I think my computer is breaking, and I have no idea what to do about it

[Faerie]

When no one else has any lag going on, my tells can sometimes be delayed for literal minutes at a time. Also affected: spells. I can start a spell, and not have it start until minutes after I cast it. Sometimes NPCs sneak up on me, and I die to them even though I have sow and should be able to outrun them.

My graphics have been bugging out, too. The screen will turn white, in... lines originating at a point? That point usually being a character/NPC model.

What's going on?

[Furinex]

Computer specs please.

[big league chew]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQbxtGxsCOyHxYLY3vMQQuRx_z42oCLN 9uJzAvE0R4KyY2BGzU_EQ

[Faerie]

Computer specs please.

Intel Core2 Duo E8500 @ 3.16GHz 3.17GHz (?)
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT x2
4GB RAM
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit

[Faerie]

If it helps, the game runs with 100% no issues on my 2012 11" macbook air on the same wifi network. Just kinda hard to play, especially with pvp involved lol.

[Thulack]

I'd say check your fans to make sure they are all running and free of dust. If they are sounds like your Video card is acting up. Could try uninstalling the drivers for it and reinstalling. If you still have issues i'd say maybe time to invest in new video card.

[Sgt1stClassPerkerwood]

Pour water on it. My cpu works much better when water cooled.

[nilbog]

Check the temps of your cpu and gpu(s)

http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/
http://www.gputemp.com/

When did this problem start?

How many processes do you have running? ctrl+alt+del/start task manager/processes

4g of ram.. you might have something eating it

[mtb tripper]

yeah with 4 gigs thats what its gotta be

[lawll]

Why the hell would you start troubleshooting this issue with looking for overheating? Shit I would say virus wayyyyy before i'd think his PC is overheating haha. Lets start simple, does this only happen with everquest or does you system generally run slow? Also the lines and the screen going white, is this only on the game or does your desktop also turn white?

[Thulack]

Why the hell would you start troubleshooting this issue with looking for overheating? Shit I would say virus wayyyyy before i'd think his PC is overheating haha. Lets start simple, does this only happen with everquest or does you system generally run slow? Also the lines and the screen going white, is this only on the game or does your desktop also turn white?

Because when graphics start having a issue its usually a overheating or video card problem not a virus. Viruses very rarely are built to screw up your graphics but not crash your PC.

[lawll]

Because when graphics start having a issue its usually a overheating or video card problem not a virus. Viruses very rarely are built to screw up your graphics but not crash your PC.

You don't even know if the issues is with the game or his whole system. You don't know if other games or videos are doing the same. Calling out overheating is wayyy to soon before we even know major troubleshooting questions you should ask for this issue. Also if you have a virus that is eating up your memory (TONS of viruses do this nowa days) guess what well start to happen to your system?

[Thulack]

You don't even know if the issues is with the game or his whole system. You don't know if other games or videos are doing the same. Calling out overheating is wayyy to soon before we even know major troubleshooting questions you should ask for this issue. Also if you have a virus that is eating up your memory (TONS of viruses do this nowa days) guess what well start to happen to your system?

Eitherway it takes 5 mins to check temps on PC. virus scanner takes much longer. And Also if it wasnt just EQ you figured she might mention something about it like "It also takes minutes for my browser to open" etc. If whole system is lagging in general do the following:

Install CCleaner and run it.
Google something called Rkill and run it(it stops known virus and malware from running).
Install Malwarebytes and run it.
Run whatever virus scanner you use in bootmode so it scans PC before you log into windows.
click start menu and in run bar type msconfig. Go to startup tab and disable the usual supspects from starting at windows startup(adobe,itunes,etc)

You might have to reboot a few times when installing the stuff just make sure you run the rkill then malwarebytes without rebooting so might have to install malwarebytes first cause i think it asks you to restart pc when done.

[lawll]

Eitherway it takes 5 mins to check temps on PC. virus scanner takes much longer. And Also if it wasnt just EQ you figured she might mention something about it like "It also takes minutes for my browser to open" etc. If whole system is lagging in general do the following:

Install CCleaner and run it.
Google something called Rkill and run it(it stops known virus and malware from running).
Install Malwarebytes and run it.
Run whatever virus scanner you use in bootmode so it scans PC before you log into windows.
click start menu and in run bar type msconfig. Go to startup tab and disable the usual supspects from starting at windows startup(adobe,itunes,etc)

You might have to reboot a few times when installing the stuff just make sure you run the rkill then malwarebytes without rebooting so might have to install malwarebytes first cause i think it asks you to restart pc when done.

All good suggestions, let us know if any of this worked for you.

[Faerie]

Check the temps of your cpu and gpu(s)

http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/
http://www.gputemp.com/

When did this problem start?

