Hardware Question

codyw · 29 Jul 2012

I play The Sims™3 like crazy! I love the game and can never stop playing it. Unfortunately, my PC doesn't like it very well, as it seems, because the one widget I have on my desktop shows the CPU and Physical Memory readings. After the Memory gets to a certain point either over 80 or 90, the entire game freezes up and eventually quits. During game play, I have NO other programs opened to preserve CPU and memory usage.

Since I know this is not normal, would it be wise to buy an external cooling fan for the laptop or is there a "fix" for this?

essenbe · 29 Jul 2012

Maybe I misunderstood the question, but it does not sound like a cooling problem but a memory useage problem. If by 80-90 is useage, then you are running out of memory which causes the game to crash. However, I must say that I play several games too, not that one, but I have 8GB of memory and have never played a game that uses over 50-55% of my memory. I'm just wondering if there may be other problems.

DeaconFrost · 30 Jul 2012

I'm confused as well. You are discussing memory usage and then asking of a cooling fan would be a solution. Did you check your Event Viewer for any MSoD codes or other useful information to see what's causing the crash?

codyw · 30 Jul 2012

My laptop has 6GB of memory installed which I think should be feasible.
After reviewing the logs from yesterday afternoon, I am seeing a lot of Warnings and Errors. Most of the errors say "The index can not be initialized". One of the warnings say this:
========================================
Log Name: Application
Source: SQLBrowser
Date: 7/29/2012 10:44:30 AM
Event ID: 3
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: SecurityGuru-PC
Description:
The configuration of the AdminConnection\TCP protocol in the SQL instance ACT7 is not valid.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="SQLBrowser" />
<EventID Qualifiers="49230">3</EventID>
<Level>3</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2012-07-29T14:44:30.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>65396</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>SecurityGuru-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>AdminConnection\TCP</Data>
<Data>ACT7</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>
========================================

The reason I was thinking I needed an external cooling fan was because the left vent on the laptop blows a lot of hot air (like a heater in the wintertime) during game play. However, I do have a small, household fan on my desk which I have on when I play but apparently that either isn't doing anything or something.

I'm a little confused on how this could be a memory issue...please explain.

essenbe · 30 Jul 2012

In your first post you said,

After the Memory gets to a certain point either over 80 or 90, the entire game freezes up and eventually quits.

What I understand that to mean is after I get to the point that I am using 80-90% of my memory, the game freezes. The game freezes because there is not enough memory in your computer to run it. That being the issue, when any program has used all the memory you have, it will cease to function. By the same token, I do not know of a game that will use that much memory under normal circumstances. Memory useage has nothing to do with temps. Bringing temps down will not affect how much memory any application will use. While laptops are a poor platform for gaming, there must be something else under the hood causing the memory useage to be so high. I have a desktop, but have no more ram than you do. I can have 2 games running at the same time and not run out of memory. So again, the reason we are confused is you are telling us that your memory useage is expotentially high and asking about cooling. My personal opinion is, if you are gaming on a laptop; anything you can do to keep it cooler will help the laptop. But, it running cooler will not affect how much memory is used by an application. I look forward to DeaconFrost to chime in here for his take on the situation. If anything I said was wrong, I'm sure he will correct it. But, what I take from your first post is you are running out of memory, and shouldn't be.

Hopalong X · 30 Jul 2012

After the Memory gets to a certain point either over 80 or 90, the entire game freezes up and eventually quits.

Over 80 or 90 what????? Percentage of RAM available?

Temerature 80 or 90 degrees? Farenheit, Celsius or Kelvin?

DeaconFrost · 30 Jul 2012

codyw said:

I'm a little confused on how this could be a memory issue...please explain.

I'm trying to help out a fellow PA'er, but we can only go by what you tell us. You seem to be blaming the memory usage, and then you move to blaming heat.

If you want to find out what's using the memory, run Resource Monitor in the background while you play the game. Again, you say it freezes when the memory usage gets up to a certain point, but then you flip back to blaming heat.

karlsnooks · 30 Jul 2012

Cody,
Carry out following and attach the resulting computerinfo.txt file to your next post.

