Possibly the GPU only runs at 18Mhz, because it's not seeing enough power. Modern laptops do that but not sure about old Dells.

If not enough power is detected, you could try changing the battery in the laptop, or removing it and see if that changes anything.

If nothing else works try looking for a new motherboard and test that with and without battery and charger.

If its dell why dont you use dell power supply?

marxveix wrote on 2025-11-08, 15:02:

If its dell why dont you use dell power supply?

i dont have it. But it was working great with my other ac dapter for one year.

MikeSG wrote on 2025-11-08, 14:51:

Possibly the GPU only runs at 18Mhz, because it's not seeing enough power. Modern laptops do that but not sure about old Dells.

If not enough power is detected, you could try changing the battery in the laptop, or removing it and see if that changes anything.

If nothing else works try looking for a new motherboard and test that with and without battery and charger.

i already tried with no battery, same thing

WoW ! Very very strange. I went to powerstrip change the core clock from 143 to 145. The strong fan stop working completely, quiet. the mouse pointer disappear, no key works, just ctrl alt del and i reboot with the key and now
the gpu wirks at 30+ fps like always and fan still not working. After 5mins in playing nfs porsche, everything work, but the fan begin to work and and not full strong though. Now 2min after,the fan stop. 5 min the fan begin again. everything works great now. the fan act normally i think.. When it was always full speed it was not normal. i dont use any software for fan. i just use powerstrip. What is hapenning ?????? Thanks for help, i need to understand this strange behavior. Wow

I forgot to tell you guys, since i had this problem, sometime keyboard stop responding, but the game is still running and working. It could happen between 30min to 1h and i have to reboot the computer. Its very rare but sometime when i double click nsf porsche icon. the game dont start and i have to end it with ctrl alt del and end task and start it again.

The not responding keyboard is not funny.

Please help. Thanks for help.

Ok i played 3h at porsche only, fps are like always 30+ working great, fan works correctly.

But i have the keyboard problem that stop responding. at least in nfs porsche. It happen every 20 to 30min, very annoying, but i found a way to get it back responding and cintinue my race. but it just no sense. i push at least 3 keys at the same time several times, keys between F1 to F12. doesnt work if i push them separetely. ex: i pushed F1+F2+F3 at the same time, very fast, like 10 times and keyboard respond and works again. i think i got it responding too doing it with f5+f6+f7 like 10 times.
I try to figure out the real reason. Nothing is logical, its no senses. ( do this since the ac adapter problem the first time that burnt )

Any idea ????? Thanks a lot

Edit: i tried with 256mb ram instead of 512mb. keyboard problem still happens.
I only pushed F1-F8 keys several times separetely and it didnt work, but i push F1+F2+F3 together like 5 times and keyboard respond again, i lose the race 🤣.
very strange. but this time it seems the car was stuck on the left direction, when the keyboard stop responding.

Edit2: i tried a external ps/2 keyboard.
Even the external keyboard is not responding, when it happens

Edit3: Even if i start the racing using the external ps/2 keyboard it still happens and external keyboard stop responding

Do you have a virus scanner that scans every 20-30mins?
Do the F1-F12 keys correspond to anything on the Powerstrip software, or other software?
Is the external keyboard connector in good condition (external, internal)?

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expected power adapter.

This will absolutely kill performance every single time.

Sometimes, the charging circuit on the motherboard will become faulty and not be able to detect the power adapter properly. At that point, it is time to replace the motherboard unless you have the skills to figure out exactly what the problem is and are able to source the needed parts.

I have also seen where the laptop will either have a bad battery or the motherboard no longer detects even a known good battery. Some models will go into the same type of low performance mode like when the power adapter is not detected as expected.

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-11-09, 20:21:

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expe […]
Show full quote

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expected power adapter.

This will absolutely kill performance every single time.

Sometimes, the charging circuit on the motherboard will become faulty and not be able to detect the power adapter properly. At that point, it is time to replace the motherboard unless you have the skills to figure out exactly what the problem is and are able to source the needed parts.

I have also seen where the laptop will either have a bad battery or the motherboard no longer detects even a known good battery. Some models will go into the same type of low performance mode like when the power adapter is not detected as expected.

Correct on down-clocking if power adapter is not detected correctly, one more thing, the notebook will let you know before pressing F1 to continue booting.
I seen this before with defective power adapters for Dells.

