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hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
I am trying to play Neverwinter Nights 2 on my PC. The game is running slowly. I know the game is a "resource hog" but my system should be able to handle it:
Dell Dimension 8400 computer Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.40 GHz 2.00 GB Ram Windows XP OS Nvidia GeForce 6800 graphics card I had read somewhere a long time ago that many of the Processes listed in the Windows Task Manager can be safely shut down temporarily before playing a game in order to make the game run faster. And I recall reading that there were two or three processes that should NEVER be shutdown because doing so can really damage one's computer. Does anybody know which of the many, many Processes listed in the Task Manager should NEVER be temporarily disabled? Thanks! By the way, anybody else playing Neverwinter Nights 2? |
acmp Elite user Nottinghamshire 466 Posts |
Depends on what you want to run.
I remember a web site that listed the 'unnecessary' services that you can stop to make your stuff run faster and also information on creating a profile that will load the reduced windows so you can boot for either normal use or for faster gaming. I've had a bit of a look but can't find it yet. I'll keep looking In general though, if you can close it via task manager then it should not be a problem. The services/processes that are essential for windows to run are normally protected so you can't end them. Normally. As always have a backup just in case and preferably know what you are doing. Posted: Mar 2, 2007 4:39am ------------------------------------------ Here is a good site for setting up a standard running profile, not the site I remembered but I'll certainly be checking these on my home PC http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm
acmp<><
"Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kids It'd be that your mistakes would be your own" |
VisualRiddles New user Clarion, Pennsylvania 41 Posts |
This should be what your looking for. his site is down now but should be up soon.
http://www.g4tv.com/screensavers/feature......_XP.html |
MagiClyde Special user Columbus, Ohio 871 Posts |
Just about everything in the startup menu is unnecessary. Go to Start then Run. Type in msconfig and hit enter. The last tab is startup. Go there and unselect everything. There should be a button to do this. The only one I leave active, because I have a laptop, is onetouch, because I can't use the side buttons for controlling my audio or activating my wireless network setup without it. Just remember to reboot your machine afterwards in order for these changes to take effect.
As for Task manager, I think that explorer.exe is critical to the system running properly.
Magic! The quicker picker-upper!
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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
Let's not start with processes, but with performance - CTRL/ALT/DEL and have a look at how much computing power is being used when the game is not running. See if you can look at how much is used while the game IS running. I'll bet that's not your problem.
Does the game company post any patches you haven't gotten yet? Does the company's website list any conflict issues with any of the hardware you have? Does the game support your video card at all? - does it support it in the mode you're running it in? Do you have the latest versions of (whatever) - DirectX, video drivers, etc.? Have you virus-checked & spyware-checked lately? Here are some resources: http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/vie......ghlight= http://nwn2.warcry.com/news/view/66430-N......Responds http://www.gamespot.com/features/6163248/index.html (the above has multiple very helpful pages, all directed at tweaking NWN2's performance - don't miss them) http://neverwinternights2.filefront.com/......ts;27647 |
cgscpa Elite user Ashton, MD 447 Posts |
Here is a site called Tasklist that lists different processes that may be running in the background, what they are, and a recommendation if you can keep it or delete it.
http://www.tasklist.org/tasklist_p.html |
MagiClyde Special user Columbus, Ohio 871 Posts |
Processes and performance are closely tied together. The more processes you have running, the more memory is being used to keep many (unnecessary) programs running. Each of those programs, even if their performance is zero require some processing time in order to see if they need anything from the computer. If they do need anything, then their allocation of resources jumps, hence the hit on performance.
The bottom line is this: The less items you have running at startup, the more memory that can be allocated toward the game and the faster the computer will run. Ultimately, you may still need to more memory or a faster processor, but from the specs you listed, you should be fine. Don't be afraid to look into the additional issues that Ross mentioned in the above reply.
Magic! The quicker picker-upper!
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evolve629 Inner circle A stack of 3838 Posts |
I'd suggest to run your Disk Defragment and Disk Clean Up also.
One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in - Wayne Gretzky
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Chessmann Inner circle 4237 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-03-04 14:45, evolve629 wrote: Amen!
My ex-cat was named "Muffin". "Vomit" would be a better name for her. AKA "The Evil Ball of Fur".
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Do you have Norton? My computer whiz son informs me it is a memory hog.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
Thanks for all the responses, everybody! They've all been very helpul. Thanks again!
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hoodrat Veteran user Southern California 388 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-03-04 04:37, rossmacrae wrote: I pressed CTR/ALT/DEL. My CPU usage hovers anywhere from 0% to 3%. That sounds good! Under the Processes tab, I have about 62 processes listed as running. That was what I was asking about. Surely some of those processes are not necessary and could be safely deleted or deactivated. |
Bill Veteran user and Pretty Nice Guy 373 Posts |
That's what Ross and everyone is trying to tell you. If your CPU is running at 0 to 3% then the processes are not your problem. The time you waste shutting down some of these will amount to minimal gain at best. Again, look for patches, defrag, clean up, and check your temp files. If all else fails then call their tech support, cause something else is going on.
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MagiClyde Special user Columbus, Ohio 871 Posts |
62 processes running is too many. I only have 32 running on mine.
Bill, part of Hoodrat's problem lies in the fact that while his performance may say 0-3%, all those programs running in the background, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, is taking up valuable memory on his computer. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM requires some of the processor's time and attention, no matter how little that might be. That is why I recommended shutting down the startups under MSCONFIG. Nearly all of them are not only not needed, but are installed by programs that he has gotten over the years that the programmers felt he absolutely could not live without having run on his machine at all times. Evolve629's suggestion of defragmenting the hard drive is a good one as well. It will sort out how space is allocated on your hard drive and allow the program to find any information that it may need just a little bit faster.
Magic! The quicker picker-upper!
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