help with Need for Speed: Most Wanted!!!

[fastrnu]

I hope someone has some suggestions for me. When I play Need for Speed: Most Wanted, I get constant pauses and freeze-ups, and slow driving, which for obvious reasons, makes for hard racing. I have a Dell XPS M140 that is configured like this:

WindowsXP SP2
Media Center
Intel Pentium M : 1.73 GHz
1 GB Ram

I realise that I have an inferior graphics card, but there must be a way to increase my performance. Does anyone have any good suggestions? (I really wish I hadn't bought a Dell!!)
Is this bad performance related to the PC version of Most Wanted? Is there some setting that I'm neglecting to find? Or maybe PCMag has a good down-loadable software that will increase my gaming performance. I do have a lot of background "processes" going, but since this is a laptop, I wasn't sure what processes could be killed safely without jeopardizing the laptop functionality. Can anyone help me?
Matt

[MJCfromCT]

Hello, and welcome to SysOpt. :t

Do you know what graphics card your system has? Are you trying to run NFS:MW that has been patched to the latest version?

Also, could you give us a list of the processes that are currently running on your computer? Perhaps a printscreen of the task manager.

[fastrnu]

Here is a PrintScreen of the processes:http://www.sysopt.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9004&stc=1

and I have a
Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910ML Express Chipset w/128 MB of memory.

I know there are a lot of processes going, but I wouldn't know what is safe and not safe to kill. I know that my anti virus is killing a lot of resources, but I can't change that.?
This was a very expensive laptop, and I have been nothing but disappointed with it, but it seems like there would be a way to get something more out of it...???
Thanks for your help!!!
Matt

[fastrnu]

Also, as far as I know, my NFS:MW hasn't been patched. I have hit the "Update" button, and it just goes to a page advertising NFS:MW, with nothing for a patch or update that I can see.

[MJCfromCT]

You are right, you've got quite a few processes running that don't need to be running. On my gaming machine, the total # of running processes totals about 350MB of RAM usage.

Another issue you might have is that the 128MB of VRAM isn't dedicated video card memory. The way it works is that it takes the 128MB from your 1GB of system memory. This leaves even less RAM available for the game.

From that print screen alone, I'd say the ones that you don't NEED running are the following:

mpfagent.exe
firefox.exe
nicconfigsvc.exe
ehtray.exe
mpftray.exe
namocapture.exe
ehmsys.exe
msksrvr.exe
mpfservice.exe
1xconfig.exe
robotaskbaricon.exe
mcagent.exe
msimn.exe
mcvsescn.exe
mmc.exe
mcvsshld.exe
nmapp.exe
oasclnt.exe
mctskschd.exe
lwemon.exe
mcshield.exe

Obviously, if you kill all of these, you'll be killing a lot of the running processes on your computer, including your antivirus program. If you want a more permanent solution, you could uninstall the McAfee antivirus and install a free, lightweight program, like AntiVir or AVG Antivirus.

Also, you can find the latest Most Wanted patch here:

ftp://largedownloads.ea.com/pub/patches/nfsmwpatch1.3.exe

[fastrnu]

I have an "always on" dsl, if I kill my anti virus, won't that render my computer vulnerable?

[MJCfromCT]

Technically, yes. I'd say the "risk" is pretty small if all you are doing is shutting down your antivirus program to play a game. Back when I had my previous computer, I'd do it all the time (needed to free up some RAM), and never ran into a problem. Of course, it helps if your machine is clean to begin with.

[fastrnu]

also, how do I dedicate vram?

[MJCfromCT]

Well, for your laptop, the video card borrows 128mb of system memory, since it doesn't have its' own dedicated memory. You may be able to decrease the amount of memory it uses in your video card properties, but you can't increase it. If you do decrease it, though, the impact of freeing up system RAM wouldn't compensate for the performance decrease of having less RAM for the video card.

[fastrnu]

Of course, it helps if your machine is clean to begin with.
As far as I know, my computer is clean, I run regular virus scans, AdAwareSE, and cCleaner, as well as defragging from time to time. (Always trying to free up space)

[MJCfromCT]

Perfect, then you shouldn't have a problem at all. Just remember to re-enable everything once you stop playing the game and start internet browsing. :)

[fastrnu]

Well, for your laptop, the video card borrows 128mb of system memory, since it doesn't have its' own dedicated memory. You may be able to decrease the amount of memory it uses in your video card properties, but you can't increase it. If you do decrease it, though, the impact of freeing up system RAM wouldn't compensate for the performance decrease of having less RAM for the video card.
That sounds like there really isn't any performance benefits in doing anything there..?

[fastrnu]

Hello, and welcome to SysOpt. :t
Thanks!! (Just did a Google on "laptop performance", great site optimization!!)

[MJCfromCT]

Right...changing the amount of RAM the video card uses isn't really worth changing...keeping it at 128MB is best. The more the better for that. The best you can do is try and free up as much RAM as possible by eliminating the unnecessary processes.

[fastrnu]

I will try this out and get back to you later. Thanks!!

[MJCfromCT]

No problem, and good luck!

[Imperion1]

Might want to install a firewall since you're on an always on connection.
But disable everything else that had been mentioned for gameplay.