Poor TF2 Performance

Mushkin 2Gb of ram (800Mhz)
585 watt power supply
EVGA 650i motherboard
Pentium D 935 (3.2GHz)
PowerColor HD 3870 (ddr3 version) (Core: 825, Memory: 875)

All other games run fine, but Team Fortress 2, gets around 20-60fps on low to medium settings.

CSS ~ 180+ FPS (All Settings High, No AA / AF)
DoD:S ~ 180+ FPS (All Settings High, No AA / AF)
Fallout 3 ~ 60+ FPS (All Settings Ultra, No AA / AF)
Portal ~ 130 FPS (All Settings High, No AA / AF)
Half-Life 2 ~ 140 FPS (All Settings High, No AA / AF)
Half-Life 2: Ep 1 ~ 150 FPS (All High Settings, No AA / AF)
Half-Life 2: Ep 2 ~150 FPS (All Settings High, No AA / AF)
Fable ~ 300+ Fps (All Settings High, AA / AF Maxed)
CoD4: Multi ~ Great Fps (Everything Maxed, No AA / AF)
Guild Wars ~ 300+ FPS (All Settings High, AA / AF Maxed)

Team Fortress 2 ~ 20 - 60FPS (All settings Medium or Low, No AA / AF)

Even with DX8.1 mode enabled on Team Fortress I still only get around 30 - 80FPS, around 35 being the average, but every other source game can run on max settings and get 100+ FPS.

Note: All resolutions are 1280 x 1024 for my games.

I checked my TF2 settings. Turn off motion blur, bloom, etc. Then use fraps to check fps.

if that were the case, all games would be having issues. Try defragging and all the other tools first.

I wouldnt be surprised if the pentium D was bottlenecking. But the other games are running good fps numbers. With only 1 3870 you'll never get real good numbers with AA. So no AA is the way to go. I had 1 3870 and had to get another to start using AA. 3870's dont run AA well. It could also be the gpu's ddr3.

i would get a bios update and get a 45nm C2duo e5200($80) or e7300($120), a good cooler and overclock it. The e5200 has a 12.5 multiplier. I've read some OCers have easily hit 4Ghz. Anything over 3.6Ghz will give you a huge hit in fps. Even at a stock clock the C2Duos will stomp any pentium d. I had a Pentium D 920 before i went to my e7200. It was like night and day.

If that is not enough, later get a 4830 or 4850.

I bet a c2d 45nm cpu will make you very happy. Check mobo cpu list first. It uses a LOT les power and makes a LOT less heat than that PD 935.

Ok, good luck