Very Laggy PC!

[LFCJohnSmith]

My PC is very laggy and I was wondering whether the solution to problem is just as simple as a few upgrades. I currently have a Foxconn 45GM mobo with 4GB of RAM although only 3.25 is usable as it's a 32 bit chipset, as well as that I have a E2200 pentium dual core CPU.

My CPU runs at less than 10% most of the time but if I start opening web pages etc. it will breifly go to 52% and then back down to about 3%. My RAM usage is at 35% and stays like that when I open web pages, but then thing is even though it doesn't seem like my PC is being run too hard it is and can be very laggy at times. I was going to put in a new mobo which will allow me to use more than the current 3.25GB of RAM I am currently using, I am infact going to use 6GB of RAM as I have 2 GB sitting there doing nowt from when I bought my 2 x 4GB RAM.

The MOBO I am looking at buying is this one:

Gigabyte motherboard EG41MF-US2H LGA775 DDR2 micro ATX.

I was hoping that this would provide a short term fix, but if this aint going to provide a fix will the only solution to my problem be a CPU upgrade?

 

[MindoverMaster]

Above 4Gb (RAM + shared onboard GPU RAM), you need a x64 OS. What OS are you running?

RAM shouldn't be your problem, though. Try running Malwarebytes

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

I am running a 64bit OS, my PC is completly free of malware as it was checked the other day.

I also have a separate video card so the onboard GPU isn't eating into my resources.

 

[patonb]

Check your temps... The paste could be dried up, and heating things to hot.

Definately not ram, unless its bunked...

 

[MindoverMaster]

I didn't think the heat would lag the system...

Did you look in your case recently? Could be a dust bunny in there

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

My temps are at 45, the dust was cleaned out a couple of weeks ago, so I am now presuming that it's not something that will be fixed by just a new mobo and a bit of RAM, I need a new cpu to give my PC some life.

 

[patonb]

I didn't think the heat would lag the system...

Did you look in your case recently? Could be a dust bunny in there

Of coarse heat can lag a system.. if hitting the throttle temps the system will start downclocking.

However, 45C is low, so thats outta the question. Is that load or idle?

Your cpu could be just getting tired. I hardly doubt ram is an issue unless going bad, 3Gigs of ram isd standaed on a lot of systems..

Try memtest86 and see if your rams tired

 

[95BlackGA]

Changing out the motherboard won't change the fact that you only have 3.25GB of usable RAM. You're running a 32bit operating system. Which, means you have a 512MB graphics card (onboard or external). 32bit OSes can only use 3.75GB of RAM. The video RAM is included in that 3.75GB, so the amount of VRAM is deducted from the 3.75GB number.

* My buddy had a 2GB 4870X2, and 6GB DDR3, and was wondering why he only was allowed to run 1.75GB of ram, and was getting ****ed off that his newly built computer was messed up. Turns out I get over there and he was running 32bit 7 Home Premium.

EDIT : What exact OS are you running currently? Check the Resource Monitor in the Task Manager, to see if there's any underlying problems in there, or if there are services running that shouldn't be.

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

Changing out the motherboard won't change the fact that you only have 3.25GB of usable RAM. You're running a 32bit operating system. Which, means you have a 512MB graphics card (onboard or external). 32bit OSes can only use 3.75GB of RAM. The video RAM is included in that 3.75GB, so the amount of VRAM is deducted from the 3.75GB number.

* My buddy had a 2GB 4870X2, and 6GB DDR3, and was wondering why he only was allowed to run 1.75GB of ram, and was getting ****ed off that his newly built computer was messed up. Turns out I get over there and he was running 32bit 7 Home Premium.

EDIT : What exact OS are you running currently? Check the Resource Monitor in the Task Manager, to see if there's any underlying problems in there, or if there are services running that shouldn't be.

If you read the next post you will see that I have Windows 7 x64bit

 

[MindoverMaster]

You never said what OS you have. There must be a problem with your memory. As patonb suggested, run memtest.