Grim Views

Hey guys. I sincerely apologize if this is not the place to air such stuff but the technical forums on Blizzard's website seems determined to roll over my posts no matter what. I'm a new supplicant to The Grim and this problem is seriously hurting my ability to play WoW.


I've been having some serious trouble lag-wise these past couple days. I would start up the game and it would run just fine for about a minute or two. and then all of a sudden the lag would get atrocious (getting as bad ar 5-15 FPS. Then a few minutes later it might get back to normal and right after that, dropping back down again.

I Recently I downloaded Questhelper as an addon but has been working fine before. Similarly, my game usually works just fine unless it's in a really busy place like Dalaran.

I tried first by turning off my AIM and my addons. Both of which did not fix the problem. I then did that AND decreased my graphics. and by decrease I mean I REALLY decreased them. To the lowest settings possible on everything. It was for about a minute at 50-60 FPS and then it dropped back down to about 25-35ish tops. So it was running better but still nothing. And this was after I downloaded a new video card driver.

I THEN turned my graphics up a bit again and put my WTF and my Interface folders onto my desktop. It seemed to work but a minute or two after starting to play, the same lag problems occured. My internet seems to be working fine with everything else.

Today, I even went so far as to defrag my computer, delete tons of old games, and even deleted and re-installed WoW. Still, nothing. I'm in the midst of doing a thorough virus scan. If this doesn't solve the problem then I am truly out of options.

Can I PLEASE get some help? Thanks so much in advance.

Here are my system speccs.

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System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 12/16/2009, 01:27:16
Machine name: JONATHAN-74D56F
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: HP Pavilion 061
System Model: ER900AA-ABA a1430n
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 586MB used, 1872MB available
Windows Dir: D:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 7300 GS
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01DF&SUBSYS_205619F1&REV_A1
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Dell D1028L
Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.9562 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 11/20/2009 21:34:54, 6282752 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 11/20/2009 21:34:54, 10235968 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-429F-11CF-1B5F-5D0000C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x01DF
SubSys ID: 0x205619F1
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Realtek HD Audio rear output
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0883&SUBSYS_103C2A3A&REV_1000
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5502 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 10/25/2007 06:29:00, 4623872 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0xF5F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 8000, 192000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 33, 32
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 33, 32
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

---------------------
Sound Capture Devices
---------------------
Description: Line in/Mic in
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5502 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 10/25/2007 06:29:00, 4623872 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x41
Format Flags: 0xFFF

-----------
DirectMusic
-----------
DLS Path: D:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers\GM.DLS
DLS Version: 1.00.0016.0002
Acceleration: n/a
Ports: Microsoft Synthesizer, Software (Not Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal, Default Port
Microsoft MIDI Mapper [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
Registry: OK
Test Result: Not run

-------------------
DirectInput Devices
-------------------
Device Name: Mouse
Attached: 1
Controller ID: n/a
Vendor/Product ID: n/a
FF Driver: n/a

Device Name: Keyboard
Attached: 1
Controller ID: n/a
Vendor/Product ID: n/a
FF Driver: n/a

Poll w/ Interrupt: No
Registry: OK

-----------
USB Devices
-----------
+ USB Root Hub
| Vendor/Product ID: 0x10DE, 0x026D
| Matching Device ID: usb\root_hub
| Service: usbhub
| Driver: usbhub.sys, 4/13/2008 17:15:38, 59520 bytes
| Driver: usbd.sys, 8/23/2001 07:00:00, 4736 bytes
|
+-+ USB Human Interface Device
| | Vendor/Product ID: 0x046D, 0xC016
| | Location: Optical USB Mouse
| | Matching Device ID: usb\class_03&subclass_01
| | Service: HidUsb
| | Driver: hidusb.sys, 4/13/2008 17:15:28, 10368 bytes
| | Driver: hidclass.sys, 4/13/2008 17:15:28, 36864 bytes
| | Driver: hidparse.sys, 4/13/2008 17:15:24, 24960 bytes
| | Driver: hid.dll, 4/13/2008 22:51:44, 20992 bytes
| |
| +-+ HID-compliant mouse
| | | Vendor/Product ID: 0x046D, 0xC016
| | | Matching Device ID: hid_device_system_mouse
| | | Service: mouhid
| | | Driver: mouclass.sys, 4/13/2008 22:51:44, 23040 bytes
| | | Driver: mouhid.sys, 8/23/2001 07:00:00, 12160 bytes

Decent video card and not driving it at high resolutions so I wouldn't suspect its the card.

