Fast computer getting slower....arghhh

[Red96TA]

Here's what I've got:

WinXP SP1
AMD Athlon XP2600+
MSI K7N2
768mb DDR
40gb/80gb HDD
Nvidia 5600fx 256mb
gangs of other stuff...

The problem I'm having is that the computer (in the last day or so) has slowed to a crawl. I've tried all the good stuff...defrag...Spybot...Checked Device Manager...etc. Everything seems up-to-par, but the computer is running like I blew a stick of memory or the video card took a dump.

Recently, I DID add 1394Firewire and a USB2.0 cards to the system...but that was over two weeks ago.

Yesterday, I was burning a DVD and noticed that the buffer was going crazy. In the past, it's been pegged at 95+. I've captured from my miniDV with ZERO dropped frames...today, I'm dropping THOUSANDS (in only a couple minutes ) Geez...the freaking MOUSE doesn't even move nicely, kinda skips along the screen.

Why the sudden loss in performance? I would hate to have to reformat, but I don't see a way around it. Any help in the next day or two would help...that's my eta before a reformat.

[fmctm1sw]

Take a look at what your CPU is running at. I got a virus a while back that maxed out my CPU (and made it very slow obviously)....

[Red96TA]

the System Idle Process is sitting at 98%

Only ~3% is being used by other things to run the system.

[sitlet]

try taking out the card you added, and do a system restore to a day before you added them. see if that helps.

[Abbadon]

The mandatory procedure for computers running Windows is this:

1. Backup your multimedia files.

2. Delete partition - create new partition with NTFS

3. Format

4. Install Windows XP

5. Install most up to date Drivers ( Sound, Audio, Motherboard Chip )

6. Tweak Memory registry settings.

7. Create a bootable image of your system using Drive Image.

8. Start working, surf the internet, capture movies, rip dvd, watch porn.

Now, if your machine starts to act slowly after some time, boot using your Drive Image backup and re-install.

Problem solved :P

[rallynavvie]

Is that video card the Asylum/BFG/Mad Dog one? I've heard of a lot of problems from the 5600 cards with 256MB of VRAM as opposed to the ones with only 128MB. I think they would have happened right away with the card but it could have been a disaster waiting to happen. Gotta be careful with the way they market those ones with more VRAM as they seem to put it on an inferior PCB and use the increased memory size to try to sell them

[mujahid7ia]

Yeah, my Mad Dog FX5200 w/ 128MB RAM does not perform very well. I have yet to test it with a real GFX card benchmark, but in games I've seen my friends' name-brand FX5200's do way better. I was tempted to OC, but probably the GPU and the RAM can't handle.

[Red96TA]

I DO have the BFG card, but it's 6 months old...I don't suspect it's the problem. Unless I get an answer, the migration of files two-by-two will begin and the HDD will be flooded to absolve it of sin....

[Red96TA]

ZAP...had to format.