Need Help With Sluggish Computer

[ShoryuSam]

So, I was just playing Chrono Trigger on Zsnes, and again the sluggishness came back.

After a good restart, this usually doesn't happen, and I played for maybe what, two three hours, when all of a sudden, every 3 to 5 minutes, just random 3 to 5 second noticeable slowdown.

Is this a CPU problem or is this an overheating problem?

What programs can I use to monitor the heat for my motherboard and CPU?

One other random request for a question since no one really replied to my old thread, what is the best possible CPU I can put on this (AM2 socket, no AM2+ socket or the slash one either) with this motherboard and power supply? Also what is the best video card I can put on this motherboard as well?

I ask this because I might be able to get the parts pretty cheap, or on eBay when I get the money, ALSO, please no "You might as well buy a new one" --> Trust me man, I don't have 1K for a new machine right now at all so please don't start that.

Here's what I have on this dinosaur comp (ripping from my previous thread on possibly upgrading it):


I currently run Windows XP, have a single core AM2 socket AMD 3800+ processor, a Radeon X1650 series video card, 3 gigs of ram, and two harddrives (a 250 gig hdd and an 80 gig harddrive)

I have a 400 watt psu from Rosewill on it as well.

Motherboard:

Asus M2V with a VIA K8T890 Chipset and a VIA VT8237A Chipset

 

[clutchc]

If you've never 'cleaned' you system of junk files and registry errors, run CCleaner. Do the Clean and Registry portions both. You may want to run it more than once if your system is badly corrupted. http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
Also, check your tray to see how many items are running in the background when you are gaming.

Your processor is a a big drag on gaming, and the gfx card is right behind that. Here is the place to go to determine what CPUs will fit that socket: http://www.cpu-world.com/Sockets/Socket%20AM2.html But the determining factor will be the MB and its BIOS as to it recognizing the new processor.

Check you PSU's +12V rating and report back for a card recommendation. But with that processor, it wouldn't pay to go above a HD 7750 1GB DDR5 card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600298541%20600007779%20600007797&IsNodeId=1&name=GDDR5

 

[ShoryuSam]

Hey, I have no idea how to check the +12v rating on the power supply.

This is the power supply that I put into the computer back in August:

Rosewill RD400-2-DB 400W ATX V2.2 Power Supply

Also, would I look on the motherboard manufacturer's website for possible CPU configurations in terms of what is the maximum powered CPU I can put on a ASUS M2V motherboard?

I'm going to run CCleaner like you said. I just updated it, because its been a while since I last used it.

I do only have 8 gigs left on the hdd, and it has a max of 232 gigs, plus its got Windows XP Service Pack 3 on it.

By the way, here's my cpu temp screen via PCProbe from ASUS:

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee375/AirHendrix91/CPUHeating_zps5d0fff95.png

 

[clutchc]

That's one of Rosewill's lower quality PSUs. It has a 27 amp +12V rating which should be enough for any gfx card you'd care to match with the old slow CPU. Your pic shows that the +12V and the +5V is somewhat low, however. It is within usable tolerances (+/- 10%) however, but indicates the poor quality of the PSU. Rosewill's higher end PSUs are quite good. It's just their low end ones that are... questionable.

Yes, if this is your MB: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M2V/ then go to the CPU support list for it to see what the MB will accept: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M2V/#support
Pay attention to the BIOS version required to support the processor you decide on. You will need a BIOS version of at least that date. If you've never flashed a BIOS before, you may want to just look for a CPU that works with your BIOS version. Flashing the BIOS on those older boards isn't as easy as more modern MBs.

Your HDD is probably the main cause of the on and off sluggishness. With only 3GB of system memory, large amounts of data needs to be off loaded to virtual memory: the HDD. If the drive is as full as yours is, it complicates matters and really can slow things down.

Your CPU temp at idle is fine. Have you ever cleaned off the old thermal paste and replaced it with fresh?

 

[ShoryuSam]

Oh okay, thanks for the M2V site! Cool!

I have a BUNCH of questions so bear with me please.

In answer to your question about thermal paste, its been years man since I applied any new paste. When should you periodically apply new paste? I know the compound is like $5 so that shouldn't be a problem.

The only thing I'm wondering now is whether the Athlon X2 5050e (DO),1MB,rev.G2,45W,ADH5050IAA5DO,SocketAM2 processor is the best one I can get since I looked at the list.

Ah I see, so at this point, I would have to free up some space somehow.

I have an idea. I have my old laptop which pretty much only boots in safe mode that I rarely use, but would love to just get my music from it. Is it possible to rip the harddrive out from it, plug it into this desktop and then just use it for storage because honestly, its pretty dead at this point due to convenience.

