Can old HDD cause of struggles in games?

JimB00 · Mar 28, 2017

Hello
In advance my question isn't quite simple.
I have a big problem with my PC. If I'd like to play a game like Counter Strike Global Offensive, League of Legends, The Witcher 3 or something else I get stutters at the start of playing. It's like first 3-4 minutes (In Witcher 3 it's constantly but not that annoying). I must admit that happens in all games I have. Personally my PC isn't bad (apart from my hard drive). Well my components as follows:

>Pentium G3258 (OC @4.2 GHz)
>Silentium PC Spartan 3 PRO (CPU Cooler)
>Gigabyte GTX 760 2GB (Windforce)
>MSI H81m-P33
>Crucial Ballistix 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 (2x4GB Dual-Channel)
>Antec VP 500 500W
>Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB (Sata II, 16 MB Cache) - That's old HDD, It's 8 years old.

Things that you should know before you comment:
-I've clean my HDD
-I've scan for viruses/malwares etc.
-I've done hard drive defragmentation
-My GPU and CPU isn't hot (On full load: CPU - max. 62C ; GPU - max. 69C)

It has started to happen 3/4 years ago. Before was everything good. I'm just curious about is it cause of CPU/GPU or this 8 years old HDD. Please if you know the answer, maybe you've experienced with issues like mine. Help me.
In advance thanks for all comments.
Regards

Barty1884 · Mar 28, 2017

Load times will be impacted in all likelihood, but once you're up & running in a game (ie no save/load cycles), I wouldn't expect much impact at all.

Have you actually run a health check on your HDD? It may well be on it's way out at ~8 years old.
Seagate provide a tool for this:
http://www.seagate.com/ca/en/support/downloads/seatools/

JimB00 · Mar 28, 2017

Barty1884 :

I used seatool some time ago. I used HDTune too. Zero bad sectors, everything was good. Then I dunno what's wrong with this. I found this could be cause of bad RAM. But I've checked it on MemTest86 (bootable program without any lies) and zero errors.

Barty1884 · Mar 28, 2017

Zero bad sectors on an 8 year old HDD? Seems odd to me.

Run Chkdsk (via command prompt) and it'll map out any bad sectors so they're no longer used.
Then see if your performance changes any.

If so, you likely have some HDD issues and might want to consider replacing sooner rather than later.

Solandri · Mar 28, 2017

JimB00 :

With those symptoms, my hunch is that you're running out of RAM. The games stutter for the first few minutes because Windows is swapping memory pages to disk. After a few minutes, it's swapped enough pages that the game can run continuously in RAM and the stutters disappear. Witcher 3 requires a lot more RAM than CS:GO and LoL, so your computer is constantly swapping while you're playing, leading to constant stutters.

Check your RAM usage before and while you're playing the game. Kill any unnecessary background programs, and run msconfig to disable any stupid utilities (e.g. Adobe PDF updater) set to run at startup. If your RAM usage is still high, go through Windows services and disable unnecessary services.

If you can confirm that RAM is the problem, you can just add more RAM. Or (my recommendation) get a SSD. You can use a SSD in a new system when you upgrade in the future. Since DDR4 is the new spec, you won't be able to re-use extra RAM in a new system. So the SSD is a more future-proof solution.

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

Solandri :

As you can see I have 8 GB of RAM. I think it's enough. Usage of RAM isn't the problem 'cause I didn't see higher count than a 5.5 GB usage. I disabled "Paging File" because it's not useful when you have 4 GB of ram and more (as me 8 GB). Right now I will check my disk one more time (now with chkdsk) and we will see. The problem isn't definitely cause of RAM. The most possible thing is that 8 years old HDD but I'm not sure at all. If you have any propositions what is it, just write I'll be glad.
Regards

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

Barty1884 :

Then I turn off all of my processes and ran cmd as administrator. The "chksdk" haven't found any harm files. It's 0 KB. Then as I said the HDTune was right

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

JimB00 :

How can you see 5.5GB RAM usage during gaming? MSI Afterburner? What are your CPU and GPU usage percentages? What are your core and memory clocks at during gaming?

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

aquielisunari :

I use MSI AfterBurner.
In The Witcher 3 (Medium/High Preset, hairworks off)
GPU: 62C 60% usage 1203 MHz on clock
CPU: 57C 68% usage
RAM: 3832 MB

I must admit that I locked fps at 30. Because game was unplayable at unlocked fps. It was choppy as well.

