Computer lags up for no reason?

  • Thread starter Thread starter AcidX
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A

AcidX

This has been happening for as long as I can remember (in terms of this
PC's life) but basically... It seems like my computer lags up if,
well.. Seemingly for no reason.

I've noticed that whenever I do anything on this PC, after a while my
CPU usage goes high for no reason. Programs begin to lag and it doesn't
go away until I restart my computer.

It's been known to do this when using any programs. It happened just
now when I was ripping a CD. It often happens when I play games (not
always off CDs) and sometimes it happens when I'm just listening to
music... Or even in Firefox.

I think it might be somethnig to do with my graphics/video card. I've
noticed it lags a lot when I use Flash MX, or watch Flash movies. And
also it lags up when playing games, which is very graphic intense.

I don't know... I'm pretty sure it's not a ram issue. I've just
installed two fresh sticks or 512mb ram and it still happens.
I'm running a 2.53Ghz PC with Windows XP, SP2... If that helps.

Anyone got any ideas?

PS. Another thing (I consider to be significant) is that when I plug in
my headphones I can hear when my computer starts to lag. When it's
lagging there's a very high pitched noise, which 'twitches' when I
start doing things on the PC.
 
Top five reasons for slow performance:

1. Viruses and spyware.
2. Too many programs running in the background.
3. Incorrect hardware, incorrect hardware configuration, or hardware not up
to the task.
4. Lack of, insufficient or incorrect maintenance.
5. Misconfiguration on the part of the user.
 
Yeah.
It's definitely not reasons 1 or 2.
I'm doubting it's 3 or 4 either. They're maybes.
As for #5 I'm not too sure.
I haven't reconfigured anything... But I might be able to change
configuration to make it work better.

Any other reasons or solutions to them reasons?
 
Fair recent (bought it around late March/early April time).
I think it might be a Processor issue.
I searched the driver for my processors (intelppm.sys) on Google, and
the top result sounded very similar to my problem.

Although my system isn't a Dell system, it's a similar problem. I read
some of the solutions and am currently trying some. The most popular
one on there was to roll-back you Processor's driver, which I might do.
At the moment I'm reinstalling my printer, as that seems to be one of
the solutions.
I'll get back to you on this one, feel free to suggest other things
though ;)
 
Ted Zieglar provided five good reasons. You cannot just
dismiss them on 'feelings' and expect additional assistance.
Each should be eliminated for good technical reasons - the
numbers. Task Manager is for this purpose. Did you study
applications and processes - then report back those numbers so
that each suggestion can be eliminated on merit? A technical
analysis is performed with these numbers so that the problem
is identified first and then repaired second.

It is a processor issue, a heat problem, a PC trace that is
too long, a power supply issue, a manufacturer defect in the
sound card, a clashing of interrupts, etc. All are just as
good 'wild speculations'. A least likely reason is 'processor
issue'. But still we cannot yet eliminate it. What does Task
Manager report?
 
I didn't dismiss Ted Zieglar's reasons.
I just know it's not one or two beacuse I'm always scanning for
spyware/adware and editing my startup processes, so I know exactly what
my system is loading.
I was a bit unclear about my response to Ted Zieglar's post.
I meant to say I was going to look into his other reasons in more
detail, specifically step 5. It seems most likely.
This is how I stumbled upon the 'intelppm.sys' idea - by looking at my
processors driver.

Sorry about that, I'm still looking into some.
Anyway, I feel it was something relating to issues into that
'intelppm.sys' post, so I'm trying a few of the solutions I found
there.

One of the things listed on there was to change my pagefile size and
let it be 'system managed' (I had mine on custom) and, although it
might not solve this problem, it probably did some good anyway.
Another one was to reinstall your printer o_O I did that anyway, and I
uess the only way to find out if anything's worked is to wait til it
happens again ;)

Anyway, by default, I have 28 processes running and CPU rests at about
2 - 8% when idle. Commit Charge is currently (with firefox, MSN signed
on and taskmanager open and background processes) at 220M / 2389M.
Umm, is there anythnig specific I should tell you which could help?
(and just in case provide details of how to get it, unless it's simple)

Another thing that popped into my head (very unlikely) is that it's my
webcam. It's always on, and I got this before I would've got SP2
(unless SP2 came with my PC - pretty sure it didn't) but it's just that
it's always on and never really doing anything.
I can turn it off by unplugging it, or, if I use it, it turns itself
off afterwards automatically.
I just updated the driver for that though. We'll see what happens.
 
