# Video Game Lag Spikes



## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

Hello,

I am a gamer that recieves massive problems with my video gameplay. We all should know what 'Ping' means, so heres my problem:

I experiance "Ping Spikes/ Lag Spikes" every 5-7 mins. or sometimes, every 1-2 mins. ; and my ping will jump from around '50 to about 5000' and my ping will be at 5000 for about 15 seconds, then it will go back to 50 agian. This happens on every, game, and every game demo I have played.

I do not know what is wrong, and I have never been able to fix this problem, no one knows what causes this. This problem did not occur when I first got this computer, but about 5 months after that it started up. I cannot Ctrl +Alt+Del during the freeze either. I cannot do anything at all, until the freeze is over.

Does anyone know a way to fix this, or some possible solutions?
Replys with possible conclusions to my problem will be greatly appreciated.

Specs:
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Intel Pentium 4 1.5GHz
Compaq Presario 40Gb
16MB nVidia Vanta
512 ram
WinXP
(Also running Norton)

Thank you,
[email protected]


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## McTimson (Aug 16, 2002)

Read and do everything in this thread...that should help a bit, if not, post back.


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## Svenmonkey (Mar 29, 2003)

What sort of internet connection are you using?


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

I am using Cable. <Cox Cable>
And I have done most of that stuff in that thread. Nothing seems to work out for me.


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## McTimson (Aug 16, 2002)

What games are you trying to play? Part of it could lie in that 16MB Vanta card....


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

Ive experianced these spikes in my current games:

Diablo 2, Counter-Strike, or any other game... including all downloaded demos. 

Counter-strike is the main game I play, and some of its modifications.


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## McTimson (Aug 16, 2002)

If it happens in offline games, then the problem is not ping, it's probably your video card.


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

I see. But I've had this video card since I "installed' this computer.
So are you sure that is my problem, because I did not experiance this untill sometime after that.


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## McTimson (Aug 16, 2002)

Does the problem occur in offline games? Offline games do not use the internet at all, thus ping is not a factor. Therefore, it must be something on your computer that is causing the trouble. Maybe there's too many background applications running, or maybe the hard drive needs to be defragmented. But if it does it in offline games, then it has nothing to do with the internet.


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

It does happen in offline games, and I defrag my computer very often. And run the occasional virus scan. So it must be my 16MB nVidia Vanta card then?


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## Svenmonkey (Mar 29, 2003)

That does indeed seem to be the problem.


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

Any opinion on what kind of Video Card I should get?

Type ect...ect...?


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## Svenmonkey (Mar 29, 2003)

It depends on your needs and your available cash reserves. Give a price range you can afford.


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## McTimson (Aug 16, 2002)

GeForce4 Ti4200 is an excellent card for a great price, it's only around $100.

Make sure you have an AGP port before you buy a video card though.


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

How do I check if I have an AGP port?


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

Anything good for around 50$?


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## Svenmonkey (Mar 29, 2003)

Not really. You might be able to find a GeForce4 MX in that area, but they're not the greatest cards.


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

how do I check for the agp port?


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## Svenmonkey (Mar 29, 2003)

If you look inside your case, it should be a brown slot next to the PCI slots, a little farther from the edge of the board than the other slots.


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## Phbanark (Nov 9, 2003)

What exactly are PCI slots? and inside my case, as in, inside my computer?


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## Svenmonkey (Mar 29, 2003)

Yes, inside your computer. PCI slots should be sort of short and white, and they should be in a row on your motherboard.


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