FPS Drops + Mouse Lag

Ssilverhaze · December 2006

<div class="IPBDescription">HELP!</div>Hi,

I've been having this problem since one of the updates that came AFTER NS 3.0
on ALL maps i get mouse lag (like my mouse gets stuck for 1-2 seconds and even my key's) and i get a lot of fps drops on some maps (not all maps, but most maps).

My specs:
AMD64 3200+
x1600pro AGP8x w/ newest drivers
1 gig ram
250gb hd
Windows XP SP2

Defragging does NOT work, registry cleanup does NOT work and virus/spyware scans do NOT work.. even after a fresh install of Windows i get these sh*tty fps drops and why? i have no IDEA..
It must be the half life engine or something in NS.. PLEASE help me out!!??

Ssilverhaze

Ssilverhaze · December 2006

I cant believe it.. i installed the omega drivers for radeon cards (www.omegadrivers.net) and all of my problems are fixed, no more mouse lag and no more fps drops everything's smooth..
Must have been the drivers then.. weird.

RedDragonGecko · December 2006

Its ATI's hotkey polling service it runs in the background. Its known to cause that issue.

Ssilverhaze · December 2006

So if i go back to the official drivers again and disable the hotkey system it'll run fine again?

blackpiranha · January 2007

i have omega drivers too since yesterday but it didnt fix that mouse lag for 1-2 seconds when the fps drop down.

how do you disable that hotkey option? /edit found and testing

Cereal_KillR · January 2007

Indeed, I also have the same problem and I'm using Omegas (9800 Pro with Omega 3.8.273)

Ssilverhaze · January 2007

Well thats weird... :S omega drivers totally fixed it for me! i dont know how but it just did.. maybe it is the hotkey service?? did it work disabling them>?

blackpiranha · January 2007

yes disabled them. turned off all background programs. 9800 radeon pro.

yoda · January 2007

This problem is driving me nuts too - X800pro

Zor2 · January 2007

In addition to my usual stuttering problems, I'm getting this exact same problem.

Your mouse seems to get stuck/freeze in one place whilst the game continues. So if you start firing at a skulk and you get the lag, you continue firing in whatever direction you are aiming at when the lag hits. All the while that skulk is closing in on you and about to bite. When the lag goes, it seems all the previous mouse movements catch up at once and you go into a splitsecond swirl of the screen which leaves you disorientated and in short, ######. Annoying, yes it is. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />

It can't be down to an ATi issue as I've got an Nvidia (Geforce Go 6200). I also did not have this problem in NS 3.1.

shawndub · January 2007

I also have the radeon 9800 pro and am wondering how to fix this mouse lag. how do you disable that hotkey option? any help would be very thankful.

yoda · January 2007

Playing in NS 3.1 still have the issue - also disabling the hotkeys doesnt seem to fix it (i've tried).

Maybe it was a steam update? since you stopped playing ns 3.1?

pSyk0mAn · January 2007

I've got those mouse issues after a fresh install of winXP so I went back to 2k and it works fine again.

Considering mouse lag, steamhelp recommends to turn of all accessibility options like shortcuts and more.

yoda · January 2007

I've nuked as many keyboard shortcuts that I could find.

Basically:

All the ones in the Accessability and the ATI hotkey functions.

If there are anymore to be considered please post - really want to get to the bottom of this bs.

DC_Darkling · January 2007

I have no idea. I got the Ati radeon 9800 pro and never had any troubles. (I did disable the hotkey service in the services menu from windows aswell as regedit it out the runpart of the registry)

kezza413 · January 2007

Im getting the same problem but im not installing another driver. That is just a waste of time when it works for some and not for others PLEASE FIX THIS NS!!!!

blackpiranha · January 2007

If you run hl.exe on low priority it "should" work, appearantly.

AnAkIn · January 2007

This bug came from the HL1 Engine 25th October update...Read steam forums and see...

Zor2 · January 2007

It would help if you posted the link..

Anyway, for everyone else:

Thread is <a href="http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=502112" target="_blank">http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/show...ad.php?t=502112</a>

-----------------
Hi,

It seems most of you are having some sort of performance issues with your GoldSrc (HL1) based titles after the recent October 25th HL1 Engine update. The most common symptoms appear to be that when a key stroke or mouse click is performed, there is a delay in the execution of what ever that key is assigned to do.

A probable fix appears to be that...[1] Setting your "HL.exe" process in your Windows Task Manager (ALT+CTRL+DEL) to a "Low" priority. Steps on how to do this if you are not sure:

Start the title with said issues -> Minimize the application with a CTRL+ESC keystroke -> Open Windows Task Manager with a ALT+CTRL+DEL keystroke -> Go to the "Processes" tab -> Locate and right-click on "HL.EXE" -> Go to "Set Priority" and click "Low".

Also, another possible fix[2] in case the previous one above is of no success, is to delete the ...\SteamApps\STEAM USERNAME\PROBLEM GAME folder. Make sure that Steam is closed during this process. If you have custom content such as models, sounds, or whatever, back those files up if you do not want to lose them.

Hope this helps. If not, run this Steam diagnostics tool, and make sure no obvious anomalies are present. Feel free to post your system specifications here (driver version for GFX card would be nice), along with any fixes you have already tried.

If you've tried the fixes above, as well as unmentioned ones and they, too, are of no success, it would be in your best interest to Contact VALVe Billing & Support.

Cheers,
smash
Volunteer Moderator
---------------------------

Reading through the thread, other possible fixes seem to be:

- Setting Steam.exe to "Low priority"
- Disabling some ATi Hotkey process (to reiterate, I have the problem with an nVidia card so this is weird if it does work)
- Cleaning out your registry with something called CC Cleaner

Apparently, Valve know about the problem and are 'working on a fix'.

FPS Drops + Mouse Lag

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