# **********************INSTRUCTIONS**************************
# STEP 1 ** RUN POWERSHELL AS ADMINISTRATOR ******************
# ************************************************************
#
# WIN key | type POWERSHELL | do NOT hit ENTER |
# in the PROGRAMS list, right-click on WINDOWS POWERSHELL |
# choose "Run as administrator" |
# Click on the YES button (if such appears)
#
# WIN key = key with Microsoft log on top
#
# for the guru:
# WIN | type POWERSHELL | CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER key combo | ALT+Y keycombo
# ************************************************************
# STEP 2 ** COPY AND PASTE ***********************************
# ************************************************************
#
# COPY the script using CTRL+C,
# COPY every line of script down thru both EXIT statements
#
# PASTE into Powershell
#----Right-Click at the PowerShell Prompt
#----(Ctrl+V does not work)
#
# Start copying with first script line without a # at start of the line
# Note: Actually, you can paste the entire file if you rather
#-------Lines starting with a # are ignored by PowerShell
# ************************************************************
# STEP 3 ** SCRIPT OUTPUT & SCRIPT PURPOSE *******************
# ************************************************************
# --The script output and purpose is given at the very front of the script
#
# --The script output and purpose is given at the very front of the script
#
# ************************************************************
# ***************** NOTE - POWERSHELL VERSION*****************
# if you receive this error msg:
#--The system can not find the path specified
# you may need to update your PowerShell
# you must be using Powershell 2.0 or later.
#
# To determine your Powershell version:
#---Run PowerShell
#---enter $host.version
#---you should see at least:
# Major Minor Build Revision
# ----- ----- ----- --------
# 2......0......-1.....-1
#
# If you do not see the above, update your Vista/Win 7.
# ************************************************************
# *************** NOTE - EXECUTION POLICY*********************
# If you haven't set the execution policy, you may need to:
#---Run PowerShell
#---enter SET-EXECUTIONPOLICY -EXECUTIONPOLICY REMOTESIGNED
# ************************************************************

Script:


# ***********************************************************************
# Puts COMPUTERINFO.TXT on your desktop
# COMPUTERINFO.TXT contains info about your bios and your computer system
# ***********************************************************************

function get-ID { 
  param ([string]$title, [int]$arraycnt, [int]$arrayndx) 
  $id = " " + $title + " "
  If ($arraycnt -ne 1) {$id = $id + [string]$arrayndx + " "}
  $id }
function get-title { param ([string]$id) 
  $hashes = ([int](31 - $id.length)/2)
  $hashstr = '#' * $hashes
  $title = $hashstr + $id + $hashstr
  If ($title.length -le 51) {$title += "#"}
  $title  }
$sterne = "*" * 79
$ossys = @(gwmi win32_operatingsystem)
$ossyscnt = $ossys.count
$ossysid = get-id "WIN" 1 0
$dskvol = @(gwmi win32_volume)
$dskvolcnt = $dskvol.count
$dskarr =@(gwmi win32_diskdrive)
$dskarrcnt = $dskarr.count
$cpu = @(gwmi win32_processor)
$cpucnt = $cpu.count
$mobo = gwmi win32_BaseBoard
$moboid = get-id "MOTHERBOARD" 1 0
$bootcfg = gwmi Win32_BootConfiguration 
$bootid = get-id "BOOT CONFIGURATION" 1 0
$Build = gwmi Win32_WMISetting
$osid = get-id "COMPUTER INFO" 1 0
$CS   = gwmi Win32_ComputerSystem   
$CSprod  = gwmi Win32_ComputerSystemProduct 
$id = get-id "BIOS" 1 0
$csid = get-id "COMPUTER INFO" 1 0
$bios = gwmi win32_bios
$obj = new-object -typename PSobject
$obj | Add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (Get-title $id ) -value $sterne -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Name") -value($bios.name) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Manufacturer") -value($bios.manufacturer) -passthru|
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Release Date") -value($bios.converttodatetime($bios.releasedate)) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Serial Number") -value($bios.SerialNumber) -passthru |
 Add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (Get-title $csid) -value $sterne -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Manufacturer") -value($cs.manufacturer) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Model") -value($cs.model) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Primary Owner") -value($cs.primaryownername) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Type") -value($cs.systemtype) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Total Memory") -value(([string][int]($cs.totalphysicalmemory/1073741824) + " GB")) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("User Name") -value($cs.username) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Product Name") -value($csprod.name) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Version") -value($csprod.version) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Build version") -value($build.BuildVersion) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Identifying Number") -value($csprod.identifyingnumber) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Vendor") -value($csprod.vendor) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Boot Directory") -value($bootcfg.bootdirectory) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ("Last Drive") -value($bootcfg.lastdrive) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($moboID + "Manufacturer") -value($mobo.manufacturer) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($moboid + "Product Type" )     -value($mobo.product) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($moboid + "Serial Number")  -value($mobo.serialnumber)
for ($ndx=1; $ndx -le $ossyscnt; $ndx++) {
  $d = $ossys[$ndx - 1]
  $ossysid = get-id "WIN" $ossyscnt $ndx
 $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Build Number") -value($d.buildnumber) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "OS Version") -value($d.caption) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Country Code") -value($d.countrycode) -passthru |
## add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Service Pack") -value($d.csdversion) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Install Date") -value($d.converttodatetime($d.installdate))  -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Computer System Name") -value($d.csname) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Last Bootup") -value($d.converttodatetime($d.lastbootuptime)) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "OS Architecture") -value($d.osarchitecture) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Registered User") -value($d.registereduser) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Product ID") -value($d.serialnumber) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($ossysid + "Service Pack Version") -value($d.servicepackmajorversion)
}

