Laptop skipping problem

[iPod!]

I have a very good laptop, one that can run Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion without skipping, even with a good few mods installed. However, when I try to run KotOR, it skips horribly, we're talking .5-3fps bad. If I drag my mouse over the menu, it skips, and will sometimes leave something like 'load game' highlighted even when my mouse is over 'exit game', or equivalent things (that was just an example; it does that all the time to everything)

 

 

It occurred to me recently that (Gah... I don't have the big-word technical vocab, so just bear with me and try to interpret) The game checks out your system, decides what you can do, and tries to run that fast. I think it might be a case of my system being too fast, as the game tries to run itself faster than even the laptop is capable.

 

Or something, this was suggested to me by someone far more computer-wise than I am.

 

Anyway, hope I'm somewhat intelligible. Ask for any clarifications, I'll respond to the best of my ability.

[stingerhs]

well, for one thing, both Kotor 1 & 2 have issues with mobility graphics cards. sometimes, people have very few problems getting the game to run, and of course, there are times when the game just flat out refuses to launch.

 

in your case, i do need to take a look at your hardware as indicated in this thread.

[iPod!]

Sorry, you're right, I really should have looked at that first. Here ya go;

 

 

OS Passed Windows XP v5.1 build 2600 Service Pack 2

 

CPU Passed Genuine Intel® CPU T2500@ 2.00GHz

 

RAM Passed 1024 MB

 

HD Passed C: (NTFS). UNICODE 13.88 GB free

 

Video Warning NVIDIA Quadro NVS 110M 156MB [Yep, I think this might be it, though I'm at loss at how this can run Oblivion and Empire at War, but not Knights]

 

Audio Passed SigmaTel Audio

OpenGL Passed NVIDIA Corporation - 2.0.1

 

DirectX Passed DirectX (9.0+) (4.09.00.0904)

[stingerhs]

a Quadro NVS???

 

i'll be the first to admit that i haven't seen very many of those, and there's likely a very good reason why. for one thing, the Quadro NVS series is designed for business apps more so than 3D apps. basically, that's another way of saying that its a low-end and very cheap (or "cost-effective" in business terminology).

 

still, i think the main culprit is just simply that neither game really wants to cooperate with graphics chips outside of the GeForce and Radeon lineups. yeah, there is some compatibility with the Intel Extreme lineup, but even that is rather limited.

 

there's only a couple of things that i can suggest. one is to update your graphics drivers through Nvidia's website. just make sure you uninstall the old drivers first or you'll likely cause yourself even more trouble. the other is to try turning the graphics settings way down and see if the game runs correctly from there (what you described never happens, as much as i'm aware ). if it doesn't, well, there isn't much more i can suggest outside of just getting the game installed on another system, and it would be preferable to you to run it on a desktop instead of a laptop.

 

anyways, i do hope that you can get it running.

[iPod!]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm trying to get my hands on a working PC (I have one, except the disk drive doesn't work...) and I'm going to look into updating my driver. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Also, I just remembered; for about half an hour while I was doing Manaan, it worked perfectly, lag free everywhere. Then I had to quit, do something else, and come back, and it was back to it's normal, lagging self. I'm not sure if that's important, but I just thought I'd mention it.