Computer problems with WoW

[Deleted]

With the start of Cataclysm I experienced some problems while playing. Sometimes I get a freezing screen and most of the times I have fps drops/screen lag and with raiding on 25 man I don't even see effects from spells or I see them after 10 seconds (No matter what quality of videosettings I take). I first thought the problem was because maybe some drivers weren't updated and that I had to clean my pc. After I did all of this I didn't see any improvement, so I thought maybe you guys could find any solution for this problem!

Here is the setup of my computer

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2400 MHz (9 x 267)
GPU: GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB)
Memory: 3070MB RAM
Page File: 4669MB used, 1684MB available
Monitor: Iiyama 22"
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32-Bit
DirectX-version: DirectX 11

Already thanks in advance for helping!

[imRAGING]

8800 GT (512 MB)... sticks out... with the implementation of the new graphics engine... the 8800gt is probably holding you back, especially with the low 512 mb vram buffer.. I would tone your settings down... they don't have to be all low, but shadows/sunbeams in particular will eat that video card alive... a little more information would be helpful, what resolution do you play on? what current settings do you have in game?

[Jektar]

With the start of Cataclysm I experienced some problems while playing. Sometimes I get a freezing screen and most of the times I have fps drops/screen lag and with raiding on 25 man I don't even see effects from spells or I see them after 10 seconds (No matter what quality of videosettings I take). I first thought the problem was because maybe some drivers weren't updated and that I had to clean my pc. After I did all of this I didn't see any improvement, so I thought maybe you guys could find any solution for this problem!

Here is the setup of my computer

CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2400 MHz (9 x 267)
GPU: GeForce 8800 GT (512 MB)
Memory: 3070MB RAM
Page File: 4669MB used, 1684MB available
Monitor: Iiyama 22"
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32-Bit
DirectX-version: DirectX 11

Already thanks in advance for helping!

Alot of out guildies are having the same problem about freeze screen but it's usually around the AH area. Could be since it's packed and for spell effects, we've had an issue or two on fights such as ascendant council where no flames would pop up but running through his sprint path after he jumped you'd still lose waterlogged or omnitron defense we couldn't see the poison cloud but still had the debuff.

Most of us play with graphics to max setting as well and it's not like 1 or two of us don't see it but the whole 25 man.

*edit* also I'm curious does the freeze screen just happen in say cities or anywhere?

[Deleted]

Got the graphics on "good" , the resolution I play on is 1680x1050 (Wide), Got texture filtering and multisampling on its lowest and did the particle density on high and the Shadow Quality on Good and Sunshafts on Low.

But you're recommending me to get a new graphics card or is it still doable? Next to that I have the most problems with 25-man raiding.

[vesseblah]

Your problem is basically that every piece of hardware is 3 years old now, and it chokes on 3 months old game. There are ways to improve situation, but not without throwing money at it. 25-man raids are very tough for old CPU like q6600. Your options are basically overclocking CPU + new graphics card, or buy new computer.

[Deleted]

Alot of out guildies are having the same problem about freeze screen but it's usually around the AH area. Could be since it's packed and for spell effects, we've had an issue or two on fights such as ascendant council where no flames would pop up but running through his sprint path after he jumped you'd still lose waterlogged or omnitron defense we couldn't see the poison cloud but still had the debuff.

Most of us play with graphics to max setting as well and it's not like 1 or two of us don't see it but the whole 25 man.

*edit* also I'm curious does the freeze screen just happen in say cities or anywhere?

I've got exact the same problems with the spells, even with new adds spawning from Magmaw or Omnitron I just don't see them. And I've got those problems in cities and while raiding.

---------- Post added 2011-01-18 at 04:09 PM ----------

Your problem is basically that every piece of hardware is 3 years old now, and it chokes on 3 months old game. There are ways to improve situation, but not without throwing money at it. 25-man raids are very tough for old CPU like q6600. Your options are basically overclocking CPU + new graphics card, or buy new computer.

Okay, then I might just buy a new computer!

Thank you everyone for giving the feedback!

[imRAGING]

Got the graphics on "good" , the resolution I play on is 1680x1050 (Wide), Got texture filtering and multisampling on its lowest and did the particle density on high and the Shadow Quality on Good and Sunshafts on Low.

But you're recommending me to get a new graphics card or is it still doable? Next to that I have the most problems with 25-man raiding.

I would put shadow quality on low & probably spell effect on low... w/ 25 people going crazy in a raid and being cluttered all in one area, casting spells and what not... I would say the gfx card is the culprit... 8800gt is pretty old in terms of staying with technology... Also, I would modify your config.wtf and add in DX11 to see if that helps, even though your card does not support DX11, "users" without DX11 supported cards have proven that it helps w/ FPS.

add this to the end of your config.wtf:

SET gxApi "d3d11"

[vesseblah]

particle density on high and the Shadow Quality on Good

Try lowering those first to see if you get the game back to playable speed. Shadow quality does nothing in raids, just eyecandy so you can even turn it off. Particle density is bit trickier since very low settings might make it hard to see when you're standing in fire so it might take some experimentation to see how low you can push it. Both of those settings are tough on old hardware.