Gaming Problem with an old dell dimension 5000

[Originality]

Windows 7 is generally backwards compatible with all Vista drivers (the difference in NT version is 0.1). However downloading a driver update, uninstalling the WLAN drivers, restarting the PC then installing your driver update... that's the ideal way to go. Assuming of course that it's your WLAN drivers causing you problems and not, for example, your sound card, or USB devices, or malware, etc.

 

[exangel]

Perhaps you shouldn't be on the Ultimate distro with those specs.
Windows 7 starter works fine on most netbooks which are in some ways on level with what you have.

Have you considered uninstalling/disabling certain services through Group Policy (gpedit.msc) and uninstalling certain windows features (such as WMP) through a sidebar option in the Programs and Features control panel?

If you don't know quite what to do in regards to my sentence above, I highly recommend trying the Diet Windows version (Windows 7 Starter) if you have the ability to do so. It's not as pretty as Ultimate, but at least if you can get it working at a more manageable multitasking ability, you can try upping to Home Basic. Just a suggestion. I highly doubt a person with your equipment truly needs the BitLocker stuff.. and I don't think emulating XP would help your situation much.

The lowest distribution that allows you to modify Group Policy is W7-Professional though.



Also, consider getting a third-party MP3 player (if you're smart enough to get the K-Lite Codec Pack, I'm sure you can find a lightweight/open source MP3 player). WMP has tons of shell integration and hotkey integration and stuff that may be affecting you and wouldn't affect people with more RAM and processing power.
In fact, I gave a friend of mine a laptop from 2005 because he had a spare monitor (the screen died) and due to the way the external display worked (via a windows driver) I could not install any new operating system. It was permanently stuck with XP in order for external display to work. And that system was less powerful than what you have, but I had to download Winamp Classic for him to listen to the mp3 collection I gave him because WMP just hogged so much. Some might say it's not "as bad" in Windows 7 but most people willing to throw Win7 Ult at a machine have better hardware.

I also have a system from 2005 (desktop AMD sempron 64 single core, 2gb RAM, 120gb HD..) it is running Win7 Ultimate but I don't multitask on it. Right now its sole purpose is playing netflix or downloaded movies on a spare monitor that is subbing for a television.

 

[pspunabletohack]

Perhaps you shouldn't be on the Ultimate distro with those specs.
Windows 7 starter works fine on most netbooks which are in some ways on level with what you have.

Have you considered uninstalling/disabling certain services through Group Policy (gpedit.msc) and uninstalling certain windows features (such as WMP) through a sidebar option in the Programs and Features control panel?

If you don't know quite what to do in regards to my sentence above, I highly recommend trying the Diet Windows version (Windows 7 Starter) if you have the ability to do so. It's not as pretty as Ultimate, but at least if you can get it working at a more manageable multitasking ability, you can try upping to Home Basic. Just a suggestion. I highly doubt a person with your equipment truly needs the BitLocker stuff.. and I don't think emulating XP would help your situation much.

The lowest distribution that allows you to modify Group Policy is W7-Professional though.



Also, consider getting a third-party MP3 player (if you're smart enough to get the K-Lite Codec Pack, I'm sure you can find a lightweight/open source MP3 player). WMP has tons of shell integration and hotkey integration and stuff that may be affecting you and wouldn't affect people with more RAM and processing power.
In fact, I gave a friend of mine a laptop from 2005 because he had a spare monitor (the screen died) and due to the way the external display worked (via a windows driver) I could not install any new operating system. It was permanently stuck with XP in order for external display to work. And that system was less powerful than what you have, but I had to download Winamp Classic for him to listen to the mp3 collection I gave him because WMP just hogged so much. Some might say it's not "as bad" in Windows 7 but most people willing to throw Win7 Ult at a machine have better hardware.

I also have a system from 2005 (desktop AMD sempron 64 single core, 2gb RAM, 120gb HD..) it is running Win7 Ultimate but I don't multitask on it. Right now its sole purpose is playing netflix or downloaded movies on a spare monitor that is subbing for a television.

