# [SOLVED] Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)



## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

I play EverQuest2. It's a pretty old game but still is killer on computer resources. I need to know which of my system specs I would get the most out of if I upgraded it, because I don't really have $2000 for parts. EverQuest2's game engine is old and works BEST on a single core. It has multi-core support up to 2 cores, but does not utilize all of both cores.

System Specs:
OS: Windows XP 64-bit SP2
CPU: Core 2 Duo E8400 (3GHz 6MB L2 Dynamic)
RAM: 4GB DualChannel DDR2 (399MHz 5-5-5-15)
Motherboard: P5N-E SLI (775)
Graphics: MSI Cyclone 460GTX (OC) (NVIDIA GeForce 460 GTX)
HD: 250GB WD 7200RPMs
PSU: RD450 2SB (Rosewill 450Watt) Two 12V rails @ 14 and 16amp

need any more info let me know! D;


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Hi, welcome to TSF

The first thing to upgrade is your 450W Rosewill PSU to a good quality 650W (50A/+12V, 80%+ efficiency rating). 14/16A is not enough for your PCIE 460GTX. Lack of power can cause the graphics card to under-perform.

XFX Core Edition Pro 650W - $60 after rebate.

The rest of your specs are easily good enough to play Everquest 2 at high settings.

Check the temperatures and voltages in BIOS and while running a fullscreen game.

Make sure you've got all the latest chipset/device drivers, critical MS updates and DirectX 9.0c installed. Also, check to see if you've got at least 15% free space left on your 250gb hard drive, and run defrag every few weeks.

If the game works best on a single-core CPU and you've got a dual-core, try setting the Affinity to just one core in Task Manager.


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Don't know if you've ever played EQ2 but, even as an old game, I think it still has the highest required specs of any MMORPG, or close to it.

I looked up recommended PSU voltages for 460GTX and you're right.

I was wondering if memory latency has a big impact on gaming? I have my page file set to not use page file. EQ2 runs faster running off of only ram, and I have enough to do it.

Sitting still, or running around gets me about 35FPS and it never spikes much. When I'm fighting, or raiding... FPS drops dramatically, and I'm forced to go into "play-dough mode" ... looooowwww graphics settings.

Even while only running around, EQ2 by itself is at about 50% CPU usage... 90 on one core steadily, and 20-40 on the other core. Would it be better to invest in something like a Pentium D Extreme?


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*



Zahdjinn said:


> Don't know if you've ever played EQ2 but, even as an old game, I think it still has the highest required specs of any MMORPG, or close to it.
> 
> I looked up recommended PSU voltages for 460GTX and you're right.
> 
> ...


I have to disagree with your claim, Im sure Aion and RIFT both have higher system requirments than EQ2. eventhough it is awesome :tongue:

Also about your page file, Your computer will only ever use page file if it runs out of RAM aka 4GB being used or by other windows background exe's and files, So its unnecessary to disable virtual RAM unless you want to save 4GB of space on your HDD. Memory latency's aren't generally what you worry about while gaming its more the speed in MHz that you need to be concerned with. (The more MHz the faster your ram is)

You may find that replacing your PSU might just be enough to allow your Graphics Card to run at full power underload. So replace that before you do anything else.

You could also check on CanYouRunIt?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

It's better to enable the page file. Even if the game doesn't use it, it's still needed by Windows and any other background processes.

How many sticks of RAM have you got? If two, are they a matched pair?

I've got 2gb of the same DDR2-800 RAM as you, with the same 5-5-5-15 timings, and it works fine in all games, so I doubt if the speed of your RAM is causing the problem.

What are your temperatures and voltages?

Do you notice any diffference in performance by adjusting the CPU Affinity?

Your graphics card is not receiving enough power to perform at its best. This could be the main reason for your low framerates when doing anything graphically intensive.


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

CanYouRunIt doesn't have the newest expansion of the game. They've added shader 3.0 and newer particle effect visuals, etc since the one they have.