How many processes do you have running? ctrl+alt+del/start task manager/processes

4g of ram.. you might have something eating it

Temps looks like they're 46-55ºC

Says 43 processes, but I can only see 13 things in the list.

I noticed this way back in April, at least the spell lag. It would make it nearly impossible to keep my groups healed for hours at a time, then would miraculously end and not be an issue for a few days.

[Faerie]

A friend was trying to show me LoL (game looks pretty boring), and there would be those lines originating from player units or spell effects.

[Faerie]

Eitherway it takes 5 mins to check temps on PC. virus scanner takes much longer. And Also if it wasnt just EQ you figured she might mention something about it like "It also takes minutes for my browser to open" etc. If whole system is lagging in general do the following:

Install CCleaner and run it.
Google something called Rkill and run it(it stops known virus and malware from running).
Install Malwarebytes and run it.
Run whatever virus scanner you use in bootmode so it scans PC before you log into windows.
click start menu and in run bar type msconfig. Go to startup tab and disable the usual supspects from starting at windows startup(adobe,itunes,etc)

You might have to reboot a few times when installing the stuff just make sure you run the rkill then malwarebytes without rebooting so might have to install malwarebytes first cause i think it asks you to restart pc when done.

Doing this now, thanks!

CCleaner installed stuff onto my browser I think.. some weird 24x7 Help thing. Uninstalling that.

[Thulack]

ah yeah sorry forgot to tell you ccleaner has a install thing you just have to click no to when ask to install.

edit: 24/7help thing doesnt sound right though think it just asks if you want to install chrome.

[Faerie]

CCleaner says it fixed some issues, but there are 100some still unfixed. I click to fix it and it opens browser wanting me to buy something :P

Malwarebytes now into C:\Windows\System32 (almost done I think) and has detected 14 objects.

[Thulack]

do you have the demo for pro or something? should just downloaded the free version.

Downloaded from here: http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner ?

[Faerie]

do you have the demo for pro or something? should just downloaded the free version.

Downloaded from here: http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner ?

Thanks, I'll uninstall and reinstall/run again from your link when Malwarebytes ends. There's so much stuff in C:\Windows\winsxs !

[Thulack]

yeah that first time you run it your gonna get alot of stuff and you remembered to run Rkill first?

[Faerie]

yeah that first time you run it your gonna get alot of stuff and you remembered to run Rkill first?

Yes. I'm doing things in the order you posted. Rklll said my computer was ready to run stuff on now.

[Thulack]

cool. after malwarebyes done make sure you click all the stuff it finds cause it doesnt always check them for you. then hit remove or delete or whatever it is(i did this on 2 pc's today too lol but i never look anymore). then will tell you that you have to reboot. once you reboot do the msconfig part and close out all the crap that starts up that you dont need(most of it you shouldnt, but usually safe to just leave anything manufactured by microsoft you can turn it off except for your virus protection.( i have used avast free for years and works great). But when clicking stuff off use some common sense if it looks like you might want to start it all the time or its a program you know runs in background and is needed dont unclick it.

[Faerie]

Followed your instructions, and it didn't fix it. Most of today I was able to cast fine, but now it's happening again.

Just died to a blue FoH warrior outdoors; how embarrassing is that? All I could do was run around with my spells greyed out as he beat on me :(

Next I think I'll try spraying everything out really well with air, once I get to the store.

[Thulack]

What zone were you in? Would my guess of TT be right?

[Faerie]

Sro.

[fishingme]

Looks like you're running two video cards? Try just one. Seems to be an issue surrounding that. Also, have you gotten all of the extra bits for dual core issues?

[lawll]

Looks like you're running two video cards? Try just one. Seems to be an issue surrounding that. Also, have you gotten all of the extra bits for dual core issues?

SLI works fine for me on p99. Did you try to update the video driver yet?

[Faerie]

SLI works fine for me on p99. Did you try to update the video driver yet?

I did back in April, it didn't fix anything. Guess I should try again.

More worrying news: there are white lines showing up on my screen now, when I turn computer on and Windows is loading. They weren't there yesterday :s

[fishingme]

I did back in April, it didn't fix anything. Guess I should try again.

More worrying news: there are white lines showing up on my screen now, when I turn computer on and Windows is loading. They weren't there yesterday :s

how old is your monitor?

[Faerie]

how old is your monitor?

A few years. It's a cheap and kinda crappy one, too.

HP w1907

[Faerie]

Necrobump, but still very relevant. I kinda quit playing partly 'cause of this, and now I'd like to get back into things. The white lines don't seem to happen all the time, at least I haven't seen them in gfay. When playing my rogue I get really strange lag about everything. With autoattack on she doesn't attack, but can still take damage. After hitting sneak/hide it takes a while before the commands are recognized.

