Computer too slow to play COD: MW2 - need advice about components

[F4ire]

Hi, I have an oldish "backup" computer that I sometimes use to play games with my wife. Most of games I want to play work all right (LOTRO, Portals, ARMA 2) however we have problems running several co-op missions of COD: MW 2 while most missions do work well. The system specifics are:

Win 7 (freshly installed)
GPU: ATI RADEON 4770
CPU: AMD PHENOM X4 9550
MB: MSI NF-520T-C35
1 TB 7200 RPM HD

Antivirus up to date, no malware detected.

It also seems to me that the system is a bit sluggish - when I open a new window (say control panels) I have to wait a while until it loads, then it works with no problems. I suspect the problem is the RAM, right (though game requirements specify 1GB as enough)? Anything else you suspect I need to upgrade to play say MW2, MW3? Thanks for any tips!

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Those are older games as long as your not trying to go to Ghosts you should be Okay. That said the usual suspects

1) Antivirus installed updated and scanned, run SEPERATE Malwarebytes scan (your saying it is clean just make sure as AV doesn't normally pick up malware most of the time).
2) Open desktop up and blow out the dust bunnies, use paintbrush to clean off vents, fans of GPU, PSU and CPU
3) Run Slim Drivers make sure your using the latest Drivers
4) Run all Windows Updates, including options, except BingBar
5) Run SPECCY, what are your temps IDLE? (Copy and paste the tab results here so we have all your SPECS)
6) Install and what temps do you get in game with MSI Afterburner?

If these all pan out nicely I would first try removing all AMD drivers through control panel then run Driver Sweeper to REALLY Remove them, Reboot. Download from AMD all the latest drivers, and try again, any improvements?

 

[F4ire]

Thanks for the tips!

1.) was done. I also reinstalled the Windows and didn't reload any old files - the system must be clean. The Malware scan didn't find anything.
2.) done too (though I should and will do it more thoroughly)
3.) done.
4.) done.
5.) temps under 50C on start, after a while of playing Portal 2 the temp rose to about 50C.

Operating System
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
CPU
AMD Phenom X4 9550 48 °C
Agena 65nm Technology
RAM
2,00GB Single-Channel DDR2 @ 401MHz (5-5-5-18)
Motherboard
MSI NF520T-C35 (MS-7615) (CPU1) 43 °C
Graphics
Acer AL1917 (1280x1024@60Hz)
512MB ATI Radeon HD 4770 (ATI AIB) 53 °C
Storage
931GB Seagate ST310005 28AS SCSI Disk Device (SATA) 39 °C
Optical Drives
TEAC DV-W516G ATA Device
NEC CD-ROM CD-3002A ATA Device
Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio

6. I am afraid I do not understand. I installed MSI Aft., what should I do now?

I tried run MW2 again. The same story - tried run Body Count, the map was loading for 5! minutes, unplayable even after the load.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Open MSI Afterburner > Monitoring and set the properties in OSD (On Screen Display). Kick off MW2 and see what happens to the temps. Do you see anything in them when playing the game?

Realistically these should be your score in game settings (did you try lowering and lowering the game settings?) http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-5670,2533-9.html

Otherwise I would say, with a clean Windows install (which would mean a clean MW2 install as well), clean drivers, no Virus /malware because it is a clean reinstall, and your still having issues leads to a hardware issu.

The likely suspects, try again with only 1 stick of RAM, then swap the RAM any luck?
Next could be the PSU or GPU could be dying considering the age an unhealthy conditions (the cleaning you had to do) the PC was under.

As we are considering hardware, here is the dilema. If you buy a new PSU ($99 say 600W) then try and get a new GPU (say the new R7 for $139 for example), and still persists, then it is the Mobo/CPU which got damaged.

Realistically looking at a 2GB DDR2 system this old, I would say it is time to retire the old thing and move up to a newer PC. This can be done on the cheap, for example Walmart has a i5, 8GB DDR3, 500GB+, DVD systems for only $349. Plan to upgrade the PSU ($99 for 600W) and then spend how much you want for GPU ($139-$499) and you have a system that can play 1080p High Graphics 50FPS on BF4 64Man map, for example.

Other examples are : Current 4th Gen i5, still would need top add GPU and correct PSU to power it
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?SID=5QxxAGs4EeOZD95GYZhP-A0_MIEt3_0_0_0&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16883113262&cm_sp=

Or for a little more this awesome deal: i7 4th Gen agains till same on GPU/PSU, but you could get by with the IG in the CPU (they moved off the Mobo into the CPu for 4thGen).
http://slickdeals.net/f/6573552-acer-desktop-pc-intel-core-i7-4770-3-4ghz-12gb-ddr3-1tb-hdd-dvd-burner-card-reader-hdmi-wi-fi-usb-3-0-warranty-windows-8-599-99-ac-free-shipping-w-masterpass-newegg

If your set about AMD CPUs, you can get around the same price but the performance of anything BELOW a FX-8xxx is equal to a i3 Core (entry level CPU), only the FX-8xxx can get up to i5 (mid level and gaming) performance. Nothing still challenges the i7s sadly 🙁

And FORGET about any A8/A10 based PCs, these are APUs and run BELOW the levels of the AMD FX-4XXX and FX-6XXX even wiht using the same exact video card.