Programs and Load Up Running Really Slow

[dakang]

I upgraded my computer recently with a AMD Athlon 2200+ from a Athlon 1800+. I also upgraded the power supply, but it seems that my computer is running really slow. The programs and Windows XP take a while to load up. Opening the IE browser takes more time too. Also, when exiting out of games like Counter-Strike it takes forever.

Could heat be a problem? I am using the same fan that came with by 1800+ Cpu and am using on the new 2200+. I added lots of thermal paste as well to the heatsink so that it covers the entire chip. Is the fan not good enough? What could be the problem?

System Specs:
AMD Athlon XP 2200+
MSI K7N2 NForce2 Motherboard
256 MB Crucial DDR 333
ATI Radeon 9700 128MB
5 System Fans
350W Power Supply

The average temp for my CPU when I go in my bios is 140-145F. The system temp is around 100-110F.

Thanks for all your input guys.

 

[speeduk]

When you said you put a lot of thermal paste on the heatsink so it covers the whole of the chip, thats not really necessary. Just spread a thin layer on the die itself with a credit card or similar then place the heatsink on top.....

Why did you upgrade to a 2200? Thats a palomino core im sure, and will run very hot even with good cooling. I would have got a 2100 or 2400 and even when overclocked, these would run a lot cooler than your 2200! As a result your getting temperatures that are very high, 145F = 63C which is not even full load as you measured them in bios so im guessing heat is the issue here. Get a better cooler and/or get a tbred b chip (1700,1800,2100,2400). All these run a lot cooler.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=945569" target="_new"> MY RIG </A>
<font color=red> 120% overclocker </font color=red> (cheapskate)

 

[speeduk]

Just noticed you have a 9700pro. These cards can over heat pretty quickly in a hot case. Try taking a few back plates out at the back of the case and place a fan blowing air onto the card and out of the back.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=945569" target="_new"> MY RIG </A>
<font color=red> 120% overclocker </font color=red> (cheapskate)

 

[ChipDeath]

OK. you say it takes ages to do stuff, but you don't say it actually crashes or anything. that temperature is very high, but too much heat wouldn't cause your PC to slow down - it would just crash, go boom, do weird things, that sort of thing.

What I'm guessing is that when your BIOS has found the new chip it's automatically set the FSB to 100Mhz, when it should be 133Mhz, so your chip, which should be (i think) 133x13.5 = 1800mhz, is actually 100x13.5=1350Mhz, which is slower than your old 1800 would be. Not only that, but your RAM is probably also running at 100Mhz (200DDR) when it should be 133(266).

Normally I'd suggest you simply increase the FSB in the BIOS, but in your case, as your temps are already high, I'd suggest that you remove your heatsink, clean off any gunk that's left there, clean off the die of the XP chip, and then apply a THIN layer of something like Arctic Silver III Thermal compound the JUST the die area of the chip, and then re-seat the HSF - taking care not to smear the AS3 all over the place. When that's done, and your temps have (hopefully) come down below 50C, then you can raise your FSB up to 133, and all should work fine...

You could also consider getting a better CPU cooler - AMD boxed ones aren't too great, and a decent one doesn't cost too much.

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

 

[dakang]

What do you guys mean by "die" area? Are you referring the the small chip embedded in the processor that stick above the rest?

 

[speeduk]

Yep. Die = area sticking up above rest. Usually grey/purple in colour.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=945569" target="_new"> MY RIG </A>
<font color=red> 120% overclocker </font color=red> (cheapskate)

 

[dwellman]

I thought it was called the "die" area because thats the part that, well, "dies"

Ha ha ha ha.... Um... well. Ok, I'll leave now.

Thank you and good night!

Dave

Intel giveth and Microsoft taketh away.

 

[pIII_Man]

That was a joke right?
At any rate chipdeath I think you were on the right path with that last post.

About thermal grease people must remember that too much will raise your temperatures (more gunk for heat to travel through) and about spreading over the whole chip...if that's the case wouldn't he have shorted out just about every bridge on the surface of the cpu?

 

[dwellman]

Yeah... it was a joke. Geez!

(At least I thought it was funny)

Intel giveth and Microsoft taketh away.

 

[ChipDeath]

That was a joke right?

I reckon it was... but it's kinda a true statement really...

wouldn't he have shorted out just about every bridge on the surface of the cpu?

I thought that, but I guess it depends on the gunk in question. The stuff that ships with HSFs is normally some sort of white stuff - not actually sure what it's based on, but it's probably non-conductive, so the HSF makers can't get screwed by someone who acidentally spilled a drop on their mobo and blew it up.... If it was Arctic silver or similar, then it would have shorted all the bridges...

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.