But -.- everything works fast and it isn't a real single core it supports HT so i have one physical core and one real = 2
everthing works fast execpt that fucking problem that I'm having now I will reinstall windows this friday and i will report it here if fixed or not if not fixed than i'm going back to XP!

PS: Windows 7 Starter sucks XD

 

[Seyiji]

But -.- everything works fast and it isn't a real single core it supports HT so i have one physical core and one real = 2
everthing works fast execpt that fucking problem that I'm having now I will reinstall windows this friday and i will report it here if fixed or not if not fixed than i'm going back to XP!

PS: Windows 7 Starter sucks XD

@BoldedText: No you have 1 physical (aka Real) and 1 virtual (aka Not Real) that = 1 with some duplication of certain processor functions.

Also before you reformat gather the latest chipset and peripheral drivers and after you format install in this order Windows > Chipset > Video > Ethernet > Wireless > Keyboard and Mouse > Windows Updates

If that doesn't solve your problem then either go back to XP or buy a New Computer.

 

[pspunabletohack]

But -.- everything works fast and it isn't a real single core it supports HT so i have one physical core and one real = 2
everthing works fast execpt that fucking problem that I'm having now I will reinstall windows this friday and i will report it here if fixed or not if not fixed than i'm going back to XP!

PS: Windows 7 Starter sucks XD

@BoldedText: No you have 1 physical (aka Real) and 1 virtual (aka Not Real) that = 1 with some duplication of certain processor functions.

Also before you reformat gather the latest chipset and peripheral drivers and after you format install in this order Windows > Chipset > Video > Ethernet > Wireless > Keyboard and Mouse > Windows Updates

If that doesn't solve your problem then either go back to XP or buy a New Computer.

Yes will do and also :S didn't appear when i just booted my pc everything was fine no red bars but after the pc is 5min booted than the red bars are back and also i'm getting BSOD's now sometimes (only when booting not when windows is being used) i did view them with bluescreenview:

last BSOD: 102011-37455-01.dmp 20/10/2011 17:59:12 PAGE_FAULT_BEYOND_END_OF_ALLOCATION 0x000000cd 0x93889000 0x00000000 0x82a6e1c2 0x00000000 ntkrnlpa.exe ntkrnlpa.exe+8e3db NT Kernel & System Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Microsoft Corporation 6.1.7601.17640 (win7sp1_gdr.110622-1506) 32-bit ntkrnlpa.exe+8e3db ntkrnlpa.exe+413e8 ntkrnlpa.exe+1a1c2 ATITool.sys+2017 C:\Windows\Minidump\102011-37455-01.dmp 2 15 7601 137.192

So ATITool I removed the program now
ok second BSOD:

101611-36535-01.dmp 16/10/2011 10:07:27 DRIVER_CORRUPTED_EXPOOL 0x000000c5 0x000010a8 0x00000002 0x00000000 0x82b39795 ntkrnlpa.exe ntkrnlpa.exe+415db NT Kernel & System Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Microsoft Corporation 6.1.7601.17640 (win7sp1_gdr.110622-1506) 32-bit ntkrnlpa.exe+415db ntkrnlpa.exe+121795 ntkrnlpa.exe+12135f rdyboost.sys+14bc C:\Windows\Minidump\101611-36535-01.dmp 2 15 7601 137.192

But yeah tommorow (friday) i will reinstall windows 7 with a other iso

 

[pspunabletohack]

OK GUYS YAY!!!!! ITS FIXED NO RED BARS ANYMORE I DOWNLOADED A NEW WINDOWS 7 ISO AND NOW ITS WORKING WOOOTH ^^ ok i have installed al my driver but not my printer yet but i think it should be fixed thanks everyone

EDIT: yep it started again with the red bars but It was Norton >.> deleted it installed avast everything is fine so if a mod. can close this topic ? =)

 

[Originality]

So... you were having issues because of Norton's Live Protection? Possibly because your PC cannot handle W7 Ultimate edition + a heavy anti-virus suite? Well, lesson learned for next time... if a computer is acting slow, check the anti-virus (along with scanning for malware and updating drivers).

