Why mame sometimes fast, sometimes slow (SOLVED)

[ardarvin]

What I want to know is why my computer will just randomly decide to play games at full speed which I could never play before...when I've changed nothing on the system.

My comp:

Proc: P4 2.6 Ghz
Mem: 1 G
OS: WinXp 32 bit.
Mame: .111 (i686 optimized)
AGP ArcadeVGA (newer version): with ddraw, hwstretch 0, triplebuffer 0, switchres 1
PCI Soundblaster card
AtomicFE front end

I've optimized my OS to death: disabled just about every process (black viper bare bones config), I've got no other apps or startup processes running (not even explorer.exe).

I'd really like to be able to play Puzzle Bobble 3 & 4 (is this too much to ask with my comp specs?), and sometimes I can brilliantly, but most of the time I get the deathly: slow choppy audio + frame rate.

Any suggestions (other than the typical: "get an older MAME version, faster processor, more memory.")?

[u_rebelscum]

How about: your CPU sometimes is overheating (slow) and others not (not slow).  Most modern PC CPUs decrease their speed (lower Hz) if they get too hot.  If this is the cause, it could be a bad fan, poor CPU cooler, poor contact between CPU & cooler, dried thermal grease, bad temp sensor, ect.  Try finding a cpu temperature monitor software and see if you CPU is running hot; if it's not, don't worry about any of the above.

[youki]

Can you determine when you game can run  at full speed and when not?

I mean if you start your PC , run Puzzle Bobble 3 or 4 directly , it always play full speed.

But if you play said one or 2 hours to others game, and then you try puzzle bobble , here it becomes slow.

Or it is really randomly , if you start puzzle bobble first, it can be slow?

[ardarvin]

I love you guys! 

It was the CPU overheating.

I had no idea modern CPUs slowed down if they get too hot, I just figured they'd run full speed until fail.

I cleaned off the old thermal grease and the back of the P4 CPU was actually discolored from heat...like an old kettle
After putting some new grease on there, things work better than ever.

Thanks so much...there are so many new games I can play now that were too slow before.

[FrizzleFried]

That is called "throttling"