Horrible CPU Performance

[Vemisery]

Since i've built this computer i've always noticed how slow the CPU was running, but until now i never realized how bad it really was.

My System Specs:

Mother Board: ABIT - IC7

Processor: Pentium IV 2.8 800mhz FSB 1 meg Cache

RAM: Kingston - 1 Gig pc3200

Video Card: GeForce 6800 GT OC

OS: Windows XP Home w/ SP1



I play alot of games and i've always noticed that they dont perform anywhere near where they should.

Recently i started comparing my Frames Per Second to benchmarks similar to my system and i was horrified to see the results.

In Pain Killer i recieve about 30 FPS - The Bench Mark is 80 FPS.

In Unreal 2004 i recieve about 30 FPS - Bench Mark is 90-100 FPS.

In Doom 3 i get about 20 FPS - Bench Mark is 60-70 FPS.



I realized this wasnt right so i started looking around trying to find the problem.

I downloaded the benchmark program AquaMark 3 and ran it on this system, as well as my 2 other systems.

My Pentium IV 1.8 scored 5100 in the CPU department.

My Pentium IV 2.4 scored 8200 in the CPU department.

And this Pentium IV 2.8 scored 4200 in the CPU department.



Something is very wrong, and i cant seem to figure it out.

Since then, i formatted....

Reinstalled Windows XP.

Installed my INF chipset drivers.

Installed DirectX 9.0c

Installed the latest video card drivers.

I tried running Aqua Mark 3 again and this time this CPU score dropped from 4200 to 3100.



I'm extremely frustrated with trying to figure out my problem.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[TechKnickle]

I don't know how much you know, so don't take this question offensively please.

You have check your system information and verified that your FSB settings are correct and that your CPU is being recognized as a 2.8GHz P4 right?

[ArcticFox]

What cooling do you have? P4's will slow down considerably if they overheat.

[The Real Bingo]

You also may want to check what kind of "crap" you have running in the background. I recommend shutting off everything not needed to run the computer when you benchmark/play games. It may make a difference, but if you have a program bogging things down, the scores should improve.

[Jarhed7276]

What version is the Bios on this board? The IC-7 needs at least Bios version 21 to run the Prescott cpu.

[Vemisery]

I've checked the system information in both My Computer properties, and in the BIOS, they both correctly display the processor.

I have absolutly no programs running in the background, i even disabled all uneeded services via msconfig using the guide at blackviper.com

As far as over heating goes... It runs around 75 degrees... i dont think thats too hot.

For the BIOS version, i THINK its 24, but i'll double check that.

Thanks for the replies.


EDIT: I was using BIOS version 24, but 25 was recently released. I updated to version 25 and still no change.

[Vemisery]

My Power Suppy Unit is 300 Watts if that helps.

[Ultima]

75 degrees as in celcius??

I think that may be your problem, cause it is too hot.

You won't fry it at that temp, but the cpu overheating protection will kick in prolly around 70 already, so I think that may be it.

[Jarhed7276]

Ultima is right that is way too hot especially if that is at idle. Double check your heatsink and fan. Maybe reapply your thermal paste and reseat it. How many case fans do you have?

Nice call on that ArticFox. I didn't realize that performance degraded like that. I thought they just shut down.

[TechKnickle]

75 C OMG... I have my PC to shut off at 70 C (although I think the AMD Athlon Xp can handle up to 90C but whatever). Good call Arctic, check your HSF and make sure it is seated correctly.

[Vemisery]

No, its 75 degrees F.

[Hungrycookpot]

oh well thats not so bad, it might be something, i dunno. Maybe check out all your system monitors and such, and your BIOS, and check to see if its actually running at full speed. I know that whenever i reset my CMOS i have to go back in and reconfigure my CPU or else it runs dreadfully slowly. That might be your problem, or you might be running something really big in the background, use your crtl alt del menu and go to processes (im assuming XP here) and check to see what program is taking up the most time in your system. When you are running idle, system idle process should say 99 or around there. Tell us if something else is eating up your CPU.

[Gordons]

Try to Disable the HT Support for gaming !!

[EpyonMelee]

dude HT will not overheat the cpu that much

[Gordons]

I Dont Know man,put tons of fans in there then, i had same problem
Thats the new P4 E prescot there something else to try to cool!

[GameManK]

No, its 75 degrees F.

Fahrenheit?? are you sure?? thats almost absurdly low especially for a prescott. (and umm when did you say it was a prescott?)

[originel]

i'd venture to say that 75f is impossible with a presscot. Unless you're running water cooling, refrigeration, peltier, etc; the temperature of the processor can't get below that of the case temp, and even with the best cooling you still get around 3-4 degrees celsius (which is something like 15 degrees F) higher than your case temps.

[Jarhed7276]

(and umm when did you say it was a prescott?)

He didn't. I did. He said it was a P4 2.8 with 1MB cache. The Northwood 2.8 only comes with 512K cache. The only P4's with 1 MB cache are the Extreme Edition and the Prescott. The Extreme Edition Started out at 3.0 Gig so the only P4 2.8 with 1 MB cache would be the Prescott.

[ArcticFox]

Here's a test...

Take all the panels off your case in the middle of the night, open your window, futz around in Windows, and download WCPUID or CPU Speed or whatever the program is that shows your CPU speed. See if it's running at 2.8Ghz.

Now, do it with your case all the way shut on a hot day after playing a game, fire up the program and see what your speed is.

Let us know.

[Vemisery]

I figured out the problem, it was the power supply.

I replaced it was a 500 watt power supply and things run smooth as silk now.

Aqua Mark 3 CPU score was 9800, which is quite and increase from the previous 3100.

Only thing now is the Temperature gets up there. Im not sure what a safe temp to run at is... before it would usually stay around 75-85 degress farenheit, but since i added more volatage and fixed the CPU problem i've seen it get up to 105 farenheit.

Is that too hot?