EDIT: Norton: Malware that fights viruses!

 

[pspunabletohack]

So... you were having issues because of Norton's Live Protection? Possibly because your PC cannot handle W7 Ultimate edition + a heavy anti-virus suite? Well, lesson learned for next time... if a computer is acting slow, check the anti-virus (along with scanning for malware and updating drivers).

EDIT: Norton: Malware that fights viruses!

Dude my computer isn't slow -.-* and norton used to work great but since 2012 not anymore and :@ I have the same problem with my laptop wich is a Intel Core 2 Duo @2Ghz so maybe it's a bug in norton internet security

EDIT: Avast Internet Security works great

EDIT 2: Windows 7 is speedy on this pc lol

Proof pc isn't slow:

weird 2.2 for graphics related to aero features and a 3.4 for games lol
i'm even able to play 1080p mkv with Media Player Classic

 

[Originality]

Let me reiterate one part of my comment: heavy anti-virus software suite. Norton has always been heavy, even a decade ago. It is also the type of software that will scan everything you try and run on your comp. Every time you try to play music, it will scan the song file and the codecs required to play it. You also only have a single core (and kinda old, so the IPC will be low) CPU so it will have to handle the scan of those files and the playing if those codecs out-of-sequence. That is likely the main cause of your stuttering issues.

You claim that the CPU has hyper threading, however Windows only recognises one core. This means that it won't be dividing the scanning/playing tasks between the physical and virtual core, because it's not even aware of the virtual core (the virtual core would've been 40% weaker anyway). That said, I'm not too familiar with the HT technology prior to Sandy Bridge because before Core 2 Duo (the generation I started building systems for), I had always been under the impression that CPUs (especially those under the Pentium name) were single core only.

As for the aero performance... I'm not surprised. The Radeon X300-1050 series is also quite old and generally not strong enough for Vista-type graphical features. That's not to say it can't run them, and it means nothing when it comes to HD movies, just that some of the aero features won't run as smoothly compared to the graphics technology at the time when Vista was released, which would be the Radeon HD series. Also keep in mind that 1080p movies are only 1080p movies when played on 1080p screens. As an example, on my computer such movies would be downscaled since my primary monitor can only go to 1050p. My first laptop (from a decade ago, and why I know plenty about Norton) could also play HD movies, but that was only because it only had a 800x600 screen.

 

[pspunabletohack]

Let me reiterate one part of my comment: heavy anti-virus software suite. Norton has always been heavy, even a decade ago. It is also the type of software that will scan everything you try and run on your comp. Every time you try to play music, it will scan the song file and the codecs required to play it. You also only have a single core (and kinda old, so the IPC will be low) CPU so it will have to handle the scan of those files and the playing if those codecs out-of-sequence. That is likely the main cause of your stuttering issues.

You claim that the CPU has hyper threading, however Windows only recognises one core. This means that it won't be dividing the scanning/playing tasks between the physical and virtual core, because it's not even aware of the virtual core (the virtual core would've been 40% weaker anyway). That said, I'm not too familiar with the HT technology prior to Sandy Bridge because before Core 2 Duo (the generation I started building systems for), I had always been under the impression that CPUs (especially those under the Pentium name) were single core only.

As for the aero performance... I'm not surprised. The Radeon X300-1050 series is also quite old and generally not strong enough for Vista-type graphical features. That's not to say it can't run them, and it means nothing when it comes to HD movies, just that some of the aero features won't run as smoothly compared to the graphics technology at the time when Vista was released, which would be the Radeon HD series. Also keep in mind that 1080p movies are only 1080p movies when played on 1080p screens. As an example, on my computer such movies would be downscaled since my primary monitor can only go to 1050p. My first laptop (from a decade ago, and why I know plenty about Norton) could also play HD movies, but that was only because it only had a 800x600 screen.

