Terrible Lagging

[dynastydemon89]

Earlier today, I purchased the game. I was introduced to the mods and I wanted to use some of them, including the ones for playable children. I have installed the Mod Manager, Skyrim, and Steam.

 

But...

 

I cannot get past the wagon where they are supposed to get out. I had the game for PS3 as a trial, and I know it takes some time for them to get out of the wagon, roughly about five or ten minutes. But today, on the PC, it took well over 2 hours, and every time I checked, it didn't appear that anything had changed, though I could see animations and I could hear sounds. No movement out of the wagon.

 

The second time, after I restarted the entire computer, and installed updates that the computer (Windows 7) needed, it went on but it still lagged just as slow as the first time. However, this time the game froze and they never make it to the town.

 

How do I fix this? I only downloaded one mod and here's the link: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=817

 

I chose to try and download one mod at a time to see if they'd work, and since I wanted to make my character a child, I chose to go with this mod first.

[Georgiegril]

I have noticed a lot of people having problems if they install the mods before the game starts. I would try starting the game without anything, pure vanilla, and see if the problem recurs. If not, you know it is in fact the mod. If it is the mod, you may want to post on the mod authors site to see how people have gotten around it.

[dynastydemon89]

The lagging is still horrible. Also, the voices do not work when they talk. I can tell when the men talk, because their mouths move, and the subtitles appear, but I do not hear them talking at all. All I hear is the wheels of the wagon on the road.

 

I have removed the mod and I've tried adjusting the Options/Settings at the main menu. This lagging has frustrated me to the point where I want to just return the game, but I know there's a way to fix this.

[Georgiegril]

Have you checked to make sure that you have the latest Driver, sound card, Direct X updates?

 

How much RAM/ and VRAM do you have? What Video Card?

[dynastydemon89]

The lagging is still horrible. Also, the voices do not work when they talk. I can tell when the men talk, because their mouths move, and the subtitles appear, but I do not hear them talking at all. All I hear is the wheels of the wagon on the road.

 

I have removed the mod and I've tried adjusting the Options/Settings at the main menu. This lagging has frustrated me to the point where I want to just return the game, but I know there's a way to fix this.

 

I have a Windows 7. I'm not sure how to look at the other stuff but I know the system's up to date with everything. I finally got the game to work but it still has the lag, so the controls are confusing for me.

[Georgiegril]

I have found skyrim an excellent motivator for me to learn a lot more than I did about my computer.

I actually think "a willingness to increase technical skills" should be listed on the minimum requirements for the game!

 

There are was you could possibly adjust your computer, for example limiting frames to load or an fps limiter, or otherwise adapting your computer to increase its performance, but without basic information and a willingness to experiment, that won't happen. It seems that the complexities of the program affect different computers and graphic cards differently.

 

To find your computers specs easily, go to your steam client interface and look at the top. It has Steam-friends-view, etc. The last one is Help.

Click on help and find System Information. Click on that and Steam will create a list of all of your system info, way more than you need. The first bit will list your computer, RAM, Graphics Card. V ram, etc.

That's what you are looking for.

 

With that information we can figure out the next step.

[dynastydemon89]

Here is the entire page of the system information that Steam provided.

 

 

 

Processor Information:

Vendor: AuthenticAMD

Speed: 2812 Mhz

2 logical processors

2 physical processors

HyperThreading: Unsupported

FCMOV: Supported

SSE2: Supported

SSE3: Supported

SSSE3: Supported

SSE4a: Supported

SSE41: Unsupported

SSE42: Unsupported

 

Network Information:

Network Speed:

 

Operating System Version:

Windows 7 (64 bit)

NTFS: Supported

Crypto Provider Codes: Supported 323 0x0 0x0 0x0

 

Video Card:

Driver: NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430

 

DirectX Driver Name: nvd3dum.dll

Driver Version: 8.17.12.5896

DirectX Driver Version: 8.17.12.5896

Driver Date: 9 July 2010

Desktop Color Depth: 32 bits per pixel

Monitor Refresh Rate: 60 Hz

DirectX Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430

VendorID: 0x10de

DeviceID: 0x3d0

Number of Monitors: 1

Number of Logical Video Cards: 1

No SLI or Crossfire Detected

Primary Display Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Desktop Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Primary Display Size: 26.65" x 15.00" (30.55" diag)

67.7cm x 38.1cm (77.6cm diag)

Primary Bus Type Not Detected

Primary VRAM: 256 MB

Supported MSAA Modes: 2x 4x

 

Sound card:

Audio device: Speakers (Realtek High Definiti

 

Memory:

RAM: 2815 Mb

 

Miscellaneous:

UI Language: English

Microphone: Not set

Media Type: DVD

Total Hard Disk Space Available: 933767 Mb

Largest Free Hard Disk Block: 839693 Mb

OS Install Date: Dec 31 1969

Game Controller: None detected

 

Installed software:

