Compaq Presario R4000 power problem

I've got a strange power problem.
I'm running a Compaq Presario R4000, with an ATI Mobility Radeon Xpress 200 Graphics Card (128MB Integrated) and 512 RAM. I use it as a gaming machine for older RTS games, like Rise of Nations, C&C Generals, and Age of Mythology. A year ago they would run at 30fps at medium graphics settings, with the laptop being powered from the plug (off the mains).

Now whenever I plug my laptop in, the frame rate drops to between 0 - 1 frame per second, and system usage in the task manager leaps to 100%, causing the computer to become unusable. .However when I remove the power plug, frame rates become good within a few minutes.

So basically I can only get good game performance for about 90 minutes from a fully charged battery, and then I have to stop and recharge.

Does anyone know what might be causing this?

My settings in the Power Options control panel are Home/Office Desk.

 

What happens when you run on AC power with the battery out?

Also, why are you running it on Home/Office desk? It is better in Portable/Laptop mode. You are making the R4000 run at full tilt and circumventing the PowerNow control.

 

I followed your advice and changed the setting to Portable/Laptop, removed the battery and plugged the laptop into the mains. I got 5 minutes of smooth gameplay (with some sound distortion) with Age of Empires 3 and then the jerkiness came back.

And when I put in my fully charged battery I could play at 30fps until the battery ran out.

What is PowerNow? I don't have that installed.

 

Go to Add/Remove programs and uninstall the AMD processor driver, then download and install it again from here http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=468793&os=228&lang=en

PowerNow is the throttling capability built into the processor which is activated with the above driver. It makes the cpu scale up & down based on the load that is put upon it (instead of it running full speed constantly).

In the R4000 I would be worried about overheat conditions, as it runs like a hair dryer when maxed out. Damage to the power module on the mainboard is a possibility, and they are also known for a rather poor design in that respect.

 

Ok I uninstalled the the 'Athlon 64' driver, and installed the one you provided. I also installed the AMD Cool 'n' Quiet Dashboard, which is saying my cpu voltage is 1.100 volts and the cpu speed is 50%. Is PowerNow built into the processor already, or do I have to install it for it to work properly?

Also I think you're right about overheating. The bottom of the computer is always very warm to the touch. What can I do about overheating and/or damage to the power module?

 

Yes, it is a native function of the cpu but needs the driver to work.

Check to make sure that the bottom fan grille is clear of dust, as it seems to catch debris easily. As for the power problem, I would first pick up another ac adapter to be sure that your current one is not going bad. If the same thing happens with the new one, you will likely need to send the laptop to a repair center to verify and/or fix any problem on the mainboard.

Normally I would just suggest updating your video driver with game performance issues, but it sounds like the AC power is causing difficulties (as if the laptop is not getting the required voltage feed when connected to the mains).

 

The bottom fan is dust free, and I've updated to the latest video drivers. So it must be an overheating problem when plugged into AC power. Actually putting a cooling fan directly behind the computer while it is raised off the desk has made a difference with game play. Thanks for your help. I guess my next course of action is to visit a computer tech to check my adapter and motherboard.

 

I think you need to open up the laptop and clean the dust within it.
As for the game problems, try using an external power management tool, RMclock is the best out there right now.
Alternatively, do you mind reinstalling Windows?

 

Yeah I've reinstalled Windows XP twice recently. I'll be upgrading the RAM soon though, so I'll clean out the dust when I'm doing that. Thanks for the tip about RMclock. Could be useful.