RAM issues?

[Neferati]

As stated I am totally clueless about pc's hoping this belongs here.

Since I returned from a trip to denmark and installed windows 7 onto my PC i've had nothing but problems.

I play World of warcraft and since I returned it's been playing with 1fps and 5fps if i'm lucky, while I was away my sister took it upon herself to vacuum my pc god alone knows and last night I reseated the RAM, this seemed to provide a temporary fix and everything retured to normal, then earlier I entered an instance and I was being disconnected from the game constantly with 3fps and now it's totally unplayable it's almost like someone has the game attached to an elastic band and its pulling it so i freeze for 1-2seconds then releases it.

I've read this could be a ram issue, currently running 3gb but I just wanted to get other opinions on the situation.

I'm experiencing problems outside of games as well, msn messenger for example keeps crashing if I tab onto it.

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

Kat

[Match]

Hi Neferati

 

Sounds like it may be RAM, but apart from your installed 3Gig you may also have a Graphics card which may well also have some RAM of it's own.

 

SO.. I would if you have a graphics card remove it blow out its slot with some compressed air, or Just give it a good blow if your a pauper like me, and then reseat it then do the same with the RAM Sticks.

 

Then if you would so Kind as to tell us if this has had an effect or not, if not some computer specs would be useful, or make and model :)

[Tootech]

I doubt it will be a RAM issue - you would get random shutdowns or BSOD's rather than a slow PC.

 

Did you install the correct drivers after you installed Windows 7, or rely on Windows to do it all for you?

 

I'm thinking video driver updates specifically.

[Neferati]

I downloaded the video driver updates from the ati website so that isn't an issue, and have cleaned the computer with compressed air.

I've also upgraded the RAM to 4gb now as thats the max I can get.

Unfortunatly the issue still exists, would it be easier for me to post specs?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi and welcome from me.

The make and model number and if possible the make and model of the motherboard fitted would be a great help, though if a manufactured machine such as a Dell or similar, make and model may be enough. If it is a Dell, the service tag number would be great.

Nev.

[Neferati]

Hey hope this information is correct

 

Dell Inc. Vostro 220 Series

System Service Tag: 426H84J

Chassis Serial Number: 426H84J

 

Board: Dell Inc. 0P301D A00

 

ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series

[Match]

Are you using the 32 or 64 Bit version of Windows 7?

[Neferati]

64 bit

[Match]

OK that brings us to this Question

 

Did you install the correct drivers after you installed Windows 7, or rely on Windows to do it all for you?

 

Reason why is that Dell Don't do 64bit Support for your machine

 

Dell - Dell - Supported Operating Systems

 

so If you are using Dell drivers, you will need to revert to the Microsoft ones

[Neferati]

If possible could you let me know where to find the correct drivers, would be appreciated.

[Match]

What drivers are currently installed?

 

If you look in Device Manager under the Driver Tab it should tell you who the driver provider is, if its Dell click Update Driver, Select Search Automatically and it should load the Microsoft ones for you.

[Neferati]

If this was for display adapters it says

 

'The best driver software for your device is already installed

Windows has determined the driver software for your device is up to date

 

ATI Radeon HD4800 Series

 

Driver version 8.712.0.0

[Match]

Nope for the CPU would be the one to check first the GPU would need the latest Catalyst Drivers from ATI, which I believe you've already installed.

 

Basically if you just installed Windows 7 it would have installed with all the Best drivers available for your machine, but if you then installed the Dell Drivers then this would result in a 64Bit Operating system working with 32 Bit Drivers

 

Did you install the correct drivers after you installed Windows 7, or rely on Windows to do it all for you?

 

So if you relied on Windows to do it for you all should be OK and we need to look else where,

 

If you installed the Dell Drivers they will be 32bit and need removing.

[Neferati]

I didn't install anything from Dell just whatever windows 7 did automatically and the ATI drivers.

[Match]

:) OK, have you checked what the cpu speed is in system menu ?

 

Control Panel\System and Security\System

 

Just wondering if the Bios has reset and CPU frequency settings have been changed to default?

[Neferati]

2.50 gigahertz

[Match]

Have you checked that the monitor is connected to the Graphics card and not the onboard graphics, and have you checked the cable from the motherboard to the HDD?

[Neferati]

Yes and yes

[Match]

I don't see how this can be Hardware related, and am now thinking that this is registry related, have you used any registry cleaning or optimization software?

[Neferati]

No I havent used anything

[Match]

Well TBH I'm running out of Idea's other than Backing up and trying a clean Install I'm stuck.