Alienware m15x problem with CoD4

Ok - first of all - i am a bit of a noob with it comes to technicalities with computers but for some reason - i get a ****load of screen lag playing on cod4 on the LOWEST settings on my Alienware m15x.

Please note - I have only just recently re-formatted my laptop 2 days ago. When i first bought the laptop - i had no problems playing on the highest settings. However, i don't see how reformatting could be any different. The drivers should be installed automatically, right?

Is there anyway that i could increase my FPS and reduce this annoying screen lag cos it is really starting to irratate me, especially when this laptop costs £2000.

Top of the range specs (at the time that i bought it):

Processor: 1
CPU_Name: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X7900 @ 2.80GHz
CPU_Manufacturer: GenuineIntel
CPU_Caption: x64 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 11
CPU_Version: Model 15, Stepping 11
CPU_ProcessorId: BFEBFBFF000006FB
CPU_CurrentClockSpeed: 2800MHz
CPU_AddressWidth: 32Bits
CPU_DataWidth: 64Bits
CPU_SocketDesignation: U2E1


Video_Caption: NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX
Video_AdapterRAM: 512MB
Video_DriverVersion: 7.15.11.6755

Memory 4gb RAM, Hard drive 200gb @7200 rpm

is there a proble with the "stealth mode as well"...I've tried running the game with stealth mode "on" i.e - with stealth screen flashing brightly and it seems to run better than when stealth is "off"...maybe they're both switched around...

also - is there a way to get rid of the annoying keyboard lag?

either way - the screen lag is really annoying on cod4....even on the lowest specs...any advice from any of you experts on how to increase the FPS?

thanks

 

Ok some things you need to check out first.

1. Are you gaming on battery? Nvidia Powermizer makes gaming on battery on m15x slow and laggy. You can try and disable Powermizer by following this guide:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=261929

2. Is the laptop set to high performance? You can check this out either by accessing command center and AlienFusion or simply clicking the battery icon on the lower right part of the screen.

3. Finally are you using the dedicated graphics card? The m15x has binary GFX, meaning you can switch between using the integrated card ( x3100 ) or your dedicated video card ( 8800m GTX ) To find out which card you are using, simply right click on your desktop. If you see Nvidia Control Panel as a selectable option, you are using the dedicated GPU, if not you are on integrated graphics.

Hope this helps solve your problem

 

Ok, I know this is gonna sound weird but I had this problem and it worked for me

What anti-virus/spyware are you running? try turning it off or disabling it for the game see what happens.

COD4 was that way for me couldn't figure it out then I turned off my iolo virus suite and it was so much better.


Also I forgot to add some questions we should know:

- Does the game lag on the menu screen (delayed cursor movement)?
- What mode does this problem happen in (SP or MP)?

Also make sure that in the settings for display ( or video i can't remember) that the Dual video cards is set to "yes" not to "no", this has known to effect game performance.

if this doesn't help it could be hardware issues (fans, voltage, temps), but lets start with the game itself see if any of the above helps.

 

1. I never game on battery - always with powercord in.

2/ 3. It is already high performance and i'm using 8800 GTX already...


also virus scanner has been disabled already...so dunno what is going on with all this lag...

thx for the suggestions....has anyone else got any clues on how i could up my FPS?

 

As much i know, GPU drivers wont install automatically, you need to install drivers from Nvidia CD which came with your system.

 

Hmm...

Here are some other things I can suggest:

1. I've noticed that you have the extreme processor. What BIOS version are you running? x34 was the BIOS that fixed the downclocking of the extreme processor.

2. Are you using the stock drivers for the 8800M GTX? If not, what driver version are you using? I'm currently using 177.92 from laptopvideo2g0 and have had no problems with any of the games.

3. Another way to find out if stealth mode is on or off is to go to command center and alien fusion. There you can see if your computer is in stealth mode.

 

You are using ollllldddd drivers...try the 180.43 driver.

 

yeah, you're running 167.55 drivers, try updating them.

 

i'm getting really annoyed here...

i've downloaded the 177.92, 175.76, 179.13 and a crap load of other drivers but they all are "not compatible with my system"...the same repeated message keeps coming up after i d/l them.

I'm using 167.55 (reinstalled) - and not it is not digitally signed (what does this mean?) running on vista service pack 1 and i'm finding trouble downloading any sort of upgrade for my graphics card from laptopvideo2g0.


can anyone tell me which is the correct driver which will actually install on my system? or could anyone post a direct link so i know i am downloading the right one...

cheers

 

They're failing because you need to download the modded .inf for each driver... It's on the same page from where you're downloading the drivers... After you extract the driver, copy the modded inf into the driver subject (replacing the original .inf file)

About the "driver is not signed", don't be worried about it, it's not important...

