Counter Strike: Source FPS Laggy?

Hey all, it's me again. I have a question to those who play Counter Strike: Source out there. I think my system should suffice to run Counter Strike: Source at a decent FPS (somewhere at least 30fps) except I'm getting a very laggy frame rate usually around 15-20, or at least thats what it feels like. It feels rather laggy. My specs are...

Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz
512 PC3200 RAM
Leadtek Winfast A6600GT (GeForce 6600GT) 128MB

and if it matters...

Sound Blaster Live! 24-Bit

Are these sufficient to get around 30 FPS at 800x600, Low Quality Everything, No AA/AF?

What you can do ( The easiest way) Is to try a modified driver. The Xtreme drivers I use are very good.

Just register here for free and you can start downloading their drivers.

http://www.tweaksrus.com/

But also download "Driver Cleaner proffessional", and use it after uninstalling the old driver. Read the instructions carefully!

Also lower the AA if you have set it very high and the resoloution.

That card is a good overclocker with one of the best coolers for the 6600gt chip.

So why not download Powerstrip, and give it a slight O.C.?
As long as you stay inside the yellow marker you should be fine.

P.s. You can also download "NV Templogger" at TweakRus. If you wanna monitor the card temp. from the Windows tray.

Also, you need another stick of PC 3200, to run the games smoother, That is if you run Windows XP?

Thanks, I'll try that.

EDIT: Yeah I think 1GB RAM is the standard, but i'm kinda on a really tight budget (saving for college) but I think 512 will suffice to bring at least mediocre frame rates.

You're welcome.

O.K. But when you find the money. Try the Corsair RAM. Or maybe G.Skill.
Even the Corsair "Value select" is really good and cheap.

CORSAIR ValueSelect 512MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) System Memory - Retail $34.67 at newegg, webshop.

Thanks a lot Goranpaa! That did the trick. Counter Strike Source now runs at a smooth ~45fps during gameplay with 1024x768 resolution with Medium Quality on most things. Though I'm not sure if it was the new drivers or the overclocking of my video card to 565/1003 MHz. Also, to make sure, a peak temperature of ~64 C isn't bad is it? I think it hit there some time during gameplay, wasn't sure, but it was yellow.

EDIT: Speaking of RAM, I've been looking at Kingston and Geil RAM as well as Corsair's ValueSelect sticks....are the Kingston and Geil any good?

Great! Did you also notice any difference in image quality? I love Xtreme! After using their "goodies" for a year now. I never use Nvidia orginal drivers. That is a good FPS by the way. And the O.C. also contributed I belive.
64 C is about the same Load temp I have. ( 62 C) So that is o.k. ( I have an extra 120 mm fan 86 CFM, blowing in between the cards).

Both Kingston and Geil are good RAM. The Kingston Value is as good as Corsair value S. And of coarce their "Hyper X" are very nice. But rather exspensive.

P.S. Did you set the overclock sliders facing eachother in Powerstrip? If not? Do it now.
And as said. dont go over the yellow marking.

Um.....Those strips are actually bordering almost red.....Can you check that? It seems pretty stable, but i dunno...

Hi!


That is not quite correct. Take the engine clock to 550. And set the mem clock to 1100. That is a good, stable o.c. Do a gaming session, and check the card temp as a safety precausion. I think, you have about the same airflow in your PC case as I have. But best to check the temp anyway.

Also uncheck, " Disable support for driver options". And check, "Disable floating point precision". Othervice the o.c. will have no effect.
So probably the improved FPS whas the driver only anyway. lol

Um.....with the Changes you suggested (551 MHz Core Clock and 1.1GHz Mem Clock) The performance actually dropped back down a notch (frames ranging from 30 - 40, and the occasional 70-90) and a lower temperature as well (somewhere in the vicinity of 56 C). I think it's the Dropped Core Clock from 565MHz to 550MHz.....but I thought the spike in Mem. Clock would counterbalance that.....I dunno, see attachment to see if I did it correctly. Sorry this is taking a while.

Hi again!

If the temps are o.k. And you have a nice run at this setting. It should be okie dokie.
You can also head into BIOS ( This you do by tapping the "Delete key" at first Boot screen. Then use the "Arrow keys" to scroll your way around).

And see if you can find a menue that says "Graphics Aparture size"? And set this to the highest value possible ( probably 256mb). This will help your videocards memory some. Just don't forget to save the setting in BIOS before you leave.

Cheers,

goranpaa

I assume that a Peak of 65 C is healthy for the computer. If that is so, then I am done. Changed the AGP Aperture Size to 256MB and now Counter Strike: Source runs at 30+fps sometimes even at 60fps though only in short bursts, when nothin much is happening, even at intense times, it retains a frame rate above 30fps. Thanks a lot Goranpaa!

EDIT: Unfortunately, I'm running on a Dell Dimension 4600 so I can't install custom fans to the computer. Perhaps Graphics card, but not to the entire computer itself. But if 65 C is healthy for a peak temp (at least after 10 minutes of play), then it should be okay.

EDIT AGAIN: On Second thought, Apparantly gameplay is fine probably for a few minutes, but I just tested the new speeds with 3DMark01 turned on max, 4xAA, 1280x1024, pure D3D Hardware Rendering and the temp alarm went off. After the 2nd test on high detail and during the 3rd test on low detail, the alarm activates with the temperature hitting a whopping 78 C. Probably not a safe temp there. Suggestions?

You're welcome.


Hmmm.

65C as peak, is o.k.
And you will see more improvements from the AGP aparture setting, when you get more RAM. This as the videocard borrows a few mb when needed.

No. 78C is'nt good at all. But also have in mind. That all kinds of Benchmarks, press the hardware to the limit, and have very little to do with the day-to- day usage.

The best stability test is to run the most graphically advanced game you have. And game away for a couple of hours. If that works? Then keep the setting. That is if you're not benchmark a lot?

If you do? Then lower the o.c. settings in "10" steps and benchmark in between, watch the temps. Until you find a setting that does'nt trigger the alarm, and still gives you a good performance.

That's the only way.

A small tip for a fan: Get one of this, and mount it near your videocard. This "slot exhaust blower",
will both remove heat from the video card and from the case.
You just mount it in a free slot opening near the videocard.

ENERMAX WS-8SLFS Whispersys System Exhaust Blower - Retail $3.99. at newegg, webshop.