1001 Nights: The Adventures Of Sindbad

Acrobat.com

Action Ball 2

Action Ball Deluxe

Adobe AIR

Adobe Flash Player 11 ActiveX

Adobe Reader 9.1 MUI

Agatha Christie - 4:50 from Paddington

Alabama Smith in Escape from Pompeii

Alabama Smith in the Quest of Fate

Alex Gordon

Alexandra Fortune - Mystery of the Lunar Archipelago

Alien Outbreak 2: Invasion

Amelie's Cafe

Amelie's Cafe: Holiday Spirit

Amelie's Cafe: Summer Time

Arctic Quest

Arctic Quest 2

avast! Free Antivirus

Aztec Tribe

Aztec Tribe: New Land

Beach Party Craze

Bejeweled 2 Deluxe

Bilbo - The Four Corners of the World

Build-a-lot 2

Carl the Caveman

Chuzzle Deluxe

City Magnate

Contrôle ActiveX Windows Live Mesh pour connexions à distance

Crop Busters

Crusaders Of Space 2

D3DX10

Dancing Craze

Digger Adventures

Diner Dash 2 Restaurant Rescue

Dora's World Adventure

Dragon Puzzle

eBay Worldwide

eMachines Games

eMachines Recovery Management

eMachines Registration

eMachines ScreenSaver

eMachines Updater

Enchanted Cavern

Evernote v. 4.5.1

Farm Frenzy 2

Farm Frenzy 3

Fashion Craze

Fashion Season

Final Drive: Nitro

Finding Doggy

Flower Quest

Fooz Kids

Fooz Kids Platform

Froggy's Adventures

Fruit Lockers 2 - The Enchanting Islands

Galerie de photos Windows Live

Gourmania

Gourmania 2: Great Expectations

Gourmania 3: Zoo Zoom

Grand Master Chess Online

Hamlet

Haunted Domains

Heroes Of Hellas

Heroes of Hellas 2: Olympia

Hidden World

Holly 2 - Magic Land

Holly. A Christmas Tale Deluxe

Hotel Mogul

Hotkey Utility

Hyperballoid 2

Hyperspace Invader

Identity Card

Island Realms

Java Auto Updater

Java 6 Update 22

Java 6 Update 31

Java 7 Update 4

JavaFX 2.1.0

Jenny's Fish Shop

Jewel Quest Heritage

Joan Jade and the Gates of Xibalba

Journey of Hope

Juliette's Fashion Empire

Junk Mail filter update

Land of Runes 1.0

Magic Encyclopedia - Moon Light

Magic Encyclopedia. First Story

Magic Shop

Mahjongg Artifacts

Mahjongg Artifacts 2

Mesh Runtime

Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile

Microsoft Application Error Reporting

Microsoft Office 2010

Microsoft Silverlight

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition [ENU]

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x64 9.0.30729.4148

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x64 9.0.30729.6161

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.17

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.4148

Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.6161

Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable - 10.0.40219

Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x86 Redistributable - 10.0.40219

Monster House 1.0

MSVCRT

MSVCRT_amd64

MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430)

MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB973688)

My Farm Life

Mysteries of Horus

Mystery Cookbook

Mystery P.I. - Stolen in San Francisco

Namco All-Stars: PAC-MAN

Natalie Brooks - Secrets of Treasure House

Natalie Brooks - The Treasures of the Lost Kingdom

Nero Control Center 10

Nero ControlCenter 10 Help (CHM)

Nero Core Components 10

Nero DiscSpeed 10

Nero DiscSpeed 10 Help (CHM)

Nero Express 10

Nero Express 10 Help (CHM)

Nero Multimedia Suite 10 Essentials

Nero StartSmart 10

Nero StartSmart 10 Help (CHM)

Nero Update

Nexus Mod Manager

NOOK for PC

Norton Internet Security

Norton Online Backup

NVIDIA Display Control Panel

NVIDIA Drivers

NVIDIA ForceWare Network Access Manager

OpenOffice.org 3.3

Oriental Dreams

Penguins!

Pet Show Craze

Plants vs. Zombies - Game of the Year

Poker Superstars III

Polar Bowler

Polar Golfer

PVSonyDll

Realtek High Definition Audio Driver

Rescue Frenzy

Sea Bounty - Dead Man's Chest

Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2518870)

Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2572078)

Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2633870)

Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2656351)

Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2656368)

Sheep's Quest

Ski Resort Mogul

Sky Kingdoms

Sky Taxi 4

Skype™ 5.5

Skype Click to Call

Snark Busters: All Revved Up!

Snark Busters: Welcome to the Club

Snowy Puzzle Islands 1.0

Snowy: Fish Frenzy

Snowy: Lunch Rush

Snowy: Space Trip

Snowy: The Bear's Adventures

Snowy: Treasure Hunter

Snowy: Treasure Hunter 2

Sprill - The Mystery of The Bermuda Triangle

Sprill and Ritchie - Adventures In Time

Stand O'Food

Steam

Strike Ball 3

Summer Resort Mogul 1.0

Sunshine Acres

Supermarket Mania

The Curse Of Montezuma

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Enchanting Islands

The Joy of Farming

The Treasures Of Montezuma

The Treasures Of Montezuma 2

Time Breaker

Times Reader

Torchlight

Tory's Shop'n'Rush 1.0

Treasure Masters, Inc.

