the dust wasn't making the fan any more noisy than usual

Not all processors will exhibit this behavior necessarily. Pentium 4 processors (I don't know about AMD processors or Intel Celeron) have a feature called "throttling" which is a safety feature to prevent overheating. Once the CPU reached a certain temperature (which in my case only resource intensive games pushed it to) my 1.7 GHz machine turned itself into a 850 MHz processor until it cooled off sufficiently to return to full speed. The alternating good performance/bad performance was my CPU protecting itself (and infuriating me) by slowing itself down. Back and forth

Hope this helps someone out. Be very careful about cleaning the inside of your PC. I won't be held responsible for your lost super-important data (which, since it's so important, is backed up right? RIGHT?

C Bueno

 

[aragorn]

especially true if your PC sits in a dusty corner on the
floor or in the bedroom... ;-)

-----Original Message-----
I just solved a performance problem on my machine running

Windows XP Home Edition. This problem was particularly
with running games.

I have a P4 1.7 GHz Compaq Presario with 512 MB RAM and

an 80 GB hard drive, with a cable modem internet
connection. In other words, this computer shouldn't have
any problem running most software.

Upon startup it would run fine and not have noticable

problems with the web and email, but running any game
would give occasional choppy performance. These programs
all used to work perfectly and the choppy sound and
graphics would happen periodically, even rhythmically.
For 35 seconds the game would be fine, and then the next
35 seconds would be unplayable. Back and forth.

I tried everything from service packs to driver upgrades

to spyware removal to defragmentation to disabling devices
to total OS reinstallation. None of these fixed the
problem (though the first three are recommended practices).

The solution to my problem: keep the interior of the PC free of dust.

I happened upon this when I decided to start unplugging

components one at a time. I noticed the heat sink on the
CPU (which on my P4 resembled a tomoto sauce can with a
fan on the top) was clogged with dust. With the computer
unplugged (!) I popped the heat sink assembly off the top
of the CPU and vacuumed it out. After replacing the
assembly - Voila! The performance problem was gone. The
funny thing was that the dust wasn't making the fan any
more noisy than usual.

Not all processors will exhibit this behavior

necessarily. Pentium 4 processors (I don't know about AMD
processors or Intel Celeron) have a feature
called "throttling" which is a safety feature to prevent
overheating. Once the CPU reached a certain temperature
(which in my case only resource intensive games pushed it
to) my 1.7 GHz machine turned itself into a 850 MHz
processor until it cooled off sufficiently to return to
full speed. The alternating good performance/bad
performance was my CPU protecting itself (and infuriating
me) by slowing itself down. Back and forth.

Hope this helps someone out. Be very careful about

cleaning the inside of your PC. I won't be held
responsible for your lost super-important data (which,
since it's so important, is backed up right? RIGHT?)

 

[Rich]

-----Original Message-----
especially true if your PC sits in a dusty corner on the
floor or in the bedroom... ;-)
running
Windows XP Home Edition. This problem was particularly
with running games.
an 80 GB hard drive, with a cable modem internet
connection. In other words, this computer shouldn't have
any problem running most software.
problems with the web and email, but running any game
would give occasional choppy performance. These programs
all used to work perfectly and the choppy sound and
graphics would happen periodically, even rhythmically.
For 35 seconds the game would be fine, and then the next
35 seconds would be unplayable. Back and forth. upgrades
to spyware removal to defragmentation to disabling devices
to total OS reinstallation. None of these fixed the
problem (though the first three are recommended practices). PC
free of dust.
components one at a time. I noticed the heat sink on the
CPU (which on my P4 resembled a tomoto sauce can with a
fan on the top) was clogged with dust. With the computer
unplugged (!) I popped the heat sink assembly off the top
of the CPU and vacuumed it out. After replacing the
assembly - Voila! The performance problem was gone. The
funny thing was that the dust wasn't making the fan any
more noisy than usual.
necessarily. Pentium 4 processors (I don't know about AMD
processors or Intel Celeron) have a feature
called "throttling" which is a safety feature to prevent
overheating. Once the CPU reached a certain temperature
(which in my case only resource intensive games pushed it
to) my 1.7 GHz machine turned itself into a 850 MHz
processor until it cooled off sufficiently to return to
full speed. The alternating good performance/bad
performance was my CPU protecting itself (and infuriating
me) by slowing itself down. Back and forth.
cleaning the inside of your PC. I won't be held
responsible for your lost super-important data (which,
since it's so important, is backed up right? RIGHT?)
.
WELL VACUUM???????????????????????,they sell presurized

air cans at walmart,bestbuy......you get the picture,you
may want to read up on frying your components with static
electricity.Congadulations on not burning up you
processore with heat.If you have your computer in a desk
with the back cut out,try a furnace filter cut to size
stapled to the back opening,if it's in a free opening,try
a piece of filter cut to size duct taped into place over
fan hole.May sound off the wall,but if you have a lot of
dust,you may want to check and see if you have a clothes
dryer that's not vented properly.(You may find an air
purifier would help more than you'll ever know,I have a
daughter with asthma,she breaths a LOT better with the
purifier,and I havent had any dust in my box in 9
months,used to clean it monthly.She hasn't been to
hospital either in 9 months for a breating treatment.Got
the info from a doctor.And please don't use you shop vac
that way,my brother fried his P4 2.6 that way,cost him
$500 to fix with new mother board,RAM,processore ALL from
static,also lost all his data.Static electricity can KILL
your box.