Computer Problems 15: The reckoning

Filler Inc.

So I've having some issues with my computer, and I'll describe them as best I can.

First off, the most noticable is when using youtube.

If I play a video in it's smaller window, it's fine. But when I enlarge the video to its fullscreen size, I get 10 second stutters, which are also 10 seconds apart.

In game, FPS, RTS, any game really, I also get these 10 second stutters. I have no idea whats going on.

My computer is an Alienware laptop with;

AMD 64 Mobile chip

2 ghz processor

a gig of ram

Dual GeForce Go 7900 256mb cards

and those are the only things I can think of that would be causing these issues.

Games I've tried playing but just plain don't work are all off of steam.

CSS, DoW, CS.

I don't even play games on it anymore, but I want to know whats going on before I buy TF2, or even Starcraft 2 when it comes out, because I'd very much like to enjoy those.

EDIT: Also, in steam when trying to connect to any CSS game, or any online game, the ping instantly jumps to 1000 and refuses to even try to connect if someone is in the server. A fix for that would be nice too.

Zyre

Sounds more like a internet connection issue than a video one. All the problems you describe don't really have anything to do with your computers hardware except maybe your nic (network card) or modem.

How are you connecting to the internet? If you have DSL/Cable and are connecting through a router, I encourage you to power cycle the router and the modem. (Unplug the power cord to the cable modem and the router, plug the cable modem back in after 1 minute, same with the router)

Also, how long has this problem been occuring? I could be off base here.

Oh and one last thought, are you running any kind of P2P (Peer to Peer) software like bit torrent? Running torrents can totally clog your connection up.

Filler Inc.

Problem is, it also happens when I'm playing offline, which is the case with DoW.

Malkor

Filler Inc. wrote: »

Problem is, it also happens when I'm playing offline, which is the case with DoW.

Have you tried defragging your HD? As for ping and stuff, does it happen when you're on another computer?

Uncle Long

Well, since all of these stutters seem to be video related, I'd consider checking out your video card and making sure it's seated properly. I'd also try swapping it out for one you know is good and seeing if that doesn't fix your problem.

corky842

Uncle Long wrote: »

I'd also try swapping it out for one you know is good and seeing if that doesn't fix your problem.

It's a laptop. I doubt he has an extra laptop video card just lying around.

How old is your current Windows install? Sometimes the easiest way to fix a problem like this is to reformat and reinstall.

embrik

Defrag, as Malkor suggested, but I'd start looking at drivers, especially video drivers. Older drivers (and some beta new ones) could easily cause stuttering problems. Also, never hurts to get more RAM.

DrFrylock

Does it happen all the time, or only when you've been using the computer for a while? If it happens only after the computer's been in use for a while, it's quite possibly a heat issue. Laptops will slow down both their graphics cards and CPUs when they get too hot. For example, if my laptop graphics card hits 138 degrees F, my game of old-school counterstrike instantaneously goes to pot. I have a little heat monitor that sits in my system tray that was the key to figuring this out.

Check your task manager and make sure there isn't some process that's spiking and taking up all your CPU as well.

Filler Inc.

I reseated my ram and that worked well for about 20 minutes and then the problem came up again.


Then I shut down my AVG stuff, and it stopped doing it.

Then it started again, and I took a look in my taskmanager and it seems like AVG had started itself back up again.


I think it was avgupsvc.exe or avgamsvr.exe that popped back up, maybe both.

Would these be an issue in running games?

Aridhol

I would suggest a backup and reinstall of windows fresh to eliminate software issues but if I was to guess the laptop video card in there is really, really not up to snuff. This shouldn't affect youtube though, even the weakest cards in the last few years can do fullscreen video.


tldr; reinstall and try games and then youtube.

Goetterdaemmerung

Filler Inc. wrote: »

I reseated my ram and that worked well for about 20 minutes and then the problem came up again.


Then I shut down my AVG stuff, and it stopped doing it.

Then it started again, and I took a look in my taskmanager and it seems like AVG had started itself back up again.


I think it was avgupsvc.exe or avgamsvr.exe that popped back up, maybe both.

Would these be an issue in running games?

This sounds like your antivirus is spiking CPU usage every 10 seconds -- not unsurprising behavior for an antivirus app. Get rid of it and replace it with something made by halfway competent coders.

Filler Inc.

Aridhol wrote: »

I would suggest a backup and reinstall of windows fresh to eliminate software issues but if I was to guess the laptop video card in there is really, really not up to snuff. This shouldn't affect youtube though, even the weakest cards in the last few years can do fullscreen video.


tldr; reinstall and try games and then youtube.

Thing is though, I have Dual GeForce Go 7900 in SLi configuration for 512mb.

That's decent. Or it should be decent enough to run CS:S.

I think it may be my AVG.

Filler Inc.

Okay, so my computer is telling me I only have 512mbs of ram.

So that means a stick is dead.

Ordered 2 1 gigs from newegg and hopefully that will solve the problem.

redstormpopcorn

I've been a bit out-of-the-loop hardware-wise for a while, and now that I'm building a new PC there are some things for me to catch up on regarding compatibility and power consumption. Specifically, would the combination of this ASUS P5K motherboard and this GeForce 8800GTS require a six-pin PCI-E power cable and/or more watts & amperage than this 430W PSU could supply?