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Hey,

Lately my PC has had an extreme drop in speed. A the beginning of the year (when I got the Computer) I could run everything really smoothly. Games like The Sims 2, Call of Duty 2,3, SimCity 4 and a few others run perfectly on default settings.

Now it's got beyond a joke, I can't run Any of the ones I mentioned above even on the lowest quality setting without it lagging really bad.

I am half way through the process of backing up some files I want to keep onto an old Harddrive and then I am formating the PC. Do you think this might work?

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System Information
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Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: INTELR
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 552MB used, 1905MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found

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Display Devices
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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 7300 LE
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01D1&SUBSYS_81F41043&REV_A1
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9147 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/11/2006 20:42:52, 4496128 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes

What you guys think?


Duplex

Have you tried defragmenting? or running a chkdsk /f in the command prompt?

Check for spyware, adware and malware. Clean up useless registry entries. Remove useless programs booting along or erroneous boot entries.

Try cleaning the dust bunnies out of your heatsinks it sounds like it could be overheating.

Check all your fans spin coud be a dead fan.

7300LE is slow and is a system RAM stealer. Get a descent graphics card with it's own RAM and more speed

Lol, I have the side off and a oversized desktop fan blowing at it, doubt it would be that.

I've tried all the tools that came with XP like disk clean up and defragment. Today I have also used AVG antivirus on it (and uninstalled it) and nothing came up, I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with spyware, malware, ECT.

Would lack of space on my HD be a problem? My Hard drive is a total of 189GB and I have used 117GB of it and if I can do my maths right then that means I have a total of 72GB left. So I could be that. That figure is changing slowly though, I'm doin a big PC clearout.



Yet it was reccommended to me by some guys at Codemasters. This could be the problem, but it falls within the games Min Specs by far.

the more stuff on the herd drive the more lickly it is to become fragmented.

easyist solution, run a linux live cd(i recomend knoppix or ubuntu) and use the memtest feture. that will check your ram. then boot it up, if it runs faster than your currant win instalation then there is no hardwere problems. note, this will not affect your current win install.
backup your data to dvd's or external hd, then format the hard drive and reinstall.

That may not necessarily provide efficient cooling. Computers can actually run warmer without the side on it as it disrupts the airflow through the case. Improper airflow can create hot pockets.


Any pathes or driver updates recently? See any processes running with usually abnormal CPU usage? Everyone else has already provided some good suggestions such as defrag and a registry cleanup, but I doubt those related issues would cause your games to suddenly grind to a hault, hence my thought on drivers.

What we need is a fancy profiler, like programmers use to track slowdowns in their software.

According to task manager Winlogon and System Idle task use up the most CPU. I'll look into my drivers, I haven't updated them since I brough the PC coming up 1 year ago.