How do I check which BIOS I currently have? (By the way, I think Asus has this program where you can flash it via Windows WITHOUT a CD to make it a helluva lot easier --> I think I've done this before without any hassle)

Also, if I upgrade my CPU and video card, would I also have to upgrade my power supply?

Windows XP only can do a max of 3 gigs of ram too right? Is upgrading the current DDR2 type RAM useless now?

Could it be possible to upgrade this thing to Windows 7 maybe? Hate to ask this though.

I do get a sense of what I probably could do for this comp to make it run smoother, probably buy a new video card, processor, and harddrive. I don't think I can do much for the RAM without upgrading Windows.


I do have another crazy idea though (sorry for the wall of text). What if I upgrade it, install Linux and then just run Windows as a virtual machine? Would that work for my every day use?

I literally only use this for programming in Python, reading e-books for guitar and languages, recording music with Audacity, rewrite sheet music in Finale, and use Photoshop 7 (I know, old version right lol).

Thanks for bearing with me, hopefully you have the time to read my post because I really do love this comp since its the only one I ever built and would hate to let it go.

 

[clutchc]

Wow. Lots of questions.
That's a pretty old system. I don't know if it would be worthwhile to upgrade it. And what your budget is. If at all possible, think about building/buying a new machine.

Your biggest problem right now is the HDD. It is too full to be used in a practical manner. That is the main reason of the sluggishness. Uninstall as much junk as possible, stuff you rarely use. Or invest in a new or used larger one. If funds are tight, check ebay. Here's some used 1TB drives. Look for sellers that have several sales and good feedback: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Internal-Hard-Disk-Drives-/56083/i.html?_from=R40&_dcat=56083&Form%2520Factor=3%252E5%2522&_nkw=1+TB+hdd&_sop=15

Then check your TRAY for how much stuff is running automatically at startup with Windows. Disable as many as possible. You can always place a shortcut on the desktop to run them when you need to. Then run CCleaner and do the Clean and Registry both. That will clean up resource wasting junk files and registry errors: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Moving the laptop drive to the desktop is possible, but it is a 2.5" drive not a 3.5" drive like the rest. So you will need an adapter to secure it. But your MB is ancient and has only 2 or 3 SATA headers. The rest are PATA (IDE). Hopefully one SATA is still available, because the laptop drive is probably SATA, not PATA.

Whether or not you can run Win7 comfortably on that machine will depend on how many old devices/programs you have. Run the Windows Upgrade Adviser to see: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor

If you upgrade your CPU to one on the list, the PSU should be fine as is. You can go here to compare processors. I'm a little rusty on the hierarchy of those old AM2 CPUs: http://www.cpu-world.com/index.html But check your BIOS version first!

If you upgrade your gfx card, it will depend on what card you want to use. Staying with the HD 7750 or less, you are probably alright with what you have now. 1GB DDR5 HD 7750: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600298541%20600007779&IsNodeId=1&name=1GB
Any card more powerful would be severely bottle necked by the processor.

Any 32 bit OS can only access 4GB of system memory. You are not faced with that limitation with a 64 bit OS. DDR2 memory is scarce now and expensive due to that. Since your MB can handle 8GB DDR2, you always have the option to increase that size. But when using dual channel memory, always install memory in MATCHED pairs for the most trouble-free experience.

As far as Linux, I will take a pass on making any judgement since I never used it.

 

[ShoryuSam]

Wow. Lots of questions.
That's a pretty old system. I don't know if it would be worthwhile to upgrade it. And what your budget is. If at all possible, think about building/buying a new machine.

Your biggest problem right now is the HDD. It is too full to be used in a practical manner. That is the main reason of the sluggishness. Uninstall as much junk as possible, stuff you rarely use. Or invest in a new or used larger one. If funds are tight, check ebay. Here's some used 1TB drives. Look for sellers that have several sales and good feedback: http://www.ebay.com/sch/Internal-Hard-Disk-Drives-/56083/i.html?_from=R40&_dcat=56083&Form%2520Factor=3%252E5%2522&_nkw=1+TB+hdd&_sop=15

Then check your TRAY for how much stuff is running automatically at startup with Windows. Disable as many as possible. You can always place a shortcut on the desktop to run them when you need to. Then run CCleaner and do the Clean and Registry both. That will clean up resource wasting junk files and registry errors: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Moving the laptop drive to the desktop is possible, but it is a 2.5" drive not a 3.5" drive like the rest. So you will need an adapter to secure it. But your MB is ancient and has only 2 or 3 SATA headers. The rest are PATA (IDE). Hopefully one SATA is still available, because the laptop drive is probably SATA, not PATA.

Whether or not you can run Win7 comfortably on that machine will depend on how many old devices/programs you have. Run the Windows Upgrade Adviser to see: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor

If you upgrade your CPU to one on the list, the PSU should be fine as is. You can go here to compare processors. I'm a little rusty on the hierarchy of those old AM2 CPUs: http://www.cpu-world.com/index.html But check your BIOS version first!