For vintage Dell notebooks, 90W power adapter is required.

Cheers,

pentiumspeed wrote on 2025-11-09, 23:51:

Correct on down-clocking if power adapter is not detected correctly, one more thing, the notebook will let you know before press […]
Show full quote

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-11-09, 20:21:

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expe […]
Show full quote

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expected power adapter.

This will absolutely kill performance every single time.

Sometimes, the charging circuit on the motherboard will become faulty and not be able to detect the power adapter properly. At that point, it is time to replace the motherboard unless you have the skills to figure out exactly what the problem is and are able to source the needed parts.

I have also seen where the laptop will either have a bad battery or the motherboard no longer detects even a known good battery. Some models will go into the same type of low performance mode like when the power adapter is not detected as expected.

Correct on down-clocking if power adapter is not detected correctly, one more thing, the notebook will let you know before pressing F1 to continue booting.
I seen this before with defective power adapters for Dells.

For vintage Dell notebooks, 90W power adapter is required.

Cheers,

Hi! thanks all
We will check the laptop soon. But for now the 90w targus universal chager works perfectly. i tried several hours. its a automatic ac adapter between 15 to 24v and 6 amp

very strange. I got working nfs porsche after several reinstallation. For the first time, i installed it in the suggested directory and filename, without changing anything and i didnt installed patch 3.5
Now i still have the keyboard problem that randomly stop working in game. ( dont happen in demo )i will changing gpu driver for official from dell.

MikeSG wrote on 2025-11-09, 11:47:

Do you have a virus scanner that scans every 20-30mins?
Do the F1-F12 keys correspond to anything on the Powerstrip software, or other software?
Is the external keyboard connector in good condition (external, internal)?

no antivirus, i uninstall powerstrip. no app on the taskbar. dont happen in demo.
if i press f1+f2+f3 in the same time at least 4 or 5 times, keyboard will respond again. i have to check again, i think mouse dont respond too when it happen. happen only in race. it happens with internal and external keyboard. socket keyboard looks good to me. but it doesnt happen in demo of nfs porsche. i played normandie race several time. in full game it happen within 2 minutes in general.

pentiumspeed wrote on 2025-11-09, 23:51:

Correct on down-clocking if power adapter is not detected correctly, one more thing, the notebook will let you know before press […]
Show full quote

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-11-09, 20:21:

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expe […]
Show full quote

Dell machines will clock down a lot if they cannot detect the power adapter properly or if they detect a lower powered than expected power adapter.

This will absolutely kill performance every single time.

Sometimes, the charging circuit on the motherboard will become faulty and not be able to detect the power adapter properly. At that point, it is time to replace the motherboard unless you have the skills to figure out exactly what the problem is and are able to source the needed parts.

I have also seen where the laptop will either have a bad battery or the motherboard no longer detects even a known good battery. Some models will go into the same type of low performance mode like when the power adapter is not detected as expected.

Correct on down-clocking if power adapter is not detected correctly, one more thing, the notebook will let you know before pressing F1 to continue booting.
I seen this before with defective power adapters for Dells.

For vintage Dell notebooks, 90W power adapter is required.

Cheers,

no F1. seems ok now with the universal targus 90w charger. its a 100$ charger in Canada, its a good one

everything resolved ! hurray ! it was my feeling. With official Dell Driver 17.60 no keyboard problem happen. The problem is because of the omega nvidia driver 45.23. i didnt tried other omega version yet, but it i remember well digital vibrance begin in 45.23. No digital vibrance for me 🙁 in 45.23 i always put digital vibrance to max for more colors in my inspiron 8100 lcd screen. If you have any idea to help me, any driver, let me know. otherwise it's fine for now. i'm curious about what cause this keyboard problem in 45.23. Thanks guys

Note: by the way, earlier when i installed it, i just not only installed the nfs5 in default directory, but i cleaned the disc too, it was dirty, but i don't think it could have been that. who knows ! thanks to everyone

Edit: Digital vibrance has been release since version 6.xx ( read release note of 45.23 )
i found it in the dell drivers, but at another place )

Edit: i tested a long time, no problem with 43.45. ( i tried back 45.23 same keyboard problem, i will stay at 43.45 )