Dimension 4700 problems

[Sraigux]

First of all, yes I know! the 4700 is really old! But I should still not be receiving the problem I am getting from it. Now onto the problem... My computer started, about 6 months ago, to start freezing up on certain games (I'm assuming it was the cpu bottlenecking) and now it seems to freeze up a lot more frequently on those games, even with graphics turned down to low with DX 8 or under. But just recently it seems to even struggle outside of the gaming world, just opening up internet and loading the webpages takes long amounts of time. I have also noticed that in the past month something inside the computer sounds like it is revving, like a car revving its engine.

Any ideas on what is happening and what I can do to fix it?

I have a Pentium 4 2.8Ghz processor

2 Gigs of RAM

An ATI All-in-wonder X600 video card

 

[AKM880]

The CPU fan might be dying and causing the CPU to overheat and throttle down. Check temps and the CPU fan.

 

[Sraigux]

The CPU fan might be dying and causing the CPU to overheat and throttle down. Check temps and the CPU fan.

The cpu fan would be the heatsink right?

And to check the cpu temp i would use what program?

 

[4fingerlid]

The reving is is normal. It should rev up some while gaming or other cpu intensive task. I have a Dell 4700. Your motherboard does not support cpu temp monitoring. What games are you trying to play? When was the last time you gave your case, cpu heatsink and video card a good cleaning. Here are some of the things I have done to my Dell to improve gaming.....Changed stock 305 watt PS to an Antec 500. Changed 2.8 GHz cpu to a 3.8 GHz cpu. Have maxed out my RAM to 4 gigs. Installed a Ati HD 4850 graphics card. Changed the 80 gig HD to a 500. Can play Doom 3, GOW, Dead Space, UT-3, Crysis, Stalker soc & clear sky, COD-2 and Halo pretty decent at 1440x900.

 

[4fingerlid]

Forgot to mention that Dell sent a lot of 4700's out with the cpu heat sink fan installed backwards. The fan should be blowing the air out of the case and NOT into the case. Take a small strip of toilet paper and dangle it by the fan to check this. The CPU heatsink fan is the 2nd fan down from the top of the case.

 

[Sraigux]

The reving is is normal. It should rev up some while gaming or other cpu intensive task. I have a Dell 4700. Your motherboard does not support cpu temp monitoring. What games are you trying to play? When was the last time you gave your case, cpu heatsink and video card a good cleaning. Here are some of the things I have done to my Dell to improve gaming.....Changed stock 305 watt PS to an Antec 500. Changed 2.8 GHz cpu to a 3.8 GHz cpu. Have maxed out my RAM to 4 gigs. Installed a Ati HD 4850 graphics card. Changed the 80 gig HD to a 500. Can play Doom 3, GOW, Dead Space, UT-3, Crysis, Stalker soc & clear sky, COD-2 and Halo pretty decent at 1440x900.

Im only planning on playing smaller games like Counterstike, but if i need all of those upgrades it would be better to just buy a bunch of parts and build the computer from scratch.

Thanks for pointing out the backwards fan! I will get to work on that

 

[aford10]

You can check your temps with speedfan.

Try keeping your task manager open when it's freezing up. You can see if the CPU or RAM is being tapped otu.

 

[AKM880]

+1. Another good program is HWMonitor.

 

[petrolhead28]

Forgot to mention that Dell sent a lot of 4700's out with the cpu heat sink fan installed backwards. The fan should be blowing the air out of the case and NOT into the case. Take a small strip of toilet paper and dangle it by the fan to check this. The CPU heatsink fan is the 2nd fan down from the top of the case.

That woud explain why mine was covered in a think blanket of dust. Discovered this only after my motherboard had gone west as the damned thing just revs the fam and wont wtart up at all. Now just have to decide wether to bin or repair...