Laptop regularly freezes up while playing ET- help please

[emaL]

Hey, so I'm running Enemy Territory on a Lenovo Ideapad 300 with Windows 10. The computer is nothing amazing, but with 4 gigs of RAM I'd think it wouldn't be an issue.

What happens is, while I'm playing ET, my internet essentially lags out. I have about a 10 second window then where I try to close ET and see what I can do, before the computer ultimately just freezes up and there's nothing I can do.

For a while, I was running at 100% disk usage in task manager (got that fixed, doesn't seem to go above like 11% now). Currently, while ET is running but minimized, the task manager says i'm using 80% memory, ~45% CPU, and still low on disk usage.

What could this be? What things should I try? Need any more info?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[DFighter]

you could try to set priority to high and shut other programs using memory and are not needed
for laggs you can try /rate 34000 /cl_maxpackets 100 /r_primitives 2 ( or 0 but most people have 2 for primitives ) 
this are connection and graphic settings you also can lower your fps /com_maxfps 125 

if you still lagg after this it could be your laptop

also check on what disk you installed ET if that is almost full it happens that a disk is full and have issues with handling all and run at 100 percent
solution for this is installing ET on a diffirent harddisk if you have it on the laptop that have more space and uses less of it's capability 
example most people install on the c drive but after much installations the harddisk have to process everything once its almost full it often happens that it cant process all properly 
 

[Haruhi Suzumiya]

Get something to monitor the temps too and spray it out while you're at it. Laptops can easily overheat.

[emaL]

Spray it out how? I don't just want to blow dust around inside the computer. It doesn't feel hot from the outside, either, but I don't really know where I should be feeling it.
Do you suggest a specific program for checking laptop temp?

@dfighter- I already have most of those settings in place or even lower. Also, I don't lag. I just unexpectedly freeze up. I gave the info about memory/disk/cpu usage to show that those don't seem to be the issue. I hold a solid 76 fps constantly.

Edited September 2, 2017 by emaL

[Haruhi Suzumiya]

Use a bottle of compressed air/duster and spray out all of the intake/outlets for the fans, around and under they keys, pretty much anywhere you see a crack big enough to blast some air through. If you haven't done this before be sure to do this outside because it will be messy. You should keep up with this regularly with any PC but especially on a laptop where cooling becomes a big issue.

 

I'd also make sure that your laptop is getting enough airflow during heavy use by raising the bottom of it slightly off your desk using any method that works with your set up. They make different types of cooling pads with built in fans but I've never run into issues just using a book or two to raise the back up a few cm.

 

I'm not familiar enough with Windows 10 to lead you to a temp monitoring program but I'd just look for the lightest or simplest one you can find since you'll just be using it long enough to see if overheating is the cause.

[emaL]

awesome, thank you!

[emaL]

Temp seems fine. Consistently under 40 degrees Celsius. hmm

[kajto3]

Are you still experiencing freezes? I'd say its more like a software issue. What graphics card are you using?

[cookiem0nster]

a hard freeze from gaming only is something overheating. Not all components have thermal monitors either. CPU temps, GPU temps if its not in the CPU are key, but it could be elsewhere too.

 

Have you tried any other games? You aren't placing the laptop on a pillow are you? It needs to be a hard surface like a cutting board or else you smother the fans and vents

Edited October 11, 2017 by cookiem0nster