If you upgrade your gfx card, it will depend on what card you want to use. Staying with the HD 7750 or less, you are probably alright with what you have now. 1GB DDR5 HD 7750: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600298541%20600007779&IsNodeId=1&name=1GB
Any card more powerful would be severely bottle necked by the processor.

Any 32 bit OS can only access 4GB of system memory. You are not faced with that limitation with a 64 bit OS. DDR2 memory is scarce now and expensive due to that. Since your MB can handle 8GB DDR2, you always have the option to increase that size. But when using dual channel memory, always install memory in MATCHED pairs for the most trouble-free experience.

As far as Linux, I will take a pass on making any judgement since I never used it.

Ah I see. Good points, I'd probably go with the X2 5000 cpu then, and the video card you mentioned.

Not sure if I can upgrade the ram since its old, and after looking on Ebay, all I can find are 1 gig sticks, and not a single 4 gig ram stick of DDR2 type.

So basically, the three options to upgrade the cpu, video card, and harddrive won't need another powersupply though, its a good idea to get paste and reapply it. Good ideas.

Also, the fans in my case have lights which I can see through the side window, and they're dimming. Does that mean they will totally die out in terms of cooling or just the led is fading right?

Either way, thanks for the tips of what to do. Definitely could get all of those for less than $200 if I ever get the bones.

 

[clutchc]

Just be sure that the processor you decide on doesn't need a BIOS later than the one your MB has now. Otherwise you will be faced with doing a BIOS update before it will be recognized. According to that chart, your BIOS would need to be 2101 or later to recognize the Athlon X2 5000+.

It might be wiser and maybe even cheaper to just buy a new MATCHED set of memory sticks. Either 2x2GB or 2x4GB, and sell the old stuff.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007611%20600006042%20600006066%20600006069&IsNodeId=1&name=8GB%20%282%20x%204GB%29&Order=PRICE&Pagesize=20

If your current processor isn't overheating, there's no hurry to clean off the old thermal paste and apply new. I just meant that as a possible fix if overtemp was causing the processor to throttle. But I think the lack of space on the HDD is the main cause of sluggishness.
Btw, how much junk did CCleaner find in the way of junk files and registry errors?

As far as the dimming LEDs. It could be age causing that to happen. But you didn't recently lower the fan' speed did you? When the voltage to a Fan motor is lowered, the voltage to the LEDs is too.

 

[ShoryuSam]

Just be sure that the processor you decide on doesn't need a BIOS later than the one your MB has now. Otherwise you will be faced with doing a BIOS update before it will be recognized. According to that chart, your BIOS would need to be 2101 or later to recognize the Athlon X2 5000+.

It might be wiser and maybe even cheaper to just buy a new MATCHED set of memory sticks. Either 2x2GB or 2x4GB, and sell the old stuff.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007611%20600006042%20600006066%20600006069&IsNodeId=1&name=8GB%20%282%20x%204GB%29&Order=PRICE&Pagesize=20

If your current processor isn't overheating, there's no hurry to clean off the old thermal paste and apply new. I just meant that as a possible fix if overtemp was causing the processor to throttle. But I think the lack of space on the HDD is the main cause of sluggishness.
Btw, how much junk did CCleaner find in the way of junk files and registry errors?

As far as the dimming LEDs. It could be age causing that to happen. But you didn't recently lower the fan' speed did you? When the voltage to a Fan motor is lowered, the voltage to the LEDs is too.

My performance improved quite a bit since I actually went through my HDD and cleaned out a few things. I now have 46 gigs open out of 232 gigs for the main harddrive.

Ccleaner found quite a few things, can't remember the exact number but yeah, it was ages since I used that program. That's due to the fact that this computer was mostly used by my brother while I was at college all these years, and only reused again since I put a new power supply in it to get it to work again (and due to the fact that my laptop only runs in safe mode).

Cool idea about the RAM but doesn't XP only offer up to 3 gigs? Is is possible for XP Pro to recognize 4 gigs of ram?

Or, if I put all my necessary files on a separate harddrive, and boot linux plus virtual machines for Windows XP, wouldn't I be good to go then and run with better performance due to the additional 4 gigs of ram plus the video card plus the harddrive plus the processor?

Or its capped at 3 gigs right... Hmmm. Still good ideas though. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to give me those links!

 

[clutchc]

Yeah, I forgot you were running 32 bit XP as your OS. My bad on the 8GB suggestion. (Unless you happen to be running 64 bit XP?) But even with the 4GB address space available with a 32 bit OS, there usually is around 3.5 GB usable.

I'll take a pass on anything Linux.