for ($ndx=1; $ndx -le $cpucnt; $ndx++) {
  $d = $cpu[$ndx - 1]
  $cpuid = get-id "CPU" $cpucnt $ndx
 $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Current Core Speed") -value([string][int]$d.currentclockspeed + " MHz") -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Current Voltage") -value($d.currentvoltage) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "External Clock") -value($d.extclock) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Max. Clock Speed") -value([string][int]$d.maxclockspeed + " MHz") -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Manufacturer") -value($d.manufacturer)  -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Name") -value($d.name) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Description") -value($d.description) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "version") -value($d.version) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Number of Cores per CPU") -value($d.numberofcores) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Number of Logical Processors") -value($d.numberoflogicalprocessors) -passthru |
 add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($cpuid + "Socket Designation") -value($d.socketdesignation)
}
for($ndx=1; $ndx -le $dskarrcnt; $ndx++) {
  $d = $dskarr[$ndx -1];
  $dskarrid = get-id "DISK" $dskarrcnt $ndx
  $obj | Add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (get-title $dskarrid) -value $sterne -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Model") -value($d.model) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Size") -value([string][int]($d.size/1073741824) + " GB") -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Status") -value($d.status) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Capabilities") -value($d.capabilitydescriptions) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Interface Type") -value($d.interfacetype) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Partitions") -value($d.partitions) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Bytespersector") -value($d.bytespersector) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Sectors per track") -value($d.sectorspertrack) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Firmware revision") -value($d.firmwarerevision) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "Device ID") -value($d.deviceid) -passthru |
   add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskarrid + "PNP Device ID") -value($d.pnpdeviceid)
}
function Get-DrvType ($n) {
  switch ([int]$n) {
   2  {$result = "Removable"}
   3  {$result = "Partition"}
   5  {$result = "CDROM"}
   default {$result = "Unknown"}
   } 
  $result
}
for ($ndx=1; $ndx -le $dskvolcnt; $ndx++) {
  $d = $dskvol[$ndx-1]
  $dskvolid = get-id "DISK VOLUME" $dskvolcnt $ndx
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (get-title $dskvolid)  -value $sterne -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Caption") -value($d.caption)  -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Drive Letter") -value($d.driveletter) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Label") -value($d.label) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Capacity") -value([string][int]($d.capacity/1073741824) + " GB") -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Free Space") -value([string][int]($d.freespace/1073741824) + " GB") -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Volume Type") -value(get-drvtype($d.drivetype)) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Boot Volume") -value($d.bootvolume) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "System Volume") -value($d.systemvolume) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Compressed") -value($d.compressed) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Serial Number") -value($d.serialnumber) -passthru |
#  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Device ID") -value($d.deviceid) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "File System") -value($d.filesystem) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Block Size") -value($d.blocksize) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Indexing Enabled") -value($d.indexingenabled) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Auto Mount") -value($d.automount) -passthru |
  add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($dskvolid + "Dirty Bit Set") -value($d.dirtybitset)
}
$PhyMemArray = @(gwmi win32_PhysicalMemoryArray)
$cnt = $phymemarray.count
for ($ndx=1; $ndx -le $cnt; $ndx++) {
  $d = $phymemarray[$ndx -1]
  $id = get-id "PHYSICAL MEMORY ARRAY" $cnt $ndx
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ( Get-title $Id ) -value $sterne
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (" Maximum Memory Capacity") -value([string][int]($d.maxcapacity/1048576) + " GB")
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (" Number of Memory Devices") -value($d.memorydevices)
}
$arr = @(gwmi win32_PhysicalMemory)
$cnt = $arr.count
for($i=1; $i -le $cnt; $i++){
  $d = $arr[$i-1]
  $id = get-id "PHYSICAL MEMORY" $cnt $i
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (get-title $id) -value $sterne
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Bank Label") -value($d.banklabel)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Capacity") -value([string][int]($d.capacity/1073741824) + " GB")
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Data Width") -value($d.datawidth)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Speed") -value($d.speed)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Description") -value($d.description)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Tag") -value($d.tag)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Device Locator") -value($d.devicelocator)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Manufacturer") -value($d.manufacturer)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Part Number") -value($d.partnumber)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Serial Number") -value($d.serialnumber)
}
$Arr = @(gwmi win32_cachememory)
$cnt = $arr.count
for($i=1; $i -le $cnt; $i++){
  $d = $arr[$i-1];
  $id = get-id "CACHE MEMORY" $cnt $i
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (get-title $id) -value $sterne
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Name") -value($d.name)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Device ID") -value($d.deviceid)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Purpose") -value($d.purpose)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Block Size") -value($d.blocksize)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Installed Size") -value($d.installedsize)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Max Cache Size") -value($d.maxcachesize)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Number of Blocks") -value($d.numberofblocks)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Status") -value($d.status)
}
$Arr = @(gwmi win32_memoryarray)
$cnt = $arr.count
for($i=1; $i -le $cnt; $i++){
  $d = $arr[$i-1];
  $id = get-id "MEMORY ARRAY" $CNT $I
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (get-title $id) -value $sterne
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Description") -value($d.description)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Device ID") -value($d.deviceid)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Starting Address") -value($d.startingaddress)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Ending Address") -value($d.endingaddress)
}
$Arr = @(gwmi win32_memorydevice)
$cnt = $arr.count
for($i=1; $i -le $cnt; $i++){
  $d = $arr[$i-1];
  $id = get-id "MEMORY DEVICE" $cnd $i
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name (get-title $id) -value $sterne
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Description") -value($d.description)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Device ID") -value($d.deviceid)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Starting Address") -value($d.startingaddress)
  $obj | add-member -membertype noteproperty -name ($id + "Ending Address") -value($d.endingaddress)
}
$obj  > $env:userprofile\desktop\COMPUTERINFO.TXT

