Gaming Programs lock up every few seconds or so.

[Rydian]

I've had this issue on this computer for a long time.

• Specs
  • Hardware
    eMachines T2899, upgraded with 2GB of RAM and a second harddrive.
    CPU-Z report
    
  • Software
    Windows XP, SP3, automatic updates on and applied.
    Processes list
• Problem
  Programs lock up every few seconds or so. The time until they lock up, the time they lock up for, and what exactly happens during that moment varies. Here's a video (MPEG-4, 533KB) of the system time dialog box in windows as an example. Notice that it locks up every few seconds.
  
  • Example scenarios
    
    • Notepad
      If I hold down a key and watch the growing line very carefully, there's a very slight hiccup every few seconds.
      
    • Subspace/Continuum
      In this 2D sprite-based little MMO from the 90's, during a "freeze" the game's framerate simply goes down to about 1-5 for a few seconds.
      
    • Firefox
      Sometimes when I'm clicking and dragging tabs to rearrange them, the system will think I held my click longer than I actually did (because it'll freeze at that moment), and it ends up thinking I dragged a tab out of the tab bar (thus launching it in a new window).
      
    • Quake 2
      In this 90's 3D game, whenever a "freeze" happens the game keeps going graphically, but does not respond to any input (meaning for that second or two it keeps me moving in the direction I was headed in).
      
    • Runescape
      In this modern MMO, whenever a "freeze" happens the game is unresponsive (and does not upgrade graphically at all) for up to a few seconds.
  • Doesn't happen here...
    Mouse movement.
    Audio (haven't tried an unbuffered source, suggestions on one?)
    Anywhere in Linux (even runescape runs without a hiccup).
• Troubleshooting steps and results.
  
  • Check the task manager?
    No discernible CPU usage or differences during a "freeze".
    
  • Safe mode?
    Happens in safe mode as well.
    
  • Switch AVs?
    Changed from Avast to MSE, no fix.
    
  • LOL FORMAT???
    This happened on my old installation of windows on this machine as well, and this installation was done with a clean XP install disc.
    
  • Check the performance monitor for any values that peak during a freeze?
    I've narrowed down a few things that spike at a freeze, but don't know what to make of it.
    -Cache-
    Sync Data Maps/Sec (hits 100%)
    -Memory-
    Page Faults/Sec (hits 100%)
    Transition Faults/Sec (hits 100%)
    -PhysicalDisk-
    Avg. Disk Bytes/Write (hits 100%)
    Disk Writes/Sec (goes from 0% to 8-12%)
    
  • Disable write caching?
    Disabled it on both drives and restarted, still have the issue.

 

[Deleted User]

Many times, because I have this prob sometimes, Flash and My external sound card do not mesh well together.

So I am saying check your sound card.