Vanity - Optimizing PC performance for gaming software

None | 10/11/2003 | Me

[ItsOurTimeNow]

This is a Tech question for any PC-gaming FReepers.

I'm looking to maximize my PC's (Dell) performance in order to handle some newly-released games that I've purchased. The biggest issue that I'm running into is speed of play. Occasionally, when there's a lot of action on-screen, the PC goes into a slowed-down, freeze-frame reaction, and I get a "virtual memory low" warning from Windows.

My system specs are currently:

Pentium4 1.8Ghz processor 128MB RAM (I'm assuming this is my biggest problem?) GeForce4 MX 420 video card 20GB Hard Drive I'm also currently allocated 259MB for virtual memory...can/should I up this number?

Thanks in advance for your help/support!

[rollo tomasi]

You need more RAM (Like you said) and a better video card.

The MX line will not do it (Less operations than the normal geoforce cards).

[Support Free Republic]

Got a minute?

I'd really like you to rub my ears,
or help out FR.

[chance33_98]

One thing you can always do is check to see what all is running in the background. I have worked on many home systems where they have a zillion applications that launch on startup (or through registry) which they don't use and/or don't need to be running. Often a quick visual down near the clock can be telling - how many icons do you have down there (I have seen people with 20).

More ram helps a ton, as does a faster Hard Drive (or at least defragging it).

I am sure there are many more useful tips freepers will give you, just a few basic ones off the top of my head (cooking some ham and eggs right now and making coffee, not fully awake yet)....

[arjay]

More RAM, definitely. If you are running Windows XP you need at least 256 MB.

[Gringo1]

Bump your RAM up to 512 at least.
Use nothing less than a 7200 rpm Hard drive.
If you are on a budget, the MX series Video cards are fine, but if you can afford it, go with a better card(I am stuck using a Geforce 4 MX 440 but it is a 128 mb card and works just fine with all my games, such as IL-2 and other hard-on-the-machine games)

[JohnSmithee]

I've heard some good suggestions. Your problem sounds like a memory issue and/or programs running in the background. I would add around 512Meg of additional memory just to be sure. Kill as many of the background processes as you can. I've seen the same video problems with just 1 process running in the background. I would also turn off all automatic download utilities, such as Windows updates, and Real player updates.

On a more technical level, if you are using a high speed connection, is to check your rwin setting. There is a tweak test on broadbandreports.com

http://www.broadbandreports.com/tweaks

There are some other tests that can be found there.

[AAABEST]

For virtual membory the formula is 1 and 1/2 the amount of RAM minimum (in your case 196 MB) and 4 X the RAM plus four max (in your case 516 MB). Don't ask me why you add the extra 4.

This pre-creates an area on your hard drive to handle page swapping so windows doesn't have to use overhead creating it on the fly.

As you suggest I would bump your RAM up. If you do change these mumbers accordingly.

[rollo tomasi]

That would be GeForce.

Check out the GeForce FX line or the ATi Radeon line. If you want to play games (Smoothly and looking "purty") like Doom III or Half-Life 2 those cards are a must.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

I don't run anything automatically on the start-up. The only thing I keep next to the clock is my volume control.

I think the extra RAM will be first on the list of upgrades.

Thanks for the help!

[The Mayor]

Often a quick visual down near the clock can be telling - how many icons do you have down there (I have seen people with 20).

How do I get rid of all those things? I have 6 and I am constantly right clicking them to shut them off.But it seems that there is always things running in the back ground. One of these days I want to clean out this puter, I have things in here that I have no idea what they are.

[chance33_98]

some stuff exists in Start>Programs>Startup. You can delete them from there.

Others may be found in the registry:
hkey_current_users\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
(You can also check hkey_local_machine\...\run

Be careful in the registry :)

[The Mayor]

Thankyou, I will try that.

BTW, were you cooking green eggs and ham?

[wolficatZ]

I would never tell someone to start deleting stuff from their Windows registry, unless it was a specific entry for a specific program.
Very irresponsible; that's why some of these "need tech help" threads make me cringe; it always brings people who don't know what the hell they are talking about out of the woodwork.

[Salgak]

1. You can NEVER have enough memory. 512MB minimum, 1GB or more preferred. My wife's box (she games AND does graphics) has 2 GB.

2. Video. Dump the MX. You can get a mid-rage GeForce FX (5600??) in the $150. range these days.

3. BIOS upgrade: see your support.dell.com page.. .

4. Learn to make different boot configs: gaming won't have messenger apps, etc, going. Just OS and graphics SW.

[Scarchin]

This thread got me thinking - are there any Freeper gamer groups (clans - as they are often called). I'm a Age of Empires - Age of Titans/Empire Earth/Rise of Nations player. Not very good, but would enjoy playing against and with Freepers.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Bus speed is actually more important than processor speed. It doesn't matter how fast the processor is if the bus can't keep up with it.

What is the bus speed of your motherboard?

[Leatherneck_MT]

Bump your RAM up to 1 Gig and get one of the Newer Geoforce or Radeon 3D Vid Cards. You can then play most of anything that's out there on the market.

If your system won't handel these, then an upgrade to a newer system will be your next best bet.

[wolficatZ]

have you tried
Empires Dawn of the Modern World MP Demo?
I just got it and played the computer a little..

the screenies are cool http://www.gamershell.com/hellzone_RTS_Empires.shtml

the demo is here
http://www.gamershell.com/download_3438.shtml?q=empires

I think FReepland needs it's own computer tech/news/games section.

[Ku Commando]

Get more RAM !!!!!

One of the finest sites for overall windows tips & power tweaking is AXCEL 216's MAX Speeed Windows.....been around for a very long time.....has a wealth of accumulated tips & tricks!