FPS Dropping

I have had this issue for a good period of time, for over a year or something, but as it isn't very frequent, haven't been bothered to post it, but I'm bored now so I can try to solve the problem.

So, the problem is that my FPS sometimes drop mystically from 30-40, to 1-5. This isn't from the graphics card, but from processor. The processor usage jumps to 100% and this problem is solved by booting GW.

My comp specs:

Nvidia fx 5500
Sempron 3000+ 2ghz
1054 ram

I know that format C doesn't help, my hard drive wrecked some time ago and the error still occured after and before.

Try -image, fixed my frame rate somewhat.

That can't be the reason, because this doesn't happen in the loading screens. It happens mostly in cases where I check something from internet, or MSN or irc.

it could be because your processor is overheating, so it turns on thermal throttling and your fps suffers.

semprons are very poor processors in general. not only are they slow, they also tend to run hot enough to scrabble eggs.

Is this a Dual-Core Processor? From my research, it doesn't say it is...but also doesn't say it isn't. So...I'm guessing not. But just in case...load up GW then go to your desktop. Press Ctr-Alt-Del and go to processes, right-click on GW.exe and click set affinity. If there is no option, "Set Affinity", then it's not a dual core. If there is and after you click on it there is a checkmark in both CPU0 and CPU1, uncheck the CPU1 and see if there's any improvement. If you do that and it helps here's a thread that tells you how to make that setting permanent. imagecgf post

Hope this helps you out.

P.S. For optimal performance out of the game, you shouldn't be running any other programs. You can go to Start, Run, type msconfig and press enter. Click on General tab and click "Selective Startup", Uncheck the "Load Startup Items" box, click apply and Ok then restart your computer. Or you can manually decide what to load on windows boot by clicking on the Startup tab and checking/unchecking programs you want or don't want to start up when you boot windows. You will have to restart your pc after changing these settings for them to take effect.

As far as I know Semprons, like most AMD CPU's, don't have a thermal throttling feature.

They also don't run particularily hot; according to Wikipedia's list of Sempron processors the highest TDP (Thermal Design Product) of any desktop Sempron 3000+ CPU is 62 W, which isn't very high - about the same as most Core 2 Duo's.

For a comparison, most later Pentium 4 "Prescott" (aka "PresHOT") CPUs had a TDP of around 85 W, with some higher-end models reaching 110 W.

Would that term "PresHOT" refer to my CPU? Pentium 4 820D 2.80GHz. I think it would because mine gets up to 60ºC(normal is 57ºC) when playing GW, and if I don't keep the heatsink/fan cleaned of all dust it can reach 65ºC to 70ºC. But, at idle it runs at about 35ºC.

Sort of. The Pentium D 820 uses the "Smithfield" model core, which is actually made of two slightly modified Pentium 4 "PresHOT" cores. The heat probably isn't a problem if your computer seems stable; Pentium 4 processors always ran quite hot.

If you haven't explored much of GW:EN then -image might fix your problem.
I noticed after I got GW:EN it would be downloading files in the backround all the time and it really slowed my frame rate :\

This has happened to me over a year before GW:EN was ever never published. So the -image isn't the solve for this one. It has something to do with my processor, as the usage of it jumps to 100%.

If your processor, is single core. The answer is simple, GW needs pretty much all the resources your processor can offer. That means that when you open another program, your CPU has problem managing both programs so you see a performance drop.