Four Sticks, Two pairs of two.
Reduce performance when affinity was set to one core... The one EQ2 was on went from 90% to 100% and the one it wasn't on went from 40% to 15%

Temperatures (with affinity set to BOTH cores)
CPU at 75C ... (not totally sure if this is correct, i used Speccy to check it in game)
GPU 48C
Motherboard 43C
"Aux?" 52C ... i think that's my PSU

the rest of the temperatures were checked with Aida32, which is the same thing as everest.

while ingame i'm getting 7000-8000 processor interrupt/sec(scale 0.10?), what could this mean?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

If those readings are correct, your CPU is overheating. It should be around 30C idle and 65C under heavy stress.

Check it again with Core Temp at idle and while running a fullscreen game. If it's still too hot, clean off the thermal paste and reapply some fresh.

Newegg.com - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - $12, free shipping

The next step is to upgrade your weak PSU.


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*



koala said:


> If those readings are correct, your CPU is overheating. It should be around 30C idle and 65C under heavy stress.
> 
> Check it again with Core Temp at idle and while running a fullscreen game. If it's still too hot, clean off the thermal paste and reapply some fresh.
> 
> ...


core temp read 75 while in-game, and... core1-56C... core2.. 48C while idling... 
will definitely reapply thermal paste and pick up a new PSU while I'm out as well, thanks a bunch

On PSU: One huge 12V rail is better than multiple smaller ones?


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Yes, single +12V rail PSUs tend to be more efficient.


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Reapplying Paste didn't help, I blew it out with an air compressor and it still runs hot, it only dropped 3-5 degrees to 70ish.... Should I get a better fan? Bigger heat sync? or possibly a water cooling system for it, and possibly overclock it a little?

Edit: It is currently not overclocked, and am using default heatsync/fan (weak i know)


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## A1tecice (Jun 1, 2010)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Have you overclocked your CPU in anyway, or is it stock speeds?

In response to your query, yes if you can get under 70 with the cooler you have think about getting a better one. If your not overclocked liquid cooling is just a waste.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Did you buy Arctic Silver or a cheaper brand?

Did you apply the paste correctly? (clean off old paste with isopropyl alcohol, apply a rice grain sized blob of paste to the middle of the CPU, reattach heatsink, lock the clips to the motherboard)

What PSU have you upgraded to?


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

It is not overclocked yet, but if i do get a water-cooling system I will probably take it to 3.6 or 3.8...

I got an Antec 650W (which I might add makes my computer silent like a sleeping baby)... old one was so ******* loud I now notice..
and Antec Formula7 Nano Diamond thermal compound...

I don't know if they were a cheaper brand, but the TC was the same price, and the PSU a little more expensive(than what was suggested), but put out a lot more than the required amprage for the card...

Edit: yes, except i used the "line" method... I put a thin line horizontally across the CPU, but then spread it with a credit card, because my heat sync uses those ****** plastic pins I hate so much, didn't trust it to spread it at all...


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

Do you have a case fan in the front bottom of the case drawing cool air in and one in the rear top drawing the hot air out?


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

there is a large chassis fan in the top back of the case, right under the PSU, but not in the front. The cyclone fan on my GTX is absolutely enormous, and my case is not the largest...the front bottom is covered in extra HD space that i don't use... no place for a fan


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

To get correct airflow, ie heat transfer from the case it is imperrative to have a case fan in the front pulling air in and one in the rear exhausting hot air. The fan under the PSU is the PSU's fan and has nothing to do with proper airflow. Also if the bottom mounted PSU fan is too close to the cpu's fan it can starve the cpu's fan for proper air simply cause the PSU fan is much bigger and draws more air.


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

I'm not talking about the PSU fan, I have a large chassis fan mounted to the inside-rear of my case, near the top of the tower right next to the bottom of the PSU (PSU Fan)... and both of them are right next to the CPU... the chassis fan pushes 6000 RPMs and is only slightly smaller than the PSU fan, while the CPU fan only does about 3000 and is pretty tiny...... so that could be the problem?

I originally put the chassis fan there cause I thought it would help draw heat off the CPU and chipset and push it out


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## Zahdjinn (Jun 19, 2011)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

found the problem, the needle pins on the heat sync are broken off, and bent, so it's not putting any real pressure against the CPU for heat conduction... that's probably problem solved right there. thanks


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

*Re: Everquest 2 (bottleneck in pc)*

That would most definitely cause your heat issue. Glad you got it sorted out. You can mark this thread as solved please.


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