Question Lag for unknown reasons?

[TyroTalks]

For some reason whenever I play games (I've tested SC2, Dota 2, Europa Universalis 4, and Hearts of Iron 4) I'm getting massive lag due to my program "freezing" for a very short time. It's ruining my gaming!

https://imgur.com/a/Z6W7k8i

View: https://imgur.com/a/Z6W7k8i


^ usage ^
during gaming the GPU jumps up to around 18-22%.

https://imgur.com/a/V7VoGj4

View: https://imgur.com/a/V7VoGj4

^ internet speed test ^

Specs for PC:
Intel i7-9700F CPU 3.00 GHz.
16 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
Windows 11
ASRock B365M IB-R motherboard

I've run Malwarebytes twice with no results
I have not installed an update recently at all. Prior to yesterday all of my stuff was running fine.

Edit:
I've tested temps. Nothing is running hot. Fans are working well.
CPU only jumps to 40% during gaming. Ram doesn't jump much higher than that.

 

[rgd1101]

how full is the ssd?
what the gpu usage during game?

 

[TyroTalks]

how full is the ssd?
what the gpu usage during game?

The SSD has 19 GB left of 465 GB.
During gaming the GPU sits around 18-22%

Edit: I cleaned up my SSD a bit and now it had 48 GB free

 

[Frag Maniac]

The SSD has 19 GB left of 465 GB.
During gaming the GPU sits around 18-22%

Edit: I cleaned up my SSD a bit and now it had 48 GB free

You should shoot for more like 70 GB free space on a drive with 465 GB actual space, because the recommended is 15% free space.

Also, MSI Afterburner, a free and commonly used tool by gamers, is far better for checking CPU and GPU usage. It can also be set to show stats onscreen while playing. Real time usage monitoring is the only way to do it accurately.

You should also list what PSU you're running, what res you're playing at, and the refresh rate of your display.

 

[TyroTalks]

You should shoot for more like 70 GB free space on a drive with 465 GB actual space, because the recommended is 15% free space.

Also, MSI Afterburner, a free and commonly used tool by gamers, is far better for checking CPU and GPU usage. It can also be set to show stats onscreen while playing. Real time usage monitoring is the only way to do it accurately.

You should also list what PSU you're running, what res you're playing at, and the refresh rate of your display.

Ok, cleaned more (pushed free space up to 65GB as of now) and installed MSI afterburner. Using that I noticed a significant disparity between it and my task manager. What gives?

https://imgur.com/a/K5a1bdp

View: https://imgur.com/a/K5a1bdp


note, it only occasionally jumps this high, but it would explain the lag I'm getting.

 

[Frag Maniac]

Ok, cleaned more (pushed free space up to 65GB as of now) and installed MSI afterburner. Using that I noticed a significant disparity between it and my task manager. What gives?

https://imgur.com/a/K5a1bdp

View: https://imgur.com/a/K5a1bdp


note, it only occasionally jumps this high, but it would explain the lag I'm getting.

The disparity comes from measuring in real time while playing, vs minimizing the game to look at Task Manager, IF that's the way you're using it, which is the way you should be.

I can't be sure unless you set CPU and GPU usage to show onscreen via MSI AB's Monitoring tab, then capture a brief clip of the game showing the stats onscreen. The screenshots you showed look like you just minimized the game again, which is not the way to do it, and a TON harder for us to even see exactly what usage percentage you're getting.

Your GPU has H.264 architecture built in to capture with via ShadowPlay, no reason not to use it really, pretty simple.

 

[TyroTalks]

The disparity comes from measuring in real time while playing, vs minimizing the game to look at Task Manager, IF that's the way you're using it, which is the way you should be.

I can't be sure unless you set CPU and GPU usage to show onscreen via MSI AB's Monitoring tab, then capture a brief clip of the game showing the stats onscreen. The screenshots you showed look like you just minimized the game again, which is not the way to do it, and a TON harder for us to even see exactly what usage percentage you're getting.

Your GPU has H.264 architecture built in to capture with via ShadowPlay, no reason not to use it really, pretty simple.

I have 2 monitors, and I run my games in windowed fullscreen on one of them. I'll try using the overlay next time I play and upload it then

 

[TyroTalks]

update: it's fixed. I have no clue what the issue was, but the most substantial thing I did right before it was good was removing a bunch of stuff from my SSD and sending it over to my HDD. I also opened my case and dusted all of my components, and removed Advanced System Care from my PC.

 

[Frag Maniac]

The bulk of the problem was no doubt Advanced System Care. The vast majority of products that tout themselves as PC Boosters are more trouble than they're worth. https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/12/1711815918575306090/

That isn't to say there aren't a handful of actually good registry cleaners out there though. The giveaway is the hard sell and lofty claims. CCleaner is a very trusted registry cleaner that techs often refer people to on tech help forums. I've also used Glary Utilities without problems. Those are the only two I would recommend, and there aren't likely many other good ones.

I've been wanting to write a PC performance troubleshooting guide, something that I've done on another forum that got stickied. It can avoid the now and then marathon thread that ends up being something like suspect 3rd party software causing the problem. The problem is a guide is only good if people read it, and many would rather post a plea for help thread than look at such a thing.

I guess the marathon threads are partly the fault of those like me whom sometimes get deceived into thinking because of some testing someone's done that they know the risks of 3rd party software with lofty claims. Our bad for not asking (or forgetting to) if the person asking for help is using such tools. Driver Updater tools btw are also often suspect.

I'm also guilty of at times ignoring some of these such threads due to wanting the PC Gaming forum to be more about social gaming discussion than requests for PC tech help. It's largely because the problems are often caused by typical oversights by the user, such as this type of software, and there's often no way of seeing it coming. It gets to be a bit of a grind asking a plethora of questions playing detective, especially when the user doesn't point out such things, but then many aren't aware of the risks of such software.

So like I said, a streamlined, informative guide might help, but only if people take the time to actually read it. From what I've seen on the forums I chat on lately, most probably wouldn't, at least beforehand. If they sounded desperate enough in their plea for help though, I would certainly refer them to it without hesitation.

A few tips on ways to more easily keep your case clean. Use filters on all the intake vents, and adjust the case airflow so it has a slight positive pressure. This keeps unfiltered air and dust from being sucked into crevices in the case. You do this by looking at the manufacturer's CFM specs on the case fans, and use slightly more intake CFM than exhaust. This is more easily done if some of the fans are speed adjustable.

I also had warned you previously you need a full 70 GB of free space on an SSD with 465 GB of actual space. Not 65 GB, 70 GB, which brings me to the last reason I don't participate in these threads as much as I used to. Many will not take the advice of experienced users seriously. Some even get argumentative and flippant about it (not saying you were). Others will just abandon their thread after they find out what the problem is, or it fixes itself somehow (likely via updates). Many will also not thank those whom helped them at all, acting as if they fixed it themselves.

So you can see there are many reasons not to participate in such threads, yet SO many of these problems could also be avoided if more people would just take the time to listen to advice of those whom have been through such problems. I hate to beat a dead horse, but the world is getting less courteous, patient, and attentive.