Low FPS in CS:S with4200+ x2, 2.2GHz stock, 939

I'm using an nForce 9.16 revision I got off of www.Guru3d.com, using older drivers for my video card, 91.47, someone suggested that on a different forum, I was using 162.18. Using the dual core optimizer and the amd drivers v1.3.2.16. I have everything on high in CS:S, although I do not have vertical sync enabled nor do I have HDR enabled. And Color Correction is also off. My friend recently got a similar setup and it runs the game flawlessly.

Your CPU and graphics card can handle CS Source just fine. You should be able to have everything on high with HDR on and V Sync off (because its dumb lol). Don't turn up anti-aliasing too high or anisotropic, I had to back those down to the recommended settings of 2x and 4x respectively on my 7900 GS b/c it made my card run too hot.

Have you tried many servers? When the server lags you lag, even if you have a good ping, so maybe you just routinely play on a bad server? If that's not the case, how's your ping in general? If you're on an old DSL or worse, the choppy-ness may be from your itnernet. Or even on a quality cable line, like my 8Mb/sec line, if a roommate or family member is downloading on something like Azereus, your badwidth can be choked enough to make CS Source VERY choppy. Try running a benchmark like 3D Mark 06 and let us know your detailed results, as this will isolate the hardware and take out factors like game/internet settings. You can download it here: http://www.futuremark.com/download/3dmark06/ The links for download are the mirror sites at the bottom of the page.

Since temps look pretty good, I'm leaning toward your memory or your software. Is it DDR 400 memory? Mixing brands of RAM, especially when you have a dual channel set and a single channel piece can cause issues. For under $100 you can get a quality name brand set of 2x1 GB DDR 400 and that should boost performance. In fact, it's possible you have a dead stick, though putting in a stick of your friend's 1 GB and having the problem persist (though slightly improved) would suggest this is unlikely.

Software problems is my guess. You may have malware running in the background as you play, hogging your already limited and/or potentially flawed RAM. I've never used dual core optimizer but I wouldn't be surprised if that's hogging resources too. Wiping your system clean (i.e. reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows) and getting a new set of 2x1GB DDR 400 name brand memory would probably do the trick, but since that costs money and takes time you may want to explore other options first.

That RAM mix will hurt the memory performance...you loose the DDR effect. The memory factor may also be compounded by the small cache on the HDD when the programs have to depend on the "Virtual Memory" cached on the HDD.
Also, have updated your motherboard drivers at all?

Mixing RAM can be a pain... could be your issue!

DC... if there in the correct slots... unsure. Is there any setting in the BIOS for "DC"... not familiar with that BIOS.

I didn't see a "DC" or a Dual Channel option anywhere, although I believe it's supposed to auto-enable it. According to the motherboards guide-book.

Since it sounds like its a memory issue, have you tried downloading memtest86+? It's a program used to test the RAM for stability.

http://www.memtest86.com/download.html
The third link from the top "Download - Memtest86 v3.3 ISO image (zip)" should be downloaded. If my memory is correct, you just double-click on the .iso file and Nero would automatically load the correct burning program to burn the .iso file as a bootable CD. Then just restart the computer, and assuming it's set to boot from CD first, it will load memtest86+ after loading the BIOS but before starting Windows. From there you can run tests to check the stability.

I've got Memtest86 on an old Linux cd, but how would it be unstable when the other ram isn't overclocked?

Quick question.

Are you actually playing ONLINE?? :|

Start with the basics, then work your way up.

Memtest, then chkdsk and defrag.

Then, open HL2 or CS:S (really for this issue, they're the same game).

Run the video test inside the game, see if its at all choppy etc...

Even though its choppy, how many fps are you getting?
If you don't have it turned on to show fps etc, in the console type cl_netgraph 3 for it to show fps, ping etc...

That will be another good indicator of where the problem is occurring...

Yes of course I'm playing online, lol, and I've done the stress test a bunch of times, its always at my cap, which is 100fps. And it runs perfectly, without it capped I get around 168-190, but when I join a server, it runs perfect, untill somebody joins, the issue usually occurs when there is someone right around the corner, the fps drops a bit and it begins to get really choppy, if I'm in a server with more than 1 person its almost unplayable, I have cable, 3mb so I know that isn't the problem. I've defragged and that didn't help before either,and I still don't see the point of MemTest when I'm not overclocking it.

Sounds like lag spiking...

Try some single-player and see if the same choppiness happens when you come up on someone...

This may sound like an odd question, but what Firewall / AV are you using?

Also, run a speedtest to see what actual speeds you're getting. You may be on a 3mb line, you're not getting the full 3mb for sure...

And memtest is a general test, not just for OCing... its a way to rule out the memory as an issue.

Alright, well I just did the Video Stress Test, and I got 94.43 fps, of a capped 100. Even though it stayed 99 the whole time, plus Single-Player is still choppy. I'm not using a firewall or anti-virus program, I never do since I don't do anything on this computer but play games. I run speed-tests almost everyday because I have to talk to Charter Internet's ****ty technicians, and it's usually at about 3mb, so I'd say about 2.7mb is used. And it doesn't spike in Net_graph 3. And I guess I will give MemTest a go later, for the sake of ruling it out and because I recently oc'd both in dual channel to 2-2-2-5. How long does it usually take?