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Games cause CPU Usage to Spike Help Pls.

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UltimaBoB

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
215
System:

25.5" Samsung 2693HM TFT-TN LCD Widescreen @ 1920 x 1200 resolution
2 x HIS ATI 1950XTX Video Cards in Crossfire
Intel E6700 Conroe processor
Asus P5W DH Deluxe motherboard
Creative X-Fi soundcard
2 GB Memory
Windows XP professional
Latest ATI CCC drivers

I haven't played any games for about 6 months. When I did, everything ran smoothly.

Since that time I re-installed windows. Now, I just tried to re-install a 5 year old game: Neverwinter Nights 1

When I installed it, it said my CPU did not meet the minimum standards. The game runs very choppy - even at the menus. At the menus it is spikingone CPU to over 50% and another to 35% - and it shouldn't even run on more than one core!

I downloaded an Earthsim program from ATI a moment ago when I just updated my video drivers. That thing runs slowly and spikes my CPU to well over 60%.

Google Earth runs in the 30% to 40% range.

I noticed that even in explorer, if I quickly scroll down a long page my CPU usage can spike to 40% +

However, when I did a diagnostic on my CPU it said it is working fine and it benchmarks out okay.

I really don't want to re-install windows. When I did it last time, there was some kind of problem with my sound card that made it so I could only load in safe mode - even after re-installing 3 times. Always the same result. I work in Korea, but don't speak Korean. I got a tech to resolve that for me - but have no idea what he did. I don't want that same problem again, so I'd prefer not to reinstall. Could it be related to what is happening now?

Any idea what the problem could be or where to start troubleshooting?
 
The game ran fine with the E6700 before - and I never went through the thing where you limit it to 1 core.

And "games" like Earthsim are also using way more CPU than thye should.

IE seems to hog more than it should - I can get it to 45% CPU Usage just by scrolling up and down this forum page quickly.

I am currently defraging my HD - it has never been defragged in 18 months since I bought it - however, the windows reinstall/format 4-5 months ago probably should have "reset" things I would guess. Should defragging help?
 
Well I had 1 core issues when I tried NWN recently.
Defragging wont help.
Id start with graphics drivers. Uninstall, use a drier cleaner tool, and re-install.
 
UltimaBoB said:
Any idea what the problem could be or where to start troubleshooting?
Click to expand...
From this description I don't see a problem. When you make your computer do stuff, its CPU usage increases? Yes, that's how it usually works. One old game hogging the cores is not a systemwide issue.

When your PC is sitting idle and not running NWN1 or Google Earth, or scrolling fast, then does it show high CPU usage?
 
rsquared said:
From this description I don't see a problem. When you make your computer do stuff, its CPU usage increases? Yes, that's how it usually works. One old game hogging the cores is not a systemwide issue.

When your PC is sitting idle and not running NWN1 or Google Earth, or scrolling fast, then does it show high CPU usage?
Click to expand...

You must have missed his comment about being choppy.
 
rsquared said:
From this description I don't see a problem. When you make your computer do stuff, its CPU usage increases? Yes, that's how it usually works. One old game hogging the cores is not a systemwide issue.

When your PC is sitting idle and not running NWN1 or Google Earth, or scrolling fast, then does it show high CPU usage?
Click to expand...

When I'm sitting idle, memory usage seems much higher than I remember - 33% on 2GB.

But CPU usage is fine when I do nothing.

The problem isn't that CPU Usage goes up when I do things, it is that it goes up way higher doing those things than it used to. In fact, it spikes so high that it stalls in programs that are not demanding for my CPU. I can't even get full functionality. In Earthsim and Neverwinter the image actually jerks a lot of the time.

I Did use driver cleaner Pro and re-installed the same updated ATI drivers. Still same problem.

There are no processes draining my CPU or using big chunks of it. It is just the main process that seems to use it too much. And weirdly, the NWN config. system thought my CPU was too weak when I reinstalled today.
 
WildMonkey said:
Maybe your FSB or CPU multiplier are running underclocked.
Click to expand...


How would I check this? When I ran a basic CPU test program it clocked my megahertz at the correct 2.7 GHz. Should I be using any programs to benchmark my RAM or CPU?
 
Make sure you have the drivers for your CPU and the dual core hotfix. I've seen old games run like crap and be fixed by this.
 