Barty1884 · Mar 29, 2017

You listed a variety of titles, and each would have their own "issues".

The G3258 being a dual-core could be a little problematic on Witcher 3, as more cores seem to be beneficial in the title - but that isn't reflected in your CPU usage being below 60% utilization.

Are you experiencing the same things in CS:GO and LoL? Both games can use quite a bit of CPU resources, depending on the scenes etc.

You mention the first 3-4 mins or so of any title. Are your CPU/GPU/RAM usage/temp figures taken during that initial 3-4 mins? Or after things have levelled out?

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

Barty1884 :

In all of my PC titles, I've tried: Battlefield 4, Heroes of the Storm, The Witcher 3, Battlefield 3, League of Legends, Counter Strike Global Offensive. I have this issue. The temperatures at the start of the game are very good. It looks like the textures must load? For some minutes, or something like that. After couple of minutes it's gone. A lot of people with my PC components haven't got issues like mine. I don't know what's going on. My windows is clear. All of temperatures are fine. One thing that I haven't changed since 8 years is hard drive. And in my opinion it cause the stutters at the first minutes of the gameplay.

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

JimB00 :

What's your system memory usage at? 2GB VRAM is a very low amount. Hence your need to cap your FPS at 30. Consider Far Cry 4. It's an older game.

I was using over 2.7GB. Battlefield 4 is more resource intensive. Curious what it tops out at.

I would try reducing individual in game GFX settings and then the resolution. I doubt it's your HDD. Yes, hitching is a possibility but imo it's your low system specs that may be causing this issue. A dual core CPU + a 2GB GFX card = a need for an upgrade.

Your core clock is an item of interest. The boost core clock is 1150 but yours is at 1203. OC'd like the CPU?

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

1080p monitor at 60Hz?

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

aquielisunari :

JimB00 :

What's your system memory usage at? 2GB VRAM is a very low amount. Hence your need to cap your FPS at 30. Consider Far Cry 4. It's an older game.

I was using over 2.7GB. Battlefield 4 is more resource intensive. Curious what it tops out at.

I would try reducing individual in game GFX settings and then the resolution. I doubt it's your HDD. Yes, hitching is a possibility but imo it's your low system specs that may be causing this issue. A dual core CPU + a 2GB GFX card = a need for an upgrade.

Your core clock is an item of interest. The boost core clock is 1150 but yours is at 1203. OC'd like the CPU?

I didn't OC'd my GPU. Anyway, thank you for all comments, I will definitely change my hard drive as soon as possible. The little update would be great for me. I don't have a lot of money then I must focus on low end hardware. I was thinking about G4560 + GTX 1050Ti. But if I get this components it will be end of the year. Then maybe I should wait for new CPU's and GPU's. Priority thing is that I must buy a new hard drive. I consider should I buy a SSD or HDD. The SSD's are very expensive but it's faster than HDD. Personally 250 GB of capacity is enough. Then I don't see the point of buying 1TB HDD cause of the capacity. 1TB HDD costs 55$, but 250 GB costs 100$. 100$ is very high for me, then I dunno what should I do. I'm totally confused 'cause changing hard drive wouldn't give me what I expect. I just want to don't have this struggles. I don't mind about how the game looks like.

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

JimB00 :

aquielisunari :

JimB00 :

What's your system memory usage at? 2GB VRAM is a very low amount. Hence your need to cap your FPS at 30. Consider Far Cry 4. It's an older game.

I was using over 2.7GB. Battlefield 4 is more resource intensive. Curious what it tops out at.

I would try reducing individual in game GFX settings and then the resolution. I doubt it's your HDD. Yes, hitching is a possibility but imo it's your low system specs that may be causing this issue. A dual core CPU + a 2GB GFX card = a need for an upgrade.

Your core clock is an item of interest. The boost core clock is 1150 but yours is at 1203. OC'd like the CPU?

I didn't OC'd my GPU. Anyway, thank you for all comments, I will definitely change my hard drive as soon as possible. The little update would be great for me. I don't have a lot of money then I must focus on low end hardware. I was thinking about G4560 + GTX 1050Ti. But if I get this components it will be end of the year. Then maybe I should wait for new CPU's and GPU's. Priority thing is that I must buy a new hard drive. I consider should I buy a SSD or HDD. The SSD's are very expensive but it's faster than HDD. Personally 250 GB of capacity is enough. Then I don't see the point of buying 1TB HDD cause of the capacity. 1TB HDD costs 55$, but 250 GB costs 100$. 100$ is very high for me, then I dunno what should I do. I'm totally confused 'cause changing hard drive wouldn't give me what I expect. I just want to don't have this struggles. I don't mind about how the game looks like.