The up and down nature of the fps tends to suggest the system is doing something else and its causing the slow down. Then when its done with whatever its doing it speeds right back up again.

With only 1Gb of memory I'd suspect something is causing windows to page memory in and out. First thoughts would be a virus checker, second thoughts would be a browser running Flash as flash is really nasty when it comes to resources.

Can you hear the hard drive thrashing when WoW slows down ? If so, its probably the paging. If its quiet run a system monitor while its slowing down and see if the cpu is spiking and sticking at 100%.

Another method is to run WoW in windowed mode and when the fps goes all to hell see if the rest of the system is running slow too.

If it is paging out then putting more memory in would solve it, but its XP - 1Gb of memory should be more than enough. Something else is running that's not playing nice.

Long shot from the outer reaches - its a themal problem and the system / video card is slowing itself down when its getting too hot. Open the case up and see if there's dust / crap everywhere. Try to play with a fan pointed at the open case to see if it helps.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not very computer literate at all but as far as I can tell I hear NO sound nowadays no matter what... Well, you get what I mean. The fan to the video card for years sounded really loud and crazy as if it were about to explode and then just the morning of the game's FPS rate turning to crap it turned silent. I somewhat wonder if perhaps THAT is indicative of something. But I have no clue. Other than that, I'm not even quite sure what paging is.. haha.

Actually, I typically run it windowed maximized mode as I like to alt-tab a lot with AIM and whatnot. but I suppose I can try to do the real thing.

edit: Ok, well, I did as you instructed. Opened her up and took a look at the graphics card's fan. Well, as far as I can tell it's running fine, even when the FPS drops like crazy. :/

I gotta disagreee there, grainger. You *can* run XP with 1 GB, but when I was doing that I found that WoW swapped nastily and my performance was *really* sensitive to anything else on the system. Too late at night to check now, but RAM is cheap and if the mobo supports it you will find that 2 gigs will make a noticeable difference.  This doesn't address the issue of why this started recently though - possibly a windows update or driver update triggered it.

Well, they did implement new textures in 3.3. Or rather, some textures that didn't show all the time(like the 3D look to leg armor that Kharzak mentioned a while back not showing when you had a tabard on), now do. Yich was commentiing the other day that since the Patch the game seemed to be running slower, and I agree. It's like walking through jello sometimes, where it used to be smooth and free. I was notcing in tonights raid that my FPS stayed in the neighborhood of 35 - 40 most of the time, which is low.

The first thing that jumps out at me is the RAM, yeah. I noticed a dramatic increase in game performance when I went from 1GB RAM to 2GB, way back when. That doesn't explain the "works well for a while and then stops" phenomenon, however. I would suspect the fan not working properly/video card overheating, but you say it is running fine.

Another thing to do if you have had your computer for a while is to update the BIOS on the motherboard...BUT.... be *careful* if you don't know your way around computers all that well. You can seriously screw things up(ie....the comp will stop working) if you do it incorrectly.

...it is also possible that some of your existing RAM has gone/is going bad. There is a program (Memcheck?...I can't really remember ><) that you can run to test your RAM and see if it is still ok.

Have you run a CHKDSK on your C: (or whichever) drive lately? Right click - Properties - Tools - Error Checking - Check now - Restart the Computer and let the utility run(takes a while). Couldn't hurt.

....oh, and do you use Windows Defender? I would suggest turning it off and finding another option(NOT before you find another option!). It does run programs in the background that eat up memory fairly badly, and come on and off in the background.

Hmmm.....forget about the BIOS update. My DXDiag shows that I am running the same BIOS version as you are, with the same Processor.

  I'm not as clever as some other when it comes to PC's... I'm a network guy.
  What I do well however is find the source of the problem... cause it's usually me... I'm kidding.

  My recommendation to you is to get a closer look at what is happening inside your system.

  If you think of the Internet as a huge city... PC's are the buildings. It's hard to stand outside across the street and tell someone what's wrong inside the building.