Tropical Farm

Turtix

Turtix - Rescue Adventure

Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2468871)

Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2533523)

Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Client Profile (KB2600217)

Update Installer for WildTangent Games App

Vacation Mogul

Vampires vs Zombies

Virtual Farm

Virtual Villagers 4 - The Tree of Life

Welcome Center

WildTangent Games App (eMachines Games)

Windows Live

Windows Live Communications Platform

Windows Live Essentials

Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant

Windows Live Installer

Windows Live Language Selector

Windows Live Mail

Windows Live Mesh

Windows Live Mesh ActiveX Control for Remote Connections

Windows Live Messenger

Windows Live MIME IFilter

Windows Live Movie Maker

Windows Live Photo Common

Windows Live Photo Gallery

Windows Live PIMT Platform

Windows Live Remote Client

Windows Live Remote Client Resources

Windows Live Remote Service

Windows Live Remote Service Resources

Windows Live SOXE

Windows Live SOXE Definitions

Windows Live UX Platform

Windows Live UX Platform Language Pack

Windows Live Writer

Windows Live Writer Resources

WinRAR archiver

Yahoo! Messenger

Yahoo! Software Update

Yahoo! Toolbar

Yontoo 1.10.02

Zak & Jack in Showdown at Monstertown

Zuma's Revenge

[Georgiegril]

From what I see you need to update your DirectX and graphics driver.

 

At 256 VRAm, you are looking to really squeeze out any performance. The bare minimum is 512.

Preferred is at least 1GB and quad core.

 

So if you want to make this (maybe) work, I would

1. update drivers and directx to their latest versions. (NVidia released an update a couple months ago, you can find it on their website.)

2. uninstall all mods

3. disable bethesda's HD patch, if you are using it.

4. chose the lowest setting for all options on the skyrim menu/options/settings page. disable water reflection.

 

At that point, if you are playable or close to it, there are some tweaks that do things like decrease amount of grass, rain, snow, etc, which can also increase your fps.

You can also lower your screen resolution, that may help.

 

If you get things running well enough to play, you might try adding mods slowly and see if your system can handle it.

 

Alternatively, you could use this opportunity to upgrade to a new system...I am sorry!

[Rennn]

With 256MB of VRAM, like your card has, you'll definitely want this mod:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=47

 

The game will look a little worse up close, but with that graphics processing unit you don't have many options.

 

In addition, make sure your settings are all low. You can try keeping the resolution the same as your monitor's normal resolution at first, but if all else fails you might need to turn that down as well. Make sure you don't run the game in windowed mode, and use this software called Gamebooster:

http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html

 

If you try all this and yet can't play the game as smoothly as you want, you may be forced to either give up or install this mod, which gets rid of all shadows for a large fps gain:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10789

 

Keep in mind, people still play Morrowind! Low graphics aren't as important as they're made out to be. Mods are much more important, and many mods on the Nexus don't damage your PC performance at all. If you can get the game running relatively smoothly, it's still worth the mods to play on a PC, even with the loss in graphics. Before I upgraded my PC into a gaming one, I was prepared to get Skyrim for my computer instead of my PS3, even knowing that my PS3 would look better, simply because if you've seen Oblivion and Morrowind modded extensively after 5 and 10 years respectively, you know that mods are really amazing and well worth a loss in pretty graphics.

 

By the way, this is one lesson I learned the hard way: always keep your favorite mods backed up on your Hard Drive. Sooner or later you'll mess up installing something, and you'll need your favorite mods well organized and backed up since they may not even be online anymore by then.

 

If you can't get the game running well, even with graphics as low as they can possibly be, it may be time to either play the PS3 version or if you have the money, get a new PC or upgrade the old one. I was able to get Oblivion running pretty well on my old video card though, which is as old as yours, so chances are pretty good that you'll be able to play Skyrim in some capacity if you want to, even though your PC is technically below the required specifications.

Edited May 3, 2012 by Rennn

[Georgiegril]

That's a great mod to know about Rennn! And also about the turning off background programs.

 

THe shadows mod makes changes in your pref.ini file, which you can do yourself, alson with the rain and grass, etc.

 

 

It's also possible if you can't buy a who new system, you might be able to get a 512MB graphics card for cheap, and that might be enough to put you over the top.

 

I have a crappy 512 VRAM card but with 6GB ram Quad Core, and I have been able to get Skyrim running well and also looking pretty. Well pretty enough....

 

If you do get your system working with 256 VRAM you ought to post how you did it, because there are plenty of people who would be forever grateful.