Just Ran something called CPU-z. My CPU Core was 2671 MHz Multiplier was 10 Bus was 267 MHz and Rated FSB was 1066 MHz - all are what they should be.
 
dandragonrage said:
Make sure you have the drivers for your CPU and the dual core hotfix. I've seen old games run like crap and be fixed by this.
Click to expand...

Hmm. My computer was set-up by a tech the first time around. When I re-installed windows I never added any MB or CPU drivers - just vid card ones. And CPU usage has been intense since then. Maybe you are on to something.

Are there CPU drivers and a hotfix? How do I get them? Do they install just like Vid card drivers or do I need to play with the BIOS etc...?
 
Just to complete this line of thinking, since everything ran well before I re-installed windows 4-5 months ago (but I didn't notice the changes for months because I ran nothing taxing at all on my machine until no), is it possible that there are any drivers I need that the original tech would have installed and that a windows re-install would have erased?

I have updated vid drivers and windows. There are no CPU drivers and MB drivers are in BIOS and would not be affected by windows reinstall. Correct? Anything else?
 
Monkey God said:
You must have missed his comment about being choppy.
Click to expand...
I saw it, but it was in reference only to NWN1.


UltimaBoB said:
Are there CPU drivers and a hotfix? How do I get them? Do they install just like Vid card drivers or do I need to play with the BIOS etc...?
Click to expand...
There are chipset drivers, which are essentially your motherboard drivers. And they do install like videocard drivers. For the P5W DH Deluxe you can get them direct from Asus. Or see Asus' list of drivers for the P5W DH Deluxe; the chipset drivers are first in the list.

I don't know if they will help in this specific case, but chipset drivers are generally the first drivers to install on a new setup.
 
On an unrelated note, when I went to Asus' site looking for the chipset-drivers link, I saw their new P5SD2-A mobo.

999%5Cimages%5Cproducts%5C2017%5C2017_m.jpg


Goofy-looking thing. It's like a three-quarters ATX.
 
I get slowdowns on everything remotely taxing, and high CPU usage even when it doesn't quite slow me down - not just Neverwinter.

Unlike Video card drivers, would Asus chipset drivers not "live through" a windows reinstall? SInce everything worked before the reinstall, if those drivers didnt get erased I'd imagine they aren't the problem.

Also, if my CPU fans were dirty or needed cleaning or were broken - could that cause it? But if they were, how would I test that?
 
k doesn't sound like what I was thinking. It does sound like drivers of some sort. See if there are any exclamation marks in device manager. Even if there aren't, you may not have the right drivers installed for something.
 
Pretty sure I have all the drivers I need. No exclamation marks.

When I first got my machine 15 months ago there was some kind of driver clash centered around the Creative X-Fi Extreme Music I think. I could not resolve it and had to get a Korean tech to magically fix it without getting to know what he did. Not 100% sure it was about the X-Fi, but seem to recall it being implicated.

After I reinstalled windows myself 4 months ago the X-Fi definitely was a huge problem and I could not get it to install its drivers without crashing windows everytime. I had to get another Korean tech to fix it and again, no idea what he did. Could have been a hardware connection problem though too with the card. I'm so bad with comps I really couldn't know.

But if it was a driver deal with the X-Fi, maybe the two different techs did two different things and the last one screwed things up. Anyone heard of X-Fis being problematic?

Other than that driver - everything seems identical to what used to work before.
 
BTW Is CPU overheating /dirty fan / bad fan an avenue worth pursuing? Could that cause the CPU to seem fine, but perform slowly?
 
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 2:47:18 AM, on 1/17/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16574)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource\Detector\CTDetect.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe
C:\Program Files\SEC\Natural Color Pro\NCProTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\KhalShared\KHALMNPR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://kr.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://kr.yahoo.com
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Creative Detector] "C:\Program Files\Creative\MediaSource\Detector\CTDetect.exe" /R
O4 - Global Startup: Logitech SetPoint.lnk = C:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: NCProTray.lnk = ?
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O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
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O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedContent/common/bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {8AD9C840-044E-11D1-B3E9-00805F499D93} (Java Runtime Environment 1.6.0) - http://javadl-esd.sun.com/update/1.6.0/jinstall-6u3-windows-i586-jc.cab
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.exe

--
End of file - 4899 bytes
 
I've never been one to open the "box" myself.

But I just did to have a look.