Ok that makes sense about norton but >.< why does my core 2 duo on my laptop have the same problem, it isn't that bad as on this pc but i also have red spikes. but ! only while surfing the web even with no audio the same with my dell (with norton installed) and i had norton 2011 on my dell when it had XP and it ran fine but since i upgraded to 7 I used norton 2012 and yeah than i had that high dpc latency. Also I always used Norton internet security on my laptop and the problem is only with the lasted updates of norton and :S i'm still using 2011 on my laptop so sort of a bug ? i don't know; but yeah i'm happy that i found the problem

PS: the reason that I don't use my laptop anymore i because it's an Acer Aspire 5738G and -.- after I had it about a 1.5Y it started crashing maybe I'l explain that problem in an another topic

 

[Originality]

To skip a whole lot of speculation and guesswork... Have you tried using Kaspersky instead of Norton?

Regarding your laptop, run a memory test and a disk check since they are the 2 parts that fail most commonly in laptops. If that doesn't work, try and find a crash dump or log file to give you more information. If that doesn't work, call Acer customer service.

 

[pspunabletohack]

To skip a whole lot of speculation and guesswork... Have you tried using Kaspersky instead of Norton?

Regarding your laptop, run a memory test and a disk check since they are the 2 parts that fail most commonly in laptops. If that doesn't work, try and find a crash dump or log file to give you more information. If that doesn't work, call Acer customer service.

Ok but i have no crashdumps it seems to be related to the GPU and I sended my laptop to acer 4 Times !! they just changed the ram sticks and thats all and they said they tested the laptop and everything is fine but it's not let me explain the problem:

So I turn the system on I work with it like let say 4 hours and if you do some video related stuff (sometimes not) it crashes random (No BSOD no crashdumps) sometimes it even crashes if i just open windows live mail
I tried something called Powermizer Switch seemed to fix the problem but :| with that patch my GPÜ goes to 85 °C so I need another fix or something I have the lasted beta drivers for my nvidia card still happens (with non beta's to)

specs laptop:

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium (standard OS: Vista Home Premium)

4GB DDR3 Ram

Nvidia Geforce 105M

CPU: http://ark.intel.com...Hz-800-MHz-FSB)

320gb seagate hdd

and also i have seen other users having the same problem with a Acer Aspire 5739g mine is a 5738G

I will be very happy if the issue with my laptop could be fixed
If you need more info ask me

 

[pspunabletohack]

*BUMP*
or should I make a new topic about that laptop problem ?

 

[Originality]

Aside from the steps I mentioned, I can't think of anything else that would help. I suspect the HDD. It could be the CPU/motherboard/GPU, but the way to test that is simply to run a stress test (such as a benchmark). It could also be an overheating problem, but you'd be able to tell if it was that simply by listening to the fans. That just leaves the HDD, which are prone to dying easily (laptops tend to be moved around a lot, and movement is a mechanical drive's worst enemy along with heat and vibration) and SeaGate drives especially.

 

[exangel]

Ok but i have no crashdumps it seems to be related to the GPU and I sended my laptop to acer 4 Times !! they just changed the ram sticks and thats all and they said they tested the laptop and everything is fine but it's not let me explain the problem:

So I turn the system on I work with it like let say 4 hours and if you do some video related stuff (sometimes not) it crashes random (No BSOD no crashdumps) sometimes it even crashes if i just open windows live mail
I tried something called Powermizer Switch seemed to fix the problem but :| with that patch my GPÜ goes to 85 °C so I need another fix or something I have the lasted beta drivers for my nvidia card still happens (with non beta's to)

Though I also had a problem with my Acer laptop your problem is more similar to the one I had in my ASUS laptop if I'm understanding you.

You're saying it randomly crashes but doesn't BSOD or dump anything... are you saying that the PC locks up? freezes? Or what?
If graphics drivers have no effect on this, but it never recovers itself from the crashes (freezes) and swapping out the RAM sticks didn't fix anything, I got one question I suppose.