Tomorrow I can do all that stuff Thulack listed again, I'm going to bed now :P

Thanks everyone.

[Bardalicious]

Try discarding SLI for now and test using each GPU independently to see if the white lines persist with either cards.

I'm not sure how a graphics issue would create the problems you're describing in terms of gameplay lag, so long as your graphics rendering isn't slowing down too (everything gets choppy, or moves in slow-mo). That would typically indicate a connection issue. Out of curiosity, is this machine running hard-wired to the network or wirelessly?

If you ran through the suggestions to clean your system of malware and viruses without success, you may also try http://support.kaspersky.com/downloads/utils/tdsskiller.exe as well just to be safe.

And if none of that helps, more information would be needed.

[Bardalicious]

HP w1907

Is it weird we're both using the same monitor?? :confused:

It's the monitor I bought when I originally built my machine, and what I resort to when I'm not using HDMI into my 42" LED TV. I actually like mine quite a bit. It's been very reliable for how old it is now.

[Faerie]

Is it weird we're both using the same monitor?? :confused:

It's the monitor I bought when I originally built my machine, and what I resort to when I'm not using HDMI into my 42" LED TV. I actually like mine quite a bit. It's been very reliable for how old it is now.

Monitor twins!

I was thinking that the lag and graphical glitches are different issues, because the lag had been going on for a lot longer than the other. It's wireless connection. Guess I should try wired for a bit to see if the lag is fixed.

Going through Thulack's list of things again. I have no idea how to turn off SLI and just use one card.

[Bardalicious]

This page should help:

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001167.htm

Turning it off (should) make your PC use whichever GPU your monitor is running through independently. If you still get white lines with it off, try plugging the monitor into the other card with SLI still turned off.

And yeah, after trying to clean the PC, I'd troubleshoot next by attempting a hardwired connection to your network to see if it fixes your lag.

[Derubael]

The lag on the icons is almost guaranteed network related. If you are able, plug your computer directly into your router (as opposed to wireless) and see if that fixes the issue.

Graphics/processor/ram issues wouldn't cause your spell icons to not be usable.

[Faerie]

Anyone recommend a reliable USB wireless NIC? :)

[Babayaaga]

When no one else has any lag going on, my tells can sometimes be delayed for literal minutes at a time. Also affected: spells. I can start a spell, and not have it start until minutes after I cast it. Sometimes NPCs sneak up on me, and I die to them even though I have sow and should be able to outrun them.

My graphics have been bugging out, too. The screen will turn white, in... lines originating at a point? That point usually being a character/NPC model.

What's going on?

Your system specs that you provided in a follow up post indicate that it is a 6 year old chipset. Not new by today's standards by any means, but certainly substantial enough to play a 14 year old game.

Here's a roadmap that might help you identify your problem:


Are these issues only experienced with Project 1999? If yes, there could be some file corruption and a re-installation of the game could solve the problem).


If your copy of Windows is an older installation (how many years has it been since you have performed a fresh install)? If yes, there could be some file corruption at the OS level. You would notice issues with other applications as well if this was the case, not just Project 1999. Back up your system and re-install everything fresh.


Has your ability to browse the internet been compromised in any way (eg. load times, timeouts, etc.), and does it coincide with performance issues in Project 1999? If yes, you may also be having some issues related to your internet connection. If other devices in the house are not experiencing connection issues, it could be a problem with the connection on your system (eg. bad Cat5 cable if directly connected, or internal ethernet/wifi card is failing, address conflicts). Some things to try include reversing the cable (if directly connected), disabling/re-enabling WiFi (if wireless), resetting the router and/or modem to refresh IPs. If none of these solve the problem, your card itself may be failing and it's time to get a service diagnostic check to identify hardware issues and potentallly hardware replacement (if you're quoted more than a couple hundred to fix, get a new system).


Is your system behaving abnormally in any software-related ways (eg. weird error messages constantly popping up)? If yes, you could have a virus. Back up necessary files, zero out your drive (format drive 7 times), reinstall everything fresh including an up-to-date anti-virus program and scan your backed up materials before bringing them back on to your cleaned system.


Is your system making any strange sounds, or is your monitor displaying anomalies (colour fluctuations, patterns, dimming, etc.)? If yes, it's time to take that thing in for service, as you may be experiencing some form of hardware failure. For a system this old, this isn't uncommon. A failing hard drive can cause some of the issues you describe before it craps out completely, so don't rule this out if none of the above solutions help you. Again, if you're quoted more than a couple hundred dollars for a fix (and is anything than a memory or HDD issue), consider system replacement. Some parts for a system of this age can be subject to premiums due to the age… it's just not worth it to spend more than 100-200 on something that may experience more failures in the near future.