  Ergo, you need to walk over and take a look at what's happening inside that building... your PC.

  If I have the right name "Wireshark" is a packet sniffer. It also has a component that overrides the standard windows process display with more details.
  If you start lagging and you look over and see that your CPU utilisation is maxed... we'll know what the problem is.
Likewise, should you perform a packet capture, fire up WOW and then get disconnected, you should have a details breakdown of what happened in your system to make that happen.

Then you stop the capture and save it... it'll probably be rather confusing to you but the reason for the disconnect WILL be in there... and one of us might be able to spot it.

That's about all I have...

Be careful about that fan of yours on the VC.  I had the same issue not to long back, the same as yours, and it was  precursor to the fan dying.  With that fan dying it took out another tower fan and my soundcard too.

I'd have to agree with the others as it sounds like Windows is running something in the background which is causing the issue.  Could be flash, could be Malware, could be a virus, could be a whole slew of things.  If possible, when this lag happens, go to your processes and see what is drawning the most data. 

Process Explorere is such an amazing tool for watching what is really going on that MS bought the company. I recommend running it, and then unde
r View | Select Columns
choose the Process Memory tab and click the Virtual Size checkbox.

Unless you are Khorshah's room-mate, in which case the problem is that you are fucking downloading Star Trek torrents, noob.

Thanks SO much for the help guys. I really appreciate it.

Unfortunately, I'm so computer-dumb that I really don't know half of what the stuff you guys are talking about haha.

As far as I can remember, the only thing introduced to my computer recently was the Questhelper and Curst client addons. But They were seeming to work fine for a week before this happened.

I just downloaded Process Explorer. How might i be able to copy this info so that I can show you guys? And should I be running it when playing WoW or what/what should I be looking for?

I've also decided to run a WoW Repair thingy and I'll start running those scans to see what they come up with. Thanks again for the help


Edit: Also, pardon my ignorance but are Wireshark and Process Explorer essentially the same thing? I downloaded both but haven't the foggiest what to do with the former, even after reading up on it.

Wireshark is a packet sniffer... which means it will monitor everything you network card is doing... the process explorer is specifically an add-on that adds additional information to the basic windows process display. Wireshark HAS a component that also does that or at least I think it does... I may very have installed Process Explorer and forgot...

Either way Process explorer is FAR easier to use than Wireshark for a non-geek...

Wireshard is a program you run and tell it.. you there...write down everything that happens at this door (meaning your network interface) and wham your screen start filling with a million and one things you had no idea where going on... you run the capture until whatever is confusing you occurs... stop the capture, save it and then you can go back and go over it with a fine tooth comb.

I would definitely start with Process Explorer...

Bloodscream wrote: Wireshark is a packet sniffer... which means it will monitor everything you network card is doing... the process explorer is specifically an add-on that adds additional information to the basic windows process display. Wireshark HAS a component that also does that or at least I think it does... I may very have installed Process Explorer and forgot...

Either way Process explorer is FAR easier to use than Wireshark for a non-geek...

Wireshard is a program you run and tell it.. you there...write down everything that happens at this door (meaning your network interface) and wham your screen start filling with a million and one things you had no idea where going on... you run the capture until whatever is confusing you occurs... stop the capture, save it and then you can go back and go over it with a fine tooth comb.

I would definitely start with Process Explorer...

I useded wireshark in the past to work out what one of our vendor softwere was doing and built a new front end for it.

Roger that. Explorer first. I got that up and running but still not sure how to save the info to show you all or even what I should be looking for myself. Again, pardon the ignorance heh.

Also, I ran that scan on my D drive (as that's the drive with all my programs and whatnot.) The scan went super quick. In fact, I barely had time to read what was happening before it rebooted completely. So so far as I can tell that seems to be ok, too.

run it on your c drive too, since that is where windows lives and windows could be choking.
in procexp, just alt tab out of wow when it gets slow, and look at the virtual mem size to see how many processes you have using more than, say 100megs of ram. jot them down on paper I guess, or alt-printscreen and slap the image up on flickr or photobucket or imageshack or something.

About upgrading your RAM:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/25825 ... y-pavilion
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... 00&x=0&y=0

Looks like you can get 2 gigs for about $65. If you live near a Fry's or some such you may get it for less.