In 16 months, in a pretty dusty place, nothing has ever been cleaned, dusted, blown with air etc... on this computer.

And while I do have an expensive case, I have no 3rd party heating solutions or extra fans. And I have TWO GPUs in there. I also run this computer for days at a time.

Anyways, after DLing some new software I find that currently, and my machine has only been on for 8 hours and have just been using explorer so GPUs havent been taxed at all, my temperatures are as follows:

CPU: 68 C
GPU1: 67 C
GPU: 66 C
Motherboard: 55 C
HDD: 52 C

Maybe this thing is just running too hot. Could that be affecting the CPU? Should I get a tech in to redo heatsinks and thermal or is this something I can fix with my compressed air cans?

BUT if this is the actual culrpirt, shouldn't that mean that if I turn off my machine for a day, then my games should play fine for at least a awhile after turning on the machine - or can CPUs with bad cooling heat up FAST?
 
This definitely sounds like a driver problem. The first thing you need to do is install the motherboard chipset drivers. That's actually one of the first things generally installed after a reinstall of Windows.

If you are still having problems it could be a conflict between different drivers. The first thing you might want to do is reinstall an older version of the ATI drivers. If you're using the newest there could be a problem with them that may be fixed by installing older drivers.

If it was a game only problem I would suggest disabling Crossfire and/or removing one of the video cards to see if it still does it then.

Scrolling webpages and getting high CPU usage usually points to a problem with video card drivers. Doing any type of browsing with default Windows video drivers usually shows high CPU usage and choppiness when trying to scroll.

If none of these things fix the problem, it will be time to look at the sound card. I don't have time to look up your motherboard but I would guess it has onboard sound. You'll need to remove the sound card, enable the onboard sound in the BIOS and then reboot. You'll need to get the onboard sound drivers to install so it will work.

After you have the onboard sound working, see if the problems are still happening. If not, you know the X-Fi is the problem and something can be figured out from there. If the problems still occur, at least we know the problem isn't with the X-Fi. At this point you can put it back in but make sure you disable the onboard sound in the BIOS otherwise there may be conflicts between the two sound cards.

Just read the post about your temps. They are definitely high for idle speeds and probably indicate the heatsink and/or fan are dirty and possibly the fan is not working properly. I would suggest blowing out the heatsink and clean all dust out of the case. It may fix the problem if the CPU is throttling itself because of heat. It also sounds like you need better airflow in the case. I'd hate to see a hard drive at that temperature. I get twitchy if any 7200RPM gets much over 35C. Also, just because you're not stressing the video cards doesn't mean they aren't putting out a good bit of heat. Even at idle they will put off a lot of heat. However, I don't think your video cards are running too hot although it would be a good idea to clean the heatsinks on them as well.

One other thing, did you do a format and then reinstall the OS or did you just reinstall Windows on top of the installation on there? If you did the second, it could be causing problems as well.

 
I have an Antec P180 case. I was told it would be fine for heat without any extra fans or cooling (if I kept the case clean I guess lol). And for the first year it was.

The HDD is a 150GB 10,000 rpm Raptor

The case has never been cleaned in any way. The fans are dirty, noisy, and dust caed. There seems to be dust in the CPU heatsink and fins. Fans seem to be slower than they should and throttle up early with even the least bit of CPU or GPU stress. There is dust in the PSU fan and all the vents have dust in them. The case fans have dust too.

I am going to call in a Korean technician and get him to take everything apart and clean it thoroughly and then test all the fans and thermal seals. Replace anything broken. Clean the whole case. I don't know how to do it myself really.

What else should I try to make sure he does - sometimes they don;t really do everything they need?

After reinstalling windows I definitely loaded the motherboard drivers from the CD. The Bios has never been updated or drivers updated beyond that - told there was no need. I was having similar issues yesterday with older ATI drivers that I put in after the reinstall. And the dame issues again today with the Catalyst 8.1s - so maybe it isn't drivers for vid cards. I did seem to get more screen shaking with the 8.1s than I did before though - on neverwinter nights.

Should I load a few more games so I have a better test sample to make sure it is more of a general Vid catrd/CPU problem and not a specific conflict with a particular game and drivers?

Should I have BIOS updated? Do MB or CPU drivers ever update or just BIOS?

After a total reinstall and newest drivers in evrything plus thorough cleaning - then should I look at the X-FI?

Thanks for the help!
 
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