Game runs appallingly slowly (version 1.50)

[xj900uk]

Hi there. Have just downloaded WitP v.1.50 (I think) after downloading it from the main site but it is running appallingly slowly. Four hours to complete just one turn of scenario 2 (playing as the Allies!) That was basically two hours trying to do everything from anAllied point of view, move ships and set up the planes etc, it went at a torpid pace between the various drop-down menus when I clicked on 'end', 'back' or 'next'. Then I saved it and it took 2 hours to actually perform the turn, the AI just sat their and thuoght for several minutes without doing anything... [:@] Then when it did it, it was very, very slowly.
Any ideas what is wrong? I have checked and there is a lot of memory free on my C-Drive, at least a couple of GB. Is it a memory problem and I need more for the game to run properly? I am on Windows 2000 XP, by the way. I dare not try the full campaign!!! I would be there all night!
By the way, I also have UV and that runs fine, the odd 2-minute hiccup or wait whilst the AI thinks about somehting, but basically it works just fine. however, I purcahsed UV a couple of years ago and I run it on CD-disc, I never downloaded it from the site. Should it be that I wait for the CD-disk (which I have ordered but has not yet arrived), will it runf aster off of that?

Any ideas to help speed things up would be gratefully appreciated, I honestly think it is a memory problem somewhere in my PC. I've had other games such as RTW run slowly but never as bad as this!!!

[DuckofTindalos]

Well, it might help if we knew the specifications of your computer...

[xj900uk]

How do I find those out?  Is there someway I can call them up and post them on here?

[DuckofTindalos]

The most important specification is the amount of RAM you have, followed by CPU speed and then HDD capacity.

[xj900uk]

Is there some way I can get that off the hard drive?

[Roger Neilson II]

It may well be the amount of RAM you have, or there is not enough spare space on your hard drive, or you have every animation turned on to run forever.

Right click on the 'My Computer' Icon select properties and then respond here with the information listed below Computer as in the attached - that gives us a start.

Roger

[xj900uk]

Thanks for the tip.  Here is the info :
 
Pentium (R) 4 CPU  2.40 GHz
2.39 GHz 448mb of RAM
 
Is there any way I can increase the RAM as I'm not using all of the hard-drive (GHz I thnk!)

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: xj900uk

Thanks for the tip. Here is the info :

Pentium (R) 4 CPU 2.40 GHz
2.39 GHz 448mb of RAM

Is there any way I can increase the RAM as I'm not using all of the hard-drive (GHz I thnk!)

No, the only way to increase RAM is to buy more. Still, the game should run a lot faster on your computer. Try renaming the 'Sound' folder in your WitP directory to 'Nosound'. Some people have reported that sound issues have brought their game speed to a crawl.

[Roger Neilson II]

Ok, lets clear up a little confusion. Your hard drive is like a huge filing cabinet - it has nothing much to do with the performance of your computer in action. A big hard drive simply means you can store more stuff on it. RAM Memory is the computer brainpower. You have slightly less than half a Gigabyte brain in there - mine is 4 times the size. My computer runs WITP turns rapidly as its got lots more brain cells to do the work than yours has. This may not be the only reason your turns run slowly, but I'd say it was the primary cause. Adding extra RAM memory is the cheapest way of increasing your computer performance. Its also the easiest thing to do - though I'm not sure you have the knowledge to do it yourself so you may want to find someone who can do this for you. Essentially you need to find out what RAM memory your computer can take, and how many slots are available to add new memory into. Then, budget permitting, buy some more. Then open your computer up and put it in....

Look here for a taste of what to do:

Adding ram

Roger

[xj900uk]

So I need more RAM,  do I?  Thanks - alreayd had one upgrade, when I brought this PC back in 2001-ish it only had 256 Mb - hav already put in one extra chip but I guess another one won't come amiss.
 
Thanks for the tip though to rename my 'sound' folder 'nosound' - see if that makes a difference
 
Thanks once again for all the help!

[DuckofTindalos]

Do the same with your "VIDEO" folder; rename it to "NOVIDEO".

[Halsey]

I'm sure you have done this before, but..

Clear recycle bin?
Defrag your HD?
Virus and Spyware scan?

I know everyone who owns a computer does this regularly.
You'd be surprised how many people who own one don't know about basic PC health.

[DuckofTindalos]

Another thing that might (I stress the word "MIGHT") help is to patch up to the newest version. Some optimization has taken place.

[xj900uk]

Which is the optimum version?  I thought that it would be 1.50 seeing as I downloaded it from the site this week.
 
BTW,  I will try re-naming my VIDEO folder to NOVIDEO as well
 
Plus doing another spysweep scan,  waste-bin was empty, a nd also another de-frag

[DuckofTindalos]

Latest version is 1.806. Go to the GAMES section for WitP, locate the "downloads" section and you can find the patch section there. Apply 1.804 first (that's a comprehensive patch, meaning it will work with any previous version), and then 1.806 on top of that.

[xj900uk]

Thanx!  BTW,  the other changes recommended earlier seem to have speeded tihngs up a bit.  I can move between the drop-down menus a fraction faster

[Lecivius]

As a newb trying to help, you may want to look in the Game Settings once the game loads, & tune down the timer for game messages. If you change it from 10 seconds to 2 for reports, it can cause the turns to really speed up.

Of course, you need to keep an eye on the screen so you don't miss something important [:'(]

[TulliusDetritus]

I don't think your "lack" of RAM is the problem. I played WitP with an old PC as well (bought on 2001). And with only 128 megas of RAM. I had no problems at all. Good luck [:)]

EDIT:
"Defrag your HD" [...] "You'd be surprised how many people who own one don't know about basic PC health" - Halsey

Yo are indeed correct. I never "defrag". I "Format C:" instead...[8D]

[Ol_Dog]

Don't even KID about FORMAT
[:-]

[TulliusDetritus]

Why not? PC users should not avoid the lovely "FORMAT C". It's er... healthy... I "format c" every 2 or 3 months [;)]