This is what I have:
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.00GHz 1.98 GHz
Memory (RAM): 767MB
Video Card: NVidia GeForce FX 5200
Sound: Creative SB Live! Series
I am running Windows Vista. Before I did have Windows XP but I didn't have the actual copy (it was my ex's computer) so upgraded so I could have a copy of it. No bugs so far but my video games run significantly worse with it. Any suggestions that don't involve uninstalling Vista?
2007-06-27 09:08:26 · 6 answers · asked by asoobee 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
I run the defrag every night.
2007-06-27 09:13:57 · update #1
increase your RAM and change your video card
2007-06-27 16:29:32 · answer #1 · answered by cocopilot 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Well, uninstalling Vista would be the easy fix. Your hardware is a generation too old for that operating system to run really well. But you've got a legally licensed copy now, so moving on..
The most important things you could do to improve your performance in games short of getting a whole new computer:
1) Get a better video card (your FX5200 is REALLY slow)
2) Add more RAM
I'm assuming your motherboard has AGP video slot? PCI-Express is newer so I 'd be surprised if your motherboard had that interface. Anyway, something like a Geforce 7600GS AGP would do the trick for about $100.
If you're lucky and your motherboard has PCI-E, upgrading costs little less. the 7600GT is available for $90 ($75 after rebate).
2007-06-27 09:34:50 · answer #2 · answered by C-Man 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Let's expand on the correct answer....
With Vista, you need 1gb minimum, but really it's far better to have 2gb of ram...that's just to get vista running well. The cpu is decent enough for gaming, but the video card is not even close for 3d gaming.
As one said, you need to identify what your motherboard has, pci slots, agp slot, pci-express slots, etc. Knowing what slots you have would help knowing what you can upgrade to.
Then it depends on the games you are running.
http://www23.tomshardware.com/graphics.html
This charts shows some performance of video cards. Getting 30fps or better is good for 3d gaming. Anything less will have issues and my not even be playable. Vista slows it down more, so getting the best video card (according to what game you want to play) would be very helpful.
2007-06-27 10:49:35 · answer #3 · answered by computertech82 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
For games you're really going to need some major updating on that. I think the most effective way to speed things up (other then switching back to XP) would be upgrading the RAM. 1GB should be about $40. Then I'd upgrade the video card, there are several at different prices, but that one was a 3 Generations old (Imagine your great-grand parents) and it was a budget card back then. So upgrading that to something decent would really help.
2007-06-27 09:13:53 · answer #4 · answered by William E. Roberts 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
vista is a memory hog, get more RAM, and try to buy a new video card. i also have a pentium 4 but 2.4ghz, and its horrible for video games also. i feel your pain haha.
2007-06-27 09:14:47 · answer #5 · answered by Krispy 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
run disk defragmentor
2007-06-27 09:11:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