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=258626

follow the guide.

 

cool thx. - got 180.43 installed....I still notice a slight bit of lag! but it's a lot better...and this is playing on the lowest specs...I wanna be able to play on medium-ok-specs but yet still have a decent FPS.

as for BIOS - on system information - i am running Quanta vX30 P3...so i guess not x34. How to improve the processor performance?

anymore suggestions on how else I could reap more power from my laptop? I've got 4gb of RAM but vista 32 bit only recognises 3gb of it...

is it worth upgrading to vista 64 bit as i heard i can get my full 4gb RAM...but i heard not a lot of programs work with 64 bit and my system will mess up...


any feedback on this at all?

 

ur system looks messed up man, something is terrible wrong.

 

Your processor + video card may be downlclocking. Are you sure you're in high performance mode for vista?

Look at the attachment.

 

yup high performance...well something is downclocking and i dunno wth is going on...

my cod4 keeps lagging like hell....could be my RAM? but i have 4gb - 3 of which are already utilised....

the comp is consuming always 30% RAM whenever i start...

*** is wrong :S?

My windows experience index is like 5.0, the rest are over 5.6 (that being my RAM which drags it down)

 

RAM shouldn't be affecting gaming performance, because your video card has its own VRAM.

 

download rivatuner and monitor your performance while running in-game and check your FPS via rivatuner. There is a guide somewhere on which graphs to pull up. "shader domain" "memory clock" "Core temperature" and "fps".. then play in game and post some graphs. You should have a steady 700 memory clock and 1350 shader clock in game. Are you SURE your performance is lagging? Is it only during multiplayer? I am wondering if it is your internet connection. Can you play high single player settings? COD4 is maxable minus soft shadows on your system.

 

ttp://img29.picoodle.com/img/img29/3/11/6/f_rivatunerm_8be20fa.jpg

hmmm what do u think? why the suddenly drops in performance...that's when i always fking lag...

i can't post pics or url - so copy and paste that in ur browser (and add an "h" before the ttp://)

 

your laptop may be overheating. Download atitool and hwmonitor. Run atitool artifact scanner for a few mins and check ur temps with hwmonitor

 

What BIOS version are you using for the m15x?

Since you have the extreme processor, your only choices are x34 and x36. BIOS versions prior to these 2 downclock.

 

how do i check my BIOS version?

and are there any measures to stop my comp from overheating?

thanks


EDIT:

System BIOS Version: vX30 P3A31



I'm trying to update to the x34 version on the website - but there seems to be a problem...I've downloaded the .ISO file...now what do i do? no exe to run? do i have to burn it onto a CD or something?

 

Given the choice between x34 and x36, go for x36

x34- has latency issues
x36- has a temp bug showing your cpu temps at 80C

Anyway for the BIOS updating:

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/...XJjaF90ZXh0PW0xNXggYmlvcw**&p_li=&p_topview=1

Try that link. Should give you a step by step tutorial on how to do it. Alienware does advise that updating the BIOS version should be done with their tech support on the phone.

 

i'm a UK customer....x36 is not up on the website but I believe that i could still use the US one right?

anyone got an external x36 link at all so that i could download it?

 

Were you able to update to x34 Kahoj? Did the problem go away?

Try and ask around in the Alienware forums for that link to x36 as I can't find it right now.

Try and update to x34, since you have the link. and post your results

 

Retarded Nero vista only allows me to burn at x10 as the minimum and not at x4 and x8 as recommended...

 

Now that's weird.. I was able to do it on mine, also have Vista installed here. I also ordered through Alienware UK.

Did you do it step by step according to this?

http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/...XJjaF90ZXh0PW0xNXggYmlvcw**&p_li=&p_topview=1

You should see there that it was done on Vista with 4x burn speed. Actually just redid it right now and yes, I can see 4x speed as an option.

 

I burnt it at x10 speed and installed the x36 BIOS successfully....what is the difference anyways?

I've now got 180 drivers for nVidia and x36 BIOS AND still i get regular lag still when i play call of duty or something. The gameplay isn't really smooth half the time.

Could there be something wrong with my machine?

 

Lower burning speeds makes sure you copy everything properly. Since this is a BIOS update wr're talking about, one wrong mistake can *** up your machine, hence the 4x speed recommendation.

If even with x36, you still get these problems, it could be problem with your GPU or your GPU driver, Would you mind posting a 3dmark 06 result with that new driver?

 

Are you playing online?

if so it could be that your internet connection is slow and causing the lag.

 

Would you mind posting a 3dmark 06 result with that new driver?

How do i do this? and yess it still lags like hell....

and i ran x36 on 10x speed pretty fine...