Solve : Reality Check - Can someone verify this for me??

1.	Solve : Reality Check - Can someone verify this for me??
Answer» I'm practically unable to watch any flash videos (youtube) or use other software that have MINIMUM requirements well below my hardware. The processor almost immediately spikes to 100% and the video becomes choppy to the point where the browser quits responding. Vista Media Center is practically unusable as there are tremendous delays. System Specs: Pentium 4 2.6GHz Hyper-Threaded CPU over clocked to 2.86GHz 2GB PC3200 RAM (confirmed 400MHz) GEFORCE 5600 FX (256MB) 30 GB ATA HD (3 gig free) ASUS P4P800 MB (latest BIOS installed) Running Windows Vista Ultimate I've verified that there are no ROGUE processes stealing cycles, or any sort of irregular programs running. The Vista install is a fresh copy. I had this same problem with Windows XP (to a lessor degree), but only about 2 years after initially building this machine. I'm not sure if the hardware I'm running is just too old, or there is something wrong. While I know Windows Experience numbers can be vague, the values I'm getting for my processor seem to be very low on average with just about everything else I find (with the same processor). The processor is rated at 2.2 on my box. In the ASUS bios, i can perform over-clocking easily, so just to try it out, I over clocked to 2.8GHz and then 3.16Ghz and both still give the same Windows Experience rating of 2.2. (CPU-Z and Windows both show the over-clocked speeds). I'm at a lost for what to do next. Either this hardware is simply too old to watch youtube videos, or there's something wrong with my processor. Any advice on how to go forward would be greatly appreciated.I'm not sure what is causing this but I am almost certain your specs are more than adequate for what you are doing. Does this happen with any other program? CPU overheating is the first thing that comes to mind, but it would have the same problem in other programs. I'm not sure either but I'd be looking at available disk space. & welcome to CH.30 GB ATA HD (3 gig free) The above may be your problem. Windows needs at least 15% of a free space to run correctly - 4.5GB in your case. 30GB HD for running Vista appears to be pretty small, anyway. Quote from: monies on October 04, 2008, 06:12:37 PM 30 GB ATA HD (3 gig free) The Vista install is a fresh copy but you have 27 Gb on the disk? How come? Typical Vista installs run around 9 Gb. It does sound like you have stuffed too much on that disk. Quote from: monies I had this same problem with Windows XP (to a lessor degree), but only about 2 years after initially building this machine. Hmmm... In either installation, did you ever do a defrag? Also, it's quite a while since 30 Gb disks were on the market, that disk could be getting old and unreliable. I would not LEAVE it too long to get a new bigger one. Thanks guys, I have a bunch of songs and media that I store on this drive as well - which is why I have so little space free (no apps, just data, hence the reference to the clean install). Come to think of it, when I had this HD setup for Windows XP I had a two logical partitions (6gb, ~23gb) and the 6gb was almost always full as well... I guess it's time to pickup a new HD. I'll try to free up a few gigs and see if I still have these performance problems.

Answer»

I'm practically unable to watch any flash videos (youtube) or use other software that have MINIMUM requirements well below my hardware. The processor almost immediately spikes to 100% and the video becomes choppy to the point where the browser quits responding. Vista Media Center is practically unusable as there are tremendous delays.

System Specs:
Pentium 4 2.6GHz Hyper-Threaded CPU over clocked to 2.86GHz
2GB PC3200 RAM (confirmed 400MHz)
GEFORCE 5600 FX (256MB)
30 GB ATA HD (3 gig free)
ASUS P4P800 MB (latest BIOS installed)
Running Windows Vista Ultimate

I've verified that there are no ROGUE processes stealing cycles, or any sort of irregular programs running. The Vista install is a fresh copy. I had this same problem with Windows XP (to a lessor degree), but only about 2 years after initially building this machine.

I'm not sure if the hardware I'm running is just too old, or there is something wrong. While I know Windows Experience numbers can be vague, the values I'm getting for my processor seem to be very low on average with just about everything else I find (with the same processor). The processor is rated at 2.2 on my box. In the ASUS bios, i can perform over-clocking easily, so just to try it out, I over clocked to 2.8GHz and then 3.16Ghz and both still give the same Windows Experience rating of 2.2. (CPU-Z and Windows both show the over-clocked speeds).

I'm at a lost for what to do next. Either this hardware is simply too old to watch youtube videos, or there's something wrong with my processor. Any advice on how to go forward would be greatly appreciated.I'm not sure what is causing this but I am almost certain your specs are more than adequate for what you are doing. Does this happen with any other program? CPU overheating is the first thing that comes to mind, but it would have the same problem in other programs. I'm not sure either but I'd be looking at available disk space.

& welcome to CH.30 GB ATA HD (3 gig free)
The above may be your problem.
Windows needs at least 15% of a free space to run correctly - 4.5GB in your case.
30GB HD for running Vista appears to be pretty small, anyway. Quote from: monies on October 04, 2008, 06:12:37 PM

30 GB ATA HD (3 gig free)

The Vista install is a fresh copy but you have 27 Gb on the disk? How come? Typical Vista installs run around 9 Gb. It does sound like you have stuffed too much on that disk.

Quote from: monies

I had this same problem with Windows XP (to a lessor degree), but only about 2 years after initially building this machine.

Hmmm... In either installation, did you ever do a defrag? Also, it's quite a while since 30 Gb disks were on the market, that disk could be getting old and unreliable. I would not LEAVE it too long to get a new bigger one.

Thanks guys, I have a bunch of songs and media that I store on this drive as well - which is why I have so little space free (no apps, just data, hence the reference to the clean install).

Come to think of it, when I had this HD setup for Windows XP I had a two logical partitions (6gb, ~23gb) and the 6gb was almost always full as well... I guess it's time to pickup a new HD.

I'll try to free up a few gigs and see if I still have these performance problems.

Solve : Reality Check - Can someone verify this for me??

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