<edit> old title said Stronghold 2 freezes my comp....but now I realize it's EVERY game. <end edit> I got the game Stronghold 2 Delux...when I start it up it plays fine, but after a few minutes it gets..jerky. Then even if I switch to another game....it will also be jerky. I'm guessing I have to flush my RAM or something? Another odd thing about the game Stronghold 2....it won't work if my internet connection is on....under the Windows Task Manager it will use 50% of my CPU...indefinately, and do nothing. If I turn off my internet connection...then it starts up fine. I'm guessing it's auto-update thingy is bugged. Ideas ?
Do you have an auto scanning anti-virus/firewall software? Check under taskmanger and see whats using up the ram most processes should be very small (~1,000kb) and some like exeplorer.exe may be 15,000kb. Anything over ~30,000kb (its probably you AV/FW auto scanning as traffic comes in) If that seems to be the case, google the process name, if it's your firewall/anti - virus disable auto scanning
I turned off my Windows Firewall...which is the only one I have atm. No help. Plus I just installed F.E.A.R. and guess what happend when I clicked on the exe shortcut? Nothing....and when I open task manager...I see that the F.E.A.R. exe is using exactly 50% of my cpu....but nothing happens. Exactly the same as with my other game. Seems my computer won't play any game's CDs unless I'm not connected to the internet.....how weird is that?
ctrl+alt+tab and look at what processes are running. Sounds like something is hogging a lot of resources to me. Run some spyware tools also and see if you have anything lurking in the background. Check for latest drivers for everything as well. ALways do these checks first: They sound obvious, but so many people don't, and the first thing they do is post a HELP ME thread in here. Try a different optical drive for CDs as well.. if you have one. Just try all the obvious, or even TOO obvious things first before you start pulling everything to pieces. Try using windows update as well. You'll need a legitimate copy these days, but of course you have that, being an honest, upright bit techer... yes?
Just in case anyone thinks I'm a n00b.. I did know that.... I do it about 50 million times a day.. my hands just wanted to type that for some reason.
Ok, I just switched optical drives. The auto play started the window with the uninstall, play..etc, options. I chose "play" and same thing..nothing. I've run ad-aware. My comp is only a week old and I haven't downloaded much or surfed the net much either (it's a gaming rig). OK THINGS JUST GOT WEIRDER .I just had to reset my computer. The begining of this post I copied and pasted onto text.doc so I could continue where I left off. Due to my attempt at running FEAR with my internet on. After I wrote "it's a gaming rig"...the connection window popped up asking me to connecet to the internet...which I already am. I clicked on connect and it disconnected me. And everytime I would click on my connection shortcut the connecting window would flash open for about 1/4 of a second...and that's it. The symbols in the corner showed I was connected, but I couldn't open any internet pages (like reply in this forum for example). I tried to "log off" but it just froze there and I had to hit reset. My RAM isn't listed in my mobo manual...it's ummm....can't find the boxes for it...I think I left them at the shop..darn. It's kingston...two 1gb sticks. Two other threads that are/might be relevant to this are: http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=104357 and hmmm can't find the other one. There was a thread someone else started who also had a failing Nividia network drive. Maybe I should try switching to the Marvell network card and see if all the problems go away.
Are you using nVidia's firewall? If so, delete the network card from device manager and reinstall the drivers, and DO NOT USE IT. It's utter trash and is excellent at borking otherwise-fine connections. I never had great luck with the Marvell either, but I don't care as one gigalan is plenty for me. The stock windows one should be okay (though if you have a router, I wouldn't bother as that's better and doesn't waste CPU cycles) Games using exactly 50% is normal with a dual-core proc, in fact almost all will (for now; a couple games are now threaded and will use more). But if they don't start and still use 50%, that's just wrong.
Got some more info. I took it to the shop. They updated some network drivers, but they didn't check the games first. After when they tried a game while on the net it worked fine. I noticed that their I.P. isn't PPPOE....they mentioned this might have something to do with it. I mentioned that I have two other computers that have no problems. They just shrugged. My mobo has two network cards....and I didn't know you could just plug your modem into either one and the comp would know. They told me this....so I thought "If I still have the problem I'll just hook it up to my mobo's other network card". Plus, they give me another...just in case. So I go home and hook up the nvidia card first....game doesn't work. I hook it up to the mobo's Marvell card...no go. I hook it up to the D-Link card they gave me...game won't start. Keep in mind if I want the game to start I just have to disconnect from the internet...then it starts normal. Also after the game is started I can connect no problem. It's just during the initial starting.....and evidently only from my house....or on a PPPOE connection. So do I just phone my I.P. and tell them I want a "fixed" connection...or what? Mind you I'd rather just SOLVE the problem....as opposed to finding a "work around".