Does it ever happen when you're not touching the computer or using a program? Has it ever frozen while idle?


My ASUS laptop has had problems with freezing randomly (I could go for 3 days up time and freeze in a browser, or freeze 30 minutes after booting with a full screen video on) but everything checked out normal and I actually tried a couple non-Windows operating systems just to make sure it was a hardware issue. I was never able to pinpoint it, but late this past summer, I replaced the 60 GB SSD in my desktop and decided to put it in my ASUS laptop just to see if it would "go stable". And it did. I'm not telling you to get an SSD btw, just concurring with Originality that it may be your hard drive if I understand you right.

 

[pspunabletohack]

Ok but i have no crashdumps it seems to be related to the GPU and I sended my laptop to acer 4 Times !! they just changed the ram sticks and thats all and they said they tested the laptop and everything is fine but it's not let me explain the problem:

So I turn the system on I work with it like let say 4 hours and if you do some video related stuff (sometimes not) it crashes random (No BSOD no crashdumps) sometimes it even crashes if i just open windows live mail
I tried something called Powermizer Switch seemed to fix the problem but :| with that patch my GPÜ goes to 85 °C so I need another fix or something I have the lasted beta drivers for my nvidia card still happens (with non beta's to)

Though I also had a problem with my Acer laptop your problem is more similar to the one I had in my ASUS laptop if I'm understanding you.

You're saying it randomly crashes but doesn't BSOD or dump anything... are you saying that the PC locks up? freezes? Or what?
If graphics drivers have no effect on this, but it never recovers itself from the crashes (freezes) and swapping out the RAM sticks didn't fix anything, I got one question I suppose.

Does it ever happen when you're not touching the computer or using a program? Has it ever frozen while idle?


My ASUS laptop has had problems with freezing randomly (I could go for 3 days up time and freeze in a browser, or freeze 30 minutes after booting with a full screen video on) but everything checked out normal and I actually tried a couple non-Windows operating systems just to make sure it was a hardware issue. I was never able to pinpoint it, but late this past summer, I replaced the 60 GB SSD in my desktop and decided to put it in my ASUS laptop just to see if it would "go stable". And it did. I'm not telling you to get an SSD btw, just concurring with Originality that it may be your hard drive if I understand you right.

Yes it freezes and than i have to press the power button for 10 seconds. hmm and yes it doesn't seem to crash when idle only while doing things, and also if the laptop freezes the hdd light is out but the weird thing is if I use the Powermizer Switch for my videocard it doesn't crash. but I don't like that way because it overheats my GPU without any patch the temps are very stable gpu is around 45 °C and cpu 35°C and hdd also, is it possible to test the hdd in my dell ? and if it also crashes than i can say it's my HDD

If my laptop can be fixed than i don't need a new pc wich would be great

 

[pspunabletohack]

*BUMP* please any suggestions (sorry for the bumps)

 

[The_Dragons_Mast]

Try running this http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools & see if any problems come up .

 

[Coto]

BIOS issue anyone?

Well glad to read your desktop machine problem was fixed, but as for your laptop, you should look for the latest bios available. Most of them includes the vbios inside the main bios to fix some problems between the IGP and the motherboard/northbridge/whatever.

I used to experience those issues too on a AMD ATHLON II X2 with a Nforce chipset @igp 6150se, BSODs everywhere even with the latest manufacturer's southbridge/northbridge/hdd/vga drivers.

Then I simply upgraded my BIOS (this mobo has an IGP too..) and the problems had gone away ; )

 

[Originality]

Before updating BIOS, you should always check for the changelogs of each BIOS revision. Many BIOS updates only add additional compatability for newer CPUs and don't actually fix any bugs. Unless a BIOS update explicitly says it fixes some bug or another, you should take the "don't fix what ain't broke" approach because flashing BIOS may brick your laptop permanently.