A bottleneck created by a fixed (too small) pagefile could
also create the problem. But again, that and so many other
reasons are identified quickly by looking first for 'the
reason why' rather than 'trying to fix it now'. Task Manager
is one tool. Another source are System (event) logs. What do
they report? Things that might once crash a system (ie DOS)
are instead recorded in system logs; then system continues
working. A third location that might provide useful facts
(but probably not in your case) is Device Manager.

Don't attempt solutions - shotgunning. First get facts.
The number of possible reasons for your problem may exceed
100. Are you going to try them all? Or first get the numbers
and ledger entries that point to or suggest which might be the
problem? Three places to start are Task Manager, Device
Manager, and system logs.

28 processes would be more typically of a system using near
zero processor time. Using View in Task Manager, select
different functions to examine. For example, CPU processing -
percentage and CPU Time - and performance graphs would suggest
tasks that are consuming too much processing power. Memory
usage, Page Fault Delta, and Virtual Memory usage would
suggest bottleneck in RAM or Virtual memory access. Device
Manager or system logs might report an interrupt conflict
which consumes no CPU time but significantly slows a system.
With only a 'basic' 28 processes loaded, your system should
be lightning quick. Why so few processes and yet so little
system response? Fact gathering is seeking an answer to that
question. Does a problem exist with the NIC hardware or its
driver? Again this would consume little CPU time but
bottleneck the system. This failure can slow an NT based
system that would have crashed when using DOS or Windows
9x/ME.

Meanwhile, if only using Adaware (spyware) detection, then
malware or keyboard monitoring programs could be running. You
would be totally unaware of their existence if only using
Adaware.

A list of processes in Task Manager, by name, might expose a
malware process. But without some virus detection program,
then even widely spread and commonly known malware could have
infected your system without your knowledge.

Is any software constantly trying to access the internet
when internet connection is not available? Some 'goodware'
programs may also do that. But a system that keeps trying to
access the internet also would consume CPU time.

Is firewall enabled? If so, what exemptions may have
circumvented that firewall? A web based program from
www.grc.com (Gibson Research) can provide information you
don't have - by using the web's perspective. This to confirm
system security (if system not yet compromised by malware).

Of course, all this assumes hardware is performing
properly. To verify hardware integrity, responsible computer
manufacturers provide a comprehensive diagnostic for free.
Hardware problems are a less probability according to symptoms
provided. Diagnostics are another example of how to identify
a problem before fixing anything.
 
Heya.
I just read your post and I'm going to look into it in a sec.
First I'd just like to give some other symptoms. This is mainly a list
of programs that the whole lag situation has been known to happen in.
There are probably more, but this list gives a general idea... They are
as follows:
Flash MX
Flash player (when viewing in a browser)
Photoshop
Graal (online game, see www.graalonline.com for details. !! This is one
that causes lag the easiest !!)
Worms World Party / Worms Armageddon (More games. These also cause it
rather quickly)

It is mainly games and graphic intense programs and those with a lot of
virtual memory usage, which first lead me to believe it was a problem
with my RAM. However, I have bought new RAM and still suffer the issue
(UNLESS, my RAM is configured incorrectly. If so, how would I correct
that?). I then thought it was my graphics card. However... If that's
the case, surely the lag would be immediate?
So now I'm stumped and asking others

I'll get back to you soon in response to your post w_tom.
 
Hah!
How strange. I've sorted it out until the next time my case clogs up
with dust and crap. Heh, such a strange problem.

I decided to open it up, and get a can of pressurised air in there ;)
So much dust came out it was unbelievable. I also fiddled with the CPU
fan a little, and tucked away any outstanding wires. And now, as far as
I know, it's running fine!
What can I say?
It's great ot be running fullspeed again. My PC wasn't even this fast
when we bought it ;)
Thanks for all the help guys. This'll be something I bookmark in case I
ever have problems in the future ;)
 
None of that is what fixed your problem, especially if you think it is
faster now than when you bought it. Surely you are joking?
 