You have my apologies. I pressed the wrong button.

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

Do you have a second monitor? You could then monitor your disk usage through task manager. I'd not upgrade my HDD just because I think it's the issue. Any concrete facts that support your supposition?

I didn't see the HDD's specs. What's the make and model number? at 8 years old it sounds like it may be a 5400rpm drive. The extra money invested in an SSD would be better spent on a better CPU. As long as the new HDD has a 7200RPM drive that is where I would go. As you know games are only getting bigger. 250GB may not be adequate in another 3-5 years.

If I am going to upgrade I am going to upgrade. If I were in your shoes I would upgrade to a quad core CPU. Moving from a dual core to a slightly better dual core isn't a move I would make.

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

aquielisunari :

Do you have a second monitor? You could then monitor your disk usage through task manager. I'd not upgrade my HDD just because I think it's the issue. Any concrete facts that support your supposition?

I didn't see the HDD's specs. What's the make and model number? at 8 years old it sounds like it may be a 5400rpm drive. The extra money invested in an SSD would be better spent on a better CPU. As long as the new HDD has a 7200RPM drive that is where I would go. As you know games are only getting bigger. 250GB may not be adequate in another 3-5 years.

If I am going to upgrade I am going to upgrade. If I were in your shoes I would upgrade to a quad core CPU. Moving from a dual core to a slightly better dual core isn't a move I would make.

My HDD is Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM ST3500418AS

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

JimB00 :

Dual core to dual core and 7200RPM to 7200RPM. No thank you.

Right click start, click command prompt admin, type chkdsk /f /r and tap enter. It will ask you if you want to run it after the next restart. Click y. Type exit, press enter and restart your PC.

RolandJS · Mar 29, 2017

Did I read correctly that the thread starter disabled PageFile? I did not know Windows would operate smoothly without a PageFile.

aquielisunari · Mar 29, 2017

RolandJS :

http://tunecomp.net/win10-page-file-disable/

It isn't advised. Let's see if the OP can enable that again and see if there is a change.

JimB00 · Mar 29, 2017

aquielisunari :

JimB00 :

Dual core to dual core and 7200RPM to 7200RPM. No thank you.

Right click start, click command prompt admin, type chkdsk /f /r and tap enter. It will ask you if you want to run it after the next restart. Click y. Type exit, press enter and restart your PC.

I ran "chkdsk /f /r" and windows hasn't noticed any bad sectors or harm files

Anyway there is not any differents between having paging file or not.

King_V · Mar 29, 2017

A sort of guess, but could something be running that accesses the disk a lot, but does not necessarily use much CPU power? I know you've checked the tasks in general and all, but given that the stuttering seems to be happening at the beginning, then smooths out after a while, it makes me wonder...

RolandJS · Mar 29, 2017

I had to dial back a bit of my security and monitoring back-ground-running programs' scanning and logging assertiveness -- to decrease my computer's times of stuttering and delays. I'm not sure if that applies to your computer.

Zaxx420 · Mar 29, 2017

I had a stuttering issue a while back (during A/V playback). After doing mostly everything you tried, a friend suggested a process monitoring app (procmon, process explorer, process lasso are good) to actually monitor and record all your processes and their demand on system resources. Install or set it up...start monitoring and recording...then start and play one of your games until it smooths out (5 mins total maybe?). Beforehand synch a clock or phone with ur pc's time and note the time when you see the first stutter or glitch. Stop and close the game completely, then stop recording. Now look back to the approx. time of the 1st stutter and see what was using/demanding the most CPU. You may need to google process names that u don't recognize but if a proc is hanging or repeating or erroring, it should be easy(er) to spot.

As far as ur drive...I'd opt for the SSD and use your 'Cuda for storage until ur ready to upgrade. Goi g from an hdd to ssd is the single, cheapest upgrade that will amaze you with the overall huge boost in system responsiveness and OS speed. Boot time are awesome too...

Oh...and best of luck ofc...

Can old HDD cause of struggles in games?

Prominent

Retired Moderator

Prominent

Retired Moderator

Illustrious

Prominent

Prominent

Judicious

Prominent

Retired Moderator

Prominent

Judicious

Judicious

Prominent

Judicious

Judicious

Prominent

Judicious

Reputable

Judicious

Prominent

Illustrious

Reputable

Honorable

Share this page