Computer troubles

[Randomness]

So my computer continues to underperform. I don't know what's going on with it, but I've had to drastically lower settings on stuff, and even then it's running at low framerates.

I don't get it. There's very little dust inside the case... I have only background stuff running... but it used to be able to run higher settings without trying...

Anyone want to suggest things to try?

[Shinji Kazuya]

I would format it and see how it performs after.

[Randomness]

Formatting is the last thing I want to do... just from the hassle of backing stuff up.

[Shinji Kazuya]

That's why I have a HDD just for Windows.

The only think I would do before formating is uninstall the graphics card driver then install it again.

I dunno what else to try. I just know the basics and nothing else. I usually format mine 'cause it's fast, easy and solves all the problems expect hardware ones of course.

[Randomness]

O.o

Okay... Mass Effect should not be pushing my graphics card to 110 C. I'm going with cooling as the issue... but... yeah. Completely lost as to what the problem is. (Admittedly, this is a laptop, but even so it should not be hitting that high from ME on low settings) This is really, really annoying, since there's absolutely no reason for it to run so damned hot (Unless the heatsink or something is set up wrong, but... ugh... not really something that's easy to determine!)

[Shinji Kazuya]

O O

Sweet Jesus... 110º C!
That thing's gonna melt! > <

[Randomness]

Well, I suspect if the reading had gone any higher, the comp would have auto-shutdown immediately.

And yes, that's insane. Nothing should ever be getting that hot... and that's way higher than the machine should be getting normally, and even more so with a cooling pad already sitting right underneath. (And, coincidentally, right under the vents under the heatsink...)

[Shinji Kazuya]

Even though I'm no expert, I doubt the machine would get that hot from a software problem. Gotta be hardware issue.

[Randomness]

I'm clueless on how to figure out what's going on here though .

[Shinji Kazuya]

Same here. I guess I would have to go to my closest computer store.