100% cpu usage in game

[fsmyth]

System:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 +3800 (overclocked to 225 MHz)

windows XP pro, 32 bit

GTX560, default settings, single monitor, 1280X720

3 GB mem

PhysX set to LOW

.ini files tweaked for performance

game detail settings generally set to HIGH

 

Problem:

both cpu cores go to 100% in game.

gpu is barely used, but starts heating up over time

frame rate is acceptable (has hit up to 216, but usually stays around 70 - until the cpu's max out)

 

Questions:

why is the graphics card not used more?

is there anything I can do to move general display handling to gpu?

 

PS.  the graphics card gains 20 deg.  as soon as I enable the 2cd monitor (no activity).  Currently is off.

 

 

[ArmswieldTheHero]

Because your processor is really really weak and its bottlenecking the crap out of your card.

[fsmyth]

LOL.

I know.

But it's what I got.

 

[Bazadar]

Wow Windows XP..... that really a PC your using?

 

What game are you trying to play?

[Castdeath97]

7 minutes ago, fsmyth said:

LOL.

I know.

But it's what I got.

 

Upgrade it. Seriously, this CPU is very old.

[Enderman]

9 minutes ago, fsmyth said:

LOL.

I know.

But it's what I got.

 

Try turning your game settings to MINIMUM not HIGH...

[Gonio]

Seems you are at end of usable lifespan vs current workloads. Better start saving up. You can do that in steps. Go for new mobo/cpu/ram combi first. The onboard graphics are better then GPU, so you can then start saving up for GPU if you want.

[Darkseth]

35 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Try turning your game settings to MINIMUM not HIGH...

Which will worsen his problem. If his CPU is bottlenecking, lower settings will even make it worse.

 

Give the GPU more work to do --> higher settings = shifts bottleneck more to GPU.

 

 

I would also suggest doing a huge upgrade. There are smartphones faster than this PC already... ^^

And i would replace Windows XP asap.. it's not secure to use that old fart OS^^

[Enderman]

36 minutes ago, Darkseth said:

Which will worsen his problem. If his CPU is bottlenecking, lower settings will even make it worse.

 

Give the GPU more work to do --> higher settings = shifts bottleneck more to GPU.

 

 

I would also suggest doing a huge upgrade. There are smartphones faster than this PC already... ^^

And i would replace Windows XP asap.. it's not secure to use that old fart OS^^

Maybe you should go look at benchmarks of games on low vs high settings...

It's pretty obvious that at low settings you get more performance.

[typographie]

46 minutes ago, Darkseth said:

Which will worsen his problem. If his CPU is bottlenecking, lower settings will even make it worse.

It probably won't make it worse, but under an extreme CPU bottleneck you might not see the framerate improve with lower settings. And indeed, that's one way you may isolate a CPU as the cause of a problem.

 

I don't think it's necessary, though. It's pretty clear what's going on here. I'm not sure what game this is, but Athlon 64 X2's are ancient. If the game is anything from the last several years the CPU might be far below the minimum requirements.

 

Also, being that this is Windows XP it wouldn't be entirely surprising to find that there's malware on the system eating up a lot of the CPU's attention.

[ArmswieldTheHero]

8 hours ago, Darkseth said:

Which will worsen his problem. If his CPU is bottlenecking, lower settings will even make it worse.

 

Give the GPU more work to do --> higher settings = shifts bottleneck more to GPU.

This is mostly false, turning the graphics down will only improve your games performance, making the CPU feed the GPU with less information.