computer stuttering

[merk]

I've had an ongoing problem pretty much since i put the machine together.

During normal usage (emailing, downloading etc) the computer will stutter. For 2 seconds or so the computer will act like its in a loop. Whatever sound might have been playing will act like its in a split second loop and keep playing. The mouse will stop moving. Any text i was typing will stop appearing on the screen. And then it will clear up and everything starts working again. Any text i typed during this stutter will suddenly show up. Playing a game, the game will freeze and then start working again.

The main reason i am now trying to fix this is i have started using my pc as a digital video recorder, and it seems as though these stutters might be screwing up the video recordings, since there are spots during playback where the video skips.

Here are my system specs:

asus p4p800 delux motherboard
ati 9500 pro agp vid card
(4) 256meg kingston pc3200 dimms
sound blaster live
hauppauge 250pvr tv tuner/capture card
xp pro with all current patches, latest ati and hauppauge drivers.
The OS is booting off a segate drive which is on the onboard raid controller.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[merk]

Anyone?

 

[o1die]

Have you disabled the onboard sound in the bios? You might also try using just the onboard sound (removing your video card from the pci slot), and see if the problem dissapears.

 

[merk]

yes onboard sound is disabled. But why should i enable the onboard sound and remove my video card?? Or do you mean i should enable onboard video? This MB doesnt have onboard video, just audio.

I actually decided to order the ati 9700pro and i'll try that. If nothing else at least my games will run faster in between the freezes

 

[sparky853]

I think he meant to enable your on-board audio and remove you PCI audio card, see if that helps.

Spec:
Intel P4 2.4B
MSI 645E Max-U Mobo
512MB DDR333
GF3 ti200 64MB
SB Live 5.1
WD 60GB
Maxtor 120GB
LG 24x24x32 CDR
WIN2K PRo SP4

 

[merk]

ok thanks, i'll give that a try. Now that i think about it, i havent checked for any updated drivers for the sound card in a long while. In fact, i think the drivers on there now are whatever drivers MS supplies either on the xp install disk or from windows update.

 

[merk]

i've got a gig of ram in there. If thats not enough ram then i give up Plus i dont have any more open slots (4) 256 meg chis ... all the same brand/speed.

 

[jammydodger]

What programs do you have running from start up?

[Insert witty comment here]

 

[merk]

not many. norton av, ati's little systray app, sonys image transfer (for the dv camcorder) and asus probe, plus whatever assorted apps windows loads up. The only other thing that i can think of would be the disk keeeper service. But since i dont have that scheduled to do anything i dont think that would interfere. But since i dont have it set to do anything i just turned it off now anyhow. I'll see if that has any effect.

 

[endyen]

Try disabling fast writes. Try lowering to 4X agp. Set hardware acceleration to 95%. Hope one of these works.

 

[merk]

what exactly does fast writes do anyhow?

 

[SoDNighthawk]

Make sure your Video is set to AGP in the computer BIOS then if your card is a 128MB card set the card in the BIOS to use only 64 MB and not the full 128MB option it sounds like your AGP bus could be hogging system resources and the onboard Memory is trying to assist the AGP card.

If you are a PCI graphics card go into the drivers set-up at the desk top and there should be an option to use more/less memory for PCI rigs so set it down a little say by 10 MB's see if that cleans you up.

Failing that the system posts and seems to work try the Post Speech reporter in the BIOS enable it and listen to the host as the P.C boots see if it reports any items not correctly functioning.

Also you could have a minor overheating problem download Aida32 it's free and full version install it then use it and the BIOS readings to see if you are overheating your CPU if you are try running the P.C with the side cover off or buy an exhaust fan and install it so it blows air out of the back of the P.C

If it continues to stutter do some online reading about memory timings for the correct type of RAM you have and see if you can find a correct or lower setting you can manualy set in the BIOS...However the BIOS should read the RAM and set it to default operating settings if it is not force it to by setting the memory timings to SPD in the BIOS.

Barton 3200+ 400MHz
A7N8X Deluxe
Liquid
2x512 Crucial DDR 400 PC3200
GeForce FX5900
Two Maxtor 40Gig 8MB cach 7200rpm
SONY RW 52x/24x/52x
SONY DVD 16x/40x