No seriously.
It has worked. My computer hasn't lagged up since. I've been playing
games, working on flash and listening to music. It's all good.

And maybe my comp isn't faster than when we got it. It's just been such
al ong time, that I'd forgotten what it was like ;) Though it could be.
I've got 1gb ram now. We started out with only 265.
 
No seriously.
It has worked. My computer hasn't lagged up since. I've been playing
games, working on flash and listening to music. It's all good.

And maybe my comp isn't faster than when we got it. It's just been such
al ong time, that I'd forgotten what it was like ;) Though it could be.
I've got 1gb ram now. We started out with only 265.
Click to expand...


It's pretty easy to make a system faster than new.

For example, tweak the bios settings, add memory, disable
some eyecandy, uninstall OEM junk, turn off system restore,
disable services... each alone maybe only a percent or two
benefit but it all adds up, especially the memory increase.
 
Cleaning out a machine could have caused a slightly less
restrictive air flow. Computers must be designed to work even
in a 100 degree F room. IOW a hot spot or semiconductor
weakness may exist; a weakness aggravated by heat. That is
why heat is such a good diagnostic tool. Yes, you may have
cured the symptom. But use that information to find the
problem - that may be intermittent today and may become a more
serious problem in the near future.

IOW use what was learned today may eventually identify and
overt a future system crash. ICs that can suffer from a
hotspot (ie weak IC or a ribbon cable located so as to
restrict a so gentle airflow) include processor on the video
controller. At your leisure, try running a very video
intensive program as ICs are heated by a hairdryer on high.
This should be perfectly normal temperature to every computer
IC. But a weak and slowly getting worse IC may recreate your
slow down.

Also noted is ribbon cable placement. Much heat is removed
from an IC by an airflow so gentle as to not even be felt by a
human hand. Massively increasing airflow actually creates
only a diminishing but increasing improvement in cooling. If
that most gentle airflow is obstructed by a ribbon cable, then
a processor IC (ie on video controller) may become too hot.
Most ICs are cooled by that most gentle airflow that a
misplaced ribbon cable could obstruct.

Best to know why a problem is corrected so that it does not
slowly get worse and happen again later. Also to learn from
the failure. Apparently no rush. But heat is a powerful tool
to locate defective semiconductors. Maybe wait for next
summer and run the system in a 100 degree room - to confirm
the system really is stable.

Eventually you should want to know why you fixed it - or
carefully watch for a future reoccurrence.
 
It's pretty easy to make a system faster than new.

For example, tweak the bios settings, add memory, disable
some eyecandy, uninstall OEM junk, turn off system restore,
disable services... each alone maybe only a percent or two
benefit but it all adds up, especially the memory increase.
Click to expand...

Amd stop letting programs install themselves near the clock ;-)
 
AcidX said:
This has been happening for as long as I can remember (in terms of this
PC's life) but basically... It seems like my computer lags up if,
well.. Seemingly for no reason.

I've noticed that whenever I do anything on this PC, after a while my
CPU usage goes high for no reason. Programs begin to lag and it doesn't
go away until I restart my computer.

It's been known to do this when using any programs. It happened just
now when I was ripping a CD. It often happens when I play games (not
always off CDs) and sometimes it happens when I'm just listening to
music... Or even in Firefox.

I think it might be somethnig to do with my graphics/video card. I've
noticed it lags a lot when I use Flash MX, or watch Flash movies. And
also it lags up when playing games, which is very graphic intense.

I don't know... I'm pretty sure it's not a ram issue. I've just
installed two fresh sticks or 512mb ram and it still happens.
I'm running a 2.53Ghz PC with Windows XP, SP2... If that helps.

Anyone got any ideas?

PS. Another thing (I consider to be significant) is that when I plug in
my headphones I can hear when my computer starts to lag. When it's
lagging there's a very high pitched noise, which 'twitches' when I
start doing things on the PC.
Click to expand...
 
Cntrl\Alt\Del will bring up the task manager.
Tidy it up on the right side of your screen, on the Processes
page.
Now you can view what is using CPU time while you do things.
 
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