Half-Life 2 gets choppy

[Smartazz]

I have:
X2 3800+(stock for now)
2GB PC6400 RAM
7900GT(450/1500)
M2N-E Motherboard
320GB Seagate(perpendicular recording drive)
450Watt Fortron PSU

I play Half-Life 2 at primarily 1600X1200 4XAA, 16XAF, everything else maxed out with an average frame rate of over 60fps, but for whatever reason the game just lags badly, it's not that the frame rate is dropping and it'll do it at random times, the game will just slow down massively and the sound will start to slow down too. Anybody else have this problem? Any idea what might fix it? Thanks.
edit: I haven't seen any other games do it.

 

[oynaz]

Malware perhaps?

 

[Smartazz]

Originally posted by: oynaz
Malware perhaps?

Bingo, maybe that's why my multitasking performance with a dual core has been so awful and my mouse will just freeze at times. I've never scanned my computer for viruses, spyware or adware. When I rebuild the system next month maybe I should start scanning after I reformat the drive.

 

[sniperruff]

or it can be your AV starting a scan, or just about anything that will spin the hard drive such as diskkeeper or a download.

 

[Smartazz]

Originally posted by: sniperruff
or it can be your AV starting a scan, or just about anything that will spin the hard drive such as diskkeeper or a download.

I don't have AV software(although I really need one), but you have an interesting point and that is very possible.

 

[oynaz]

If you do not have AV software installed, then your problem is almost definitely malware.

 

[DLM]

why don't you click on this link and get yourself some AVG Se Antivirus for a free?...good stuff, better price...

 

[Boyo]

You know, outside of your malware problem, you could easily overclock your 7900GT with Coolbits. You could be running about 575/800 MHz with that card and no volt mods.

 

[Smartazz]

Originally posted by: Boyo
You know, outside of your malware problem, you could easily overclock your 7900GT with Coolbits. You could be running about 575/800 MHz with that card and no volt mods.

Won't be a problem for very long because I'm formatting the HDD, getting a Core 2 Duo and an 8800GTS next week. I'll be sure to get anti virus later on too.

 

[Sniper82]

CS:S ran like crap once I upgraded to x2 3800+ except my problem was the CPU because I did a fresh install and all. Installing the CPU drivers helped but there was still slight slowdowns. Going to C2D fixed all my problems.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

What kinds of sound card are you using? Could be a sound issue....

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Originally posted by: Smartazz

Originally posted by: Boyo
You know, outside of your malware problem, you could easily overclock your 7900GT with Coolbits. You could be running about 575/800 MHz with that card and no volt mods.

Won't be a problem for very long because I'm formatting the HDD, getting a Core 2 Duo and an 8800GTS next week. I'll be sure to get anti virus later on too.

How can you buy all that stuff and not have Kaspersky Internet Security?

 

[Smartazz]

Originally posted by: Pr0d1gy
What kinds of sound card are you using? Could be a sound issue....

X-Fi Fatal1ty edition. My brother gets the same problem with an X-Fi Xtreme Music.

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: DLM
why don't you click on this link and get yourself some AVG Se Antivirus for a free?...good stuff, better price...

Look up AdAware too, there's a free version and it's good software. Also, Ewido is good (you can get it from the same place as AVG Antivirus), I prefer AdAware but run them both to make sure all the bugs get caught.

Originally posted by: Pr0d1gy

Originally posted by: Smartazz

Originally posted by: Boyo
You know, outside of your malware problem, you could easily overclock your 7900GT with Coolbits. You could be running about 575/800 MHz with that card and no volt mods.

Won't be a problem for very long because I'm formatting the HDD, getting a Core 2 Duo and an 8800GTS next week. I'll be sure to get anti virus later on too.

How can you buy all that stuff and not have Kaspersky Internet Security?

No joke, antivirus is entirely more important than any 1337 hardware, even the free stuff is probably good enough, but shoot nowadays you absolutely have to have antivirus and antispyware (especially if you're into teh pr0nz, I know from working in a cheap internet cafe :disgust: ) or your system just grinds to a halt.

Edited for AdAware link