Techies of the World, lend me your Wisdom

xarthna · Post by **xarthna** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:27 pm

Yes, I did it.

I just got a new HD for my laptop. 7200 rpm should be an improvement over the 4200 i've been playing on, not to mention the added space (60gb vs 10gb).

So, all seems rosey, right? Well i spent some time installing stuff (XP pro sp2, Dell drivers, IrfanView, NetStumbler, Ethereal, WinRAR, ASK, NWN, and all the hak's and overrides). you know, the stuff that was on my old HD.

So what happened? Why does NWN pull 100% cpu now? I switch back to the old HD, coolness.

Try to uninstall NWN, and re-install. Try changing video settings. Nothing.

PerfMon shows High pages/sec and cpu. So, the cpu is spending all it's time swapping memory around (I do have 2GB). And this is when I'm still at the signin screen (even the New/Load/Multiplayer screen)... doing nothing.

Any suggestions?

If this is not a NWN discussion, feel free to move.

leprechaun · Post by **leprechaun** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:34 pm

Dell drivers

try downloading updated drivers for your dell from their website, that can cause you problems. Also, make sure you have all the latest security updates for you windows xp, there were a few nasties that just got fixed that can cause similar problems and crashes.

also, look for any updated firmware for your new hardware, it might not be fully compatable with some of the Dell components without the proper firmware versions installed.

Check to see how much RAM your onboard video device is set to use, it may be set too low. the standard is usually 16 or 32 MB.
that is something that should be easily set by right-clicking on your desktop space, clicking properties, click the settings tab, then click the advanced button. this will open up your video device options. you should be able to find a setting somewhere in there to change the amount of memory your computer allocates to your video device.

try those and let me know if they help. I can think of more, but i'm at work right now and dont have time to go over too much.

xarthna · Post by **xarthna** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:52 pm

Got all the latest drivers from dell. yes, the web site - who keeps the CD's?

Even the latest NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 driver.

Video setting at 64mb. But that is just telling me, no chance to change.

Everything should be like other HD. Guess I'll make detailed reports of both installs and see what's different.

drunkenpig · Post by **drunkenpig** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:16 pm

xarthna wrote:
So what happened? Why does NWN pull 100% cpu now? I switch back to the old HD, coolness.

So everything runs fine with old drive, but the new one is where you have the issues?

The laptop may not be 100% compatable with the new drive. Does the laptop recognize the 60GB naturally, or did you have to run a program that came with the drive to get the laptop to see the full 60GB.

I've seen issues with older desktops that would only see 30GB drives, and after installing larger drives had to run a CD that came with the drive to get the machine to see the full drive, the machine would run slower overall. Response from manufacturer was that "sorry that computer only supports 20 and 30 GB drives, nothing larger"

a lot of laptops are not designed for upgrades, except adding more memory, so check w/ the manufacturer to see if the laptop you have supports the new HD. It may be an issue with the size, it may be an issue with the speed of the drive.

xarthna · Post by **xarthna** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:33 pm

Good thought Drunk, but no. that's not the problem.

The laptop is a Dell D800. Supplied by my work. The work HD is a 60gb, 7200rpm. I've had an older drive (10gb, 4200rpm) that I swap in to play. Then I got tired of not having any space, and being so slow, so I bought, from Dell, the exact same drive as my work supplied one.

I've also tried updating DirectX ... now on 9.0c no change.
*sigh* i guess i could try installing eveything from scratch. It's only another day.

arg.

drunkenpig · Post by **drunkenpig** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:22 pm

xarthna wrote:, so I bought, from Dell, the exact same drive as my work supplied one.

well, I can only think of two other options.

1. Call Dell (hopefully its a business account that has US support and not India support, hell of difference there, at least the US support you can understand) and see what they say. Small possiblity that its a bad drive, and they can swap it out.

2. Take a live chicken and a large hammer. Beat the chicken into nuggets in front fo the laptop while praying to the PC God, then tell the laptop to act right or you'll do the same to it. Sometimes the sight of the hammer is all the laptop needs to start working right.

on a serious note, I'd reinstall

just to make sure something didnt' go fubar during the first install.

xarthna · Post by **xarthna** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:06 am

Ok.

I'm going with the live chicken

Followed closely by a cat, then anything else I can do without

*gulps* here goes the whole wipe HD and start from scratch.

xarthna · Post by **xarthna** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:56 am

i don't fargin believe this.

I re-installed the video drivers, for the 6th time, and while the cpu is still at 100%, everything flows nicely.

I may still have the problem, but i'm gonna enjoy it while its in remission!

Thanks for the suggestions, and for not assuming i'm a stupid n00b.

drunkenpig · Post by **drunkenpig** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:10 am

xarthna wrote: I re-installed the video drivers, for the 6th time, and while the cpu is still at 100%, everything flows nicely.

it was the chicken!!! I smelt one in your name earlier today!!!

xarthna · Post by **xarthna** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:52 am

i think it was the ... oops, better not give away all my secrets.

loki70 · Post by **loki70** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:00 am

You have to perform Tantric rites on the computer itself for a Dell. It's a Gateway that takes a chicken voodoo sacrifice. And an IBM you do the Gallagher watermelon Sledge-o-matic routine, complete with plastic bags. Apple iBooks you just eat an apple, macintosh, if you have one. Tech arcane rites need their own website, really.

The World of Avlis

Techies of the World, lend me your Wisdom

Techies of the World, lend me your Wisdom

Re: Techies of the World, lend me your Wisdom