Is it true I need a new graphics card?

[paolaelectra]

Hi @puzzlezaddict !

I had to upgrade the game, it wouldn't let me play if I didn't. Got the three upgrades as well, figured something was wrong with the main one.

l swear I recorded just 25 minutes, I turned on the HwInfo thingie, waited 5 minutes and launched the game. I stopped the log in the minute 25... but I kept playing... for like 1 hour and a half. And the reason I turned it off was because of the terrible lag? NO! the annoying time jumps? NOOO Sims wouldn't do what I say? NO! the reason was because I went to bed, my eyes were closing. The game is perfect now and I just wanted to see if you noticed some improvement on the temperature or whatever you see when you see the log. I saw no difference while playing, those temperature numbers were the same as they used to, I can't remember (sometimes red, sometimes yellow).

Anyway I would've loved you to read the log just minutes before my fan got cleaned (it was a mess inside, I swear! and I'm not proud) but it worked, so the question is, would you need me to make a new reading log or should I mark your "clean your fan" reply as the solution to all my problems?

I'm so happy and grateful with you, and I cannot believe "EA help" told me to change my graphics card.

[puzzlezaddict]

@paolaelectra  I would play a couple more times before deciding this is solved, just to be sure.  I'd be happy to look over a new log, or compare it to the old one (I took a peek but was in macOS at the time and didn't get the full effect).  But it's not necessary if you don't want to run one.

You'd be surprised at how many people don't think to clean their fans, especially when they get an all-in-one computer like yours.  But the good thing is, now you know.  As for the temperatures, I'm not surprised they're still high.  Given the relatively low maximum temp your CPU allows, it would be difficult to stay a good distance below that.  The question is how hard the processor can work while staying at or below the max.  Before, yours could barely do anything without overheating, and now it sounds like it can do enough to run the game reasonably well.

I'm really glad to hear you could play so well you only quit when you got too tired to keep going.   That's the way Sims games should be.

[paolaelectra]

Hello @puzzlezaddict !

Guess what? the log thing, I was doing it all wrong every. single. time. Here it is my latest attempt, I hope I did it properly, it's a shame now we'll never know what was the true temperature of my CPU before I cleaned the fan... or we could wait another three years 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g80slbkgw38nax3/140620201927.CSV?dl=0

Thank you so much again, I though it was too soon to call this a win as well, so I'll play, let's say... for a week? I'll also play with my old saves 'cause I somewhat was sure the amount of Sims and houses from the gallery were related with the performance.

The only thing that hasn't changed is the starting music. Do you remember I told you the music or any starting sound played first and then after several seconds (or minutes) the game would start? This happens everytime, though is okay now because the waiting time between load screens is minimal, I swear, I don't even remember when my game performed this good.

That is all, I'll try my old saves and let you know if everything goes well.

[puzzlezaddict]

@paolaelectra  Sorry for the bit of a delay.  Your new hwinfo log looks... better, but your processor is still throttling to a significant extent.  If you can play well enough with that, it's fine; the processor isn't in danger of damaging itself or the computer's other components.  It might help a bit to get more ventilation around the computer, especially near the vents.  And definitely don't run anything else demanding while you play.

Given the max temperature of your processor, thermal throttling is always going to be somewhat of an issue.  But as long as you can manage it, there's no reason not to keep playing.

[paolaelectra]

Hi @puzzlezaddict !

No worries on the delay, as you can see, I'm replying so late as well. Just when I saw the notification on this, I noticed a strange sound on my computer I never heard before. I thought it might be gone if I restarted but it didn't, if I waited but it didn't, if I cleaned it again but it didn't. I'm gonna stay positive and think it is the sound of a clean computer I had heard before only I don't remember because it hasn't been this clean since it was new. Or take it to HP so they can have a look. The sound is like a, I don't know how to describe it, a low buzz. It goes off when fan starts.

Now, game speaking, it still works! (yay!) as awesome and fast as it used to. One thing I noticed though is:

1. The sound started when I restarted my computer after turning it off hours after I moved from San Myshuno to DelSol Valley, or probably not, maybe it started before but I wasn't paying attention.

2. A few of those little issues I had still happen (time jumps, Sims not responding, starting sounds and music before game starts, etc.) only now it's so fast it doesn't matter 'cause the game works as it should, or my computer runs it as intended.

I haven't had the chance to play with my old game, the one with 64 Sims and a lot lots of lots, hehe, downloaded from the gallery and a lot of stuff on it, but I must do it soon.

Another thing I added is an extra fan, because yes, you're right, this place is not well ventilated, it's beside a window that I won't open because the cat will escape and it's under a tv that is always off when the computer is in use in a country which its temperature is 24°C. I do have the fan, that in my opinion hasn't helped, I monitored temperature last night and I couldn't see a significant change on the indicators, but a huge change at touch. Also, I could always go outside this room where there is definitely more ventilation.

Thanks again so much for your time, I'll post the info on how it works with my old saves so you can give me your opinion and mainly to keep a record on this.

[paolaelectra]

Oh I've seen you marked this as solved, you can close it if you want 

[puzzlezaddict]

@paolaelectra  Sorry about the marked solution; someone who isn't me might have acted a bit prematurely.  I can unmark it if you want (you can do it as well), and of course I would like to keep helping if I can, and if you have more issues.  Threads don't get closed without reason, certainly not because someone says an issue is solved.

The buzzing might be as simple as the fan not quite being seated correctly.  If the buzzing does only happen when the fan is running, not any other time, that would be my first guess: that it's wobbling a tiny bit as it rotates.  Or it could be slightly brushing up against something else, although that seems less likely.  You can open up the case again and spin it yourself, to see if you notice anything.  If the fan wobbles a bit, it might need to be reseated, or the fastener (whatever it uses) tightened a bit.

You could also take the computer to a shop if you'd like a more thorough examination.  In that case, it would be good to ask if the shop can reapply thermal paste to the processor, or more specifically to the contact between the processor and its cooler.  Given the age of your computer, the existing thermal paste has probably dried out somewhat, and a new application could help with cooling.  But if the cost would be high, it might not be worth the likely small improvement.

Using an external fan isn't going to help as much if the room where you're playing is hot, but it can still help to some extent.  The important thing is that your computer isn't taking in the same hot air the fan expels, so even a little bit of circulation can make a difference.  You won't see an improvement in the processor temperature though, because it's already thermal throttling.  Up to a point, better cooling will just mean it can work harder before it throttles, not that it will never get to the temperature where it throttles.  It's the same as before you cleaned the fans: the max temperature hasn't changed, the difference is how much the processor can do while staying below that temperature.

The most important thing though is whether you can play the way you want.  If you're still able to do that, then the thermal throttling doesn't matter.

[paolaelectra]

Hi @puzzlezaddict !

I don't mind it being marked as solved, 'cause actually it really solved the issue. My game is still perfect, I grew fond of my new game so every time I think on playing with my old saves, I say: "Naah, I'll do it tomorrow" so I haven't yet.

Thanks for understanding my horrible English, yeah, I meant buzz, not zoom, I couldn't sleep over this for days. It's more like a hum, I don't know, I have a store nearby which is HP itself so who better to take a look than them. Issue now is whether they're open or not, and like you say, how much will it cost.

The fan does a great job, at least externally because while playing if you touch the back of the computer, specifically the hp logo, it's super hot, fan indeed lowers carcass' temperature which I hope helps inside.

I will tell HP to reapply thermal paste, thank you so much for this tip, but like I said it might take a little while.

Thanks again! I'll never forget your amazing help!