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Intermittent Drop in Processing Power

  • 04-09-2011 1:25am
    #1
    Dey were Sooted
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭


    Hey - hope I can get some help on this one

    I'm running a Dell Vostro 1500 with an Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T7500 @ 2.20Ghz and 3.5 GB of ram - XP

    Anyways it's a few years old and has been dropped once - thankfully without too much damage ....

    My problem is recently I've started to use virtualdub and at times I've noticed that when I'm compressing/post processing or capturing video the system is under great stress . ie when i'm compressing normally it will run at 30-50fps and when under stress it will run at around 10 . Today when capturing I noticed the CPU usage was running at 90-100% ( normally at 50-70%) and my avg fps were running at 8-12fps when they should be circa 25 . I've found that if I turn off the computer and give it a slap over the cd/dvd drive it will work itself right . I did take out the cd/dvd drive and ram chips a few weeks ago, re seated them but the problem is still there now and then .

    My hunch is that there is some part of the hardware that just ain't sitting right which is throwing it off . Is there some system/hardware scanner that can be recommended that will show where the problem is ... thanks in advance
    Gav


Comments

  • #2
    Kensington
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,683 ✭✭✭Kensington


    Are you sure it's not just overheating? The Intel CPUs underclock themselves if they run too hot to avoid the chip completely burning itself out. Net result is your 2.20GHz CPU turns itself into 220MHz (or less!).

    Take apart and clean the fan and heat exchange assembly, they could be caked in dust.

    My 1520 runs pretty hot and I need to declog the fan of dust every two or three months or it absolutely crawls along while under load.


  • #3
    Kadongy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Kadongy


    Is it getting pretty hot?
    Overheating is an issue with a lot of Dell laptops. Vents get clogged with dust after a while and need to be cleaned out (requires minor disassembly). If there is an air intake on the bottom and you don't always use it on a clean desk this is pretty likely.


  • #4
    Dey were Sooted
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭Dey were Sooted


    I'll check out the fan when I get a chance - don't think this is the problem tho - 90% of the time it works fine .. and when it does have a problem it is apparent straight away once I boot up and start to capture/process . If it was an over heating issue would it not take a while for the drop in processing power to kick in .... and all it takes is to switch off, give it a slap , boot up again and it works away fine ..... it maybe that the cd drive is not seated properly as this took a hammering when I dropped it ... would this cause the system to slow down ?


  • #5
    Dey were Sooted
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 296 ✭✭Dey were Sooted


    Well I cleaned out the fan by taking the computer apart - removing the hard drive , optical drive , keyboard , screen mount , palm rest , graphics card and heat sinks (not sure would I call that minor disassembly :) ) There was some build up of dust around the fan but not a huge amount . After putting it all back together it seems to be running well .... another thing that would happen is that I would get a blue screen if I lifted or moved the laptop while it was on and this has seemed to have disappeared so fingers crossed it will stay that way . cheers for the advice ....


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