Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Mike Dizzy on November 11, 2005, 08:08:00 PM
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Hey, I've been having some problems with my comp being jumpy lately.
It all started when one of the fans started periodically making noises. The noises eventually stopped, then my computer started running slowly. Any movie or video I watch are jumpy. Games that used to run smooth as silk get really jittery as well.
I use lightstep. The theme I have set tells me how much memory is being used at one time, and it's never below 50%.
I've tried virus and spyware scans with multiple programs, and a system restore, none of which solved anything.
Is it time to get a new video card or some more ram?
I have:
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dimension 4550
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Memory: 768MB RAM
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 Ultra
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce FX 5700 Ultra
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
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Mike:
The fan is used to cool either the CPU or the video card. If either gets to hot it will become damaged. Replace the fan before you use the computer again.
Doc
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Agree with pcdoc...you also risk frying other components such as the MBoard and or CPU.
patio. 8)
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How do I know which fan is making the noises?
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I checked all the fans and they are working (Video card included).
If I were to invest in an extra cooling system, what would be a good idea? It's a dell case (plastic outer layer) so I can't drill a hole in the side and mount a new fan.
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Open your Task Manager & check your CPU Usage.
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You will not be able to mount a case fan successfully in that. There are PCI slot fans available. Not as effective but it's something. How big a power supply on that thing and how many drives?
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I'm not sure what the power supply is. By drives I'm assuming you mean hard drives. I have 1 internal and 1 external.
All my extra PCI slots are taken up.
There's a wireless nic card, the video card, modem, 10/100 nic card, and a usb 2.0 (didn't come with it so I had to go out and buy one).
I've looked at CPU usage whenever the computer's being laggy, and system idle proccess is always 90+.
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Unplug the external drive and see if the situation improves or shows no change. you may be overtaxing the PSU. Just a thought. Do you have 2 CD drives?
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Yes, a DVD/RW and a reg cd drive.
I've had the external for some time now and never noticed any difference in performance. I'll give it a shot though.
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What does your Task Manager show your CPU usage as at idle?
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My CPU usage under processes, I assume. When it's idle system idle process is 90+, so it's not doing anything.
I unplugged the external hard drive, and it's running a little better but it's still nto running as well as it was a few days ago.
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Sorry Mike, I didn't notice your earlier post where you have already mentioned the 90%.
FYI, my system is similar to yours and my idle usage (from the bottom of the task manager screen) is always around 0%-1%.
I guess you're running a lot more background junk.
I've tried virus and spyware scans with multiple programs
What did you run?
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Meh, np.
When I'm not doing anything, it says the usage % is 0-1.
I have AVG 7.1 and spybot search and destroy.
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Your computer should be fast and, as you said, as smooth as silk.
Is your Device Manager all clear?
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Sorry, what do you mean by that?
It's running programs slower than normal. Certain games, for example.... Battlefront 2. I got it about a week ago and it was running great. There'd be about 60 units on the screen and I'd hardly notice and lagging whatsoever. Now, it's so jumpy it does respond to half of my commands.
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When you look in your device manager do you see any yellow !s or ?s.
Are you playing the games online or just on your computer.
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There's one yellow ?
It's the USB 2.0
It just calls it an "ethernet adapter"
Both; I'm playing games online and just on my computer.
When I'm usually playing something like CS: Source, it'll be more laggy if I've just got bots as opposed to playing online because it has to control the bots.
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Test your ram
http://www.memtest.org/
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:/
Ram's fine.
I only have 768, though, so it's about time I upgraded, if even to a gig.
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I don't know that more RAM will solve an undelying hardware problem.
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I'm not convinced it's a hardware problem ???
Try turning off all your running programs.
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Ok, I went into msconfig and turned off everything aside from:
Logitech Setpoint (so I can use those fancy buttons on my mouse and keyboard)
Daemon tools
MSN Messenger
Yahoo Messenger
AVG Anti Virus
Here's all the processes under tasks currently and their memory usage:
alg.exe 3360
avgmasvr.exe 6196
avgxx.exe 9268
avgupsvc.exe 1920
crss.exe 3432
CTsvcCDA.exe 1176
daemon.exe 2840
firefox.exe 19048
KEM.exe 7336
KHALMNPR.exe 2520
LEXBCES.EXE 3160
LEXPPS.EXE 2672
litestep.exe 12236
lsass.exe 1224
msnmsgr.exe 7456
MsPMSPSv.exe 1392
nvsvc32.exe 3036
services.exe 4064
smss.exe 372
scvhost.exe 4996
scvhost.exe 4556
scvhost.exe 3956
scvhost.exe 23456
scvhost.exe 3116
scvhost.exe 6284
scvhost.exe 3240
System 240
System Idle Process 16
taskmgr.exe 4320
UAService7.exe 836
wdfmgr.exe 1596
winamp.exe 2980
winlogin.exe 1352
wmiprvse.exe 4504
YPager.exe 25224
Whenver I used to have a problem with the computer running slow. One of the scvhost.exe would be taking up all the CPU usage. I'd just run a system restore, and everything would be fine.
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Why is the USB card showing as an Ethernet adapter is what i would be asking...
Also if you have a wireless card do you need the modem card as well ? ?
Try eliminating the problem device in Control Panel and see if this helps anything.
patio. 8)
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I took a closer look at all my devices, and it's not the USB 2.0.
I don't know what it is, exactly.
It's called "Ethernet controller"
It's in PCI bus 2, device 8, function 0.
I can see my usb 2.0, wirless nic card, video card, sound card, modem. I don't know what that is...
I disabled it though. I didn't uninstall it, just in case.
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Uninstall any PCI cards you are not currently using; they are contributing to your heat problems...
Have you replaced the noisy fan ? ?
patio. 8)
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It stopped making noises... but all my fans are working :/
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How about giving ewido a shot?
Download, update & run... http://www.ewido.net/en/
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K, I'll give it a shot.
I turned my computer on this morning, and it said new hardware was detected. It was that ethernet controller.
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Once again...are you using the ethernet card ? ?
If not uninstall it from Control Panel and then physically remove the card.
If you are using it you need to remove that device from Control Panel and re-boot and re-install the correct drivers...
patio. 8)
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From what I understand I'm not using the ethernet card. When I uninstalled it nothing stopped working (to my knowledge).
The safest thing (for my computer) for me to do would be to just reinstall it. I just have to find the software...
On another note, Ewido found over 300 problems and fixed all of them. (It's crazy how some things find them and others don't).
I'm going to reboot and see if it's any different.
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Don't bother re-installing it if you're not currently using it.
Make sure it's removed in Control Panel not just disabled. I have seen device drivers bang heads with each other even though one of the two was disabled.
Go back into Safe Mode and run all your anti malware apps one more time to see if anything is re-appearing...save Ewido for last.
If all checks out clean defrag, do a disk clean and reboot into normal mode and run for a few hours to see how it is.
If OK great. If not we'll have to take further steps so post back.
patio. 8)
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O_O
I'm defragging right now. I currently have 37% free space on my main drive. It's estimated that when all's done, I'll have approx. 42%.
Slight difference really...
I'll let you know what happens when I'm all done defragging and rescanning.
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The computer's running better than it was when this whole thing started.
Whether or not there is a definitive answer to what's causing the slowing, I should still upgrade parts as I go along. She's getting old and has been through a lot.
Thanks a ton for all your help!