Wireless Network Connection usage puts CPU to 100% load

[gidgiddonihah]

I installed windows 7 (One because i got it for my birthday and another was because the computer was on its last leg - would take years to boot, then years to respond after boot...) over XP. All was going good (As well as can be said) and now ive hit a problem. Any time Task Manager says that the Network Utilization goes over 1.2% the whole computer goes into 'shock' and the CPU hits 100% untill Network Utilization goes down to 0%. Im totally puzzled, and frustrated because i want to stream vids and i can't because this stupid problem. Acually this has been the first major time its ever done something like this is when i was trying to stream videos from Youtube, it would take FOREVER to buffer, then it wouldn't play... And when i wouldnt wait for the buffer, the sound would be laggy and jumpy. It has been working fine except for the past few days, but this is the first day its hit this hard . I have a download speed that i have seen reach 2-3 mbps, with a new new N Wireless Router and Charter. The router and adapter are in the same room, a small office. I am also finding that my games that played fine on the settings they are on, now lag and have low fps. I was worried that it was my video card and was doing several tests, but about 1/2 ran fine, so i felt a little better, and this makes me think i have a problem with the CPU.

I believe it has to do with my CPU, but maybe its not... Here are my specs and a few more tid bits of info:

-I have never overclocked
-I have a pretty good ventalation system (put a few more fans in to keep the circulation going :lol with a Dell Case (And standard cooling)
-I think its 5-6 years old
-Oh yes, and there is now a consant humming sound that there wasnt before...


My Rig:
Dell Dimension E510
OS: Windows 7 ( Just Upgraded from XP Media Center Edition)
CPU: P4 3.2 GHz
RAM: 3GB DDR2 (Upgraded)
GPU: Geforce 9600GT (Just Upgraded)
HDD:A total of 1TB (Upgraded)
PSU: 500 Watt (Just Upgraded)

If anyone could share some light on the subject... Acually i would be happy if it was the CPU, i could upgrade it with a new PD then sell it (Not for a ton, but some :lol or i could keep it... Then i would be free to build my i7 build i drool about in my sleep . :lol:

Thanks Ahead!

 

[ace700]

windows 7 cant really run on a signal processor. needs to be atleast dual core or higher. cheak the system requirements for windows 7. You wont be able to sell them old processors that easyily. if you have the money i would get a new motherboard either 1156 chip or 1366 chip with i7, dd3 ram a new video card and maybe a new psu.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I meant the whole computer .

Im just curious why i cant seem to watch 320p vids on Youtube, but i can play seamlessly a 1080 maxed out game... I have a fast enough internet connection... And i was doing perfectly fine for the first couple of weeks, i had no problems, i was watching 1080p videos while they buffered without a problem. Would you guess that the processer had overheated, is failing or somthing?? Is there a way to tell (freely) if my CPU is gone(ing).

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I can upgrade with my current setup to a Pentium D 945. Or i can throw everything out and build a hard core :lol: dual core or a medium quad core system... My budget is sorta low .

Is geeks.com reliable? They have one for 65$...

 

[enzo matrix]

windows 7 cant really run on a signal processor. needs to be atleast dual core or higher. cheak the system requirements for windows 7. You wont be able to sell them old processors that easyily. if you have the money i would get a new motherboard either 1156 chip or 1366 chip with i7, dd3 ram a new video card and maybe a new psu.

It ran pretty fast with my Athlon 64 3200+ overclocked to 2.6GHz. The only thing was I was limited in my multi-tasking capabilities.
The P4 you have there should perform a little worse or about the same. My friend has a 3.2GHz P4 with 4GB DDR2 and an old 2600XT and is fine. He does video editing but feels a bit underpowered for that task.

I can upgrade with my current setup to a Pentium D 945. Or i can throw everything out and build a hard core :lol: dual core or a medium quad core system... My budget is sorta low .
I would upgrade. But not to the pentium D oh god no. Get away from the P4 netburst architecture as fast as you can lol.
I'm going to suggest the same thing as to my friend: Get an Athlon IIx3 and a cheap AM2+ motherboard. You can keep everything else you have and total should only come to about $180. Newegg.com is a good site.
Basically, if you feel slow, your CPU is holding you back.

As for your actual problem, check your CPU temperatures using HWmonitor and report back. There may be dust in there. The netbursts were also horrid for getting really hot.

But uhhh you said both of these:

I am also finding that my games that played fine on the settings they are on, now lag and have low fps

but i can play seamlessly a 1080 maxed out game...

So which is it?

 

[gidgiddonihah]

i meant could :lol: They now play laggy.

I have a BTX format, so i would have to get a whole new case too. I was planning on building when i get a job and have money :lol:. But right now, i plan on getting the 62.50$ PD 945. Then in a few months and i have a job and money, ill decide what to do. When i build i was going to get an i5 750 or a AMD Phenom II x4 955... But who knows what will happen from now to then.

 

[enzo matrix]

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Pentium_D/Intel-Pentium%20D%20945%20HH80553PG0964MN%20(BX80553945%20-%20BX80553945R).html
presler is netburst based. It will run hot and be much slower than any modern CPU.

I was looking up CPU support for your computer, to see if you could upgrade to a core 2 based CPU (E3300 would own any pentium D at $10 less) but I found that your motherboard might not even support the pentium D.
Your chipset supports up to core 2 duo but I cannot say if your bios will support one. Either way, a pentium D is as much likely as a core 2 to work. I recommend this, if you want to take a risk and try to upgrade anyway:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116264

Whatever you choose though, $62.50 for a Pentium D 945 is a complete rip off.