EXIT
EXIT

codyw · 31 Jul 2012

Thanks for your replies. Please see the attached.
The reason I said about heat was because the laptop blows a lot of heat during the game. However, memory concerns is the physical memory jumps during the game and ranges from 55%-90%.

essenbe · 31 Jul 2012

codyw, Laptops are poor gaming platforms. Laptops are notoriously hot anyway. When you game, I'm sure you know the extra strain creates even more heat, which most laptops are not designed to handle. That is why I told you earlier that anything you can do to keep your laptop cooler will help it. However, it seems to me that your crashing is memory related. Every game or any other program on your computer needs memory to run. It will stop and crash when it runs out of memory. By your figures, your games crash when your memory usage gets over 90%. A game or any other program that uses 90% of memory will drastically start slowing down and eventually quit. The real issue, to me, is why is your laptop using that much memory. It should not happen if your laptop is equipped to play that type of game. It may happen if you are trying to play a game that requires more memory and CPU power than your laptop has. The laptop in your system specs is not a real powerful laptop. Is this the one we are talking about? Normally the home site of the game gives minimum system requirements and recommended system requirements. You may look there for some answers. In the mean time Karl will look at your info you just posted and see if he detects any problems. While he is doing that, you may like to check the game site out and also run the Windows Defender offline Virus Scan. That tutorial can help assure that this is not a problem being caused by a virus.